At ISBC, we believe that being baptized is an important part of being a follower of Jesus. Not only was Jesus baptized (Matthew 3.13-17) – at the end of his life, he instructed his disciples to make disciples in all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. From the beginning of his ministry to the end, Jesus championed the importance of baptism for those who had put their faith in God. This was carried forward by the early church Apostles (Acts 2). 

Here are some answers to a few frequently asked questions regarding baptism.

What is baptism? Baptism is an outward expression of the inward decision to repent of sin and follow Jesus. It’s a symbol that tells the world that you have identified with Jesus—that you believe in him, that you belong to him, and that you want everyone to know it. That’s worth celebrating!

If I was sprinkled or christened as a baby is baptism necessary? According to the Bible, being sprinkled or christened is not a substitute for baptism, because baptism is an expression of the decision to trust Jesus—a decision which babies are incapable of making. In other words, the Bible tells us that we must fully understand the life Jesus offers and trust in that before symbolizing our belief in that life through baptism. Therefore, the Bible does not teach that infant baptism is a means of grace (salvation) – nor does it teach infant / child baptism. 

Why should I be fully submerged? Colossians 2:12 tells us that submersion represents death to sin, and then re-emerging from the water represents the cleansed, forgiven heart that follows our decision to trust Jesus. Plus, the word baptism literally means “submersion.” Because Scripture includes no examples of baptism by any other mode, we do not accept as members Believers who have not been baptized (i.e., immersed in water). The only exceptions to this is in cases where a believer is physically unable to be immersed in water.

Isn’t baptism just a church tradition—is it really a Biblical command? As stated above, baptism is more than a formality because Jesus said: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…”(Matthew 28:19). This verse makes it clear that baptism is a vital part of the disciple-making process Jesus gave to Christians. He commands us to go, to tell, to baptize, and to teach. In other words, Jesus commands us to be baptized as an important part of telling the world about the new life he’s given us. While the Christian faith is intensely personal, the Bible makes it clear that it’s never meant to be kept private.

Is Baptism a prerequisite for becoming a Christian? No, it is not. Much like a wedding ring is a symbol that tells the world we belong to our spouse, Baptism tells the world that we are a Christian. However, if a wedding ring is removed, the person is no less married, and the ring wasn’t a requirement to getting married—it’s just the important symbol that lets everyone know that the person is married.

In summary, Baptism is how we publicly express our faith in Jesus Christ. Through the waters of baptism, we are declaring that we confess faith in Christ, that Jesus has cleansed us from sin, and that we now have a new life with him. As Paul said in Romans 6:4: For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

If you have trusted Christ with your life but have not been baptized, or if you have more questions about baptism, we ask you to reach out to us and let us help you learn more about the process of baptism at Indian Springs Baptist.