Baptism And The Local Church

Okay, now you have asked Jesus into your heart and secured your home in heaven. The next step in order to continue "living for Jesus" is to follow the LORD in believers baptism! What is believers baptism? Once we have trusted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, we are saved for eternity. But, to avoid being disobedient to God's command, we need to take the next step of obedience which is believers baptism. Jesus commands us to be baptized. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:"(Matthew 28:19 KJV)

Baptism doesn't save us. It signifies our union with Christ and is a testimony before the local church that we have already trusted Jesus as our personal Savior. Bible baptism is not a part of salvation. Bible baptism always follows salvation. Notice the verse, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations."(Get them Saved and then after we have trusted Christ), "baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

How should we be baptized? Bible baptism is always by immersion. "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into His death?"(Romans 6:3 KJV) Also verse 5 tells us,"For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death..." So bible baptism is being compared to being buried or planted which means to be completely immersed.

In conclusion, bible baptism is a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Bible baptism is not part of salvation, just simply the first step of obedience for the believer.

Find a local bible believing Baptist church and tell the pastor that you have trusted Christ as your personal savior and that you would like to follow the Lord in believer's baptism.

Bible baptism:

1. Is commanded by Christ.
2. Always follows salvation.
3. Is by immersion only.