I was baptized on Thursday. I always meant to get baptized, because, well, Jesus did, and as a Christian, my goal is to emulate Jesus, be �Christ-like.� My problem was the timing. The churches I�ve attended adhere to the Biblical example of baptizing new believers. Well, I grew up in the church; I was a child when I was a new believer, and the church didn�t baptize children. There was a large group of kids that got baptized in junior high, but it was during the summer while my family was on a month long vacation. So when I missed the opportunity to be baptized with all of my peers, I decided it wasn�t that important. I didn�t want to be baptized in front of the church all by myself.
Baptism isn�t necessary for salvation and is just a public statement of faith. It�s a symbolic act, where believers die unto themselves (immersion under the water) and are reborn unto Jesus Christ (resurfacing). And since the Bible records believers being baptized on the same day as they accepted Christ as Savior, and since I had obviously passed that point, I didn�t think it really mattered. I also threw in the excuse that technically; I had been baptized as a baby, so I was �covered� (even though I don�t believe in baptizing babies).
However, deep down, I knew I wanted to be baptized, so when this opportunity presented itself, I took it. There was a reception at the church (the potluck I spoke of on Thursday) and afterward a group of us were baptized. It was kind of exciting; it was like a graduation. We got our picture taken immediately after we were immersed, as we were coming up out of the water (probably one of the most unflattering pictures I now have of myself), and we each received a certificate of baptism (like a diploma).
I think I�m glad I waited and missed the opportunity to be baptized with all the other junior highers. I�m glad that this wasn�t just something I did, another religious hoop I jumped through. I did this because I wanted to, not because it was a group activity, not because my parents expected me to (they didn�t even know I was planning on doing it until a couple of days before), not because it was some sort of requirement of the church. It was a demonstration of my faith, an act of love.