Baptism might seem strange to people new to the faith, but it was God’s idea in the first place. Jesus sent out his
first disciples and commanded them invite people to follow him. Anyone that accepted the invitation was to be
baptized. Matthew 28:19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Though baptism is clearly commanded in the Bible, it’s also clear that it is not a ritual that saves a person. We
start a relationship with God by trusting Jesus, and no good work on our part can add to the completed work of
Jesus through his cross and resurrection.

We are saved entirely by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). In the first recorded sermon in the early church, Peter preached to a crowd of thousands. About 3,000 people were saved, and the first thing Peter told them to do after salvation was get baptized (Acts 2:38). The pattern continues through the
rest of the early church. Baptism is a public proclamation of the spiritual transformation that occurs when we commit to following Jesus.

Water baptism, then, is one of the first things we can do practically in our lives to show our desire to live to honor God. It’s a simple sign that we’re coming to God on his terms, not ours. The first thing Jesus tells us to do after salvation is baptism. Today he wants us to be immersed in water; tomorrow there will be more to obey. We can’t say we’ll do anything for God if we are not willing do the first thing.

Water baptism is also an act of identification. Through it we are identifying with the death and resurrection of
Christ. We are also identifying with his people, the church. Romans 6:3 Or have you forgotten that when we were
joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?

Water baptism is symbolic of the Christian life. It symbolizes death to our old way of living and resurrection to
a new way of living. Like wearing a jersey to a football game, baptism is our opportunity to identify with a
person and a team.  

When we take our next step in baptism, we’re letting the world know we belong to Jesus and we’re on His team.  There is no such thing as a private faith. Jesus died publicly for us, and baptism is our opportunity to go public for Him. 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.

Through baptism, we remember how Jesus saved us. Being lowered in the water is symbolic of how we were
dead in our sins. Coming out of the water is symbolic of how our faith in Jesus saved us from death and gives us
eternal life.