Jesus Himself was baptized. Although He had no sin from which to repent, His baptism demonstrated obedience to the Father and marked the beginning of His public ministry.

“At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.”
Mark 1:9

Before returning to heaven, Jesus instructed His followers to make disciples and baptize them. Baptism is not an optional achievement for especially mature Christians; it is one of the first steps of following Jesus.

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 28:19

Baptism is a way of openly saying, “I belong to Jesus, and I have chosen to follow Him.” It allows your church, family, and friends to celebrate what God has done in your life.

Following Jesus is personal, but it was never intended to remain private. Baptism identifies you with the larger family of believers and invites others to encourage you as you grow in your faith. It should be done in public. 

“Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”
Acts 2:41

No. Baptism does not save us or make us right with God. Salvation is God’s gift, received by grace through faith in Jesus Christ—not something we earn through religious actions.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith…not by works.”-Ephesians 2:8–9

However, baptism is the expected response of someone who has been saved. Throughout the New Testament, people believed in Jesus and were then immediately baptized. It is an important first step of obedience for every follower of Jesus.
We are not baptized so Jesus will save us, we are baptized because Jesus has saved us.

Baptism does not make you a follower of Jesus, but followers of Jesus should and will be baptized.

Baptism does not save us or give us a relationship with Jesus that faith has not already provided. When we trust Christ, we are forgiven, united with Him, and given the Holy Spirit.

“When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.”-Ephesians 1:13

However, baptism is still a powerful spiritual moment. As we obey Jesus, God uses baptism to deepen our assurance, strengthen our faith, publicly identify us with Christ, and connect us with His church. It allows us to visibly declare that our old life has been buried and that we now belong to Jesus.

“All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” -Galatians 3:27

“Having been buried with him in baptism…you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God.”
Colossians 2:12

The water itself does not contain special power, but God often uses this act of faith and obedience as a meaningful moment of worship, commitment, celebration, and spiritual encouragement.

Baptism does not create our connection with Jesus; it celebrates, strengthens, and publicly expresses the connection we already have through faith.This is where the description goes.

Baptism illustrates the heart of the gospel: Going under the water pictures Jesus’ death and burial. Coming out of the water pictures Jesus’ resurrection.

The entire act represents leaving your old life behind and beginning a new life with Jesus.

“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that…we too may live a new life.”
Romans 6:4

“Having been buried with him in baptism…you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God.”
Colossians 2:12

Baptism is like a wedding ring. A ring does not make someone married; it publicly represents a covenant already made. In the same way, baptism does not create your relationship with Jesus...it publicly represents it.

The word translated “baptize” comes from the Greek word baptizō, meaning “to immerse,” “submerge,” or “dip under water.” Baptism by immersion most clearly follows the New Testament pattern and pictures our identification with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.

Jesus was baptized in water and came up out of it:
“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.”-Matthew 3:16

John baptized where plenty of water was available:
“Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water.” -John 3:23

Philip and the Ethiopian official went down into the water and came back out:
“Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water…” -Acts 8:38–39

Immersion also provides a powerful picture of the gospel. Going beneath the water represents being buried with Christ, and coming out of the water represents being raised to new life with Him.

“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that…we too may live a new life.”
Romans 6:4

“Having been buried with him in baptism…you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God.”
Colossians 2:12
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For these reasons, Stonehill practices baptism by immersion as the clearest biblical expression of a believer’s identification with Jesus.

Anyone who has personally trusted Jesus Christ for salvation and chosen to follow Him should be baptized. In the New Testament, people first believed the gospel and were then baptized.

“Those who accepted his message were baptized.”
Acts 2:41

“When they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news…they were baptized, both men and women.”
Acts 8:12

You do not need to have everything figured out. Baptism is not a graduation ceremony...it is an early step of obedience in following Jesus.

At Stonehill, we wait until a child is old enough to understand the gospel, personally trust Jesus, and explain the meaning of baptism in their own words.

A child does not need to understand every theological detail, but they should understand their need for forgiveness, what Jesus has done for them, and that salvation comes through faith in Him.

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
John 1:12

“Those who accepted his message were baptized.”
Acts 2:41

We encourage parents not to pressure children or have them participate simply because their friends or siblings are being baptized.

Our staff are more than willing to help walk you through this decision. 

