Maybe you said yes to Jesus a few months ago. Or a few years ago. And now you keep hearing people talk about getting baptized, and you're wondering if that's for you.
Maybe you were baptized as a baby and wonder if it counts. Maybe you've never understood what the water is for.
Good questions. The Bible answers every one.
What is water baptism?
Water baptism was set forth by Jesus Himself. Before He went back to the Father, He told His followers, "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).
At Dwelling House, we believe baptism is a holy sacrament of the church and an experience with God. It isn't "just a symbol." Something happens in the water, and the Bible tells us what.
What happens in the water
You die with Jesus. "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?" (Romans 6:3). The old you goes under.
You're raised with Him. "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 6:4). You were "buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead" (Colossians 2:12).
Your heart is circumcised. In the Old Testament, circumcision marked God's covenant people. In Christ, God does that work on the inside. "In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ" (Colossians 2:11). And the very next words are "buried with Him in baptism."
You're baptized into His body. "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body" (1 Corinthians 12:13). You're joining a family.
You're baptized into Christ Himself. "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27). Like putting on clothes. You go down wearing your old life. You come up wearing Him.
And it's tied to the Holy Spirit. On the day the church was born, Peter told the crowd, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). Repent. Be baptized. Receive. Those three belong together.
Do I have to be baptized to be saved?
No. I want to be really clear about that. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8–9). You can't earn God's love with good behavior or with water. Jesus paid for all of it on the cross.
But don't let that turn into "so I can skip it." Baptism is the first step of obedience Jesus asks of everyone who follows Him.
Jesus never sinned. He still walked into the Jordan River to be baptized. When John tried to stop Him, Jesus said, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15). When He came up, the Spirit descended on Him like a dove, and the Father spoke: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:13–17).
If Jesus went into the water, we get to follow Him there.
Who should be baptized?
Look at the order in the New Testament. People heard about Jesus, they believed, and then they were baptized.
After Peter preached at Pentecost, "those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them" (Acts 2:41). An Ethiopian official heard about Jesus, saw water by the road, and asked, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" (Acts 8:36). A jailer in Philippi was told, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:31). That same night, "immediately he and all his family were baptized" (Acts 16:33).
None of them waited until they had it all together. Believing came first. The water came right after.
What if I was baptized as a baby?
If your parents carried you to the front of a church when you were tiny, they did something beautiful. They gave you to God. Mary and Joseph did something like it when they brought Jesus to the temple "to present Him to the Lord" (Luke 2:22). That was love.
We see infant baptism as your parents' dedication of you to the Lord. The New Testament pattern is believers choosing baptism for themselves, after they've put their faith in Jesus. So if you've never been baptized since you said yes to Him, we'd love to baptize you. This isn't saying your parents got it wrong. It's you getting to say your own yes.
How is it done?
By immersion. The Greek word baptizo means to dip or plunge under. When Jesus was baptized, He "came up immediately from the water" (Matthew 3:16). Philip and the Ethiopian "went down into the water," and then "they came up out of the water" (Acts 8:38–39).
Going under and coming up is the picture Paul painted. Buried with Him. Raised with Him.
Water baptism at Dwelling House
We hold Water Baptism Sundays during our 10am worship service. It's a powerful time for the whole church to celebrate what Jesus has done in you.
If you'd like to be baptized, or you just have questions, head to our Water Baptism page to sign up or ask. A pastor will walk you through it beforehand, so nothing catches you off guard.
Questions people ask
Do I need to have my life together first?
No. The jailer was baptized the same night he believed. You don't go into the water because you've made yourself ready. You go in because Jesus already made you His.
Is water baptism the same as the baptism with the Holy Spirit?
They're connected, but they're not the same. In Samaria, believers who had been baptized in water later "received the Holy Spirit" when Peter and John prayed for them (Acts 8:14–17). We believe the baptism with the Holy Spirit is an experience that follows salvation and fills you with power to live for Jesus. Read more in What Are Spiritual Gifts, and Are They Still for Today?
What if I'm nervous?
That's normal. It usually means you know something real is about to happen. A pastor will walk you through every step ahead of time, and a whole room of people will be cheering you on.
If you've said yes to Jesus, the water is waiting. Sign up for water baptism here, or come be with us any Sunday at 10am at 3102 Prairie Rd in Madison. Plan your visit. Still have questions? Send us a message, and a pastor will get back to you.