31:3 ). It is an opportunity to share with everyone who will hear what is most important, with the possibility that God may use this in another’s journey to faith. Why it’s important? Why Is Baptism So Important? We believe that the incorporation of infants and children into the church family is immensely important, both for the church and the family involved. One area that we get frequent questions about involves the importance of baptism. In three weeks, Americans filed more than 16…, Your email address will not be published. It is a time to see how God has uniquely drawn someone to Himself and saved them through the power of Gospel. Required fields are marked *. Our Lord’s last earthly words were, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. Then check out Going Public: A 7-Day Study About Baptism and Why It Matters. Baptism is not to be confused with salvation, but it is a picture of salvation that tells the world what Christ has done in one’s life – an outward testimony to an inward work of God. He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.”. The baptism is spoken of in many bible scriptures where it shows the purification or rebirth of the person, including 2 Corinthians 5:17- “If anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” Likewise, Ananias commanded Saul to arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). Biblical Counseling, The Master’s College[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row], (310) 212-0320 | info@lighthousesouthbay.org. We enjoy the community we find in the Church, share our talents and gifts with its members, respond willingly to its teachings and requirements, and assume the responsibilities that our membership implies. In Acts 8:35, 38 it says, “Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. Baptizing small children. The church is there to celebrate this step in their faith journey. Baptism doesn't save anyone from sin. Why Is Baptism So Important For Christians? Baptism is important and necessary to Jesus, and important and necessary to the Apostles as you will see in the scriptures quoted below. Some 20 years earlier my parents wrangled the squirming ball of baby that was me and had me baptized as an infant. Why is baptism important? Conversion, not baptism, is our core requirement for those who want to become members at Christ Community. This has been called paedobaptism (paedo is Greek for “child”). Many churches would agree with this statement on baptism, but what is often debated is the timing (credo or paedo) and the mode (immersion or sprinkling). Caring for the community. We are saved through faith in Jesus Christ. Although the term "baptism" is not used to describe the Jewish rituals, the purification rites in Halakha Jewish law and tradition, called tvilah, have some similarity to baptism, and the two have been linked.The tvilah is the act of immersion in natural sourced water, called a mikva. The ceremony itself symbolizes the purification of a sinner, and is very important to the Christian community and the newfound Christian. God has stated that baptism is for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). Seclusion. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior and the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the … It is a time to see how God has uniquely drawn someone to Himself and saved them through the power of Gospel. Let’s take a closer look at why baptism is a big deal: Baptism is an act of humility and obedience. When you get baptized it is a testimony to God and people that you, by faith, will live a new life as an overcomer. So what exactly is baptism beyond a bath in front of all your friends and family. To this we would remind them of the places in God’s word where people believed and were immediately baptized. Baptism itself has no power to cleanse or save from sin. We strongly encourage those who go through the waters of baptism to invite friends and family. While at Christ Community our regular practice is credobaptism by immersion, we do practice child. Giving is an important part of worship. That may sound straightforward enough, but a unique challenge at Christ Community is the fact that many of our members were baptized as an infant. If you are a believer and have not been baptized, glorify our deserving Lord through your obedience to be baptized. [/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″][vc_single_image image=”4518″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”5/6″][vc_column_text]Kelly Kira wears many ministry hats with Lighthouse, including design, children’s ministries, and church life. In Acts, , 38 it says, “Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. Baptism is nothing short of a God-sanctioned practice that …tangibly expresses the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the Church in genuine faith, these practices confirm and nourish the believer.”, What I find really interesting about baptism is its connection to the gospel. Another area where Christians differ on the subject of baptism is whether or not baptism should be required for church membership [3]. Copyright © 2021 Lighthouse LLC. My own story shows that the practice of baptism is often understood and practiced differently from church to church. [1] More on this later! While baptismal garments are always white, the specific design of the garment varies based on the Christian denomination. It is not surprising, then, that all four gospel-writers