What is Baptism?
At Riverside, we believe in baptism by full immersion as it was practiced in the Bible times by the Jews since before the birth of Christ. Immersion means to ‘dip or submerge’. Baptism is the symbolic act of the cleansing of our sins and the start of new life.
Why Baptism?
Jesus told us that we should be baptised and led by example when He asked John to baptise Him in the river Jordan! ”Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19).
The following may help you to decide whether you are ready for baptism:
Step One: Belief before baptism!
Do you believe that Jesus died to save you and that He rose from death to bring eternal life to those who accept Him as their Saviour?
We are told on a number of occasions throughout the Gospels that Jesus taught that those who believe will be saved and that they should then be baptised as an outward declaration of this belief.
“Anyone who believes and is baptised will be saved” (Mark 16:16).
“Brothers, what should we do?” Peter replied, “Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:37).
Step Two: Statement of Faith
Once you have reached the point of belief in Jesus Christ as your Saviour, the next step is to make an outward declaration of this; ‘I am now a Christian!’ ‘I am a follower of Jesus!’ ‘I am part of the Christian Church!’ ‘I will live my life for God 100%!’ ‘I don’t care who knows or what people say….!’ ‘For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes!’ ‘This is it this is what I believe!’ ‘I have bought the T-shirt!’
You should then be thinking about baptism as your next step.
Step Three: Baptism
Baptism is an outward sign - symbolic of inner cleaning: ‘Why delay? Get up and be baptised, and have your sins washed away, calling on the name of the Lord.’ (Acts 22:16).
‘Baptism is not a removal of dirt from your body; it is an appeal or pledge to God from a clean conscience’ (1 Pet 3:21). There is no magic water involved! You are saved by what you believe, by grace through faith! Baptism simply represents this belief!
When we are baptised, we are put under the water and we leave the old nature of sin behind us. When we come up out of the water, we have a new nature, a new life! This is what being baptised into Jesus means; as we are lowered into the water it is like the death & burial of Jesus, when we are raised out of the water it is like the resurrection of Jesus. We are lifted out into a new life full of light, given to us in grace by God so that we know where we are going with a new nature.
Throw yourself 100% into God’s way of doing things - sin no longer has any power over you because you are living in the freedom of God! (Rom 6:3-14)
If you have become a Christian and would like to get baptised, please either contact the pastoral care team by emailing pastoral@riversideexeter.co.uk or complete an ‘I Said Yes’ card in church or online.
