The person being baptized says out loud that they believe Jesus is the Son of God, then is lowered completely under the water and lifted back up, usually in a pool inside the church building called a baptistery. In those few minutes God forgives that person’s sins and adds them to His church (, ).
What Does the Word “Baptize” Mean?
To baptize means to immerse. “Baptize” is a Greek word that English Bibles carried over rather than translated, and the Greek verb, baptizō, means to dip, immerse or submerge.
You can see that in the story of an official from Ethiopia whom Philip taught on a desert road. Luke says both men went down into the water (), then writes, “And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.” ().
Does It Have to Happen in a Church Building?
No. In Acts 8, the one immersed was baptized in water he spotted beside the road (). Church buildings usually have a baptistery because it’s generally ready, day or night.
What Question Will I Be Asked Before Going In?
Usually just one: “Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?” You say yes, in your own words if you like, the way Peter once told Jesus who He was ().
That moment is called the confession, which means saying openly what you believe. You won’t be asked to list your sins or give a speech. Paul ties it to salvation when he writes, “For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (). Belief starts in the heart, and the confession says it out loud.
Is There a Set Formula the Baptizer Has to Recite?
No. The New Testament gives the command but no script. Jesus told His apostles, the men He sent to carry His message, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (). Peter told a crowd in Jerusalem to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins (). You’ll usually hear something drawn from both, like “Because of your confession of faith, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, for the forgiveness of your sins.”
The water is usually about waist-deep, so you’re standing the whole time. The person baptizing you will support your back and hold your hand, and you can pinch your nose shut. You don’t need to know how to swim.
What Is God Doing in That Moment?
Paul calls it a burial and a resurrection. He writes of “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.” (). The power there is “the powerful working of God,” and you share in it “through faith.” The water does nothing on its own.
Your sins are washed away (). You’re clothed with Christ, or as Paul told the Galatians, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (). And the Lord adds you to His people, just as He did on the day the church began: “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (). You come up to walk in a new life ().
I’ve Been Invited to Watch. What Should I Do?
Just come. Family and friends are welcome, and nobody watching is asked to do anything. A baptism might happen right after a sermon or at another hour on any day of the week. If it’s on a Sunday morning do rejoice with the angels that you are an observer in what is most important.
What Happens After?
People will want to shake your hand and hug you. Sometimes the church sings. The Ethiopian went on his way rejoicing, and he was new to all of it.
Nobody expects you to have everything figured out. The first Christians in Jerusalem kept learning from the apostles and kept praying together (), and a new Christian starts in the same place.
When You’re Ready to Talk
If life has felt empty and you’re wondering whether this is the step you’ve been missing, tell us. We’ll sit down with you, open the Bible and answer whatever you’re still unsure about, at your pace. The Church of Christ at South Bumby would love to walk with you toward the lasting peace that only Christ gives.
Plan your visit and we’ll help you find your way in on your first Sunday.
To read what the Bible says about being saved, start here.
When we meet:
- Sunday: Bible Class 9:30 am · Worship 10:30 am
- Wednesday: Bible Class 7pm