What Is Water Baptism?
Baptism is an important step of obedience that shows others we have personally trusted Jesus for our salvation. When Christians are baptized, they are submerged under water to identify with the death and burial of Jesus and raised out of the water to identify with His resurrection. We believe that water baptism is a public declaration of three important things: you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are beginning a changed life in Christ, and you are part of a new family.
Ready To Be Baptized?
We would be honored to help you take this step of obedience!
Frequently Asked Questions
WHY BE BAPTIZED?
Those who are baptized are following Jesus’ example and obeying His command.
- As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” —Matthew 3:16–17
- Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” —Matthew 28:18–20
WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BAPTISM?
Water baptism is a public declaration of three very important things:
- You are a follower of Jesus Christ.
Those who accepted his message were baptized. —Acts 2:41 - You are beginning a changed life in Christ.
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. —Romans 6:4 - You are part of a new family.
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. —Galatians 3:26–27
I HAVE ALREADY BEEN BAPTIZED. SHOULD I BE BAPTIZED AGAIN?
Your baptism should have signified you becoming a follower of Jesus, beginning a changed life, and uniting with a new family. If your baptism did not reflect this change of life, then you should be baptized again.
WHAT DOES BAPTISM REPRESENT?
It’s an act of obedience and an outward symbol that represents what Jesus has done in us and for us. It doesn’t bring us into a relationship with Christ, only faith does that.
Colossians 2:12 – For when you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and in baptism you were also raised with Christ.
WHY DO WE HAVE TO GO UNDER WATER?
We go under water because Jesus did. The word baptism is Baptizo in Greek which means to immerse or submerge.
Matthew 3:16 – As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR WATER BAPTISM?
As Phillip says in Acts 8:37, the only requirement for water baptism is faith in Jesus Christ. Believing that He is the son of God and through his death, burial and resurrection, anyone can receive eternal life. Without such faith, water baptism just becomes a meaningless ritual.
I WAS BAPTIZED AS A BABY, ISN’T THAT GOOD ENOUGH?
It could be considered a gesture of dedication but faith and repentance are both necessary ingredients as indicated in Acts 8:37.
IS WATER BAPTISM OPTIONAL?
No, Jesus both commanded and modeled water baptism in the Bible.
CAN MY CHILD BE BAPTIZED?
We will baptize anyone who understands what baptism symbolizes and wants to make that personal public declaration. We encourage any parents to partner with our City Hills Kids and City Hills Student ministries to guide your children through these decisions of faith.
We have provided an informational resource for discerning whether your child is ready to be baptized or not as well as a devotional to talk through with them before they take this important step.
5. CAN MY INFANT BE BAPTIZED?
Throughout the New Testament, the Bible teaches that baptism is a public expression of worship symbolizing the new life we have when we follow Jesus. In the Bible we see that Jesus’ parents dedicated him to the Lord (Luke 2:22–40), and he was later baptized as an adult (Matthew 3:16–17).
We understand that some churches practice “baptism of confirmation” for children. This ceremony is intended to be a commitment between the parents and God on the behalf of the child. The parents promise to raise their child in the faith until the child is old enough to make his or her own personal confession of Christ. This custom began about 300 years after the Bible was completed and is different from the biblical examples of new believers being baptized to publicly profess their faith in Jesus.
So at City Hills we provide opportunities for child dedication and believer’s baptism. We do baby dedications multiple times a year. To schedule a baby dedication, email us at kids@cityhills.com.