The Urgency of Baptism

For anyone who commits to obey God’s words and teaching as God’s child must first go through the process of baptism. Why? Because it is the first step towards salvation.

Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them …and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…”

What should be done before teaching? It is baptism. So it is clear that baptism is the first step for people aiming to become children of God. Yet, many churches insist on doing the opposite. Instead, they teach people for six months or a year before baptism. What if the person in the study process encounters an unfortunate event that could even lead to death, what then happens to the person’s salvation?

Why should we baptize?

1 Peter 1:21 “and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you.”

Mark 16:16 “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

No one can be saved without being baptized, so how can we delay it?

When should we baptize?

Proverbs 27:1 “Do not boast about tomorrow for you do not know what a day may bring forth”

Luke 12:16 “There was a certain rich man…then he said ‘…and I’ll say to myself “you have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry”’. But God said to him “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you” … “This is how it will be for whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich towards God”.”

No one knows what may happen even the next minute. Putting off an urgent ceremony for our soul is like the rich man in the parable who was not rich towards God. What happened to him? He could not be saved. Likewise, we may lose the opportunity to be saved as well if we delay baptism. This is why Christ taught the apostles to baptize people immediately.

Baptism in the Early Church

Acts 8:26-38 “Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip “Go south to …the desert road…on his way met an Ethiopian eunuch…” Then Philip began with that very passage of scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they travelled along the road they came to some water…and he gave orders to stop his chariot …and Philip baptized him”

Acts 16:25-32 “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and the other prisoners … The Jailer called for lights …He then brought them out and asked ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved? They replied ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved…Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night…then immediately he and all his household were baptized.’”

Looking at the examples above, when did the apostles baptize people? Was there a six month or a year study period? Never. Realizing the urgency of their salvation, the jailer and the eunuch were baptized when they believed even regardless of time and place.

True Baptism and Rebaptism

What is the baptism that guarantees salvation?

There is a common saying among some Christians that baptism should be done only once in a lifetime. Then what about the case below.

Acts 19:1-3 “While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples there and asked them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? ’They answered ‘No…’Paul asked, ‘Then what baptism did you receive?’ ‘John’s Baptism,’ They replied … ‘John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him…’On hearing this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

These disciples had been baptized by John the Baptist who baptized Jesus. Then why were they baptized again by Paul. The baptism they received could not guarantee salvation at that time because it was not done in the savior’s name; that is Jesus. In the same way, if a man is not baptized in the savior’s name in this age, no matter how many times he baptizes he cannot be saved. Then who is the savior in this age?

The Savior in this age

Revelation 22:17 “The Spirit and the Bride say ‘come’…and take the free gift of the water of Life”.

The Holy Spirit, the Second Coming Christ and his Bride who give us the water of life are the saviors in this age. We must be baptized in the name of Christ Ahnsahnghong. Christ Ahnsahnghong is the Second Coming Christ who has come with a new name in these last days.

In the Church of God, Zion where the Holy Spirit and the Bride dwells, we can receive the true baptism guaranteeing salvation.

Baptism is such an urgent ceremony leading us to heaven and it can truly be done only in the name of the Second Coming Christ who is the savior in this age.

Visit any of our branches to study about the saviors, be baptized according to God’s will and live a life of faith guided by the teachings of the Spirit and the Bride.