Post 9: Mad dash to get Baptized
Image: AI generated image of a pastor baptizing a man in a church baptism pool
Post Summary: In the previous post, I discussed meeting one of my neighbors and attempting to witness to him about Christ while offering to help him with various needs. In this post, I discuss my unnecessary urgency in getting baptized after receiving the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In my naivete as a new Christian in the age of the internet, I unwisely turned to Google to do a bit of research into salvation without measuring the search results within proper biblical context. This led me to a couple of scriptures that suggested to me that baptism was necessary for salvation (Mark 16:16, John 3:5, 1 Peter 3:21).
These verses, along with my lack of context or understanding at the time, lead me on a mad dash to find a local Christian church that would do the baptism as soon as possible. My research produced 3 churches in the local Seattle area that seemed like they could be good churches.
Over the next 2 months, from early March through April 2024, I attended Sunday sermons at each church to begin observing the teachings. I also was very intentional about meeting members and leadership from each church, mentioning that I was newly saved and looking for a church to perform baptism.
In this time, I came to learn that Church #1 and Church #3 required that baptism be reserved as a later part of their membership process. Church #2 did not have this requirement so I requested that this church perform the baptism and it was scheduled it for July 7, 2024.
Upon telling my mom about my upcoming baptism, she was excited to come and be a part of it. She scheduled her visit to Seattle from July 3 - July 7 to attend my baptism service.
The Lord had also pressed upon my heart the need to come clean to her about my sinful struggles and practices I had been dealing with for the past 14 or so years. I decided that I would confess to her after the baptism.
While mom was visiting Seattle, we went to a few tourist spots over the course of those few days, including the Pier/Waterfront area and Pike Place Market shops. I also took her to Sculpture Park/Myrtle Edwards park, one of my favorite places to walk and hang out.
The baptism was performed in a small warm pool that was brought into the church expressly for this purpose. On that particular Sunday, we came to church 30 minutes earlier than the typical service start time to review how the baptism would work.
We wore non-revealing swimwear or swim trunks and changed into a shirt that said “I Decided”. During the church service, those being baptized were lined up on the side of the room near the portable baptism pool and each person was individually lead through the baptism.
At this point, I still had not understood the true significance of baptism as being the outward expression of my commitment to Christ. I was still under the notion that it was a requirement for salvation and needed to get it done as soon as possible after getting saved.
The pastor asked each of us a couple of questions, all of which we answered with an excited “Yes”! The pastor and another helper then dunked each of us under the water. When we came up from the water, we were each met with applause.
The timing for this confession seemed perfect in light of my recent salvation in Christ and newly completed baptism. The Holy Spirit had recently convicted me of my unbelief in Jesus Christ and my general unrepentant, sinful living. This conviction showed me how much my sin dishonored our Holy God and Creator (Genesis 39:9, Psalm 51:4, Isaiah 6:5, John 16:8-11), which led me to the cross of Christ for salvation, forgiveness, and reconciliation Romans 5:6-8, John 3:16-18, Colossians 1: 21-22).
God had forgiven me and mom was extremely excited to be with me for my baptism, so it just seemed like the right time to confess the truth to her before she returned home. Sometime after returning back to our hotel room after the baptism service, the Holy Spirit prompted me to interrupt the quiet time to bare my soul.
I struggled to start the conversation because sin itself is shameful and heavy, however I knew that mom was also saved through Christ and would not be judgmental. I knew she would respond with Christian love, understanding that all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory (Romans 3:23).
Lead by the courage of the Spirit, the words of my confession began to flow out of me. Within a few minutes, I had come clean about all of my past sins (Proverbs 28:13, James 5:16).
Mom acknowledged that she had actually suspected some of the things I said but was not able to confirm until I came clean to her. By this time, we were embracing in the way that only a loving mother can embrace her child. We both found ourselves crying and rejoicing in forgiveness and salvation!
This baptism and subsequent confession was indeed one of the most profound experiences I had with my mom to date. I'm so glad that she was the one who was able to support me in this way.
A couple weeks later, I began digging further into the bible to really understand the true importance of baptism. In this pursuit, I came to realize that baptism is not a requirement for someone to be saved. Salvation is a free gift from God and not the result of any works of man (Ephesians 2:8-9, Acts 15:10–11, Titus 2:11–14). I also learn that baptism is a commandment for those who have already been saved and are following Christ as His disciples (Matthew 28:19).
In Luke 23:39-43, one of the thieves who was crucified next to Jesus expressed that they [the thieves also being crucified along with Christ] were being justly punished for their sins, however he acknowledged Christ’s innocence, and asked that Jesus remember him when He comes into His kingdom. The bible does not state that this thief had ever been baptized but does indicate that Jesus honored the repentant heart shown by the thief and salvation was granted to him. I believe if baptism were required for salvation, then that thief would not have been accepted by Christ because he was not shown to have been baptized.
Having been newly baptized, these scriptures showed me that it was not baptism that saved me but the unmerited grace of God! I was grateful to have completed the baptism but thankful that I did not actually NEED to be baptized to be saved!
Stay tuned for the next post where I discuss receiving a very disheartening surprise upon returning to work after my vacation.