Baptism Faith TrainingVzorec

Day 7: Should I Be Baptized?

Let’s look again at what baptism does.

Baptism immerses you in Christ. That means what’s true of Christ becomes true of you.

The New Testament pushes this point to the nth degree. Jesus has the Holy Spirit. So Jesus’s Spirit is shared with you. Christ is powerful. His power will work in you. Christ is righteous. His righteousness is shared with you. Since he’s righteous before God, you’re now righteous in God’s eyes, too. Why? Because you are united to him.

There’s more. Christ was crucified. So, you are too. Your old self, with all its rebellious tendencies and sinful desires, are killed. Dead. Why? Because you are united to him.

There’s more. Christ is raised from the dead. You’ll share in his new life too. You’ll be raised again from the dead with an incorruptible body like Christ’s when he comes again, but that newness of life starts now, once you’re baptized in him. God will transform you from the inside out. Christ’s desires start to become your desires. His ways become your ways. His intimacy with the Father, yours. Why? Because you are united to him.

There’s more. Christ is the Son of God. Through baptism, you become a son of God. God will treat you as a son, not just a servant. (That status of sonship includes women, too.) And that means inheritance. Like Jesus, you’ll also inherit God’s kingdom and reign with him. Why? Because you are united to him.

There’s more. You’ll share in Christ’s sufferings. What breaks his heart will come to break yours. What he faces, you’ll face too, at least to some degree. Why? Because you are united to him.

There’s more. It unites you to Christ’s body. That is, his church. It fuses you together with believers across all space and time, which is then expressed through life together with a local body of believers. Because if Jesus is connected to others, you are too. Even those you don’t like. Even those not like you. Even those you don’t know. One worldwide family where water is thicker than blood. Why? Because you are united to him.

When you get baptized, you plunge yourself into this. You declare this. You declare that you trust him. You give your life to him and pledge your allegiance to him.

So, the question is: Do you want this?

It’s not a trick question. Baptism comes with incredible blessings but also incredible costs. Because it changes you. (Or at least it should.) Jesus himself says we should count the cost of being his disciple.

Baptism goes beyond wanting something from God. It’s more like marriage. It’s a question of whether you want to be one with Jesus, fusing your life to his. When you’re baptized, you’re taking on his name and identity.

So how do you decide whether you should get baptized?

Here are some good reasons to get baptized:

• Because you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and believe he died and rose again for your sins.
• Because you want to be his disciple.
• Because you want to be in Christ and have your life intimately connected to his.
• Because you’ve come to realize Jesus has what you’re looking for and is offering the kind of life you want.
• Because you’ve come to realize that you need God and that without him, you’re lost.
• Because you’ve come face-to-face with your own sin and would do anything – anything! – to be forgiven, cleansed, and made right again.
• Because you’ve come to realize you don’t deserve God’s forgiveness, can’t self-cleanse, or ever make yourself right – and that you need Christ.
• Because you want Christ’s identity to be your identity and Christ’s family to be your family.
• Because Jesus commanded it, and you want to honor him.

Here are some bad reasons to get baptized:

• Because this is what people have always done in your family.
• Because your spouse really wants you to or grandma is pressuring you.
• Because it might impress that cute guy or girl you like.
• Because everyone else is doing it, and it’s easier to go with the flow, not make waves, and just fit in.
• Because you’ve sinned or drifted away since you were last baptized and think you have to get baptized again.
• Because you think it means God has to let you into heaven.

All this can lead to a sort of paralysis. If you’re thinking about getting baptized but find yourself in that place, here are some questions worth asking yourself:

• Do I believe Jesus is who he says he is?
• Do I believe I’m a sinner and am in desperate need of God’s salvation?
• Do I trust Jesus as my Savior and Lord?
• Do I want my life (or my child’s life) immersed into him?

If you can answer yes, you’re ready to be baptized! Don’t delay. Talk to a pastor and tell them you want to be baptized. If you’re not attending a local church, find one. Let them guide you through the process.

It’s that simple.

Your church background doesn’t matter. Your age doesn’t matter. Neither does the condition of your life nor what you’ve done in your past. Jesus wants all people to be his disciples and to be baptized. He loves you and wants you to have a deep relationship with him. Baptism is for anyone. Anyone who wants to be a disciple of his! Young and old. Rich and poor. Male and female. People whose lives are outwardly together and people whose lives are a miserable wreck. No matter whether you were brought up in a church or never stepped foot in one. Anyone.

Questions

1. Of the things mentioned, which do you want the most? Which scare you, or are you unsure about?
2. Do you want to be baptized? Why or why not?