Baptism In The Baptist Denomination

In the Baptist denomination, becoming saved and being baptized go hand in hand. Baptism is important because it shows a public declaration of your faith and acceptance of Jesus Christ into your heart. Growing up Baptist, baptism was something I saw and heard about almost constantly. For example, I learned how John the Baptist spread the name of Jesus and baptized wherever he went, eventually baptizing Jesus himself. In my own personal spiritual journey, I naturally accepted baptism to be important, although never fully understanding exactly why it was. As a younger child I looked up to everyone else, deciding that if they were being baptized then one day I should be too. This was my belief up until I was 12 years old. At at baptist
camp during the summer before my 8th grade year, I accepted Jesus as my Savior. That week, I came to the realization that I never had a true relationship with Jesus. I was just going through the motions of church on Sundays and Wednesdays, doing what I was expected to do. This is when baptism truly became an important part of my spiritual walk. I began to understand the symbolism behind it. It is not being submerged into water because everyone else is, it’s a way of publicly showing how Jesus washed away all of your sins, leaving you with a new, refreshed soul that can be forgiven. Being saved and baptized made a huge impact on my spiritual life. Now I know that Jesus loves me despite my sins. He takes them away if I put my full trust in him. I no longer see baptism as a forced event that has to be done because of the people around you. My baptism was one of the most important aspects of my spiritual journey and I will continue to remember the difference it made in my life.