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Am I a Christian?
So you want to be baptised?


Have Faith in God

Who can be baptised?

PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTED TO FOLLOWING JESUS
These people can be adults, teenagers or children.

Am I a Christian?
Before you get baptised, you need to make sure you really are a Christian.

Jesus said, “You must be born again”
(John 3:3). That means you have to make a completely new start in your life. But how? You can’t go back to your Mum’s womb! Jesus was not talking about physical birth, but he was referring to making a conscious decision to follow Him.

How can you start again?
There are 2 important steps in becoming a Christian:
  1. cartoon Repentance

    The word “repentance” means “turning around” - turning away from our old life and towards God.

    This means saying sorry to God for all the wrong things you have done and for failing to meet His standards, and you are going to try really hard to do something about it!

    It also means saying to God, “I’m really sorry. I don’t want to live my life my way anymore. I want to live it Your way.”
  2. Faith

    This means putting your trust in Jesus to sort out the wrong things in your life. It means inviting Him to come into your life to change you and be real to you.

    Just because your parents or friends are Christians or just because you go to church does not make you a Christian. Only a personal friendship and relationship with Jesus can make you a Christian.

How do I become a Christian?

You can experience the new life which Jesus gives you as you:

How do I become a Christian
  • Recognise that you need help (Romans 3:23)
  • Repent - which means to stop doing things that are wrong and to choose things that you know will please God (Acts 3:19)
  • Believe that Jesus is God’s son, He died on the cross and he came back to life 3 days later (John 19, 20 and 1 Cor 15:3-4)
  • Believe that by Jesus’ death, He took the punishment for all the bad things (sins) that people do (1 Peter 2:24)
  • Choose to love and serve Him for the rest of your life (Col 3:23 & 24)
  • Know that by this decision, you will live in Heaven with Jesus forever (John 3:16)

Why should I get baptised?

  • The New Testament commands it. (Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:38)
  • Jesus Himself was baptised. If Jesus, the sinless Son of God, felt it necessary to be baptised, then we certainly ought to be baptised as well! (Matthew 3:13-17)
  • Baptism is an opportunity for an encounter with God (Matthew 3:16-17, Acts 10:44-48)
  • Being baptised is an act of obedience. If God is in charge of my life, then I will do what He wants me to do.

What must I do to get ready?

Take time to read and think about these verses Take time to read and think about these verses:
  • Confession:
    1 John 1:5-10
    Baptism is an act of spiritual washing - getting ourselves clean. Say sorry to God about anything He shows you which needs to be put right.
  • A Fresh Start:
    John 3:5-16
    Baptism is about dying to the old way of life and starting again (Romans 6:4) with a new life and a new life-style. Ask God what differences there should be in your new, born-again life.
  • Membership:
    1 Corinthians 12:12-31
    Baptism is about joining us to the church, as well as to Jesus. Ask God for wisdom to discover what gifts God wants to release in you and how you can serve in church.
  • Love:
    1 Corinthians 13:1-13
    We get baptised not just because it’s right, but also to show our love for God. This love for God must be extended to others as well. Pray that your baptism in water will also be a baptism in love.
  • Power:
    Matthew 3:11-17
    Baptism is a chance for an encounter with God. He wants to meet us in our baptism in a personal and powerful way. It’s unlikely that a dove will appear, but don’t let that put you off receiving all that God has for you.
  • Peace:
    Philippians 4:4-9
    It’s easy to get anxious about being baptised. Pray that you will know God’s peace, now and in the days to come before your baptism.
  • The Future:
    Jeremiah 29:11 and Ephesians 3:20
    Baptism is the beginning of your journey, not your destination. You won’t be perfect until you get to heaven. God has only your best interest in mind and He wants to see you succeed in every aspect of your life.
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