describe the baptism of Jesus. There I was, dripping with water, standing by the ocean, and looking into a crowd of people. Question 45 asks, “Is baptism with water the washing away of sin itself?” and answers, “No, only the blood of Christ and the renewal of the Holy Spirit can cleanse us from sin.” So far so good. Scripturally, baptism is an important indicator of a person’s (or family’s) faith in the crucified and risen Lord, and a sign of one’s membership in “The Way.” Far from being simply an external action done to satisfy dogmatic religious requirements, the very essence of Christian life, and faith, began with one’s baptism. At the moment let’s consider why baptism is important. Similar induction ceremonies are used in other religions; the concept is very much older than Christianity. The very fact the JESUS commanded the Church to practice baptism makes this practice immensely important! There are many who have reservations about baptism. What exactly is baptism and why is it important? That is a technical way to say that we baptize believers (credo is Latin for “I believe”), those people who are able to articulate their conversion to Christ, by immersing them in water. Other churches practice baptism differently by baptizing the infants of believing parents. [1] https://www.efca.org/blog/understanding-scripture/baptism-infant-and-believer, [2] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/is-baptism-required-church-membership/, [3] See the very helpful article on re-baptism by Greg Strand (the EFCA executive director of theology and credentialing): https://www.efca.org/blog/understanding-scripture/baptism-faith-rebaptism-and-roman-catholic-church, [SERIES: Part 2 of 3] When the shrapnel of a broken world knocks the wind…, Toward the end of his life, the Apostle Peter writes to fellow believers, “to those…, by Kelli Sallman Record layoffs. For the believer, who witnesses a baptism, it is and encouragement of God’s faithfulness and to the non-believer it is witness to Christ’s atoning work on the cross. Similar induction ceremonies are used in other religions; the concept is very much older than Christianity. Our practice is grounded in our understanding that membership in the church is dependent upon a genuine conversion to Christ (Acts 2:47, 16:5). The act of water immersion symbolically recognizes our union with Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. Many people, even those who rarely go to church or have lost their faith, still wish to have their children baptized. Yes! And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” We are called to make disciples and with that baptize those who come to faith. Skip to content. Baptism is an act in which a Christian is immersed in water to symbolize the end of an old way of living, and a new start. Powerful biblical video content anywhere, anytime! In addition to ministry, Kelly loves fishing, art, and sports. We are not mainly talking about religious ritual here. Say what? Only Jesus saves! Every baptism is an opportunity to share Jesus' story. Baptism: What is it? Let’s not forget, Jesus Himself was baptized (Matt 3:16; Mark 1:9). M.A. Still others teach that baptism is an important step of obedience in the believer’s life, yet only an acknowledgment of the salvation experience already accomplished. The New City Catechism, a resource which distills the basics of the Christian faith into a question-and-answer format, in Question 44 asks, “What is baptism?” It answers with, “Baptism is the washing with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; it signifies and seals our adoption into Christ, our cleansing from sin, and our commitment to belong to the Lord and to his Church.”. How do we practice it? Our website states, “The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Empty-nesters, baby boomers, and retirees. Look at what happened at the Baptism of Jesus Christ "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." This is done by sprinkling water upon the baby in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Why Baptism is Important Posted on November 10, 2017 by Kelly Kira Our Lord’s last earthly words were, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. In baptism, a person confesses his or her faith in Christ. We see that God has revealed the reason as to why penitent believers should be baptized. Baptism, as the statement says, is a tangible and visible sign of the gospel (Rom 6:1-4; Col 2:11-15). That’s the note that must be struck first. Preparations. The best and very significant quote from the bible that explains how important baptism is is in Matthew 28:19-20. There are many ways you can get connected at Christ Community. Some believe that they have not been Christian long enough or are mature enough. Because Jesus conquered death, we also share in the power and joy of being resurrected from death. So why do modern churches teach that it's not important or necessary? Why do some teach and preach that baptism is not important? Learn more about living a generous life, and how you can participate in giving. Baptism is an integral part of Christianity, making it vital that we understand the meaning of baptism and its place in Christian history. But saving faith is distinct from baptism, and it is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that saves, not baptism. He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.”. 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