Going Public With Your Faith Through Water Baptism
Matthew 3:11–17
The culture of Open Life is described here in this scripture – it’s one of celebration. Heaven was pumped that Jesus did “what was proper for us to do.” And we love to shout and laugh and celebrate when someone has just been obedient to the point of identifying himself or herself with Christ in water baptism, too. Chest bumps, hugs, high fives…
Let’s look at many passages that talk about this sacred, 2000 year old practice of water baptism and see what is and is not in scripture as far as we have been taught or observed.
Water Baptism FAQ's
So you’ve read through the water baptism page and you still have questions? It’s totally normal! Water baptism is an outward sign of an inward change. Just before Jesus returned to heaven, He commanded His followers to preach the gospel to all people and to baptize believers. Baptism is a sign to everyone watching that he or she has accepted Jesus as Savior and that he or she plans to obey Jesus and live to please Him.
Water is not what washes away our sin, it is the relationship with Jesus that provides our forgiveness of sin, the water baptism is a symbolic event of burying our sin and rising up out of the water resurrected from their consequences! Naturally, even if you have yet to make a decision to follow Jesus, reading these passages might bring up some questions…let us answer some.