Why does the church Baptize? A Historical model.
Jesus was baptized.
We see Jesus Disciples Baptizing (John 4:1).
We see the Early Church baptizing (Acts 2:22-47)
Do I have to be baptized to be saved?
One of the two criminals crucified with Jesus railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked the first, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:39-43)
Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also reviled him (Mark 15:32). So, is this a contradiction?
In the book of Mark, both criminals reviled Him. Yet, in the book of Luke, one of the crucified criminals was rebuking the other. What is going on?
In Mark, both were watching and making fun of Jesus. Then as one of the criminals listened and observed, he noticed something different about Jesus. He changed his views. He repented to the point that he is now sticking up for Jesus. He also put his faith and trust in Jesus by asking Jesus to remember Him when His Kingdom comes. To ask that question, one needs to believe Jesus is a King and has a Kingdom. The guy on the cross put his hope in that!
Real repentance is a change of heart and a change in behavior. In Luke 23:40, the criminal rebuked the other by asking, "do you not fear God?" He was calling the other man on the cross to repentance.
Real faith asks “will you remember me?” A humble question of trust and dependence. You are a King, and You have a Kingdom; will you please let me in?
In Mark 1:15, Jesus said, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
Real repentance is always joined to believing faith. Real faith is always tied to repentance. Faith is a helpless submission of my total self to the good news of the action of God's love in Christ Jesus. You are saved by faith and trust in Christ alone, not by works, baptism, going to church, or being a good person (Ephesians 2:8).
Do we baptize babies?
Nowhere in Scripture do we see babies being baptized. We see them dedicated (Samuel, John the Baptist). We dedicate them to the Lord, and we dedicate ourselves as parents and as the church to teach and train this baby in the ways of the Lord.
Babies do not understand sin, repentance, and the Gospel; they cannot make decisions to follow. Jesus told us to baptize disciples. Babies are not disciples, but we hope and pray one day they will become so. Without them understanding what is going on, we feel like it would be wrong to baptize them.
I always pray the Holy Spirit would come upon them, baptize them, fill them, guard them, and protect them. But the Holy Spirit cannot be forced upon people, no matter how sincere our prayers or desires are. As shown in Acts 2, people will need to be convicted of sin, repent of that sin and a life lived apart from God, and then choose to be baptized. Only then do we feel like we should baptize them.
Why should I get baptized?
Jesus gave an example we should follow. We should desire to be like Christ.
Because it's what they did and told us to do (Mark 16:15,16; Acts 2:38,39,41)
Baptism is a public declaration that you have entered into an unbreakable covenant of God (Romans 6:3-13). You are declaring to God, your brothers and sisters in Christ, and to the world, that you are all in. There is no turning back. You want to walk in the Spirit and the resurrected life of Christ. You may mess up, but your feet point in the right direction, as you want to walk with Christ from now on.
It demonstrates an ongoing covenant union with God.
"But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him." (1 Corinthians 6:17)
When we identify with His death and resurrection, we desire to enter a covenant union with God (Romans 6:5). In baptism, when I go under the water, I desire to experience a death to self (death to my dreams, plans, way of life, or any conclusions drawn apart from Christ). When I come out of the water, it means I am identifying with the resurrection. As Christ is seated with the Father, so am I!
I now want His Dreams, His plans, His Will, and His way of life. I am saying that Christ is in me and that He can have His way in my life because I am wrapped up in Him. I will seek your Kingdom first, allowing you to live your life through me because I am joined to you. I am one with you; please live your life through me. I will follow. That seems impossible. The reality is that you, just like me, will mess up again and again by not being led by the Spirit and being led by your old nature or your old way of life.
How do I live after my water baptism?
We should live continually immersed (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8; Luke 4:1; Romans 8:13-18; Colossians 2:9-15)
After Jesus was baptized, He was full of the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit also led him. At His baptism, the Holy Spirit came upon Him. We are told to baptize or immerse disciples in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is not a one-time thing. It's constant. The Spirit is a person with feelings that we can grieve. He is with me now as I type this. I am asking Him to give me words. Right now, I want Him to baptize what I'm writing.
Daily, ask our Father to baptize you in the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to fill you so that you are full. Ask Him to lead you, even if it is into the wilderness for forty days without food, like Jesus. The human side of Jesus is like us. Remember Jesus in the garden saying, "Father, if there is any way you can take this cup from me..." We, as humans, do not like pain or suffering, and we usually try to avoid it. Part of that is good. But we also need to understand that Jesus probably did not want to go into the wilderness and fast for forty days. He was fully man and, at the same time, fully God. His fully human side wanted to eat because our bodies are created to eat food; that's why we have a digestive system. It is against to our created nature to want to fast. But Jesus, being full of the Holy Spirit, obeyed the Spirit’s leading and went into the wilderness.
There is no way I would want to go on a fast in the wilderness, but the Holy Spirit is working in me. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is going to give me the strength to obey. Then I can desire His will over mine, and I live for His pleasure instead of mine (Philippians 2:13). We need to constantly be immersed, drenched, soaked, and flooded with the Holy Spirit. I want all of God to take over all of me! Baptism is not a one-time thing. Being immersed in the Triune God is an everyday thing.
We need to live renouncing the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). Instead, let us live full of His Spirit so His fruit is evident in our lives (Galatians 5:22-24).
Closing:
Baptism is not done out of ritual, and you're not joining a church. It's a funeral. It's you joining in Christ's death and burial, dying to yourself, but also joining Christ in His resurrection. It's committing to walk in complete obedience to God while learning to love and follow Jesus for the rest of your life! That is baptism: a public proclamation and demonstration to the world of what you desire to take place in your heart and life.