Baptism

Dear Victorious,

My husband and I have been married for five years, and joined a non-denominational church this past summer. When we took the membership class, they stressed the importance being baptized, and twice we've been contacted to try and schedule us for baptism. I was baptized as a child - before I could even walk. And my husband gave His life to Christ when he was a teen-ager (in a church that didn't do baptisms). So if we're both already saved, why would we need to be baptized now?

Dorothy V. - St. Paul, MN

Dear Dorothy,

Often there is confusion about baptism. People, and even some denominations, believe that baptism is necessary for salvation. That is not a Biblical view. Nevertheless many credible denominations (such as the Catholics) hold fast to it. This results in things like infant baptisms ... because the belief is that baptism is necessary for salvation and the parents or grandparents want to secure that salvation for their child as soon as possible.

So if you were baptized as an infant, it was because your parents or grandparents or whomever was involved in that baptism had an inaccurate understanding of what baptism is. The Biblical truth about baptism is that it is an outward expression to acknowledge what has already been accomplished. Your salvation is secured when you make a conscious decision to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and pledging yourself to seek Him and obey Him for the rest of your life.

While baptism doesn't accomplish your salvation, it is a very important act of humility, obedience and respect on our part. It is one of the most significant signs of true repentance (Matthew 3:6) and it publicly identifies the believer with Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19).

Often Jesus' own baptism is a reference point for the fact that baptism isn't needed to secure salvation. Jesus was perfect, had never sinned and actually is God. So you have to ask yourself why Jesus would get baptized. He didn't need to be saved. To help understand the significance of baptism, I think it's helpful to look at what happened when Jesus was baptized.

"When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, (saying), 'You are my Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased.'" - Luke 3:21-22

Can you just imagine? Heaven was opened? The Holy Spirit came on Jesus in bodily form. And an audible voice from heaven declares God's love for Him. And God says, "... with You I am well pleased." I don't know about you, but I like to think that my own baptism does the same thing. Heaven rejoices, and God is well pleased.

Sign up for your church's baptism at your earliest convenience.