Foundations of Faith: What Does It Mean to Be a Christian?Sýnishorn

Baptism

Yesterday, you learned more about the importance of being in community with other believers. As you get connected to a church and start to learn even more about God, His people, and how He’s actively working in the world today, you’ll be introduced to the ordinance of baptism.

Now depending on whether or not you’ve been in church previously, baptism may already be a familiar concept to you. Baptism is the outward display of your faith in Jesus Christ. It is a public declaration that you have been made new in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

You do not need to be baptized to be a follower of Jesus, but you need to have made a heartfelt decision to follow Christ and make Him Lord of your Life to be baptized. This is something that Jesus calls us to do, and in fact, He even demonstrated it for us in Matthew 3:16!

Some denominations of the faith baptize infants and children, however, in Scripture, we see adults being baptized after repenting (turning away from) their sins and professing faith in Jesus Christ (Mark 16:16).

When you are baptized, you are washed with water, which symbolizes the death and burial of Christ. As you are brought out of the water, this symbolizes Jesus being raised from the dead (Romans 6:3-4), and so you are raised to new life in Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:12-13).

Some churches follow the practice of full submersion baptism, while others may sprinkle water on your head. Either way, this is an act of obedience and an outward display of your saving faith in Jesus Christ!

Today, read through the Scriptures mentioned above and prayerfully consider taking your next steps at your church to be baptized!