Baptism of Believers

 Matt 28:19
Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

After Jesus was risen from the grave, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were told by the angels to go tell the other disciples that He was risen. As they ran to tell them, Jesus appeared to them. The excitement and wonder was overwhelming. First, they saw an angel, then they were the first to see Jesus face to face. Sorrow was turned to joy as they were told to go tell the disciples that He would meet them in Galilee. It was on a mountain in Galilee that Jesus gave His disciples the mission to tell the world that He died on the cross for sinners, and that He was the resurrection of life. That all power was His and the Holy Spirit would come to give them the power to turn the world upside down. 

The account given to us by Matthew is one of the many scriptures given to us that teach baptism and the doctrine of the Trinity. Being baptized does not bring salvation, salvation is only accomplished by confessing and believing in Jesus. But one cannot ignore the commandment given to us by Jesus that baptism is an important sacrament after one comes to believe. It proclaims to the world that we have made our choice. We are followers of Jesus, and He is the Lord of our lives. A systematic study of scripture will show that baptism is plainly taught in scripture. As believers, we should encourage those who come to Christ to proclaim their faith by being baptized. To argue that one cannot get to heaven without it is to be ignorant of the plan of salvation and the reason Jesus died on the cross. But as followers of Jesus, one should desire to proclaim Christ by being baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, just as Jesus commanded.

Believe

Acts 16:30,31 …What must I do to be saved?…And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…

Believing is more that just a consent of the mind that something is true. Believing that Jesus is the Son of God who walked and lived in this world, put to death by those who refuse to acknowledge his Lordship is not enough to be saved from the curse of sin and eternal damnation. The jailer recognized the power of God, and Paul and Silas were empowered by the Holy Spirit as they praised God in song. Falling on his knee, he wanted what Paul and Silas had. How could they praise God in the midst of being persecuted? Who was this Jesus that they worship, willing to be imprison and even willing to die? He was troubled and convicted of his sin. He wanted no part in the accusation of these God fearing men. What must I do to have what you have? This was the underling question. The jailer confess his need, accepted Christ and acknowledge Christ through baptism. His changed life reached out to his family and no doubt, everyone that he came in contact with.