The religious zealot Saul of Tarsus was on his way to Damascus to apprehend and imprison members of a new sect, the followers of Jesus Christ. Suddenly he saw a bright light and fell to the ground. He heard the words, "'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' And he said, 'Who are You, Lord?' Then the Lord said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting'" (Acts 9:4-5)

Saul then asked what the Lord wanted him to do. He was instructed to go to Damascus and he would be told what to do. Saul arose and realized he could not see. He had to be led the remainder of the way. He was found by one of God's servants, Ananias, who by the power of God restored Saul's sight and baptized him.

This dramatic incident brought about the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, who became the apostle Paul. Must you have this same type of experience before you can be baptized? How old must one be? What are the important concepts to understand prior to baptism?

To be baptized, people young and old must repent of their sins (turn from breaking God's law and commit to obeying Him) and believe (have faith in) Jesus Christ and His gospel. That's it. There is no requirement that one must have a miraculous experience with God such as Saul had. You don't have to wait until you hear the voice of God and are blinded as Saul was.

Regarding one's age, in our day it's common in many Christian organizations for babies to be baptized. Yet, in simple terms, baptism requires repentance (Acts 2:38), faith (Mark 16:15-16) and commitment (Luke 14:26-33). Because babies can't even conceive of these things, infant baptism doesn't fulfill the biblical requirements.

In my experience of counseling hundreds of young people at the university level for many years, I have seen that age 16 is about the youngest one can be to truly understand and fulfill God's expectations of baptism. I should also explain that 16 is a very young age, and not many at that age were ready to be baptized. Even so I admired their sincerity in seeking baptism.

The importance of baptism

Baptism is a very important step. It is one we must take to be forgiven of our sins (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:18), and it is how we establish a Father-son or Father-daughter relationship with God. It is a prerequisite to receiving the Holy Spirit, which makes us a part of Christ's spiritual Body, the Church (Romans 8:14-15; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13).

The act of baptism and the subsequent receiving of the Holy Spirit identify us as Christians (Romans 8:9). Baptism is also a crucial step toward receiving eternal life. (For more information, read our free booklets The Road to Eternal Life and Transforming Your Life: The Process of Conversion, which can be found at www.ucg.org/booklets.)

What should you do?

Baptism is a very personal step. No one should take it unless he or she has thoroughly studied the topic and is personally convicted of the need to fulfill this command from God.

Counseling is available from dedicated ministers to help a person understand what God is looking for in the process. Of course, just because a person initiates counseling for baptism, it does not mean that he or she must follow through and be baptized—unless he or she is truly convicted and ready.

Seeking counsel from a minister of Jesus Christ will also help you understand what God expects of you when you commit your life to Him and walk in His grace toward eternal life in the glorious Kingdom of God (Luke 14:26-33; Matthew 6:33; 2 Corinthians 5:7; 2 Timothy 4:8). Be sure to take advantage of this help.

Search the Scriptures

The desire to be baptized usually begins when a person realizes that he or she has sinned and lived contrary to what Jesus Christ and God the Father have revealed as the right way of life. I was struck again while watching the movie The Passion of the Christ by the realization that my sins necessitated the suffering and death of Jesus Christ.

We need to believe that God's Word, the Bible, is true and that it is our guidebook for life (Matthew 4:4; 2 Timothy 3:15-16). The reading and studying of His Word will bring us to an understanding of God's will for us. We will come to an understanding of how He wants us to live.

The realization that we have essentially killed Jesus Christ through our disobedience and contrary attitudes will be enhanced through comparing our past and present actions with the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17). Additional study may be done into the fruits of the flesh and Spirit (Galatians 5:17-23), the beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) and the direction that our thoughts should take (Philippians 4:8).

As we read and meditate on these sections of inspired Scripture, God can lead us to see how we are in contrast to how He desires us to be (Romans 2:4). We may then truly repent of our sins—the ways we do things contrary to Him (Romans 8:7; Proverbs 14:12).

Faith is essential

Belief in Jesus Christ and His gospel is another essential requirement for baptism. Jesus said in Mark 1:15: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." There is no other name by which we must be saved than that of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:10-12; 8:12). It is essential that we believe and know that God exists—and that we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior, High Priest and coming King (Acts 8:37).

Finally, we need to accept the grace that God offers. Grace provides forgiveness and the strength to walk worthy of His calling (Ephesians 2:8-10; Colossians 1:10).

So what are you waiting for? "Seek the L ord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near" (Isaiah 55:6). Don't wait for something to strike you down to consider baptism. If you are interested, take up the challenge to "seek the Lord while He may be found." May God guide you to know when you need to be baptized and then grant you the courage and commitment to follow through. VT