Should I get baptized? Why is baptism important? What is baptism like?

So, what exactly is so special about getting dunked into a pool of water in front of a group of people? I myself had recently struggled with the question. I already live a Christian-like life. Many of my friends are Christians. I pray and read my Bible every day. I try to reach out to others in need. I go on missions trips. I know that baptism isn't what saves me. Was it really necessary for me to get baptized?

Romans 6:3-4 gave me my answer: "Or don't you know that all of us who are baptized into Christ Jesus 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." For Christians, the process of getting immersed in the water symbolizes dying and being buried with Christ. The other process of baptism, coming out of the water, symbolizes Christ's resurrection. So my baptism would be a symbolic announcement about my faith. And hey, if Jesus was baptized (Matthew 3:13-17), shouldn't we be too?

Once I decided that I should probably be baptized, I began to struggle with my age. See, I'm in high school and still hadn't been baptized. All my Christian friends had been baptized when they were younger. But the good news is that age doesn't matter. What matters is if you understand what baptism is all about. I think if I had been baptized when I was little, I probably wouldn't have understood how important it was.

According to the Bible, Christian baptism is important because it is a step of obedience to God. It's a way for us to make our faith in Christ public and express our commitment to Him. It's a way for us to identify with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.

A Christian only has two requirements to fulfill before getting baptized. First, you must have trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior from sin. Second, you must truly understand what baptism is; it's a step of obedience in publicly proclaiming your faith in Christ. Oh, and you should want to be baptized. Don't do it out of obligation or peer pressure.

What is baptism like?

Some churches perform a "sprinkling" baptism where water is just dripped onto your head. An "immersion" baptism means that your whole body goes under water—which is how they did baptisms in the Bible.

Any Christian can baptize you. It could be your youth pastor, a family member, or even a beloved mentor. They will usually say the words "I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" right before or while you're going under water. (They shouldn't hold you down for too long. ☺)

Are you ready to get baptized?

Maybe by time you've finished reading this, a new question has popped up: "Should I get baptized?" or "When should I get baptized?" If you desire to be baptized, talk to your parents and/or a pastor at your church. Hopefully, they will be excited about your willingness to take that next step of faith!

Sometimes churches hold baptisms at certain times of year, so you could wait until then. But you can really get baptized at any time. Out on the mission field, sometimes they will baptize people immediately after they become Christians, in any body of water they can find, because these new believers are so excited about being new creations in Christ!

Tell us your baptism story HERE!