My Baptism

This last Sunday, August 21, I was baptized along with one of my brothers and one of my sisters.

I had believed in Yeshua quite a few years ago, but was uncertain for a long time about what I believed about baptism. Was is necessary to do? Is it part of being saved? Must one be baptized to be saved? And what does baptism mean?

For a long while I thought baptism unnecessary, that we were now baptized through the Holy Spirit and Fire (Matt 3:12). But then I started a Bible correspondence study called Lamp and Light Bible. Some verses they brought up showed that this was totally true...

When Jesus gave the great commission, he included baptism. (Mark 16:15-16) He, Himself was baptized - though this could be argued that this was for the purpose of fulfilling the old law.

But what most convinced me was of the examples afterwards, of His followers baptizing people in His name. If it wasn't right and good why would they still be doing it? (Acts 2:38, Acts 22:11-16)

From these and many of verses and passages I came to the conclusion that baptism was not bad, but even good, and that full immersion baptism was probably the best, as it was what was used up until a certain time in early church history.

But still, is baptism necessary for salvation? Even though I'd come to believe that it was good and not done away with, I still needed to know if I needed to do it.

When Yeshua and other's preached they never actually said "In order to be saved you must be baptized." 

The only conditions to being saved are believing in and loving Jesus, accepting His death as your forgiveness, repenting of your sin. (Romans 10:9, Acts 16:31) All the other doctrines of the Bible are good, but not salvation issues (Not things that will find favor alone with God).

So why get baptized then? Why did others baptize in the Bible... but for a sign.

"Believe and be baptized." (Romans 6:3-5, Mark 16:16)

As a  testimony and public declaration, baptism shows everyone the choice you have made, using symbolism.

And, so that is why I decided to be baptized - to show that I believed in Yeshua, and accept His death as forgiveness for any and all my sins.

One of my best friends was able to be there - her dad was the one that baptized me ;)