Water baptism FAQs

Baptism literally means “to be immersed.” Water baptism is a physical act of obedience by which a person identifies with Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. When a person is baptized, he or she is publicly declaring faith and trust in Jesus Christ. It symbolizes the death of his or her old self and resurrection to a new life in Christ! Scripture tells us that every follower of Christ should get baptized.

Unless you consciously submitted yourself to God and were aware of the significance of baptism and the statement you were making at the time you were baptized, you should be re-baptized. Infant and child baptism usually has more to do with the faith of the parents than that of the child.

In the New Testament, many people were baptized immediately after accepting Christ, but there are some examples of believers who weren’t baptized until a while later (most notably the Apostle Paul). Still, baptism is not something to be put off indefinitely. As followers of Jesus, we want to follow His example and get baptized as soon as possible. So, the right question is, why don’t you want to be baptized right away?

Absolutely! We are saved through faith in Jesus—His shed blood, death and resurrection­—not through baptism. However, it is an act of obedience and a declaration of trust that flows out of God’s work of salvation in our hearts. Again, as believers and followers of Christ, we will follow his example and biblical command by getting baptized.

Whether you get baptized in a formal church baptistery (as we have in our services), in a lake, stream, ocean, or pool, the state of your heart is what determines the validity of your baptism, not the perceived holiness of the venue or the water itself. The condition of your heart is what’s important! In Word for the World's baptisms, we seek to follow the examples we are given in the New Testament. That is why we baptize by fully immersing individuals in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and, specifically, in Jesus’ name.

Once you have placed your faith and trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior - we do not see a need to be re-baptized; however, there is no biblical prohibition against being re-baptized and doing so may be an important step in your spiritual growth. If you do not feel the above-mentioned criteria were met in your previous baptism then we encourage and invite you to get re-baptized!

Only Jesus lived a life without sin. In our human nature, we all struggle with sin from time to time, and we all fail at times. The key is that when we do sin, we confess it, repent of it, humbly get back up, and go on trusting that Jesus’ blood has already cleansed us from all sin.

Baptism in water and baptism in the Holy Spirit are not the same. Baptism in water is what is described here. Baptism in the Holy Spirit is what is first described in the second chapter of the Book of Acts in the New Testament. It is a spiritual empowerment to live the life to which God has called us and is accompanied by the impartation of spiritual gifts. Baptism in the Holy Spirit is another essential aspect of a believer’s life. Biblical references include: Acts 1:8, 2:4, 10:44-46, 19:6, and Matthew 3:1.

If you would like to know more about it, we encourage you to speak with a pastor, small group leader or member of the Prayer Team. They will be glad to answer your questions, point you in the right direction, and pray with you to receive this baptism if you would like. We also have a class about being baptized in the Holy Spirit if you are interested in learning more. You will hear about this class in our announcements and will be able to find more information through our website.