Little Red Book Ministry

I. Baptism: What It Is
Christian baptism is the first act that God has assigned to a new Christian. This allows the believer to publicly show his or her loyalty and submission to the will of God. While it is true that you cannot lose your salvation by refusing baptism, it nevertheless appears from the scriptures that God does not consider it an option. It is a requirement for growth in the faith.

A. Baptism is an open profession of faith
Baptism provides a believer with an opportunity to openly and publicly identify himself or herself as a child of God and a follower of Jesus Christ.

B. Baptism is an act of obedience
“Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him” (Matthew 3:13-15).

Jesus was baptized even though He was God in the flesh. He pointed out that it was the proper thing to do in order to fulfill all righteousness. It was His first act of obedience to the Father prior to beginning His public ministry.

C. Baptism is a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).