BAPTISM - Some questions answered 

 
Do I have to be baptised in order to be saved? 
 
	1. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved - Mark 16:16 
	2. This water symbolises baptism that now saves you - 1 Peter 3:21 
	3. Part of Christ's commission - Matthew 28:19 
	4. Christ set us the example - Mark 1:9 
 
Does the type of baptism matter? 
	 
	1. There is only one baptism - Ephesians 4:5 
	2. Jesus was baptised in the river Jordan - Mark 1:9-11 
 
When should I get baptised? 
 
1. As soon as possible after you accept and believe in Christ - Acts 
8:35-38 (the story of the Ethiopian eunuch) 
 
2. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptised and wash 
your sins away, calling on his name - Acts 22:16 
 
3. We should know when to be baptised. It is very important that we 
know and understand fully what baptism means. We should also know and 
understand the basic doctrines of the church before we are baptised. 
Many people in the Bible story were baptised as soon as they 
understood. It is dangerous to put off such a decision because we 
become careless and sometimes never take the step into baptism. 
(General Conference Baptism Manual p. 44) 
 
How old should I be? 
 
God wants every child of tender age to be adopted into His family, 
and the church has a great responsibility to lead its youth to a 
converted, happy Christian experience. "Children of eight, ten, or 
twelve years are old enough to be addressed on the subject of 
personal religion. Do not teach your children with reference to some 
future period when they shall be old enough to repent and believe the 
truth. If properly instructed, very young children may have correct 
views of their state as sinners and of the way of salvation through 
Christ." - Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 400. 
 
Records in the Seventh-day Adventist Church reveal that the largest 
number of baptisms come from junior youth of 11 to 13. None should 
question the ability of a child of this age to understand the meaning 
of conversion and baptism as taught in God's Word. 
 
(Quoted from the Foreword to General Conference Baptism Manual) 
 
How much study should I have done? 
 
The general practice in the Seventh-day Adventist Church is for 
baptismal candidates to go through a series of studies in a Baptismal 
Class. Upon successful completion of such a course and after 
consultation with the pastor, elders, parents and of course the 
candidate himself/herself, the candidate can be said to be ready for 
baptism. (see Church Manual pp. 50 - 63)