Are you thinking about being baptized? Is there a particular standard you’re trying to reach before taking that step? Does the idea or the process make you nervous? Is the thought of sharing your story and being immersed in the company of onlookers intimidating?
It’s important to give yourself the freedom to experience your feelings, ask your questions, and address your reservations. This article will help you explore the meaning of baptism, gain peace through answering concerns, and grasp the beauty of this holy ritual.
Over the years, I have heard many people recount their baptism experience, and many share their concerns as they consider baptism. Each story is unique and highlights how personal God is as He speaks individually according to what each person needs to hear.
For some, baptism is an easy decision that makes perfect sense.
For others, it is a secondary event that doesn’t feel significant enough to prioritize since the most important thing has already happened: Christ was received. They may plan to take that step at some point, but in the meantime, they will continue to grow.
For still others, baptism feels quite complicated. What does it mean? What will I feel after being baptized? How do I need to be different after being baptized? What if my life doesn’t look the way it should after my loved ones see me baptized? What if I make God look bad? What if I’m not good enough?
And then there are those who, because they were baptized in infancy, wonder if they need to do it again.
In this article, I will share what the Bible says about baptism and address some misconceptions.
We will cover:
Baptism is an outward declaration of an inward decision to follow Jesus Christ, whereby one is immersed in water - or sprinkled with water in cases when immersion is not feasible or safe.
Throughout Scripture, water represents both life and death.
Beginning with creation, God transformed formless, empty waters into a paradise of land and sea - all of it teeming with life. Many centuries later, God buried the earth again in water - washing it of evil human intentions and giving new life to a new generation devoted to God and His design of love, abundance, and purpose.
God promised never to flood the earth again, but that did not end water’s symbolism of life and death,
Many generations after Noah, God split the Red Sea, saving the Jews from death by an army of Egyptians chasing them as the Jews began escaping enslavement they suffered for over 400 years.
After forty years wandering in the wilderness, God split the waters for them again - this time it was the Jordan River, and it was to make a clear path for His people to enter a life of abundance in the verdant land that He promised them.
About a millennium later, John the Baptist urged the Jews to turn from their sins and be saved from its death sentence. As an outward act of obedience, all who sought forgiveness came forward and John baptized them in the Jordan River. He told them that he was a messenger sent by God to prepare their hearts for the coming of the promised Messiah who would save them from their sins and give them eternal life. John explained that he baptized with water, but Jesus would baptize believers with the Holy Spirit.
God’s Word tells us to be baptized.
Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He told the eleven apostles to make disciples throughout the world and to baptize them.
After Jesus returned to heaven, His followers waited to receive the Holy Spirit whom Jesus said He would send. This took place at the time of Shavuot (Greek: Pentecost), an annual Jewish holiday in which Jews from every nation gathered to celebrate in Jerusalem.
Upon receiving the Holy Spirit, the apostles and many other Christ-followers with them began to speak in every language from every nation; this was directed by God so that people everywhere could receive the Good News of Jesus Christ brought to them by the celebrators returning to their homes.
A crowd of devout Jews, curious and thinking the orators were drunk, came forward to see the meaning of their odd behavior. Overcome with sorrow and belief after hearing Peter explain that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah sent by God, they asked what to do now. Peter said to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins.
According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, repentance means to “change one’s mind.” To become a Christian, there must be a mind-shift: to turn away from a life of sin and turn to a devotion to God.
Immediately after repenting and receiving Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are fully forgiven and saved from your sins.
One of the first steps you can take in this new life of freedom is to be baptized.
Being baptized in water symbolizes your inner transformation - that you have crossed over spiritually from death to life. It solidifies your devotion to God by giving you the opportunity to act on your decision. Baptism makes your decision more tangible as you can point to an ensuing event and identify people that witnessed your ceremonial oath.
You might be asking, “do I really need to be baptized if I have chosen in my heart to believe?”
If you are reluctant to be baptized, it is important to discover why. Ask God to reveal the obstacles as you search your soul. Try asking yourself these questions:
Talk to and pray with other believers about your questions and your hesitation.
