Why Should I Get Baptized?

Baptism is a covenant ceremony publicly celebrating the occasion of deciding and declaring your acceptance of Jesus as your savior and Lord by publicly entering into covenant with Jesus and becoming united with him in life forever.  It is like a wedding covenant ceremony, where Jesus invites you to become one with him.  He says, in effect, “Will you be mine?,”  and you respond “I Do.” It is a ceremony that by Jesus’ promise, and by your faith, joins you to him in his death, burial, and resurrection (See Romans 6:1-6).  This joining together with Jesus pictures symbolically how in Jesus’ death he absorbed all of your sins (past, present, and future) because he paid the penalty for your sins by taking your place.  An exchange was made (see Romans 4:22-25; 5:6-8; 8:3-4, 8:32).  Although you deserved the unending spiritual separation your sins caused before our Holy God, Jesus paid your penalty.  In his burial your sins are taken away , and your former life is buried.  In his resurrection you are raised completely new.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NIV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation… God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 

You are a new creation because having been washed clean, and the penalty of your sins taken away, you now become a recipient of the resurrection Life of Jesus and you are given His Holy Spirit as a gift to live forever with you, and inside of you.  This is a Spiritual rebirth, sometimes called being “born again” (John 3:3-6; Romans 8:11).  

Baptism is a covenant ceremony, much like a wedding is a covenant ceremony, where two people join their two separate lives into one.  In this covenant Jesus makes it possible to join your life His.  You are in Christ and Christ is in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).  And that is why the church is called the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:27, Revelation 19:6-9).  So, how do you become a Christian? You entrust yourself to Jesus and say “Yes”, or “I Do”.  This acceptance by faith/trust is how you receive the gift of spiritual life which lasts forever with God into eternity.

Now let’s be clear:  It isn’t the ceremony of baptism that saves. Baptism is the ceremony celebrating the occasion. It is Jesus who saves.  It is a ceremony of commitment, Christ’s commitment to you, and your commitment to him.  It is called your “pledge” (1 Peter 3:21).  And yet it isn’t even your faith or your commitment that saves you.  It is Jesus accomplished victorious work through his death, burial, and resurrection that saves you.  Your faith response is merely trusting enough to respond and say “Yes” to Jesus, and hold nothing back.  This faith response is how we receive this gift.  After we receive his Salvation we can begin to grow Spiritually as we follow Jesus.  

So, you might still be wondering—why should I get baptized?

1) … because Jesus was baptized and wants you to be baptized, then be a part of the movement to baptize others.  Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19-20 that He wants us to spread His message of love. He told those who were now his followers to baptize others.  Okay, Jesus. We’re happy to obey.

2) … because you’ve decided to follow Jesus and you want people to know the good news. Making the decision to become a follower of Christ is the best decision you’ll ever make. When you make a life-changing decision like this, you want to tell everyone about the new hope you’ve found in Jesus! You want to let people know you believe God is real. Our faith is personal, but it is not private. Baptism is about going public with your faith.

3) … because baptism is filled with powerful imagery  of what Jesus did for us.  Make sure you invite your friends and family to celebrate with you.