After giving your life to Jesus, baptism is the next step in your walk with Christ. Jesus called it our first step of obedience — an outward expression of your inner commitment to Him. Baptism declares to the world you’ve trusted Jesus, joined God’s family, and made a commitment to follow Jesus, heart and soul. It’s pretty special! In Matthew 3:13-17, Jesus himself was baptized. It is a symbol of your old-self dying (going under the water) and the new you being raised to life (coming up out of the water) by the power of the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now works His life-changing power in and through you!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. WHAT IS BAPTISM?
Baptism is an outward expression of an inward change. It’s a public declaration of how Jesus changed your life. Being baptized shows others that you’ve decided to follow Jesus, and allows them to celebrate this decision with you (Acts 16:31-34). Baptism doesn’t save a person; it’s a symbol and celebration of salvation (1 Peter 3:21). The power that brought Jesus back to life is the same power Jesus uses to change our lives – and that’s worth getting excited about!
2. WHY SHOULD I BE BAPTIZED?
Three reasons to get baptized: (1) to obey Christ’s command (Matt. 28:19), (2) to publicly profess faith in Christ (Acts 2:37-41; Col. 2:11-12; Matt. 10:32-33), and (3) to formally commit yourself to Christ and his people (Acts 2:41-46; 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:22-23).
3. WHEN SHOULD I BE BAPTIZED?
For everyone who decides to follow Jesus, baptism is the next step. Anyone who commits his or her life to following Jesus is ready to be baptized (Acts 8:12).
4. DO YOU BAPTIZE CHILDREN?
As parents, we can help point our children to Jesus, but they are the ones to decide if they will commit their lives to Him (Romans 10:9). Any instance of baptism follows a person’s decision to trust Jesus for his or her salvation and commitment to follow Him (Acts 10:47-48). At Brookfield First, we wait until children are old enough to express their own decision to follow Jesus and understand the meaning of baptism. If your child has done this, explain what baptism is and what it means. Facilitate the conversation, but don’t dominate it.
5. DO I NEED TO BE BAPTIZED AGAIN?
If you haven’t been baptized by immersion since you decided to follow Jesus, we want to help you take your next step in being baptized. Once you’ve taken that step, there’s no need to be baptized again.