Baptism
Baptism symbolizes your new life in Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person, the old life is gone; a new life has begun! Romans 6:3-10, and Colossians 2:12, show us how baptism identifies us with the death and resurrection of Christ. When a person is submersed under water, it illustrates the death of their old life and the death of Christ. As they come up from the water, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is represented, which also symbolized new life in Christ.
Baptism isn’t an act that gets us into heaven - it is faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord that offers that assurance. Baptism (by full immersion as taught in the Bible) is an act of obedience that should be an immediate part of our acceptance of the gift of grace offered by Jesus Christ.
But it does not mean that one who truly gives their heart to Jesus on a death bed, in the heat of warfare, or in a crashing airplane, will be kept out of heaven because they failed to be baptized. The thief on the cross next to Jesus didn’t have time to be baptized before he died, but he had an opportunity to believe in Jesus and put his trust in Him, and Jesus responded by saying,
“Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).
True faith in Jesus Christ and His work on the cross for our sins is sufficient for salvation. Christ has already done everything. By definition, His grace doesn’t require any additional “works” by us. All you have to do is believe!!!!
That being said, Jesus Christ commands us to be baptized (Matthew 28:18-20), and therefore, all believers should be baptized.
John 3:5-7 “Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.”
If you plan to be baptized, please sign-up at the Information Center.
