Why Baptism Matters

Does baptism matter?

While all Christian churches teach baptism, we certainly view it in different ways.

Churches seem to fall in one or two large camps about baptism. Some emphasize a baptismal regeneration–you can’t enter into heaven apart from baptism. Churches who teach and believe this even divide up over exactly how that happens.

Others seem to think that baptism is of little consequence.

It’s hard to find the “Goldilocks” place to be.

Why does baptism matter?

First, Jesus told the church to go into all the world, make disciples, and baptize those disciples.

Second, when you read of people being saved in the New Testament you also read about their baptism and church membership. What you don’t see in the New Testament is people claiming faith in Christ without connecting to the local church.

Third, baptism gives a beautiful picture of what happens when we come to faith in Christ. Our salvation means that we have died with Christ and we have been raised with Christ. As a person is immersed, it pictures outwardly what has happened inwardly–they have died to self and have been raised in Christ Jesus.

Finally, baptism shows our desire to follow after Christ and live with and for Him. It is the New Testament way of taking your stand for Christ.

Nothing is more important than knowing God and living according to His direction. I encourage you to find a Godly person of wisdom who will help you see what the Bible says about faith in Christ.

Then, take the plunge–literally and figuratively! Take your stand for Christ and let Him bring the change He wants in your life.

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4 Responses

  1. Thank you Dr. Bailey for your reminders of the day , to start our day with our thoughts on Gods word and guidance as we go through our busy schedule.
    Bonnie Ferguson

  2. Jesus Himself submitted to being baptized by [of course] John the Baptist, who initially objected, saying, “I need to be baptized by you.” Jesus replied, “It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.”
    Mt. 3:13-15

  3. How does immersion represent Christ’s when He was entombed and not lowered into a grave? We sing, “Up from the grave he arose,” at Easter, but He really didn’t come up, He came out of a cave like tomb when the stone rolled away.

    1. You are correct about the burial customs except for the fact that many tombs were actual caves, some in the ground. The tomb of Jesus does not seem to have been a cave but much like–if not actually–the tomb in the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem.
      The real reason we use the terminology is because of Romans 6 where Scripture says “we were 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.”

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