Baptism: What It Means

  Sunday, I was baptized by my youth pastor, Mr. Clint, as a public commitment to God and a statement of your faith in Him.

  Many people think batism is a thing to do when you are young, and/or when their friends are doing it, but that is not what baptism is.  I always thought baptism was just a fun thing to do.  My sister and I would pretend to be mean, nice, old, young, or snotty people then we would baptize each other, in the pool, playing those roles.  Now when I look back at that, it makes me laugh.  I now realize the true meaning and the symbolism of baptism.

  The meaning of baptism is that you are publicly stating the commitment of your faith.  In order to be correctly baptized, your heart has to be there.  You have to feel the urge and need to do it.  That's why I was baptized at an older age.  I realized that my heart was not ready to be baptized when I was younger.  It was sometime during the Move Conference in Athens, Georgia, that I realized I hadn't been baptized and my heart was ready.

  Baptism is very symbolic.  When you are dipped into the water it means you are dying of your old self and your sins.  This means you are dead because of your very nature and all of the sins you have.  When you are in the water, it symbolizes that you are being washed from your sins.  Being raised out of the water means to be raised from death through Christ and now are Holy and have eternal life.

  Another reason I wanted to be baptized is that I wanted to show God and all the church people my willingness to follow God.  I didn't want the church to think that I am going on my mission trip for fun or that I was bored.  I wanted them to know that I am going on this mission trip to train to be a missionary, to fallow God's will, and to spread God's message to the lost people of Bangladesh.