Why are we baptised via water?

[Shafraz Jeal]

 

[Albion]

Why don't you just TELL us why Christians get baptized? We can choose to watch the 5 minute video if we want the details.

 

[MariaJLM]

I'm not going to bother watching a video, but the way my priest explained it is that water represents our conquest over death. For Jonah water was death. He was trapped with no way out unless God decided to save him(which in the end He did). Water, in a way, could represent that for us as well. Going down into the baptismal font represents that death that could have been; a watery tomb, yet through Christ we rise up whole. For those who believe in baptismal regeneration our old selves also die and we're reborn anew in Christ. Both my parish priests also oversee mission parishes and one of them has an adult baptismal font that resembles a casket for this reason.

 

[Albion]

In a narrow sense, it is because the Jews were initiated into that religion by water washing and Jesus took that familiar symbol and recast it into a feature of his new faith...just as he did with other Jewish practices. Giving them a newer and fuller meaning.

 

[Dirk1540]

Why don't you just TELL us why Christians get baptized?

Lol this reminded me of the Seinfeld episode where Kramer was the Movie Phone guy “Why don’t you just TELL me the name of the movie!”

 

[JustRachel]

Some of us are stuck in the stone age with limited internet. It bothers me greatly that everything is all about a video these days. :/

 

[“Paisios”]

Some of us are stuck in the stone age with limited internet. It bothers me greatly that everything is all about a video these days. :/

And some of us old fogeys process things better by printed word than by watched/heard video. I don’t mind people posting videos, but I wish they would include even a summary of the points presented.

 

[JustRachel]

Hey, I am an "old fogey" too!

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Baptism in water is the public declaration that we have received Christ as Saviour. It has no other spiritual significance than that. When the Scripture says that we are saved through the water and the Word, the water represents the Holy Spirit and the Word represents Jesus. Being baptised in water is the public declaration that we are converted to Christ, made Him the Lord of our life, and are filled with the Holy Spirit. It is a declaration to God because He knows our hearts already and have already made the commitment to Him, but to ensure that we are not ashamed of Him before the world, we go through the public act of baptism.

If we get baptised just because others say so, or our church instructs us and we don't really know why we are doing it, then it becomes just another pointless ceremony. The act of baptism has no moral value to God, but what does have a value to God and to the individual being baptised is the knowledge of why it is being done - to declare to the world that "I now belong to Christ and He is my Lord, and I am filled with the Holy Spirit to enable me to follow His will for my life."

 

[Tutorman]

In order to be saved one must be baptized as St. Peter told the crowd when they ask him what they must do to be saved.

 

[Southernscotty]

Thank you friend for putting the time into this, I am honored that you are starting to see the truth that is in Jesus Christ and that He is indeed the Way, The Truth and the Life.
The water immersion aspect of baptism is our public proclamation. "It is an outward sign of an inward change" of a renewal that happens at the moment of salvation.
God bless you :]

 

[Shafraz Jeal]

The reason video is better for me because it's easier to follow and understand the true heart behind the message.

 

[Chinchilla]

Not Correct , reubke this dude speaking lies least other people believe him...

You need to be born of water and Spirit .
You get born of water when you mom's waters break , then you need to be born again of Spirit .

When you get born again you are baptised BY FIRE and not by water.

Matthew 3:11 King James Version (KJV)
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:


We are baptised in water as act of obedience , just like Jesus didn't have to be baptised himself , Christians don't need to be baptised but can . By doing so we tell the death when we go under water , burrial when we are under water and resurrection when we come out of water.

But it's just water .

 

[“Paisios”]

The reason video is better for me because it's easier to follow and understand the true heart behind the message.

No objection to anyone posting video links - I am sure you “young’uns” learn well by them - but...I am old, and don’t find videos an effective learning method...I do better with a point by point printed summary. No offense intended...rather an explanation why some of us may not respond much. I tend to not watch a lot of video links, since I don’t process much from them.

I guess in this kind of discussion, I look for facts/reasoned arguments, rather than the feelings/true heart...probably a generational thing...forgive me.

And some of us old fogeys process things better by printed word than by watched/heard video. I don’t mind people posting videos, but I wish they would include even a summary of the points presented.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

In order to be saved one must be baptized as St. Peter told the crowd when they ask him what they must do to be saved.

I never said that water baptism is optional. When a person is genuinely converted to Christ, he or she will want to get water baptised to give public declaration of their conversion to Christ. Jesus said that if we are ashamed of Him before the world, He will be ashamed of us before the angels in heaven. Also, He said that those who persevere to the end will be saved. So there is an assurance of salvation by faith when we receive Jesus as Saviour, but our salvation will progress from the area of faith (the just shall live by faith) to reality when we have gone through the steps we need to go through and persevere to the end, either through death or Jesus coming again. If a person bauks at water baptism, one has to wonder about the depth of his or her commitment to Christ.

 

[Tutorman]

I never said that water baptism is optional. When a person is genuinely converted to Christ, he or she will want to get water baptised to give public declaration of their conversion to Christ. Jesus said that if we are ashamed of Him before the world, He will be ashamed of us before the angels in heaven. Also, He said that those who persevere to the end will be saved. So there is an assurance of salvation by faith when we receive Jesus as Saviour, but our salvation will progress from the area of faith (the just shall live by faith) to reality when we have gone through the steps we need to go through and persevere to the end, either through death or Jesus coming again. If a person bauks at water baptism, one has to wonder about the depth of his or her commitment to Christ.

Water baptism is not just a sow about conversion i is essential for salvation

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Water baptism is not just a sow about conversion i is essential for salvation

So you don't believe in justification by faith alone, but rather justification by works?

 

[Tutorman]

So you don't believe in justification by faith alone, but rather justification by works?

Baptism is not a work it is what God to us in the sacrament

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

I guess in this kind of discussion, I look for facts/reasoned arguments, rather than the feelings/true heart...probably a generational thing...forgive me.

As written in Scripture, "look for" wisdom and knowledge and revelation from our Father in heaven ..... He is Delighted to grant His Understanding to those He Wants to in His Good Pleasure (as Jesus Praised Him for DOing) ....

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Baptism is not a work it is what God to us in the sacrament

Is it the same as Anglicans here in New Zealand that you guys have infant baptism? Does that mean when you baptise infants, they are automatically saved?