Water Baptism

The first story we read in the gospels about Jesus as an adult is His baptism.  The last message Jesus spoke before ascending into heaven was to make disciples and baptize them.  Baptism is obviously a very important activity in the New Testament.

New Life has begun!

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and would like to make a public declaration of that decision, we invite you to participate in a Water Baptism Service at River of Life.
“The old life is gone; a new life has begun.”
 2 Corinthians 5:17

FAQs


Why Should I Be Baptized?
You don’t need to be baptized to be saved.
The New Testament teaches that a person is saved by repentance from sin and faith in Christ.  “That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).  In Luke 23, the thief on the cross recognized who Jesus was, reached out to Him, and Jesus promised him salvation.  That dying thief had no opportunity to be baptized.

You need to be baptized to be obedient to Jesus.
We are commanded to be baptized as a part of being His disciple.  “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit” (Mt. 28:19).  We don’t get baptized when we “feel like it,” or when we “get around to it” or when we are “led to it by the Lord.”  Baptism is one of only two ordinances or rituals that Jesus commands us to observe.   The other is The Lord’s Table, or what is often called communion.

Baptism is the public profession of your faith.
Baptism is done before a group of people who witness your confession of faith in Jesus Christ.  
Baptism is not the only way we profess to be a Christian, but it is an important way.

Baptism symbolizes your cleansing from sin.
Baptism throughout the New Testament indicated that a person had “repented” or turned away from sin.  At River of Life we practice baptism by immersion, meaning your whole body goes under the water.  The apostles often referred to the fact that believers were "washed" from sin.  
Peter stated that the water in baptism symbolized not the cleansing of the body from dirt, but the cleansing of the conscience (1 Peter 3:21).

Baptism symbolizes your union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.
When you become a Christian, you die to sin and your old way of life and you begin a whole new life.  
Romans 6:8 states, “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.”  
The very act of baptism (being immersed in the water and coming up out of the water) is a picture of what happens to you spiritually.

Can my children be baptized?
Water Baptism is a decision made by the individual as a way to express their personal commitment to Christ. Because this commitment requires a level of cognitive and developmental readiness, we do not baptize babies. Proverbs 20:25 issues a significant caution against the danger of making a vow before adequate knowledge, forethought and reflection have been given.  At River of Life, we do a special ceremony to dedicate babies during our service.  To learn more on baby dedication, click here.

If you have any further questions regarding baptism, please feel free to email [email protected].
You can also reach us by calling the main church line at 320-597-7777.