What is water baptism?
Water baptism symbolizes the believer's total trust in and total reliance on the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as a commitment to live obediently to Him. Water baptism is for believers. Before we are baptized, we must come to believe that we are sinners in need of salvation (Romans 3:23). We must also believe that Christ died on the cross to pay our sin debt, that He was buried, and that He was resurrected to assure our place in Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). When we turn to Jesus, asking Him to forgive our sins and be our Lord and Savior, we are born again by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Water baptism is a beautiful picture of what Jesus has done for us. As we are completely immersed in the water, we symbolize burial with Jesus; we are baptized into His death on the cross and are no longer slaves to self or sin (Romans 6:3-7). When we are raised out of the water, we are symbolically resurrected--raised to new life in Christ to be with Him forever, born into the family of God (Romans 8:16). Water baptism also illustrates the spiritual cleansing we experience when we are saved; just as water cleanses the flesh, the Holy Spirit cleanses our hearts when we trust Christ.
Believers should be baptized out of obedience to and love for our Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:15). Water baptism by immersion is the biblical method of baptism because it is a representation of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Water baptism symbolizes the believer's total trust in and total reliance on the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as a commitment to live obediently to Him. Water baptism is for believers. Before we are baptized, we must come to believe that we are sinners in need of salvation (Romans 3:23). We must also believe that Christ died on the cross to pay our sin debt, that He was buried, and that He was resurrected to assure our place in Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). When we turn to Jesus, asking Him to forgive our sins and be our Lord and Savior, we are born again by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Water baptism is a beautiful picture of what Jesus has done for us. As we are completely immersed in the water, we symbolize burial with Jesus; we are baptized into His death on the cross and are no longer slaves to self or sin (Romans 6:3-7). When we are raised out of the water, we are symbolically resurrected--raised to new life in Christ to be with Him forever, born into the family of God (Romans 8:16). Water baptism also illustrates the spiritual cleansing we experience when we are saved; just as water cleanses the flesh, the Holy Spirit cleanses our hearts when we trust Christ.
Believers should be baptized out of obedience to and love for our Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:15). Water baptism by immersion is the biblical method of baptism because it is a representation of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.