““For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” ”
Baptism in the Bible
The first mention of the word “Baptism” is found in Matthew 3:7 - "But when He saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism..."
The word "Baptize" is first found in Matthew 3:11 - "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance.”
The term Baptism = "Baptizo” which means to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one’s self.
Our Salvation does not come through our Baptism. Our Salvation comes from having acknowledged the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Romans 10:9-10 - "...that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”
Once having confessed Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you should seek to be baptized. This act is a public declaration of your faith in Jesus Christ and seals the union between yourself and Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
An example from the Bible can be found in the book of Acts with Philip baptizing the Ethiopian Eunuch. Acts 8:36 - “As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look ! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.” We pray as leaders at Gateway, that just like the Ethiopian Eunuch, when you come up out of the water after your baptism, that you will go on your way rejoicing in the knowledge that you are a child of God with all of the inherited benefits that go with being adopted into the family of God.
Why should I be baptized?
Jesus was baptized. He who was without sin was baptized for the remission of sin and the forgiveness and the pardon of sin.
Matthew 3:13 - “Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him.”
Luke 3:21 - “Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized and while He was praying, heaven was opened...”
Baptism is a public declaration of your faith in Jesus Christ. It symbolizes the death of the old man and the rebirth of the new man. It says publicly, “I have surrendered the old man, put him to death and I have been spiritually resurrected.
After we have made a public declaration of our faith in Jesus Christ, we are clothed in Him. As followers of Jesus we should reflect Jesus in our lives not just in church, but wherever we are. Your baptism should not be taken lightly; Jesus who was without sin did not take His baptism lightly.
If you would like to get baptized or need more information, please fill out the form below and someone will get in touch with you.