Baptism is a deeply meaningful and transformative act - a public declaration of our loyalty to Jesus as our King and our initiation into the Kingdom family of God.
Baptism, is an act of allegiance, a pledge of fidelity to Jesus as the reigning King. As we are immersed into the water, we are enacting a symbolic death and burial, identifying ourselves with the death of Christ. As we rise from the water, we resonate with Christ’s resurrection and the hope of new, eternal life in His kingdom. Baptism is not merely a passive act; it is an active pledge of our ongoing faithfulness to Jesus as our Lord.
Baptism holds critical significance in our Christian faith. It isn’t merely a personal decision or a symbolic act, but a public pledge of loyalty to Jesus as King and a welcoming into the worldwide family of believers – God’s kingdom on Earth. It is a marker of our identity as followers of Christ, affirming our commitment to serve Him, and adhere to His teachings.
It is also an act of obedience since Jesus commanded anyone who claims to be his disciple to be baptized.
Matthew 28:19-20 (CEB): “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.”
Romans 6:3-4 (CEB): “Or don’t you know that all who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were buried together with him through baptism into his death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too can walk in newness of life.”
This is a common question and a very important one. In many Christian traditions, baptism is seen as an act of allegiance, a conscious and public declaration of loyalty and commitment to Jesus as King. This understanding of baptism suggests that it should be a decision made when an individual is old enough to comprehend the significance of what they’re doing.
However, we recognize that infant baptism is a tradition in many Christian families, often seen as a commitment by the parents to raise their child in the faith. If you were baptized as an infant, this act was a beautiful testament to your parents’ or guardians’ intentions to nurture your faith from an early age.
Still, now that you are older and can understand the weight of the pledge, you may wish to personally affirm your allegiance to Jesus Christ and your place in God’s Kingdom through a believer’s baptism.
We wholeheartedly invite and encourage you to make this decision as an expression of your own personal faith and understanding. It’s an opportunity for you to publicly declare, in your own words and actions, your allegiance to Jesus and your willingness to be part of God’s family.
It’s important to remember that this is your journey, and we are here to provide guidance and support. If you have any more questions or concerns, please feel free to speak to one of our church leaders.