18. So What's Next ?

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 18. Water Baptism

There were two things that Jesus specified that should take place in a new believers life.
They were Water baptism and Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Water Baptism is one of the most beautiful, significant and life-changing moments in a Christian's journey. It is a public declaration of their new faith and commitment to follow Jesus. It is also an outward demonstration of the inward transformation that takes place when they receive Him as Lord and Saviour.

Water Baptism involves the full immersion in water. As the believer goes down into the water it represents a symbolic burial with Jesus and a death to their old sinful life, just as when Jesus was crucified and buried and He took all our sin upon Himself.

Coming back out of the water represents the believer being resurrected to a new life, just as Jesus was raised from the dead into life. The believer now starts a new part of his journey into a new life in Christ.

Here are some scriptures you may like to explore -

In Matthew 28:19 Jesus commanded His disciples to go and duplicate what had happened in their own lives when He said "Go and make disciples of all nations , baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".

Romans 6:4 We were buried with Jesus through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of The Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Acts 2:38 "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins: and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit".

I personally love God's promise to us in 2 Corinthians 5:17
'If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new'.



So where and when should you be baptized?

Where: Any place where it can be done in front of other believers.
Can be in a baptismal tub in a church, a river, the sea, a dam or a swimming pool etc. 
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When: Often in todays church's, believers are sometimes baptized months after becoming 'born again', but in the early church that wasn't normally the case as can be seen in the scriptures above - it was a combined commitment and experience.

Usually the experience of being 'born again was so profound the believers wanted to follow immediately with baptism as a declaration of their new life in Christ.

Ultimately though the decision is yours as a new believer - you will know, because there will be such a stirring in your spirit and a hunger in your heart to be baptized. 
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Just a comment here on 'infant baptism'. 
True water baptism has to comes from the desire of the person being baptized to do so. The believer has to be old enough to choose to be baptized. 

What is sometimes carried out in churches with babies and called baptism should be more correctly called 'a dedication' to the Lord. 

 


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