People have different opinions on baptism. To be or not to be BAPTISED! Sometimes we have a golden moment experience with God, a mountain top AHA-moment. Sometimes it is as simple as the Ethiopian with Philip (Acts 8:26-40). I too had a “Here’s the water, what’s stopping me from being baptised?” experience. I’ll tell that story on a different day. In brief, I thought I was going to a birthday party but ended up being baptised! Yes, like I said, a story for another day.
In my pastor’s pen I quoted Proverbs: "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge is understanding the Holy One". The eunuch said to Philip “How can I understand unless someone instructs me?” Let's talk about it.
For now, if you are a follower of Jesus and you have not yet been baptised, then I am asking as well “What is stopping you from being baptised?” The argument of some is that not being baptised does not prevent them from being saved or going to heaven. Often people will refer to the criminal who hung on the cross next to Jesus.
Baptism is a public and symbolic act. It symbolizes death, burial, and resurrection, and can only be done by immersion” (Bible Dictionary, “Baptism”). Going under the water represents the death and burial of Jesus Christ, but it also represents the death of our natural selves (see Romans 6:3–6).
For me, it is also an act of obedience as a disciple. Jesus said: “Therefore, go and make disciples … baptising them …teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you…”
Lastly, if Jesus was baptised, I need to do likewise.
As someone said: “we have an old rugged tub”, we certainly have the water, what’s stopping you? Romans 6:3 “Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ in baptism, we joined him in his death?