For Christians, water baptism is an important symbol. It's a lot like what a wedding ring is to a married couple.

For Christians, water baptism is an important symbol. It’s a lot like what a wedding ring is to a married couple.

A Symbol of a Defining Moment.

A wedding ring symbolizes the day that you took your wedding vows together. Baptism symbolizes an even more significant defining moment in the life of a Christian, the day he or she trusted Jesus for salvation.

A Symbol of Commitment.

A wedding ring says that you are committed to one person for the rest of your life. Water baptism says something similar. It’s a message to everyone around you that you have put your faith in Christ and have decided to live in a way that honors God.

A Symbol of a Bigger Reality.

Taking off a wedding ring doesn’t change the reality that you’re married. Baptism is similar. Though it’s an important symbol of the Christian faith, it points to something bigger than the ordinance itself. Baptism doesn’t define your Christianity, and God doesn’t wait to call you saved until after you get wet. Your relationship with God started the moment you put your faith in him.

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Key Points:

  • A Symbol of a Defining Moment.
  • A Symbol of Commitment.
  • A Symbol of a Bigger Reality.

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Talk About It
  1. If you are planning to get baptized, what is your motivation?
  2. If you have been baptized, what was the experience like for you?
  3. Baptism is a simple matter of obedience. Make a list of some of the other things Christ calls us to do as Christians. Which ones are especially difficult for you? Where does baptism rank, and why?
  4. Read Romans 6:3-4. How are we identifying with Christ when we get baptized?
  5. Write a personal action step based on this conversation.

This is part of the Church Life After Mormonism series.