When Should I Get Baptized?

Tomorrow (February 3^rd) will be the one-year anniversary of my baptism. Naturally this is cause for some self-examination and reflection on my part. One of the things I remember was how agonizing it was for me to try and decide if I was “ready”. I thought I would write something for other Christadelphian young people (or older people who aren’t yet baptized) who are struggling with the dilemma, “Am I ready?” I’m going to state what I think are the ‘requirements’ for baptism, some reasons for which you should not get baptized, and some things that shouldn’t stop you from being baptized. I don’t have all the answers, but I’ve been through this great dilemma so I can speak from experience.

First of all though, as you are “preparing” for baptism, think of it as an if, not a when. If you think it’s just a matter of time before you accept Christadelphian ideas, you are being biased. You should accept Christadelphian ideas only if you have given alternative views a fair chance and found that Christadelphian ideas are correct!

Do get baptized when:

• You genuinely believe in your heart, for example, the following things: there is a Creator (God) in heaven, there was once a worldwide flood, the Red Sea really divided in two, Jesus really existed, Jesus really performed miracles like walking on water and healing blindness, Jesus actually rose from the dead and ascended to heaven and is there right now watching you.

I mention those things not because they are necessarily of importance to the gospel (though some of them are), but because they are some of the more fantastical-sounding claims that the Bible makes. If in your heart you really do not believe that these events actually happened, you are not ready to be baptized.

• You have faith in the Bible as God’s Word, and in the Christadelphian interpretation of the Bible, not because it just sounds good, or because you were brought up that way, but because you have examined the evidence for and against these ideas, and found that the evidence supports Christadelphian ideas. You must try to be objective, and not accept Christadelphian ideas just because of your natural bias.
• You not only believe these things academically, but also emotionally. It may make sense to you that God exists, but do you feel a need for God? Do you feel gratitude and love for God because of His offer of salvation? It may make sense to you that you are a sinner, but do you really feel sorry for your sins? Do you really want God to heal you and wash away your sins? Do you want to live a life of service to God?

The bottom line is, do you truly believe that by being dipped in some water, you are going to live forever in an immortal state? Or is that too good to be true? This is not at all a trivial idea, and you must really believe it before you are baptized! If you, for whatever reason, are uncertain about whether God will save you, then your faith is not ready for baptism. You want to have a house built on rock, not sand.

Don’t get baptized because:

• You are turning 20 soon. I have heard speculations before that since those over 20 died in the wilderness in the Old Testament, those over 20 will be held guilty by Christ when he returns if they aren’t baptized. That is pure speculation and there are no grounds for it whatsoever. Do not let an approaching 20^th birthday ‘scare you’ into being baptized.
• Your friends/siblings seem to all be getting baptized. Perhaps you know people younger than yourself who are baptized, and you feel like you should be baptized too. Don’t worry about it. Different people are ready at different times. It’s important not to rush into baptism.
• You’re afraid Jesus will return before you’re baptized and you’ll still be in your sins. Don’t worry about this either. God is fully aware of you now. If you are seeking Him, nothing bad is going to befall you when the time comes for His Son to return.
• You’re under pressure from family, friends or people in the ecclesia. Anyone who asks, “So when are you getting baptized?” or implies that you should get baptized is doing you a serious wrong. Your baptism is between you and God, and no one else. No one else knows what you believe. No one else has the right to decide when you should be baptized.
• You have a “shoot first ask questions later” attitude where you just want to “get it over with” now and you’ll investigate whether it’s true later. That isn’t the way to approach baptism. Baptism is a response to faith (1 Pet. 3:21), it does not precede faith.
• You have reservations with believing in God, accepting the Bible, or the Christadelphian interpretation of the Bible. If you disagree with any point in the Statement of Faith, you should not be baptized.
• You are on a “spiritual high” after an uplifting gathering or Bible school. The extreme zeal that sometimes follows a gathering or Bible school is a wonderful feeling, but it usually passes shortly. Don’t do anything on the spur of the moment. Wait for the emotions from the gathering to pass, and if you still think you are ready for baptism, go for it!

Before deciding to be baptized, don’t…

• Wait till you know everything about the Bible. If you do, you’ll wait your whole life. The important thing isn’t to have a vast understanding of the Bible (although there’s nothing wrong with that of course). The important thing is to know the basic gospel message, and to believe it with all your heart.
• Wait until you are “good enough” to live a Christ-like life and be a perfect servant. If you have serious personal problems, you need to resolve those before being baptized. However, the day will never come when you are able to not sin! In fact, the whole reason for being baptized is because you recognize your need to be forgiven!

The important thing is to believe. Don’t fret about whether you’ll be ‘good enough’. God knows our frame, and Jesus can identify with our weaknesses. They understand that you will frequently sin. You need to understand it too. God wants you to be saved; He isn’t waiting to punish you for every little mistake you make. If you really believe, then you will be saved, and this knowledge will make you want to be obedient! Trust in God to forgive your sins through Jesus, and remember that Jesus said following him is a light burden (Matt. 11:30). This should not make us complacent or feel that we are free to sin (Rom. 6:15), but you do not have to constantly be worrying about if you’re “good enough to be saved.” You aren’t, but God will save you anyway if you trust Him to! A genuine faith will cause you to do good works. You will also transgress God’s laws, but if you’re repentant and ask God for forgiveness, He will wipe your slate clean so you can forget about your sins!

• Wait until you have resolved every fleeting doubt. Human nature dictates that you will have doubts come up now and again. There is a big difference between the feelings of doubt that rise up in your mind at times, and unbelief! Even the most stalwart old brother or sister in your ecclesia thinks now and again, “What if it all isn’t true?” If your faith is built on a rock of solid evidence you can reason with yourself and overcome each doubt when it comes up. But doubts will arise, so don’t wait for the time when they no longer arise, or once again – you’ll wait your whole life!
• Wait for a feeling that the “time is right.” Some people just know that the time has come, but don’t sit around waiting for a special feeling that tells you you’re ready. You’re ready when you repent and believe, and that’s all there is to it.
• Be afraid of the baptismal interview. The interview is not a grilling; it is a comfortable discussion. It is for your own good, so that years later you don’t look back and ask, “Did I really understand the gospel correctly when I was baptized?” Through the interview, you will know what you believed when you were baptized. The interview is also an opportunity to summarize your faith for yourself, and also an opportunity for the examining brothers to help you with any points you aren’t sure about.

The very worst that can happen from the interview is to be told that you aren’t ready for baptism yet. And chances are, if you think you’re ready, the interviewers will find that too.

• Be afraid of all the attention that you’ll get because of your baptism. Perhaps you don’t like to be in the spotlight, and this makes you reluctant to want to get baptized. But remember, you’re in the spotlight for a good reason, and everyone in your ecclesia will be happy for you. Also, keep in mind that the true importance of the event is the attention you get from God because of it.

In conclusion, baptism is an extremely important decision that should not be taken lightly or made for the wrong reasons. However, if you truly believe the Good News, and want to accept God’s gift of eternal life, nothing should hold you back from being baptized.

If your studies lead you to the conclusion that there really isn’t a Creator, or the Bible really isn’t true, or Christadelphian doctrine isn’t true, then the best decision you can make is simply not to get baptized. If your studies lead you to believe that Christadelphian doctrine is true, that Jesus really is alive, and that he is willing to give you, an unworthy sinner, a place in His Eternal Kingdom, then you should have no reservations about being baptized! May God bless you and lead you to make the right decision.

“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)