Baptism

What is baptism?

The word ‘baptism’ means ‘to drown, sink, plunge or soak’. It was used by the Greeks to describe a ship sinking! It was also used to describe a ladle being lowered into a barrel of wine – the ladle was immersed in the liquid and at the same time filled with the liquid. Baptism is a sign of the commitment we make to Jesus.

Acts 2:41 ‘Those who heard his message were baptised, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.’

Baptism does not make you a Christian, although it is a fundamental part of being a Christian. It is a picture of your sin being washed away and of you coming into new life.
 

What does baptism mean?

Baptism is a picture of four things which happen to someone who believes in Jesus:
• Washing away past sins
• Burial of the old life and Birth of new life
• Joining the body of Christ
• Drinking God’s Holy Spirit

Washing
Acts 22:16 ‘And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptised and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’

Burial and Birth
Colossians 2:12 ‘Having been buried with him in baptism, and raised with him.’
In baptism we are ‘buried’ under the water (just as Jesus was buried) and we are raised up again to live a new life (just as Jesus was raised from the dead.

Joining
1 Corinthians 12:13 ‘For we were all baptised by one Spirit into one body – whether Jews or Greek, slave or free.’
When we are baptised we have started a new life and we join a new family. Paul says we have been baptised into one body by the Spirit.

 

Drinking
1 Corinthians 12:13 ‘And we were all given the one Spirit to drink.’
Just as baptism floods us with water, we can be overflowing with God’s life by the Holy Spirit day by day.
 

Why be baptised?

• An act of our obedience to Christ
• An act of our confession of Christ
• An act of our dedication to Christ
• An act of our identification with Christ
 

When should I be baptised?
 

Most of the first Christians were baptised as soon as they committed their lives to Jesus. See Acts 16:15 – Lydia, Acts 9:17-19 – Saul, Acts 8:34-38 – The Ethiopian official, Acts 2:41 – The Crowd, Acts 16:30-33 – The Roman Gaoler.
Ask yourself the following question:
Acts 8:36 ‘Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptised?’

Where will I be baptised?

In the early church, people were baptised in rivers, pools or the sea. Today baptisms are sometimes still done in such places. However, it is more common for people to be baptised in a special pool within the church, called a ‘baptistry’, or at the local swimming baths. Often several people are baptised on the same day.

Two of our students, Katie and Phillip, were recently baptised. If you have a broadband internet connection, click here to watch a video of parts of the service, including the baptisms (Please note you will need the Microsoft Silverlight plug-in or Windows Media Player to watch the video). For more information, why not contact us for a copy of ‘Being Baptised’, the handbook to believers’ baptism by Stephen Gallogher.