Baptism in Water
Baptism in water is something the Lord Jesus commanded us to do after we receive Him as our Savior and Lord. The Gospel of Mark records that before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He told his disciples: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mk. 16:15-16)
In scripture we not only see the commandment made by our Lord. We also understand that Jesus explained when and how Baptism should occur.
First: He made it clear that baptism should happen after a person understands and recognizes that he or she is a sinner, that he or she needs salvation and forgiveness. After a person’s confession of faith, receiving Jesus as his or her Savior and Lord, the second step is baptism in water.
Second: He left us His example of how to baptize, since He went to John the Baptist to be baptized in the Jordan river. Through this we can glean that baptism should be through submersion.
Baptism in water is a symbol. When the person is submerged in the water it is representing that the person died to sin, that he or she died to their former life when they lived in disobedience to God. When the person is raised out of the water, that person is representing that they have risen to a new life with Christ.
By itself, baptism does not save anybody. Salvation is through faith in Jesus, the Son of God. But baptism is a requirement of the Lord, one which we should keep in obedience to His word.
