10 Common Questions About Baptism 

1. What is baptism? 

Baptism is an outward expression of an inward change. It’s a public declaration of how Jesus changed your life. Being baptized shows others that you’ve decided to follow Jesus, and allows them to celebrate this decision with you (Acts 16:31-34 ). 

Baptism doesn’t save a person or get a person into heaven; it’s a symbol and celebration of salvation that comes from faith in Jesus (1 Peter 3:21). It means going public with your faith in Jesus and symbolizes that once you come out of the water, you are not the person you were when entering in. You are no longer defined by your sin, but brought to new life with Jesus. The power that brought Jesus back to life is the same power Jesus uses to change our lives – and that’s worth getting excited about! 

2. Why should I be baptized? 

When we decide to go public, saying Jesus is Lord, we start a whole new journey. It’s not a journey about perfection or performance, but about responding to the grace of Jesus and trusting that His work on the cross has forgiven us, saved us, and transformed us. Because Jesus went public about His love for us, we can go public about our love for Him. Being baptized shows that we turn away from a life of sin toward Jesus, the only one who can change us (Acts 2:38-41). Jesus told us to be baptized and set the example by being baptized (Matthew 28:19-20 , Mark 1:9 ). 

3. When’s the best time to be baptized? 

For everyone who decides to follow Jesus, baptism is the next step. Anyone who commits his or her life to following Jesus is ready to be baptized (Acts 8:12 ). 

4. What changes when I go public? 

Putting your trust in Jesus changes everything. Baptism is going public in saying that Jesus is Lord of your life. When you asked God for help, for healing, and for salvation, you claimed the promise that He will never let you down. God stands by His promise to save you, change you, and stay with you. Going public is about showing on the outside how God is changing you on the inside. 

5. Does being baptized mean all my problems are fixed? 

Our problems aren’t automatically fixed, but God promises to be with us and help us through them. You make a public statement of your faith when you are baptized, and you get to walk with Jesus as a continued daily “yes” affirming to God, yourself, and those around you that you have been made new. The difference now is that you aren’t trying to build up yourself; you’re built up by Jesus. 

Just as you said “yes” to Jesus, now you get to keep saying yes to His love and grace. No matter what happens, we can have peace in Jesus: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). The Bible promises that the same God who saved you is the God who sustains and rescues you. (Isaiah 46:4). 

6. Do you baptize children? 

As parents, we can help point our children to Jesus, but they are the ones to decide if they will commit their lives to Him (Romans 10:9 ). 

Any instance of baptism follows a person’s decision to trust Jesus for his or her salvation and commitment to follow Him (Acts 10:47-48 ). At Amplify, we wait until children are old enough to express their own decision to follow Jesus and understand the meaning of baptism. Typically, we baptize young men or women who are at least 13 years old. 

If your child has already asked Jesus into his life, explain what baptism is and what it means. Facilitate the conversation, but don’t dominate it. 

7. What’s the difference between immersing, sprinkling and other ways of baptizing? 

Baptisms recorded in the Bible were by immersion. Jesus was baptized by being immersed in the water and rising out of it (Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10). Submersion in the water symbolizes “death and burial” and rising out of the water symbolizes “resurrection” into a fresh start in life centered around faith in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Romans 6:3-5). 

8. Do I need to be baptized again? 

If you haven’t been baptized by immersion since you decided to follow Jesus, we want to help you take your next step of being baptized. Once you’ve taken that step, there’s no need to be baptized again. 

9. Why do people celebrate when someone gets baptized? 

Following Jesus isn’t something we’re meant to do alone. The church is here to encourage you, pray for you, and help you discover your next steps. As you surround yourself with others who love Jesus, your faith will grow. You’ll see Jesus working in you and through you. 

Regardless of your past or your present, you have a place where you belong. You are a part of God’s family and He’s only getting started with you. Now that’s worth celebrating. 

10. After I’ve been baptized, what’s next? 

Trusting Jesus. 

Baptism is a public symbol of our decision to trust and follow Jesus. In a moment, it showed what Jesus did for us, and now we get to see how that plays out in every part of our lives. 

Your number one goal from this point forward is to trust Jesus – listening to what He says and allowing His love and grace to shape you, inspire you, and guide your decisions. 

Reading the Bible, getting involved in church, and surrounding ourselves with a group of people who also follow Jesus gives us strength to step into all that God has promised us. 

It’s a spiritual impossibility to follow Jesus and remain the same. The changes aren’t from our own ideas or strength, but by the guidance of the Holy Spirit – that’s the spirit of God living inside us. He’s the one who gives us the power to love and forgive others, to grow in faith, and to say no to sin and yes to Jesus. These kinds of qualities will continue to show up more and more in our lives as we follow Jesus.