Baptism is a ceremony that represents an outward representation of a person internal acknowledgement and willingness to accept Jesus’ atoning blood to wash away the penalty of our sins. It is a physical act that shows that we acknowledge our sinful nature and are willing to confess and willing to change our inward nature and outward actions to follow the precepts and commands of Jesus with the aid of the Holy Spirit to serve our Righteous Father in Heaven. Baptism is said to represent the death of the person (Romans 6:3-5), the union of that person with Christ (Galatians 3:27), the cleansing of that person's sins (Acts 22:16), the identification with the one "baptized into" as when the Israelites were baptized into Moses (1 Corinthians 10:2), and being united in one church, the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). Also, baptism is one of the signs and seals of the New Dispensation of Grace that was instituted by Jesus. Ekklesia Church of God consists of New Covenant Saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. (Revelation 14:12). They are called out of this age and drawn to Jesus by God the Father (John 6:44). At baptism, you do not "join a church," you become a spiritual member of the body of Christ; you are a member of the spiritual body of New Covenant Saints!Grace is unearned pardon: Grace an offer from God to Mankind wherein God promises mankind eternal life based on mankind’s response. It is based upon the conditional response to our faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for our sins. This is coupled with rewards according to works. As the Lord’s Supper replaced Passover, baptism, in like manner, replaces circumcision. "The Supper and baptism represent the same spiritual blessings formerly symbolized by Passover and circumcision in the old dispensation." When believe and take action to accept Jesus as our Savior we receive grace as a free gift from God. We have taken the internal decision, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, to live in a newness of life, seeking to "go and sin no more," as Christ directed. The New Testament teaches baptism as the process whereby we may show an outward sign of our desire to obey, serve, and become part of the God family.

Infants and children do not need to be baptized until age of accountability, usually about age 12-15. In ancient times infants were entered into a covenant relationship with God by circumcision -- instituted through their parents’ actions. An important question is how is it possible for an infant to be entered into a covenant with God. There could be a lot of different answers given but the point remains: it was done; also those who left Egypt were all baptized in the Red Sea. Parents were instructed to teach children the significance of God’s way and laws.

[If you understand that baptism is a covenant sign, then you can see that it is a representation of the reality of Christ circumcising our hearts (Romans 2:29; Colossians 2:11-12). It is our outward proclamation of the inward spiritual blessing of regeneration. It comes after faith and forgiveness which is a gift of God (Romans 12:3) and the work of God (John 6:28).]

(Acts 2:38) "Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.‘"

(1 Pet. 3:21) "and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also -- not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

(Acts 22:16) "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on His name."

(Romans 6:4) "We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."

(Titus 3:5) "He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing, rebirth, and the renewal by the Holy Spirit."

Gal. 3:27, "for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."

The verses below summarize the three prerequisites for baptism: knowledge, belief, and action.

"…Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…" (Acts 2:38).

Obviously, before being baptized, you need to believe in God. More than that, you need to believe what Jesus did for you with His life and death. You need to accept as true that Jesus lived a perfect life, then suffered, bled, and died to pay the penalty of sin for you. Baptism is your public confession to the world that Jesus is now Lord of your life. It is also symbolic of you following Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection.

"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin" (Romans 6:4-6).

Action:

Repentance is the turning away from sin. Before baptism, you need to confess your sins and turn away from them. It is a conscious choice to put your past behind you and with God’s Holy Spirit received at baptism you can start a new life walking with the power of God in you. Baptism is an outward sign of your willingness to begin worshiping God in spirit and truth.

A person is begotten into the family of God through baptism (1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:26-27), he or she is a part of the church, the household of God (1 Timothy 3:15; Ephesians 2:19-22). The New Covenant Saint thus has access to all of the spiritual benefits of the "in Christ" relationship (Ephesians 1:3). As a son or daughter of God, within that sacred environment, the New Covenant Saint petitions the heavenly Father for his or her personal needs by means of prayer (see Acts 8:22, 24; James 5:16), including forgiveness for sins as a child who did err (1 John 1:8; 2:1).

(1 Thessalonians 4:8 CEV) "So if you don't obey these rules, you are not really disobeying us. You are disobeying God, who gives you His Holy Spirit."

"Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

(2 Timothy 4:1-5) "I charge you therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch you in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry."

Unfortunately, there are many sects in today’s world of "Christendom" that practice a "form of baptism," but one that is contaminated by the accompaniment of a variety of doctrinal errors that invalidate the process. It is the case, therefore, that many who have been administered what was called "baptism," need to submit to the ordinance again — this time with a more accurate understanding that precedes the event.Some situations in which "re-baptism" is warranted:

Another vain tradition is "baptizing" babies! If one was "baptized" as an infant, thus they were lacking personal faith (Mark 16:16; Acts 11:21), he or she should repudiate the meaningless earlier rite, in which they had no decision-making power (even though the parents were sincere in subjecting the baby to the procedure). He or she, as an adult, in genuine faith, should submit to the command in the proper way. Infants have neither the need nor the ability to respond to the gospel of Christ.

As far as age is concerned, few children are ready for baptism at 9 or 10 years of age, Most may no be not ready until 12 or 13. No age level is specified in the Bible, because children have different levels of experience and understanding. Some are ready for baptism earlier than others. It is not something to be taken lightly. It is an agreement to a covenant commitment.

Sprinkling is not baptism:

Being sprinkled with water, or having water poured upon the head, is no baptism at all, and such substitutes are not based on doctrine of the New Testament. They are inventions and traditions of false teachers. If one was "baptized" in some fashion which actually expresses a contradictory concept other than by immersion then they should yield to the proper form; since "baptize" means "immerse."

True baptism pictures the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The sinner is buried in (immersed under water), and raised from water (Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12), just as the Lord was buried, and then raised from the dead. True baptism validates one’s faith in the death and resurrection events.

True repentance must precede baptism:

If one was "baptized" without being accompanied by genuine repentance, such a procedure was and is ineffectual and vain. It has been said that a man who emerged from a baptismal pool, turned to his wife, and said: "I hope you’re satisfied!" Don’t be baptized to please others. No "baptism" which lacks the proper motive (and other prerequisites) can have validity in God’s eyes as expressed in the New Testament scriptures.

Baptism without faith:

If one is "baptized" without a sound faith basis, this "ritual" would be of no avail. One might feel, for instance, that Jesus was a good man (perhaps even a "perfect man" — as an historic figure), but deny that Christ is the Son of God (i.e., deity), and yet, for various other reasons, desire baptism. No such baptism, grounded upon a spurious "faith" could be accounted as genuine.

Baptism without purpose:

If one has yielded to baptism for some purpose other than that which is supplied by inspired teaching, they, in reality, have not obeyed the Lord. Baptism is never defined as "an outward sign of an inward grace"; it is not a mere representation of redemption for those already received.

"Then Peter said unto them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.’" (Acts 2:38-39)

Paul questions the nature of some earlier baptisms:

While on his third missionary campaign, the apostle Paul came to the city of Ephesus. There, he encountered twelve men who formerly had been baptized (with the type of baptism administered by John the Baptist). One might be inclined to conclude, therefore, that the apostle would have accepted these men as they were, and merely organized them into a church.

Such was not the case, however. After questioning them as to the nature of their earlier baptism, and determining that their pre-baptism instruction on the previous occasion had been lacking in essential particulars, Paul immersed these men into Christ (see Acts 19:1-6 below).

This case clearly demonstrates that in order for one’s baptism to be valid, accurate teaching must precede the process of being baptized. Otherwise it is but a meaningless exercise, and not based on faith (Romans 10:17).

Genuine baptism is needed only one time in a person’s life. Once a person has been baptized, according to the full complement of scriptural instructions, he or she never has the need to repeat this "new birth" process (John 3:3-5).

A person’s soul is too valuable, the plan is too simple, and the remedy too easy to access, for a person to "gamble," hoping that a former "baptism" will be alright — in spite of the deficiencies associated therewith. If there is any question in one’s mind regarding a previous "baptism," they should be safe and do it right. An example follows.Have an Anointing to Receive the Holy Spirit:

Acts 19:1–6 "And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples (2) he said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’

So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’

(3) And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’

So they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’

(4) Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’

(5) When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

(6) And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them…"