Why is Baptism important?

Baptism is not an act of salvation, because we are saved by faith in Jesus alone. However, baptism is an important step in a believer’s walk with Jesus. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He gave His disciples a list of instructions for how to proceed in finishing the work He began on earth. We call this the Great Commission. (Matt 28:18-20)

It is impossible to follow Jesus and neglect baptism. It is an integral part of your faith journey. Baptism is the necessary step between the first moment of salvation and the life-long process of maturing in your faith and conforming to the image of Jesus.

What does Baptism mean?

Baptism comes from the Greek word baptizo, which means: “to immerse or dip under the water, to cleanse by submerging”. This word refers to permanent change.

A symbolic representation of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, illustrating that we are putting our sins to death and rising into a new life that can only be found in Jesus.

An outward declaration of the inward changes in a believer’s life.

An act of faith after salvation, and an act of obedience in response to Jesus’s command to follow His example and be baptized (Matt. 3:13-17)

A public declaration of your commitment to Jesus and a public confession of your faith in Jesus. It connects us to the body of Christ and joins us with other believers.

By confirming our position in Christ, baptism also affirms the blessing of God in our life. When we affirm that we are His children, we receive the blessings of our Father.

(Eph. 1:3-5)

When am I ready to be Baptized?

As soon as you have made the decision to believe in Jesus and follow Him for the rest of your life, you are ready to be baptized! We encourage you to do so without delay. In the Bible, we see that new believers in the book of Acts were baptized immediately following salvation (Acts 10:34-48). Therefore, you are ready to be baptized as soon as you understand the simplicity of what baptism means and are ready to declare that you want to follow Jesus forever.