Baptism: What are you waiting for?

When I first became a pastor I remember many of the young people who spoke to me about being baptized did so at their parent’s instigation.  I’d be excited until I’d find out that mom or dad told them to “join the church.”   When I’d talk to them they had no clear understanding of what it meant to trust in Christ and even less about the meaning and purpose of baptism.

But today I’ve noticed a different trend; more and more believers, true Christians, are looking at baptism with a “take it or leave it attitude.”  Maybe that’s you.  You’ve understood the gospel; you’ve trusted in Christ and in most areas of your life you seek to follow Jesus but you really don’t understand why baptism is so important.

Let me give you four reasons you should submit to Biblical baptism.

You should be baptized because it’s a picture of the grace that God has given you in Jesus.  

I can’t prove this but I think Paul wrote Romans 6:3-4 after watching a water baptism.  “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”  As he watched a person being baptized in the river it pictured for him the believer dying with Christ, being buried with Christ and rising with Christ.  You should be baptized so as to picture for others what God’s love and grace has done for you.

You should be baptized because it’s speaks to your love and commitment to Jesus.

My wedding band doesn’t make me married but it testifies to the reality that I am.  It speaks to a loving and committed relationship with my wife.   It doesn’t make me married but it is a witness to that marriage.   In the same way baptism doesn’t bring you into a relationship with Jesus but it’s a testimony to others that we have one.  You need to witness to your relationship.

You should be baptized because Jesus modeled it.  

Why did Jesus get baptized?  He didn’t need to as a symbol of repentance or cleansing from sin—He was sinless and perfect.  John the Baptist didn’t even want to baptize Jesus.  “You should baptize me!”, he argued with Jesus.  So why; why did Jesus submit to baptism?  It must be that He wanted to model for us the importance of this outward symbol.   If Jesus would see baptism as this important, so should we.   We follow Him. 

Jesus commanded us to.

I hated to pull this card on you, but this really is the only reason we need to submit to baptism—Jesus told us to.  “Go and make disciples of all the ethnic groups, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,” Jesus said.  Did you catch that?  Baptize them.   And why this command to be baptized?  It was probably because of the previous three reasons we just mentioned.

So have you trusted Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins?  Are you a follower of Christ?  The I ask you, have you been baptized?  Why not?  It’s time.