Be Baptised — But What is Baptism?

By follow-admin, 8 April, 2026

Be Baptised — A Step of Obedience and New Life

You have seen who Isa is. You have heard His message. Now the question becomes: What does it mean to follow Him? (Click each heading below to expand or collapse the sections.)
📖 What did Isa command His followers to do?
““...Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of me being baptised?” “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” “I believe that Isa is the Son of God.” Then they went down into the water and he baptised him.” (Acts 8:35-38)
 
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:19)
 
“Repent and be baptised, every one of you…” (Acts 2:38)

 

🔍 What do you notice?
  • What happens before baptism?
    Look carefully at each passage. What do people hear, understand, or believe before they are baptised?
  • How do people respond?
    After hearing the message, what do they do? Is there a delay, or do they respond straight away?
  • Is baptism optional or expected?
    In these examples, is baptism treated as something extra, or as a normal and expected step of obedience?
  • Who is baptism for?
    Who is being baptised in these passages? What do they have in common?
  • What does this mean for you?
    If you believe what the Injil says about Isa, what should your next step be?
💧 What does baptism mean?
Isa did not leave his followers with many rituals and systems. Instead, he gave two clear signs of obedience that mark those who truly follow him:
baptism and a shared meal, the 'Lord’s Supper'.  (We will discuss the Lord's Supper later on.) 
 
Baptism is just a very simple public ceremony where you are modestly dressed, confess you have sinned against Allah, you say that you believe what the Injil says about Isa and will now follow him.  Then you are fully immersed in water and brought up again. It shows that you have died to your old life and are now raised to live a new life.
 
“We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that… we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:4)
“Baptism… now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.” (1 Peter 3:21)

Baptism is a picture:

  • Going under the water → your old life is buried
  • Coming up → a new life begins
🔍 Think it through
  • What does it mean to leave your old life behind?
  • What kind of new life is Isa calling you into?
🌊 Why full immersion?
“As soon as Jesus was baptised, He went up out of the water.” (Matthew 3:16)
“They went down into the water… then came up out of the water.” (Acts 8:38–39)

The pattern in the Injil is clear:

  • Going into the water
  • Coming out of the water

This shows a complete burial and a complete rising.

Also the Injil was originally written in Greek, and the word used for 'baptism' meant full immersion.  So that really takes the guess work out of it. 

🕊️ What comes with baptism?
“Repent and be baptised… and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38)

Baptism is linked with:

  • Repentance (turning back to Allah)
  • Forgiveness
  • Receiving the Holy Spirit
🔍 Personal reflection
  • Have you turned fully toward Allah?
  • Are you ready to begin a new life with Him?
⚠️ What if it is difficult or dangerous?

In many places, following Isa publicly can bring risk. The Injil does not ignore this.

“Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)
🧭 Wisdom in difficult situations
  • Allah sees your heart — sincerity matters
  • Ask Allah for wisdom about timing and place
  • Move forward in obedience, but not recklessness
💧 Practical possibilities
  • A bath, river, or quiet place with water
  • With one trusted believer — even just one
💧 What if you are alone and ready to be baptised?

If you are the first in your family, and there are no other followers of Isa around you that you can trust, do not wait.

Go to water. Speak to Allah with honesty and gratitude. Thank Him for the free gift of forgiveness and eternal life that Isa has made possible for you.

Tell Him that you believe Isa came to earth, lived a perfect life, and gave Himself for you. That you believe He rose from the dead on the third day and is now alive with Allah in heaven. And that Isa will return on the Day of Judgement — to gather those who belong to Him and to judge all people.

Then go down into the water and come up again — as a sign of your new full submitted life with Allah.

In time, as you quietly share what Allah has done in you, others may also choose to follow Isa. You can baptise them. And once there is another believer, you may choose to be baptised again — not because your first step was lacking, but to model obedience and strengthen others.  after all, this is what Isa did for us.  He never sinned.  Why else did he get baptised if not to model for us and encourage us? (Matthew 3:13–17)

Isa said that whoever openly acknowledges Him, He will also acknowledge before Allah on the Day of Judgement.

📖 References
Belief, death, and resurrection of Isa — 1 Corinthians 15:3–4
Isa alive with Allah / ascended — Acts 1:9–11
Return and judgement — Matthew 25:31–32; John 5:22
Baptism as new life — Romans 6:3–4
Baptising others — Matthew 28:19
Public acknowledgment — Matthew 10:32–33
🪣 A simple 3-step guide to baptising someone

This does not need to be complicated. The focus is obedience, clarity, safety, and a clear witness.

1️⃣ Prepare the person
  • Make sure they understand that baptism is a response of faith and obedience to Isa.
  • Ask them to briefly say what they believe about Isa and why they want to be baptised.
  • Choose a place with enough water for full immersion and as much privacy and safety as needed.  Make it as public as it is possible so that it may be a witness to others to follow Isa and that you are serious about your choice.  
  • Explain exactly what will happen before they go into the water so they feel calm and ready.
2️⃣ Guide them under the water safely
  • Stand with them in the water and help steady them.
  • They bob themselves down under the water.
  • When they are completely submerged, tap them gently on the head to let them know they are fully under.
  • Then they come back up under their own power.
  • You are there to facilitate, guide, and help if they get into trouble — not to force them under.

Doing it this way can help the person feel safer in the water, especially if they cannot swim well.

It also means that a smaller or younger believer can safely baptise a much larger person without the risk of lifting, slipping, or injury.

3️⃣ Pray, rejoice, and help them take the next steps
  • Pray for them and thank Allah for their new life in Isa.
  • Encourage them to keep obeying, keep learning, and keep sharing what Allah has done.
  • Help them begin meeting with other believers when possible.
  • Encourage them that, in time, they may also help baptise others who decide to follow Isa.

The key is not the location — but the obedience and faith behind it.

👉 Your next step

The question is no longer just:

“What does baptism mean?”

The real question is:

“Will you obey?”

🧭 SOS — Self Discovery
  • SAY: What is Isa asking you to do?
  • OBEY: What step will you take?
  • SHARE: Who can you tell?
Following Isa is not only about understanding. It is about stepping forward.

➡️ When you are ready to continue: Learn how to follow Isa, be discipled, and help others

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