Today, we have a basic but really important question we have yet to address on the podcast.

It comes from a listener named Matthew.

Hello, Pastor John.

Thank you for this podcast.

I'm a relatively new believer who was saved through a very faithful Bible preaching ministry

on my college campus.

I have since graduated and am now looking for a home church to become a member.

In every case, I have been asked if I have been baptized.

I have not been baptized.

I need to and I plan to, but I was wondering if you could explain to a newer believer like

me, why do I need to be baptized?

What does it mean and why is this an essential step for me to take?

Thank you, Matthew.

I love the question.

It's an honor to try to answer it.

Let me start by just reading a definition of what baptism is from our church affirmation

of faith and then I'll try to unpack it and explain it.

We believe that baptism is an ordinance, I'll come back to that word.

We believe that baptism is an ordinance of the Lord by which those who have repented and

come to faith express their union with Christ in his death and resurrection by being

immersed in water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, it is a

sign of belonging to the new people of God, the true Israel, and an emblem of burial

...