The next step after placing your faith in Jesus is baptism in water.
The word “baptism” comes from the Greek language spoken by the early Christians and refers to a washing by immersion in water. This ritual has its origin in the various washings of people and things undertaken by faithful Jews before the coming of Jesus. But with Jesus, it took on new significance.
At the very beginning of Jesus’ work, He Himself was baptized in water by John. The opening of the story as told by Mark says this, “John the Baptizer was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
“John announced ‘Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am, so much greater that I'm not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of His sandals. I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’ One day, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized Him in the Jordan River. As Jesus came up out of the water, He saw the heavens splitting apart, and the Holy Spirit descending on Him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, ‘You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.’”
There are a few things to notice here. First, baptism is connected with repentance and confession. In coming to the water for baptism, we confess that we've sinned against God and others. And we are repenting or turning from those old ways of life. We've received forgiveness of sin in Jesus.
Second, in Jesus's baptism, the voice of God His father, the voice from Heaven, announces that Jesus is His dearly loved Son who brings Him great joy. In baptism, we are joined to Jesus, God's eternal Son, and we become a brother or sister of Jesus, and a son or daughter of God. Those same words of affirmation, acceptance, and welcome that the father spoke over his Son, Jesus, are spoken over us.
The Holy Spirit also descends on Jesus, anointing Him for His mission. So, in this event, we see three: the Son (Jesus), the voice of His father, and the Spirit descending. This is why Jesus commands us, “Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” When we baptize, we do so while invoking the three who were present at Jesus baptism. We baptize you into the name of the Trinity.
An important early Christian named Paul also wrote about baptism in his letter to the Romans. He says, “When we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in His death. For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.” In the light of Jesus’ death on the cross and rising from the dead, baptism has become a ritual that identifies us with what Jesus went through by first dying and then rising again. What we once were in our sin has died with Jesus.
Paul goes on to say, “We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ,” Paul goes on, “we know we will also live with Him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and He will never die again. Death no longer has any power over Him.
“When He died, He died once to break the power of sin. But now that He lives, He lives for the glory of God. So, you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin, and alive to God through Christ Jesus.” When we go down into that water to be washed, to be baptized, we are joining with, or being identified with, Jesus in His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. Who we once were in our sinfulness is washed away and is buried with him. And we come up from the water to new life in Jesus.
If you desire that—if you're ready to confess your sin and turn from it in repentance, to join with Jesus in putting your old life behind you and beginning a new journey with Him—you can be baptized.
Get in touch with us by clicking here, and it will be our privilege to baptize you. This will take place as part of our worship together as a church to witness to and celebrate God's salvation in your life.
There’s one more thing about Jesus's baptism: you'll notice that John said “someone is coming soon who's greater than I am. So much greater that I'm not even worthy to stoop down and untie His sandals. I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!” We will baptize you with water and we're excited to take the step with you.
The next step after that is baptism in the Holy Spirit, something Jesus Himself does.