Baptism is our first step of obedience, following Jesus into the life of a Disciple. How to show others we’ve died to an independent life and begun a life dependent on Jesus? Get baptized.
Young Disciples need help to understand this step of faith. A DiscipleMaker takes whatever time is necessary to clarify baptism and encourage them to do it. Some thoughts:
The decisive reason for baptism is simply, Jesus commands it. ... go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit... (Matt. 28.19 NLT). If he’s our Lord, we’ll obey him.
Jesus models baptism: One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. (Mark 1.9 NLT). Because we’re becoming apprentices of Jesus, we want to imitate him.
Believers in the Bible got baptized quickly: Paul and Silas shared the word of the Lord with the jailer and with all who lived in his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. (Acts 16.32,33 NLT). We should too.
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