Were you baptized as an infant (through water sprinkled on your forehead)? Have you heard the term “believer’s baptism” and wondered how it is different from your experience as a baby? Do you have religious family members that don’t understand or feel hurt by your decision to be baptized again?
If your parent(s) or another guardian had you baptized (also known as christening) as an infant, they were likely pledging you to the Lord in their hearts as a step of faith and commitment to God. Many churches have a similar ceremony that they call dedication.
There is a difference between baptism that takes place as a baby and one that occurs later in life. The distinction is the identity of the believer.
The term “believer’s baptism” indicates that the person being baptized has made the personal choice to believe and follow God.
There can be a myriad of misunderstandings about baptism; here are just a few.
If any resonate with you, I encourage you to talk with a knowledgeable Christian and read the references to baptism in the Bible, asking God to give you clarity on the meaning.
Choosing to be baptized is a decision to receive cleansing from God. You are unable to clean yourself; only God can purify you, and that through Jesus Christ’s death on the cross when He took on your sin and paid the penalty for it.
Believing and receiving salvation through the Lord - Jesus Christ - is what makes you a Christian, not baptism. After receiving this indwelling of the Holy Spirit, you then act on your belief by being physically baptized in water.
The only reason you would need to be re-baptized is if you were baptized for some other reason than proclaiming your faith in Jesus. The Bible shows a pattern of believers following, straying, and being restored. If you strayed and have now returned, you are not alone. Straying doesn’t discredit what God did in you when you first believed and were baptized.
Being baptized is an action you take after receiving forgiveness and putting your faith in Jesus Christ. People can have a variety of emotional responses - some more expressive than others. Accepting Jesus as your Savior and Lord is like opening your hands to receive God’s gift; your emotional response to the gift does not change whether you received it. It may take some time, life experiences, and understanding of the many facets of that gift before you develop more sentiments.
My decision to be baptized came about a year after receiving Christ. Before that, I don’t remember knowing about baptism - other than having images of babies being sprinkled with water by men clothed in ornate robes.
My conversion to Christianity came after a period of atheism. Atheism worked for me; it was most consistent with my experience of the world: God couldn’t be seen and couldn’t be proven so believing in God seemed absurd, and Christians seemed to have lost their sense of reality.
Then at a time in my life when I needed to know if there was anything more to this life than what I could see, I took a risk - feeling a little odd - and spoke out loud into the air, asking God if he exists.
In that moment, a warmth and very real sense of God’s presence came over me. I knew immediately that God loves me. Jesus became my best friend whom I talked to everyday about almost everything.
At this time, baptism was foreign to me - in fact, it was not even on my radar.
As my relationship with Jesus grew and strengthened, my trust in him, his goodness, and his faithfulness increased.
Then, about a year later, God impressed upon me that Jesus is meant to be not just my Savior and friend, but also the Lord of my life.
This was a big shift for me because I was accustomed to being the lord over my own life - doing what I wanted, how I wanted, and not interested in having anyone tell me what to do.
God gently asked me if I could trust Him through obeying His commands, having the assurance that His guidance is genuinely given with my best interest in mind.
Within months, I became aware of the importance of baptism. So, shortly after, at church one week, I chose to be baptized - proclaiming my faith through sharing how I came to know the Lord.
That event, which took place more than thirty years ago, left a lasting impression - as God designed it to do - tangibly grounding me in my decision to believe and follow God.
Whether you just became a Christian or you have been one for a while, baptism is part of your story. What does that narrative say? Does it speak of faith, confusion, fear, or resistance? Is it a story of an event where you proclaimed your belief? Is it a story of reasons you’re not ready to act on your faith?
If you are considering baptism, I encourage you to pray to God and to talk with a Christian who is grounded in the Bible. Share any questions or reservations you have. And when you’re ready, pick a time and place to gather with your loved ones when you can proclaim that Jesus Christ has saved you from sin and death, and has given you a new life of purpose, abundance, and soul satisfaction.
Do you want to learn more about the Bible or how to become a Christian? Check out these articles:
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