You are ready to be baptized if you can personally say:

I understand that I am a sinner who needs God’s forgiveness.
I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose from the dead.
I have trusted Jesus alone for salvation.
I want to follow Jesus as the Lord of my life.
I understand that baptism does not save me but publicly expresses my faith.

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” -Romans 10:9

“Repent and believe the good news!”-Mark 1:15

We are grateful for parents who desire to raise their children to know God. However, the New Testament pattern is that people personally believe in Jesus and are then baptized.

“When they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news…they were baptized.”-Acts 8:12

“‘What can stand in the way of my being baptized?’…‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’”-Acts 8:36–37

Because an infant cannot personally choose to trust and follow Jesus, we encourage those baptized as babies to be baptized again after making their own decision to follow Christ. Being baptized as a baby was not a bad thing, and we can honor the parents’ desire to raise their child to know God. However, to follow the New Testament pattern, baptism should take place after a person personally trusts Jesus. At Stonehill, we practice child dedication instead of infant baptism.

If you were baptized after personally trusting Jesus, you generally do not need to be baptized again...even if you have struggled, wandered from God, or recently renewed your commitment to Him.

Baptism is not a picture of how faithfully you have followed Jesus; it is a picture of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Its meaning rests on what Christ has accomplished, not on your ability to live perfectly afterward.

“There is one body and one Spirit…one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” -Ephesians 4:4–5

When believers fall into sin, the appropriate response is repentance and renewed obedience...not another baptism. Baptism is the public beginning of the Christian life, not something we repeat every time we experience a new season of spiritual growth.

However, there is a difference between being baptized as a struggling believer and being baptized before you truly believed. If you were baptized as an infant, because of pressure from others, or before you understood and trusted the gospel, then believer’s baptism would be an appropriate next step. In Acts 19, a group who had received John’s baptism was baptized again after hearing and believing the complete message about Jesus.

“On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”-Acts 19:5

The question is not, “Have I been a perfect Christian since my baptism?” The question is, “Had I personally trusted Jesus when I was baptized?”

If your baptism followed genuine faith in Jesus, you do not need a new baptism...you need to continue walking in the meaning of the baptism you already received.This is where the description goes.

Baptism is not a statement that you are perfect. It is a statement that you belong to Jesus. Every Christian is still growing and learning to obey Him.

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” -1 John 1:8

“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”-Philippians 1:6
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You do not need to wait until you feel spiritually “good enough.” Baptism is your next step—not your reward for getting everything right.

In the New Testament, believing, repenting, confessing Jesus, receiving the Holy Spirit, and being baptized often happened closely together. Baptism was the expected public expression of saving faith, so biblical writers sometimes speak of baptism alongside salvation.

“Repent and be baptized…for the forgiveness of your sins.”-Acts 2:38

Peter was not presenting baptism as a religious work that earns forgiveness. He was calling people to respond to the gospel through repentance and the public act that demonstrated their repentance and faith.

Other passages help clarify this distinction. Cornelius and his household received the Holy Spirit before they were baptized, demonstrating that God had already accepted them through faith.

“The Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message…Then Peter said, ‘Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water.’”- Acts 10:44, 47

Paul also distinguished preaching the gospel from performing baptisms:

“Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel.” -I Corinthians 1:17

What about “Baptism now saves you”?
Peter directly explains what he means:
“Baptism…now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” -1 Peter 3:21

Peter says the physical washing itself is not what saves. Baptism saves in the sense that it expresses an appeal to God flowing from faith in the risen Jesus. The power is not in the water; the power is in Christ’s resurrection.

What about “Wash your sins away”?
Ananias told Paul:
“Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.” -Acts 22:16

The phrase “calling on His name” is essential. Paul’s sins were not removed by water but by calling upon Jesus in faith.
Baptism visibly portrayed the cleansing Christ had provided.

What about being “baptized into Christ”?
Passages such as Romans 6:3–4 and Galatians 3:27 use baptism to describe a believer’s identification and union with Jesus. Baptism visibly portrays our participation in His death, burial, and resurrection. Colossians makes clear that this is received through faith:

“Having been buried with him in baptism…you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God.”
Colossians 2:12

We should therefore avoid two errors:
1. Saying baptism saves us apart from faith in Jesus.
2. Treating baptism as unimportant or optional for someone who follows Jesus.

Baptism is not the basis of salvation, but it is the biblical response to salvation. We are saved by faith alone, but genuine faith responds by obeying Jesus in baptism.