why is baptism so important to Christians and do you get secret blessings if baptized.

 why is baptism so important to Christians and do you get secret blessings if baptized.

Practices in Christianity

Christian practices are varied and many of them, such as praying, fit into daily life easily. However, there are other practices that may happen only once in a lifetime, such as visiting a pilgrimage site.

When we enter the waters of baptism, we’re proclaiming the gospel message. Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and lives again. By joining in baptism, we’re identifying ourselves with Him.

Romans 6:4 says we have been buried with Him through baptism into death. We’re now dead to the power of sin. Being raised up out of the water expresses our new life in Christ and our union with Him.

Meaning and Importance of Baptism in Christianity

If the meaning of baptism could be summarized to one word, that word would be identification. Baptism speaks primarily of personal, public identification with Jesus Christ.

In Romans 6:3-4 the Apostle Paul puts the matter this way:

Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Notice the strength of the expressions, "baptized into Christ" and "baptized into his death" and "buried with him in baptism." Someone may suggest that the primary reference here is to Spirit baptism. That's true, but at the very least, water baptism is in the background of this passage.

How important is your baptism? It is your personal identification with the greatest act of human history—the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Baptism doesn't save you—salvation comes by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Your guilt before God is removed the moment you trust in Christ. But baptism is your personal testimony to, and the inward assurance of, your passage from the old life to the new life.

How Baptism Relates to Jesus

1. It means we have turned from the old life of sin to a new life in Jesus Christ.

2. It means we are publicly identifying with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

3. It means we are openly joining the ranks of those who believe in Christ.

When you are baptized, you are in fact visually preaching the gospel. As you stand in the water waiting to be baptized, first, you symbolize Jesus dying on the cross. As you are lowered into the water, second, you symbolize Jesus buried in the tomb. As you are raised from the water, third, you symbolize Jesus rising from the dead.

And since you personally are being baptized, you are also saying, "I died with Jesus Christ, I was buried with him, and now I am raised with Christ to brand-new life."

In short, in your baptism you are confessing the faith without using any words at all. And your confession in your baptism will be more effective with your friends than any sermon the pastor preaches on Sunday morning—more effective because it comes directly from you.

Baptism.

A sacrament is a ceremony through which Christians believe they receive God’s grace or are brought closer to God. Therefore, a sacrament is something that people can engage in with their senses, but that has a deeper meaning too.

For Protestants, baptism and the Eucharist are sacraments. All four of the gospels mention Jesus carrying out both of these acts.

Many Christians believe that baptism is important because Jesus was baptized, and after his resurrection he told his disciples that they should be baptized too.

No one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.

John the Baptist was the first Jew to use baptism to symbolize the forgiveness of sins. It was John who baptized Jesus. Many Christians believe that baptizing cleanses people from original sin.

Baptism is practiced by nearly all Christian denominations as it is seen as an instruction from God and a way of following Jesus’ example. However, the denominations practice baptism in different ways.

Infant baptism

Some Christians believe baptism makes a Christian a member of God’s family. In many denominations, babies are baptized, and this is known as infant baptism.

For Orthodox Christians, infant baptism involves total immersion. However, other denominations make the sign of the cross on the baby’s head using oil and use holy water on the forehead.

Jesus’ instructions were to "baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit", so these words are said during a baptism.

There are other elements to a baptism service, including promises made by godparents on behalf of the child to reject evil. In addition, at the end of the ceremony the priest gives a lit candle to the child’s guardians to keep for the child, which symbolizes receiving the light of Christ.

Believers’ baptism

Baptists and Pentecostals believe baptism should only occur once somebody is an adult, as it is then that the individual can accept Christianity for themselves. This type of baptism is called believers’ baptism.

It is done using total immersion, where the person being baptised walks down into a pool and is fully submerged three times before walking out into their new life.

Two pastors fully submerge a man during his believers baptism.

Should you be baptized?

If you have made a lifetime commitment to follow Jesus, obey the Word of God and live a new life you are a candidate to be baptized. You are repentant and want to be free from their sin.

This was the case with the Jews who had crucified Jesus when they heard Peter speak. “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’” Acts 2:37. It was such ones that Peter exhorted to be baptized. Verse 38.

As with the Jews mentioned above, there are many people today who are sorry for their past sins and have purposed to live a life pleasing to God. Though it is evident that a certain maturity is needed to make such decisions, the proper attitude of heart is the main criterion for deciding to be baptized at any age.

Jesus’ own words to His disciples confirm the needs for such ones to be baptized: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19. There are no references to infants being baptized in the Bible.

What does baptism mean for your life?

Though Christianity consists of a hidden life with God, Christian baptism is an outward act in which we affirm our desire to follow Jesus on this inner way.

Paul explains how we are to live this new life: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:3-4.

This “death” that Paul mentions is a death to your old life, where you choose to stop living according to your sinful human nature and tendencies. You can then begin to walk in “newness of life” by obeying God’s commandments.

Being baptized does not free you from temptations but you can, as the writer of Hebrews states, overcome in temptation as Jesus did: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:15-16.

You can live the rest of your life for the will of God, as Jesus did: “Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: ‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me … then I said, “Behold, I have come—In the volume of the book it is written of Me—To do Your will, O God.”’” Hebrews 10:5-7.

With such a purpose of heart, God will open His Word to you so that you can run on the way of His commandments. This new life will result in you reaping the blessings of God rather than the consequences of sin.

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