Table of Contents
1 The Bad News about Humanity & Good News about Jesus Christ
2 An Introduction to the World’s Biggest Religion
3 What Must I Believe About God to be Forgiven Forever?
4 What Must I Believe About Myself to be Forgiven Forever?
5 What Must I Believe about Jesus to be Forgiven Forever?
Growth Project A Ask God to Open Your Heart to Jesus Christ
Growth Project B Share the Good News About Jesus with a Non-Christian Friend
6 Being Certain about the Most Important Thing in Your Life
7 Why You Can Be Certain You Are Forgiven Forever
8 How You Can Be Certain You Are Forgiven Forever
Growth Project C Make Sure You Are a Christian
9 What is God’s First Commandment for a Christian?
Growth Project D Be Baptized or Baptize Others
10 What are Important Commitments to Grow as a Christian?
Growth Project E Planning & Pursuing My Christian Commitments
Appendix A Memory Verses for the FORGIVENESS Study
Project 1.D
Be Baptized or Baptize Others
In the previous chapter (1.9) you studied what the Apostle Peter said to those who wanted forever forgiveness from God: “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38). God wants you to be baptized. If you have trusted in Christ as your Savior and Lord and have not been baptized, you are encouraged to do so.
Also, you are encouraged to help other Christians be baptized. Jesus commanded all Christians: “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). Perhaps you know someone who claims to be a Christian but has not been baptized. Go through this study with them to help ensure they are a Christian. Then discuss chapter 1.9 on baptism. If they agree to be baptized, perhaps you can have the great privilege of baptizing them!
Here are some practical steps for water baptism:
1) Decide which Christian will baptize you. Perhaps it will be the one who led you through this FORGIVENESS study to believe in Christ.
2) Find a safe place to be immersed. Most churches have a place for this. Otherwise, a pond, river, or even a bathtub in a home will work.
3) Wear clothes that will remain modest after being immersed.
4) At the baptism, your baptizer should ask you a few questions to help you publicly confess your faith in Christ. For example:
- Baptizer: “What must you believe about yourself to be a Christian?”
- Answer: “I have broken God’s laws and deserve His punishment.”
- Baptizer: “What must you believe about Christ to be a Christian?
- Answer: “He died for my sins, taking God’s punishment for me.”
- Baptizer: “Why do you want to be baptized today?”
- Answer: “To demonstrate my faith in Christ as my Lord and Savior.”
5) At this point, the baptizer should say: “Because you have confessed your faith in Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit” (cf. Matt 28:19).
6) Then the baptizer should carefully and completely dunk you in the water and help you come up out of the water.
7) The baptizer should lead a prayer for your new Christian life.