Am I Qualified to Baptize Someone?

Talking Points:

• In Matthew 28 during Jesus’s “great commission,” he instructs his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all of his commands.
• A key command of Jesus seen in this passage is baptism. Baptism is a crucial step of obedience in your walk of faith with Jesus Christ. People who have believed in Jesus should be baptized.
• Philip first appears in Acts 6:5 when he and six others are appointed as deacons (from the Greek meaning “servant”) by the Apostles to help attend to the physical needs of the Christian community in Jerusalem. Philip was a man “full of faith and the holy spirit,” and the Apostles said those chosen for this task should be “men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (Acts 6:4, [ESV]). The Bible qualifies him for the role of deacon on the basis of his faith, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, a reputation that proved his godly character, and his wisdom. Philip followed Jesus, served the church community, and helped others pursue God. The Bible does not state Philip’s formal education (or lack thereof) or field of work.
• If you are pursuing God, you also are called to make disciples and to proclaim and live out “the Good news of the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12).
• Immediately after hearing the gospel message and placing his faith in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of his sins, the Ethiopian Eunuch requested baptism.
• Baptizing someone does not require a special rank, education, or training. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ and are honoring him with your life, you should feel empowered to baptize someone who has made their own profession of faith in Jesus.