What Is baptism?

  • Identification With Christ

    Baptism represents the death of your old life and the birth of a new one. It identifies you as believer in Jesus as you savior and the life you will now live in Him.

    20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

    - Galatians 2:20

  • Declaration of Repentance

    Once we give our lives to Christ, we repent (change our mind on how life was lived before) and baptism is a sign of this repentance. The Bible is clear repentance and baptism go together.

    38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

    - Acts 2:38

  • Public Confession of Faith

    Baptism is an outward confession of your inward faith. It is to be done publically, as demonstrated by Jesus, and is the ackowledgement of God in your life in front of others. Jesus said if we acknlowedge Him before others, He will do that for us to God.

    “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,”

    - Matthew 10:32

I Want to Get Baptized

FAQs

  • Baptism is an outward expression of an inward change. It’s a public declaration of how Jesus changed your life. Being baptized shows others that you’ve decided to follow Jesus, and allows them to celebrate this decision with you (Acts 16:31-34).

    Baptism doesn’t save a person; it’s a symbol and celebration of salvation (1 Peter 3:21). The power that brought Jesus back to life is the same power Jesus uses to change our lives – and that’s worth getting excited about!

  • Why does baptism matter? Jesus instructs us to be baptized and set the example by being baptized (Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 1:9).

    Obedience to Jesus shows we believe and follow Him. (1 John 2:3). Because Jesus went public about His love for us, we can go public about our love for Him. Being baptized shows that we turn away from a life of sin toward Jesus, the only one who can change us (Acts 2:38-41).

  • For everyone who decides to follow Jesus, baptism is the next step. Anyone who commits his or her life to following Jesus is ready to be baptized (Acts 8:12).

  • As parents, we can help point our children to Jesus, but they are the ones to decide if they will commit their lives to Him (Romans 10:9).

    Any instance of baptism follows a person’s decision to trust Jesus for his or her salvation and commitment to follow Him (Acts 10:47-48). At Cornerstone, we wait until children are old enough to express their own decision to follow Jesus and understand the meaning of baptism.

    If your child has already asked Jesus into his life, explain what baptism is and what it means. Facilitate the conversation, but don’t dominate it.

  • Baptisms in the Bible were by immersion. The original word for baptism most often referred to being immersed or submerged in water. Jesus was baptized by being immersed in the water and rising out of it (Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10).

    Submersion in the water symbolizes the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Being submersed underwater represents our death to sin and old way of life, and being raised out of the water is a picture of how Jesus raised us and gave us a fresh start in life (Romans 6:3-5).

  • If you haven’t been baptized by immersion since you decided to follow Jesus, we want to help you take your next step of being baptized. Once you’ve taken that step, there’s no need to be baptized again.

    God never asks us to take a next step that isn’t good for us. He always gives us more than we deserve or can imagine, including the joy we receive from listening to Him and doing what He says.

I Wan to Get Baptized