About Baptism
As
I was creating these pages God pointed out this very important
subject and that many do not understand. I admit that I use to be a
part of that group. Being a child that grew up in a Catholic home, I
was baptized as a baby so I never questioned what that meant. Even
when I was a teen and got saved I still did not question it because I
was baptized or at least I thought I was. Then I found out how
mislead I was when I tried to join my church and they asked if I was
baptized. After it was explained to me from the Bible I understood
and on September 24, 2006 I was truly baptized.
So,
What Does it Mean to Be Baptized?
The
word baptism used in the Bible always means baptism with water,
unless otherwise plainly indicated in that particular passage. Being
baptized means that one is identified with Christ, it symbolizes and
appropriates our death, burial and resurrection with Christ. Baptism
is a burial, we are "buried with him," that is, Jesus is
going to die on the cross and be buried in Joseph's tomb and come out
alive. Baptism means I believe that, but also means that my body will
rise from the grave and I will see my loved ones again in the
resurrection. It means also that I count this old sinner I was dead,
and I am raised up now to live a new life in Christ.
Now, do
not mistake baptism for salvation, a person that has been baptized,
without salvation is still not saved, likewise a person that is
saved, but that does not mean that one can lose their salvation if
they are not baptized. What is does mean is that one can not truly
serve God in the way that He intended. I wasted twenty years of my
life believing in something that was completely false. Nevertheless,
I am now and Praise God I can live to tell others about my journey so
they too can learn the truth and that no matter how long it takes God
will get us on the correct path somehow. The Holy Spirit will always
convict, in accordance with His Word, the conscience of any sincere
believer regarding this matter. Then, it becomes their responsibility
to God to decide the matter of obedience in Scriptural baptism, by
immersion.
The
Truth is Baptism is Only For The Saved.
The Holy Spirit directed Philip to speak to an eunuch about the
Gospel, "And
the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh
the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip
opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto
him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain
water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me
to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine
heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand
still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the
eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the
water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw
him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing."
- Acts 8:34-39. The only way the eunuch could get baptized, which was
to be fully immersed in water, was by believing in Christ. This is
why it is wrong for a baby to be baptized, in order for a person to
be baptized he/she must know what it means and believe in Christ, a
baby does not know the difference so he/she is not saved.
Baptism
is Testimony of Ones Salvation
Baptism
does not get one saved, but is a testimony of salvation. Therefore,
it is meaningless prior to salvation. When Christ became my Savior,
all prior involvement, such as singing in the choir, church
membership, attendance, and baptism were absolutely meaningless. When
I was baptized after I was saved, this had meaning and fulfillment as
I realized this was a testimony of my faith in Christ. I felt good
about myself because I was doing what the Lord wanted me to do.
Here
you will find information about Baptism, what it is, what it means,
the false doctrines of it, and why Jesus commands all the saved to
get baptized.
