The most exciting words one can ever say are, “I want to be baptized.” There is no decision more important than that one! In order to be ready for this step, one needs to understand the all-authoritative nature of Scripture, man’s desperate need for salvation, God’s full plan of salvation and the purpose of baptism in God’s plan. Additionally, to be a proper subject for Bible baptism and to properly obey this part of God’s plan, one must understand:
5. The unique nature of the Lord’s church and its essentiality to our lives. Some might disagree with this thought, but let’s allow God to determine it’s validity. Have you ever heard a person ask in some endeavor in life, “What have I gotten myself into?” Why would someone ever be baptized without being able to answer that question? Bible baptism has a direct connection with the Lord’s church, as baptism is that step by which God places a person “into” His church (1 Cor. 12:13; Acts 2:41, 47). His church is not a denomination (1 Cor. 1:10-13), for He only has one church (Eph. 4:4; 1:22-23). When one is saved (through baptism), he is immediately a part of the Lord’s church, which comprises all of the saved (Eph. 5:23). Only time and study will help one to fully appreciate the unique nature of the Lord’s church and its essentiality to our lives, but one needs to understand “what he’s getting himself into.”
6. The commitment being made. Baptism is not some kind of “Get Out of Jail Free” card or something one does to “make sure all the bases are covered.” Nor is baptism something to be done merely for what one receives (i.e., forgiveness of sins). Truly, when one is baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, there is a “death” that takes place of the old man/life (Rom. 6:4-6), and a “birth” of a new life in Christ (John 3:3-5), which does not live for self but for Christ Himself (Gal. 2:20). In becoming a Christian, one presents his body and life as “a living sacrifice” to the Lord and His cause (Rom. 12:1-2). Baptism requires and involves a very serious commitment of the rest of one’s days to Him.
7. The singularity of God’s saving plan. With so many man-made denominations today, there is quite a bit of confusion on being saved and “which plan” is a “good plan.” Some say, “Well, I was baptized as a baby in thus-and-so church.” Others say, “I was saved when I was a teenager at a church with my friend; we all accepted Jesus at the same time.” Or, “I was baptized at a denomination several years ago.” God does not have multiple plans to save us from our sins—He only has one plan (John 14:6; Acts 4:12)! Being baptized is not just “one method” of being saved or even “the best method” of being saved. Bible baptism is “God’s only method” for us to be saved (Acts 2:38; 1 Pet. 3:21).
Are you ready to be baptized? (conclusion next week)