The Importance of Baptism

Today at our church, we will baptize two recent converts. It is a joyous time for our small congregation. As far as men can judge, God has done a glorious and gracious work in both of their hearts. It seems appropriate then to consider what the Bible says about baptism. I will address the following themes: the command to baptize. Baptism is not optional; the errors of making too much of baptism, which includes the tendency of some to harp on it all the time and the teaching of others that baptism itself regenerates; the opposite error of making too little of baptism and treating as optional and as nothing at all; what baptism signifies -- death, burial and resurrection with Christ; why we immerse converts, instead of sprinkling them; why we don't baptize infants; and finally, what Baptists believe (at least this Baptist) about a regenerate church membership.