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What is Baptism?

 (1) Baptism is a response to hearing the gospel. Typically, when someone hears the gospel, they believe in it and respond by accepting that Jesus really is the Lord and Saviour. Further to accepting, we also respond by repenting and also going through baptism. See these compilation of verses: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/0By4Ezagmg6EWTy12WEdra01VSzJtamtheE5EdUV3ejF6LVhz/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=111374184159913339633&resourcekey=0-cXA9zp-rHazCD69t4mpJvw&rtpof=true&sd=true 


(2) Baptism is also one of the instruction of Jesus Christ to us. The last words of Jesus Christ in the book of Matthew:

"And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt 28:18-20)


(3) Baptism is also a way we join into the body of Christ (i.e. the church). See 1 Cor 12:13:

"For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body —Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit."


(4) Baptism is an act of dying to our old self so that we now walk in newness of life: 

"We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4)

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