Baptism

Baptism is the first of two church ordinances. Water baptism is the doorway into the church.  We are all baptized by the Holy Spirit (spiritual baptism) into the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13  

Baptism is a burial and a resurrection.  We are buried with Christ in the likeness of His death.  We are raised with Christ in the likeness of His resurrection. Romans 6:2-3, Colossians 2:12, and Galatians 3:27.  It shows forth three things:

• It portrays the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
• It portrays our death to sin and our resurrection to a new life in Christ.
• It proclaims our faith.  Our faith is that if we die and are buried, we shall be raised from the dead by the power of God

1 Peter 3:19-22 in the Message Bible states, He went and proclaimed God's salvation to earlier generations who ended up in the prison of judgement because they wouldn't listen.  You know, even though God waited patiently all the days that Noah built his ship, only a few were saved then, eight (8) to be exact - saved from the water by the water.  The waters of baptism do the same thing for you; not by washing away dirt from your skin, but by presenting you through Jesus' resurrection before God with a clear conscience. Jesus has the last word on everything and everyone, from angels to armies.  He's standing right alongside God, and what he says...goes.......

Why Should I be Baptized

Jesus commanded it. It is an act of obedience on our part if we believe in Chris. Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus set the example for us by being baptized by John the Baptist Matthew 3:13-16. 

When we are baptized, we are immersed in water in the name of the Father and the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Our Salvation is not contingent upon baptism.  We are not lost if we are not baptized.  We are lost if we fail to believe Jesus is Lord. John 3:18.