1. It is a symbol of Christ's burial and resurrection and of our spiritual baptism - our identifying with Christ in our salvation.
   

   "Christ died for our sins...He was buried...and He was raised on the third day." - 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
   

   "...having been buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead." - Colossians 2:12

2. It is a symbol of your new life as a Christian.
   

   "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17
   

   "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." - Romans 6:4

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith...it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9

"They replied, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.'" - Acts 16:31

1. In the same way Jesus was baptized - by being immersed in water.
   

   "As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water." - Matthew 3:16 

2. Every baptism in the Bible was by immersion under water.
   

   "Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water..." - Acts 8:38-39

3. The word "baptize" from the Greek word "baptizo", means "to dip" or "to immerse" under water.
4. Immersion is the best way to picture a burial and resurrection. As the person being baptized goes under water, he is identifying himself with the death and burial of Christ. As he comes up out of the water, he is identifying himself with the resurrection of Christ.
5. Christian leaders in history agree:
   
   Martin Luther: "I would have those who are to be baptized to be entirely immersed, as the word imports and the mystery signifies."
   
   John Calvin: "The word "baptize" signifies to immerse. It is certain that immersion was the practice of the ancient church."
   
   John Wesley: "Buried with Him, alluding to baptizing by immersion according to the custom of the first church."

1. Every person who has accepted Christ as their Savior.
   

   "Those who accepted His message were baptized." - Acts 2:41
   

   "But when they believed Philip as He preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." - Acts 8:12

2. The one requirement for baptism is belief in Christ! We do not baptize children until they are old enough to understand and believe.
   

   "Then Philip began with the Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, 'Look, here is water! Why shouldn't I be baptized?' Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him." - Acts 8:35-38

3. There is no reason to delay. As soon as a person decides to believe in Christ, he can and should be baptized