Gettin' Baptized

On Sunday, November 8^th, we’ll be doing our next round of baptism at NHC. So in preparation I thought I’d just post a few thoughts on what baptism is and isn’t. Before we can understand what baptism is, we need to understand what it is NOT:

 • It’s not required for salvation

Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

We are saved by one thing and one thing only – placing our faith and trust in what Jesus Christ did for us. We are NOT saved by anything we DO – religious or otherwise.

 • It is not optional

 Acts 2:38 "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ…”

Notice what it says – EVERYONE…this is not a suggestion, it’s a command. If you have commit your life to Christ this is NOT an option!

 • It is not something we do to babies

 Acts 2:14 Those who believed and accepted his message were baptized…

Baptism is an act we enter into after making a decision to follow Christ. Not only is that the pattern of scripture, but there is not a single example of infant baptism anywhere in the Bible.

So what IS baptism? Check back tomorrow!