Who Should Be Baptized

Every person who has believed in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ! If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you are ready to be baptized. Being baptized demonstrates that I’m really a believer. Baptism doesn’t make you a Christian, it just shows that you are a Christian. A wedding ring doesn’t make me married, but it’s a symbol of the commitment that I made on my wedding day. It’s that commitment that makes me married, not the ring. In the same way baptism is an outward symbol of an inward commitment.

What is the meaning of Baptism?

 1.  It illustrates Christ’s burial and resurrection. “Christ died for our sins. He was buried and He rose again.” the Bible says “For when you were baptized you were buried with Christ and in baptism you were also raised with Christ.”

At Solid Rock we baptize the way they did in the Bible – putting people all the way under the water. It is a symbol of a burial and resurrection. Just like Jesus Christ died and was buried in the ground for three days and then rose again.

2.  Baptism illustrates my new life as a Christian. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “When anyone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. The old life has passed away and a new life has begun.” In the Bible, there was no such thing as a person claiming to be a Christian and not be baptized. It was automatic. You were baptized as soon as you gave your life to Christ.

“By our baptism then, we were buried with Him and shared His death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead so we also may live a new life.” It doesn’t make you a Christian, it shows you already believe.

Why should I be baptized by immersion? There are lots of ways. There are some churches that sprinkle a little water on your forehead. Some pour a little water. Some dip a little bit. Other churches put you all the way under the water. Why do we believe and practice at Solid Rock you should be baptized by immersion? Four reasons.

1.  Because Jesus was baptized that way. We want to do it the way they did it in the Bible. It says, “As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water.” He went down to the Jordan River. John the Baptist baptized Him in the river. He set the example.

 2.  Every baptism in the Bible was by immersion. Example “Then both Philip and the man went down into the water and Philip baptized him. Then they came up out of the water.”

 3.  That’s what the word means. “Baptize” literally means, “dip under water.” The Greek word baptize means to dip under water.

 4.  It best symbolizes a burial and resurrection.

 Baptism of Confirmation

At Solid Rock, we wait until our children are old enough to believe and understand the true meaning of baptism before we baptize them. There is only one qualification in the Bible to be baptized. You’ve got to believe in Christ. Obviously you’ve got to be old enough to understand what that’s all about. There are many churches that practice the baptism of confirmation.

This ceremony is intended to be a covenant between the parents and God on the behalf of the child. The parents promise to raise their child in the faith until the child is old enough to make his own confession of faith. This custom only began about 300 years after the Bible was finished. It’s not in the Bible. It’s just a tradition.

This is different than the baptism talked about in the Bible, which was only for those old enough to believe. The purpose is to publicly confess your personal commitment to Christ.

One of the most powerful aspects of baptism at Solid Rock Church is the video testimony shown right before each person’s baptism. The video allows each person to share how Christ has been working in their life.

Prerecording allows them to do as many takes as necessary, while sharing the message they have thoughtfully and prayerfully prepared ahead of time. Many people ask, “Do I have to do the video?” The answer is yes, if a person wants to be baptized at Solid Rock Church.

Baptism is meant to be a public profession, and it is an incredible opportunity to share God’s message of redemption with other people. We have witnessed time and time again the effect these videos have had on people’s lives.

Another important reason for the videos is that we as a congregation grow in our faith by watching these life-changing stories. It allows friends, family, and even those you don’t know to celebrate the amazing transformation God has worked in your life.

Here is a good outline to help you organize what you want to say:

 ·         Introduce yourself

The process for being baptized at Solid Rock has been developed and carefully planned with you in mind. The following steps will guide you in preparation for this very important next step in your Christian journey.

If you have any additional questions please email us at solidrockoffice@comcast.net or call the church office at 253-638-1907.