Because it is an act of obedience.
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From the very beginning Jesus commanded His disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” ~ Matthew 28:19
The Apostle Peter commanded it in Acts 2:38
Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins … And again in Acts 10:48
So [Peter] ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days. If it is a command, then doing it is an act of obedience to the will of God in our lives.
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Because Jesus did it
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“And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” ~Matthew 3:16–17
Jesus was baptized in obedience to His Father, “to fulfill all righteousness” ~Matthew 3:15
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. ~Matthew 3:13 We should desire to be like Christ.
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Because it symbolizes the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ
“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” ~Romans 6:4
By being baptized we are identifying with Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Because it symbolizes God’s grace in your life
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Not only does the act of baptism symbolize the death and resurrection of Jesus, but it also symbolizes what has happened to you. Your old, sinful, nature is no more through the forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! ~2 Corinthians 5:17 What emerges is the new creation, brought about by God’s grace.
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Because you can’t fully mature and grow in Christ
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Water baptism is an elementary teaching which suggests that we can’t fully mature in Christ without being baptized. Therefore we can’t move on to other teachings. I believe we stunt our own growth because we not only remain on the elementary teachings of Christ but remain in disobedience as well.
Listen to what the Apostle Paul says:
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. ~ Hebrews 6:1-3 Without baptism, we hinder our spiritual growth and remain stuck in the foundational teachings, unable to fully mature in our walk with Christ.
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Because it lets family and friends know of your commitment to Jesus.
The Philippian jailer brought Paul and Silas out of the prison and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved’ . . . He and all his family were baptized . . . The whole family was filled with joy, because they had come to believe in God. ~Acts 16:30-34
Water baptism is a public act that lets other believers, your friends and family, know the commitment you made to Jesus.
Baptism embodies the salvation message and is therefore a great witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Baptism embodies the salvation message and is therefore a great witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ!