If you feel that you are called to get baptized as the bible gives examples of how it’s suppose to be done then do it with great haste (Acts 22:16)
Before you get baptized then you want to make sure that the baptizer is on the same belief as the bible.
That they believe:
- Baptism is FOR the remission of sins (Acts 2:38, Rm 6:6)
- You Baptize in the Name of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38, Acts8:12, Acts 4:10,12)
- You receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)
- You receive guidance from the Holy Spirit ( Jn 16:13-15, Jn 14:16, Jn 14:26)
- At Baptism you are clothed in righteousness, you have put on Christ (Gal 3:27)
- At Baptism you have a chance of everlasting life (1 Pt 3:21 ) if you abide (Heb 10:26 ) and persevere (Mt 10:22 ) in your trials/tribulations as they are a refinement (Acts 14:22, Rm 5:3-5) and you are considered a son of God (Heb 12:7-8 )
- Baptism is total immersion (Mt 3:16 ) baptism = the greek word baptizo which means immersion (the new testament was written in Greek so by looking up the word Baptism in a Concordance [ie: bible dictionary] then you can see what the word means. Below is that definition)
Strong’s Ref. # 907
Romanized baptizo
Pronounced bap-tid’-zo
from a derivative of GSN0911; to immerse, submerge; to make overwhelmed (i.e. fully wet); used only (in the N.T.) of ceremonial ablution, especially (technically) of the ordinance of Christian baptism:
KJV–Baptist, baptize, wash. - Baptism takes away infirmities and sicknesses (Mt 8:17 )
- Your water Baptism links you to Jesus burial and you rising out of the water links you to Jesus’ resurrection (Rm 6:3-11 )
- Only adults are baptized in the bible (Acts 8:12)
The prerequisites of baptism are:
- You must believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and he has come in the flesh (1 Jn 4:1-4)
- You must confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is God (Rm 10:9-10)
- You have to repent (change your heart [Joel 2:12-13], control your thinking [2 Cor 10:5], control your tongue [James 1:26, 1 Pt 3:10])
- That you fear God (Rev 14:7)
Some may say that by having a step by step process that you are falling back on being a Pharisees (whose 63 Talmud books have laws down to the littlest thing – much which contradicts the Bible). Another argument that by doing those steps you are doing a work to earn your salvation.
Neither is the case. We are told in the Bible that Salvation requires us to:
- Obtain (1 Th 5:9),
- Obey (Heb 5:9, Jn 15:14),
- Work out (Philp 2:12),
- Fight and lay hold of (1 Tim 6:12)
- Do God’s work (Heb 10:36)
- Be doers, not hearers only (James 1:22)
- Hands on (James 2:21-23)
for Salvation (all indicates you doing something physical instead of all mental).
Baptism links you to the Father’s Grace and Mercy and it’s the Father’s Grace (Eph 2:8)and Mercy (Titus 3:5) that saves you. Jesus has given us a present (Salvation) in order to receive it you have to physically/mentally/spiritually do something (believe/repent/confess/baptize)
Once you are baptized then you must:
- Abide (Heb 10:26 ) and persevere (Mt 10:22 )
- Study the scriptures (2 Tim 3:15)
- Confirm what people say with the word (Acts 17:11)
- Take communion (Jn 6:54)
- Be a Christian by acting like a Christian (James 2:18)
- Continue in Hope (Heb 11:1), Faith (1 Pt 1:9)
- Continue in Apostles Doctrine (1 Tim4:16)
- Obedient until death (Mt 7:24)
- Evangelize and Baptize others (Mt 28:19-20)
The act of Baptism connects you with God’s Grace (Eph 2:8) and Mercy (Lk 1:50). All the steps prior to Baptism draws you closer to God and he, in response, will draw closer to you (James 4:8). Baptism is the only way to place you in Jesus (Gal 3:27)