Baptism. What and Why?

Most attendees of weekly church gatherings are Christians. But this week, we were happy to have the parents of one of our leaders in the group. They came to the US to help care for their first grandkid.

During the discussion, church members urged them to get baptized as soon as possible. I strongly felt that this was not the right approach to baptism. It alarmed me, and I voiced out that baptism is a big decision in our life.

I would like to talk about what I think about baptism in this article because I realized this is very important in our Christian life.

The bible verses I remember the most about baptism were from the Lord Jesus Christ when he gave commands to his disciples before ascending to Heaven.

“But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had given them orders to go. And when they saw him they gave him worship: but some were in doubt. And Jesus came to them and said, All authority has been given to me in Heaven and on earth. Go then, and make disciples of all the nations, giving them baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them to keep all the rules which I have given you: and see, I am ever with you, even to the end of the world.” (Matthews 28:16-20)

Baptism should be getting some attention because Lord Jesus mentioned it.

In my personal opinion, I believe baptism celebrates a person’s faith in the Lord in front of others and acknowledges Him.

“To everyone, then, who gives witness to me before men, I will give witness before my Father in Heaven. But if anyone says before men that he has no knowledge of me, I will say that I have no knowledge of him before my Father in heaven” (Matthews 10:31-32)

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Attending an elementary school in Malaysia, the teachers asked Christians to raise their hands in class. I didn’t raise my hand because I was afraid of being judged by my peers. After growing up and understanding the above verses, I realized I was wrong to do that.

Getting baptized is a way to acknowledge our Savior. A wedding is the closest illustration I could think of. A couple could sign the legal agreement to get married without hosting a wedding event. It’s not illegal, but most couples believe getting married is a once-a-life-time joyful and essential event in life. That’s why they are willing to put in the energy, time, and money for their wedding.

Baptism is a once-a-life-time event that a person is turning into a new person spiritually by declaring faith in the Lord. Shouldn’t we approach it like we are approaching a wedding because it’s worth celebrating? This is why you should get baptized in front of all church members if you genuinely believe in Him.

Regarding recommending others to get baptized quickly, I oppose this idea. Since baptism is holy and a serious commitment toward the Lord, it should only happen if the person has faith and truly believes in Him. Any peer pressure from other church members is not helpful, and new Christians would misunderstand the meaning of baptism.

Many believers thought that baptism was the ticket to go to Heaven. In fact, it isn’t. Baptism is a starting point of the Christian life. Christians have much more spiritual room for growth, and we cannot achieve victory through baptism alone.

If you’re already baptized, congratulations! If not, I wish you the best to learn more about our Lord Christ Jesus before making any decisions regarding baptism.