Water Baptism

Water baptism is a public ceremony of immersion in water, accompanied by a verbal confession of repentance from sin and a whole-hearted commitment to follow Jesus. Baptism is a formal pledge of commitment to him and the beginning of our life of discipleship.

Why get baptised?

Firstly, the bible commands believers to get baptised:

Acts 2:38: "Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit'."

Secondly, baptism is presented biblically as the next step to receiving Christ. The book of Acts describes the practice of administering baptism to almost every group or individual who believed in the preaching of the Gospel by the apostles. It was the expectation from the biblical accounts that believers would get baptised as soon as they came to faith.

Thirdly, Jesus himself got baptised, and so we should as well, because as Christians we aim to copy Jesus as far as possible (see Matthew 3:13-17).

What does baptism symbolise?

In addition to being a public declaration that we have turned away from a life of sin, and that we have received Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, baptism is symbolic in several ways.

Believers have already died with Christ to their old self. Their willingness to be submerged in water symbolically represents a burial of self. As they are lifted from the water, this is symbolic of arising with Christ to become a new creature, mirroring his resurrection.

Romans 6:3-4: "…don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."

This process is profoundly cleansing in a spiritual way, just as being completely immersed in water is in a physical way. Many who get baptised often claim to feel pristinely clean in a spiritual sense after they have been baptised.

When should I get baptised?

In the New Testament baptism is presented as the step that follows coming to faith in Jesus. In many cases, it happens straight after someone becomes a believer and this is the ideal. You do not have to reach a level of "Christian maturity" to earn the right to be baptised. This couldn't be further from the New Testament pattern, which doesn't entertain the thought of an unbaptised disciple and shows that the events of conversion and water baptism happened in very quick succession of one another (if not on the very same day).

Acts 8:36-37:"As they travelled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?"

Each person needs to make up their minds about when they are ready to get baptised – but the general rule is to do it soon after coming to faith, rather than leaving it indefinitely. If you have made a sincere commitment to Christ and have not yet been baptised - whether that commitment was last week or 10 years ago - please be encouraged to do so as soon as possible.

To provide you with further information, both of a biblical nature and in terms of practicalities for this Sunday, you are advised to attend a Water Baptism Preparation Class ahead of your baptism. Contact the Church Office for more information.

If I get baptsed, does that mean I am saved?

Baptism is not a formula by which salvation is made to happen: it is simply a step of obedience to the Lord following our repentance and confession of sin. Our obedience in areas like water baptism, prayer, good works, fellowship and witnessing, etc. flows from our faith in Christ.

Baptism in itself does not make you acceptable to God. As a work of righteousness, or as an attempt to obtain a good standing with God, it is worthless. Water baptism is a way of giving testimony to what has happened inwardly, and a clear commitment to turn from the old way of life.

Conversely, not being baptised does not mean that someone is excluded from being saved. The thief on the cross next to Jesus didn't have time to be baptised before he died, but he had an opportunity to believe in Jesus and put his trust in Him, and Jesus responded by saying:

Luke 23:43: "Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise'."

What about baptising infants?

Whilst different Christian traditions practice different rites, the challenge presented by Peter (Acts 2:38) of "repent and be baptised" suggests a mature awareness of sin and an acknowledgement of the need to change direction in life – and both of these are clearly beyond an infant.

Today, a ceremony of dedication is a more appropriate acknowledgement of the arrival of a new infant into a believing family, within a church context.

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