Introduction
There is a definite and defined path we follow to grow as Christians and baptism is one of the most important. If you have come to this page via the Pathway on the Finding Jesus page on my website, then you are part way along this pathway and your journey with Christ. (if not then check it out).
The information offered here is a proposed pathway to teach you some of the next things a Christian in your situation needs to learn. You are here because you have indicated you are a believer in Jesus Christ but have not yet been baptised.
Following the path laid out on this page will help you to take the next step, which is to be baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The materials linked here will provide background from the Bible as to why you should be baptised, how this should happen and what baptism is really all about.
You should then continue to look at the next phases of your walk with Christ so that you can do all that is required to come to a place of maturity as a Christian. It takes many years to do this and for some, it is a process of trial and error. I hope through this pathway that you can learn some of the important messages of the truth of the scripture, and you can avoid some of the traps and false teachings that are often called Christianity but are not.
The Proposed Pathway
My suggestions for you are as follows:
It would be useful to download a FREE copy of my book Foundations of Christianity eBook and read the section on Baptism. Or as an alternative, subscribe to the eCourse mentioned in one of the following points.
- Get baptised following the process detailed below
- Read this article which will help you see another dimension of the path forward
- Subscribe to the eCourse “Nine Steps to become a Christian”
- And if you have any specific questions you can email me at the”contact me” address at the bottom of this article
Baptism is not the end of the journey but just the beginning. It is an essential element of the Christian walk and must not be overlooked or considered a minor thing. As Jesus said himself when John the Baptist questioned the need for Jesus to be baptised, “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:15) If baptism is required to fulfil the requirements to become righteous, then it must not be overlooked. It is one of the major and key aspects of your walk with Christ, and so it should be done as soon as you can organise it.
The Process of Baptism
So how can you get baptised? If you were here where I am (Melbourne, Australia) I would gladly assist. But I know that many who read this are in the far flung reaches of the world, which is both one of the good and bad things about the internet. So here are some suggestions for how you can get baptised.
- Find a church that baptise into the death of and by the name of Jesus Christ. You don’t want one who baptise infants or baptise into their church. They MUST baptise you in the name of Jesus AND baptise you into the death of Jesus Christ. When you read the Foundations eBook you will understand why.
- If you cannot do the above, where there are two believers, they can baptise each other. Jesus said in Matthew 18:18-20,
18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
When you commit the baptism to the Lord in prayer with two or three witnesses, it is ordained and bound in heaven as the scripture states.
How to Baptise Someone
The actual process to follow is quite simple:
- There are only two prerequisites needed before being baptised. You must first believe in Jesus Christ, as I will cover shortly. And secondly, you must repent of your sins and seek to change your life to follow the ways of Christ. Repentance and faith are the only prerequisites and they are important as without them, your baptism is meaningless and might as well just be a bath.
- Next, ensure you have sufficient water to fully immerse the person to be baptised (eg. a bath, pool, river, beach, etc.)
- Then ensure the person has something to wear while being baptised and a towel and change of clothes afterward.
- Although baptism is a serious matter, this is a time for joy and is a great blessing. Don’t be too somber and serious…be joyful!
- Open proceedings with a prayer to the Lord to bless the baptism and ask for his guidance. (Note: you can have several people pray as well for the person being baptised and for guidance).
- Ask the person being baptised the following question/s:
- “Do you repent and believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and do you believe that Jesus came to the earth, He died and He was raised to take away your sins?”
- Provided they responded to the questions with a “Yes” response, have them enter the water. Depending on where they are being baptised, the person performing the baptism may need to enter the water too (probably not needed if it’s being done in the bath).
- The baptiser should then say to the person being baptised:
“I baptise you into the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.” - The baptiser then fully immerses the person being baptised under the water (briefly… a few seconds at most)
- The person is then lifted up out of the water to become a new creation in Jesus Christ.
- Close with a prayer thanking the Lord for this new creation in Christ and to provide His wisdom and insight so they will grow.
That’s it! Pretty simple really, which is the way the Lord works. Nothing in Jesus requires great learning. All it needs is faith and a desire to learn from the Lord.
If you follow the pathway suggested above, when you have been baptised I suggest you return to the Finding Jesus navigation page to determine the next step in your ongoing walk in Christ Jesus. May God bless you and help you in your search for the truth and the freedom that is available to all mankind through Jesus Christ.
If you have any questions, then please feel free to contact me.
