467. Baptism Is Just The Beginning

I think many people were touched by last Sunday's baptism. So I want to write a few things about baptism.

Many people who have received Christ hesitate to get baptized when asked. It is usually because they feel they don't yet live a decent Christian life and need more time. I understand the sentiment. However, baptism is not the completion of the faith journey but its beginning. It is like a baby being born in a family. No one expects or demands that a baby who has just been born to live like an adult.

It is good not to think lightly of the baptism. But if you are on the fence about getting baptized, I want you to remember that baptism is a public proclamation of your “decision” to be more like Jesus, not of your “progress”. Every decision is more likely to be completed when done publicly and with community support.

The core idea of Christianity is well expressed in "It is no longer I who live but Christ in me."(Gal 2:20). We can't live a holy life; The only way is to allow Jesus in us to live his holy life through us. And we do so through prayer, reading scripture, corporate worship, belonging in a house church, and various spiritual disciplines. But it all happens after someone receives Christ.

So, we don't baptize people who haven't completed the "Gospel Presentation Sessions" (GPS). It is because baptism is a celebration of salvation, not a means of salvation. During GPS, the gospel is clearly presented so that people have logical grounds to receive Jesus and precisely know where they stand with him. As it is conversational, almost all VIPs who come say it has tremendously helped them clarify their faith. There is also time to explain what baptism is.

Also, some people hesitate to get baptized because they think they don't have a good enough testimony. Hearing others' dramatic baptism testimonies only seems to confirm that assumption. But people come to Christ through many different ways. Some do so through a dramatic experience, but many receive Christ simply because one or two verses answered their questions. Testimony is simply sharing the grace God has given, whether it is small or big.

Some say they hesitate getting baptized because of their fear of public speaking. But I jokingly say that everyone who told me that reason is a liar. They all got up on the stage and shared it so well. I provide a detailed testimony guide, so there is nothing to be afraid of. If we look for reasons not to do something, we can find hundreds of them. Sometimes, the best move is to "just do it" because you might become the reason someone needed to make the same decision.