Water baptism is a way for believers to outwardly express what God has done in their hearts and publically tell others that you have decided to follow Jesus. When you are baptized in water, you are identifying yourself with Jesus. Family and friends are encouraged to attend and celebrate this significant decision on this weekend. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Who should be water baptized? If you have just made a Fresh Start with God and accepted Jesus as Lord of your life, you should be baptized. If you were baptized as a child before you understood what you were doing, or if you just rededicated your life to the Lord, then you should consider being baptized again. Why should we be water baptized? We should be water baptized because Jesus was baptized and He is our example and because He commanded us to be baptized. Water baptism was also the first thing believers did in the early church after they believed in and confessed Jesus as Lord of their life. (Mark 1:9, Matthew 28:19, Acts 8:35-38) What does Water Baptism represent? It’s an act of obedience and an outward symbol that represents what Jesus has done in us and for us. It doesn’t bring us into a relationship with Christ, only faith does that. (Colossians 2:12) Water Baptism represents 3 things: 1. Death – Specifically Jesus’ death. Christ died on the cross for you. Revelation 1:5 says His blood washes away our sins. Romans 6 says that we died to sin and no longer live in it. Our old nature was crucified with Him. The water is a symbol of washing away the old person. 2. Burial – Going under the water represents His burial. Christ was buried and was in the tomb for 3 days. Our old nature and sin habits are buried with Him. 3. Resurrection – When you come out of the water. We are raised with Him and now live a new life in Christ. Why do we have to go under water? We go under water because Jesus did. The word baptism is Baptizo in Greek which means to immerse or submerge. Matthew 3:16 – As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Who is eligible for water baptism? As Phillip says in Acts 8:37, the only requirement for water baptism is faith in Jesus Christ. Believing that He is the son of God and through his death, burial and resurrection, anyone can receive eternal life. Without such faith, water baptism just becomes a meaningless ritual. Does water baptism literally wash away my sin? Only the blood of Jesus washes away our sin. Water baptism symbolizes a burying of the old man and raising up out of the water, brand new! Ephesians 1:7 – In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. I was water baptized as a baby, isn’t that good enough? It could be considered a gesture of dedication but faith and repentance are both necessary ingredients as indicated in Acts 8:37. Is water baptism optional? No, Jesus both commanded and modeled water baptism in the Bible. Can my child be water baptized? We advise parents to wait until their child is asking to be water baptized. This is usually a good indication that they are ready to be baptized and it will be a spiritual milestone in their life. While younger children under the age of 5 can have a relationship with Jesus, they will not necessarily remember or understand the significance of the event, so we encourage parents to wait until they are a little older. We have provided an informational resource for discerning whether your child is ready to be baptized or not as well as a devotional to talk through with them before they take this important step. (Go to: www.soulschurch.org/kids-water-baptism)