All In: Pre Baptism ResourceSample

Day 7: When should I get baptized?

Now that you’ve been able to read what Scripture says about baptism and the importance of biblical truths to guide you, it’s time to decide when you should go ALL IN!

One thing we can be sure of is that there isn’t a requirement to have all the answers or have it all figured out to be baptized. In fact, God welcomes our questions. That’s how our faith is built. We can also be assured that God isn’t waiting for us to stop sinning before we can come to Him and be baptized. He knows that we are not perfect creatures and that, while our desire is to be Christ-like in all we do, we still sin. That’s why we need a Savior. In fact, Jesus reminded His disciples in Mark 2:17,

“Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

We can learn much in Scripture about the progression of baptism from an encounter in Acts 8. A preacher of God’s Word, Philip was traveling and came upon an important official in the Ethiopian court. This eunuch was a believer in God and had gone to worship in Jerusalem. Phillip heard the Holy Spirit encourage him to go to the man. So he did. He approached his carriage, asked the eunuch if he understood what he was reading and then proceeded to tell him the Good News about Jesus. They read scripture together and Philip taught him the meaning of the Scripture passage as they traveled down the road. Then they came to some water and the eunuch, seeing the water, asked Philip if he could be baptized right then and there. He recognized his sin, he received the Good News that Philip shared and then immediately wanted to be baptized. There was no waiting, no pondering or confusion. He heard, he saw and then he went ALL IN.

You can know that being baptized is an outward expression of an inward work of God in your life. It's a picture of dying to your old self , being buried into a watery grave and then raised to a new life. Once you hear the Good News and recognize your need for a Savior, you must respond with boldness and confidence! Walking in obedience as God prompts you to take this step can have eternal implications. It can change the trajectory of your life and those around you by giving your life fully to the Lord.

Reflection:

• What have you learned about God through this process of deciding to go ALL IN in baptism?
• What have you learned about yourself over these last 7 days?
• What is keeping you from going ALL IN?

If you are ready, reach out to a pastor at your church or a trusted friend who can help you take your next steps toward baptism!