Should you be baptized? And what does baptism, mean, anyway?
Talking Points:
- If Jesus Christ is your lord and savior and you trust him alone for your salvation, you should obey him by being baptized. Baptism is something we do to honor God. Matthew 28:19
- It’s important that you have had a defining moment of faith – that you have repented of your old life and embraced new life in Christ – before being baptized. Acts 8:34-36
- If you were baptized in a church that doesn’t hold to the core doctrines of the historic, biblical Christianity Paul and the Apostles preached, then your baptism means something different than what it does in the Bible. In this case, you should be re-baptized, because you were baptized in the name of “another gospel.” Galatians 1:6-9
- Baptism should be a real expression of wanting to live a new life with Christ. Because infants and even many young children don’t and can’t understand this, it’s important to be baptized after you have made a personal decision to follow Christ.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- What was your understanding of baptism up to now? What has prompted you to think about being baptized?
- Read Matthew 28:19. Why did Jesus command his disciples to baptize new disciples?
- Read Romans 6:1-4. What does it mean that we are buried with baptism in Christ and raised to new life?
- If you have not been baptized, what is holding you back?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
