What is WATER BAPTISM?
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It is the undeserved gift that provides a relationship with God.
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All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him (Jesus Christ) the sins of us all. - Isaiah 53:6 (NLT)
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It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore. - Isaiah 59:2 (NLT)
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For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. - Romans 3:23-24 (NLT)
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It causes us to be “born again” or to be “born from above” (regeneration).
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Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” - John 3:3 (NLT)
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So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ - John 3:7 (NLT)
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This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! - 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)
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He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. - Titus 3:5 (NLT)
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It is an ordinance (an authoritative decree or direction) of the Church for all believers.
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Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. - Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)
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"Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days. - Acts 10:47-48 (NIV)
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It is the act of immersing in water to represent the believer’s faith to follow Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.
Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. - Romans 6:3-4 (NLT)
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It is a declaration that the believer is a follower of Christ.
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Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. - Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)
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It is a public identification in the redemptive work of Christ.
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Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. - Romans 6:3-4 (NLT)
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For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.
- Colossians 2:12-13 (NLT)
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It shows through faith that the believer has been crucified with Christ, has died with Him, has been buried with Him, and has risen to walk in newness of life with Him. This helps the believer overcome sin.
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Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. - Romans 6:3-4 (NLT)
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Baptism should be by immersion in water (immersion best represents a burial).
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As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The eunuch answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” - Acts 8:36-37
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We believe that any believer can baptize another believer.
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We recommend baptizing the believer in both the name of Jesus and in “the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” (the Trinity).
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Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. - Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)
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Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. - Acts 2:38 (NIV)
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...because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. - Acts 8:16 (NIV)
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On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. - Acts 19:5 (NIV)
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Here is a possible formula to use: “Because of your faith in Jesus Christ, and your desire to follow him in his death, burial, and resurrection, I now baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.”​
How can I learn more?
Sermons explaining more on the topic of water baptism.
Baptism Into Jesus Christ
Pastor Pete Mullins
Run Time: 35 Min 40 Sec
Water Baptism - Part 1
Pastor Pete Mullins
Run Time: 41 minutes 33 seconds
Water Baptism - Part 2
Pastor Pete Mullins
Run Time: 51 minutes 04 seconds