Why Should Christians Be Baptized?

In many churches, when someone accepts Christ it is common for the person to be baptized. Why do people choose to do it? What is the significance? Do people have to get baptized?

The reason that people who are saved are baptized is because it was a common practice in the Bible, including with Jesus himself. When Jesus walked on this earth there were three activities that He considered important to the walk of a Christian. One of these is not common practice anymore; that is the washing of feet. The other two are still practiced today though, they are getting baptized and communion.

The purpose of baptism is simply a way of signifying to others of your decision to accept Christ. Baptism is symbolic of your relationship with Jesus in the same way that a wedding ring is symbolic of your marriage.

Is baptism required? The activities above are not required for salvation but are very important for a relationship with Jesus. We know that Jesus believed baptism was important because in Matthew 28:18 - 20 he tells his disciples, "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." It wasn't enough for Jesus to have the disciples go and preach and lead people to Christ but he clearly thought they should all be baptized as a declaration of their salvation.

Like anything else that Jesus tells us to do in the Bible, he practices what he preaches. Even though Jesus is the Son of God and didn't really need to declare his salvation he chose to be baptized by John the Baptist. In Matthew 3:13 - 15, John the Baptist tries to tell Jesus that he is not worthy of baptizing Jesus and Jesus tells John, "it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness."

Why baptism though? Where did the idea of baptism come from? What does it mean? I was baptized when I accepted Christ eight years ago and understood that it was symbolic of my decision but I never really understood until recently why dunking somebody in water was chosen as the way to signify our decision.

Baptism was chosen for the declaration of salvation because it is symbolic of Jesus' life. When the one being baptized is being dunked into the water it is symbolic of Jesus' death, the crucifixion on the cross. Once the believer is under water it is signifying the burial of Jesus. Finally, when you are brought back up out of the water it is symbolic of Jesus' resurrection.

Anyone who accepts Christ should be baptized. It may seem like a silly tradition of the church but it was actually taught, commanded and practiced by Jesus himself.