{"id":343676,"date":"2024-11-14T14:22:08","date_gmt":"2024-11-14T19:22:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/universalchurchusa.org\/en\/?p=343676"},"modified":"2024-11-16T13:25:59","modified_gmt":"2024-11-16T18:25:59","slug":"baptism-in-water-the-beginning-of-a-new-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/universalchurchusa.org\/en\/post\/baptism-in-water-the-beginning-of-a-new-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Baptism in Water: The Beginning of a New Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

\u201cD<\/span>o you accept the Lord Jesus as your only <\/span>and<\/span> sufficient Savior?<\/span>\u201d <\/span>This<\/span> is the question the pastor asks just moments before a person <\/span>is immersed<\/span> in water during the baptism ceremony. Baptism is one of the core declarations of the Christian faith. This act symbolizes the decision of those who believe in the Gospel, as described in,<\/span><\/p>\n

He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved\u2026 (Mark 16:16)<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Meaning of Water Baptism<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Water baptism represents the burial of <\/span>one’s<\/span> old self. <\/span>It’s<\/span> a decision to live according to the Word of God, sincere repentance for past mistakes, and committing to a transformed life. When a person <\/span>is immersed<\/span> in the water, it is the burial of their old ways. <\/span>As they emerge<\/span> from the water<\/span>, they are reborn<\/span> into a new life with the Lord Jesus.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, if anyone\u00a0is\u00a0in Christ,\u00a0he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)<\/strong><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Importance of Understanding and Repentance<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

True repentance and understanding are essential before taking this step. The Bible does not advocate child baptism, as young children cannot understand the repentance and commitment involved. Even the Lord Jesus, without sin, chose to be baptized at <\/span>age <\/span>30 to set an example.<\/span> \u201cHe demonstrated that to encounter God, one must truly be born again. The old self cannot achieve that,\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>explained Bishop Danilo Sgambatti, who is responsible for Baptism at The Universal Church.<\/p>\n

It is a misconception to believe that only those who have committed <\/span>serious<\/span> wrongs need repentance and baptism. The Word of God says,<\/span><\/p>\n

There is none righteous, no, not one\u2026 They have all turned aside\u2026 <\/em>(Romans 3:10-13)<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Bishop Danilo clarifies, \u201cThere is no distinction between \u2018small\u2019 sins and \u2018big\u2019 sins\u2014sin is sin. Many people say, \u2018I haven\u2019t done anything wrong; I\u2019m a good person,\u2019 but without accepting the Lord Jesus, they are already in sin, failing to recognize that He is the Lord of our lives.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Preparing for Baptism: What Truly Matters<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

At The Universal Church, no formal course <\/span>is required<\/span> to prepare for baptism, but one essential element is necessary: genuine repentance. <\/span>The candidate for baptism<\/span> must recognize their sins, confess them to God, and commit to turning away from them. From then on, they cannot practice it again, because they will begin to hate sin since it separates them from their Creator. Repentance is personal and non-transferable. As the Apostle Peter said, \u201cRepent, and let each of you be baptized\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/span>\u00a0 (Acts 2:38)<\/strong>. <\/em>Bishop Danilo emphasizes,<\/span> \u201cTrue repentance is everything. When someone sincerely repents, God Himself manifests the gift of repentance within them, confirming, \u2018I am with you. You\u2019re forgiven.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Before the baptism ceremony, individuals meet with a pastor for guidance. On the day of baptism, they should bring a change of clothes as they will <\/span>be fully immersed<\/span> in water. For those who cannot be fully immersed due to health reasons, baptism by sprinkling is available, with the water being sprinkled over their head, carrying the same spiritual significance.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Life After Baptism: The Journey Continues<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

While no preparatory course <\/span>is required<\/span> before baptism, those <\/span>who have <\/span>been<\/span> baptized<\/span> are invited<\/span> to attend the weekly revival and Bible study meetings every Wednesday to deepen their understanding of their faith.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The purpose of the Wednesday meetings is not only to provide guidance for this new life but also to prepare individuals for the next step: Baptism with the Holy Spirit. <\/span>This<\/span> is a transformative experience where the Lord Jesus Himself seals the believer with His Presence, empowering them to help others spiritually through voluntary service.<\/span><\/p>\n

Those who are starting their journey with the Lord Jesus are also encouraged to meditate daily on the Bible and are also recommended to read the Bible study book\u00a0In the Footsteps of Jesus<\/em><\/a><\/span> by Bishop Edir Macedo.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen someone is baptized, it\u2019s like the birth of a child. That\u2019s why we recommend the book In the Footsteps of Jesus because they still do not know what to do. It is necessary to teach, nourish with the Word of God, and guide them in what it means to truly be born again and belong to God. These teachings help them grow stronger and open the way for the Holy Spirit to come,\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>Bishop Danilo concludes.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Wednesday Bible Study at The Universal Church<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The church is open daily, and this special meeting is held every Wednesday to strengthen your spiritual life and seek the Holy Spirit. All are welcome regardless of religion, background, or circumstances. Come as you are.<\/p>\n

Wednesday at 10 AM, 4 PM, and mainly at 7 PM<\/strong>\u00a0at\u00a0The Universal Church<\/a>.<\/span> For more information on locations, please call\u00a01-888-332-4141<\/a><\/span>\u00a0or text 1-888-312-4141. You may also contact us via our\u00a0contact form (click here)<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

For those who live in areas without a location of The Universal Church, you may also connect to our\u00a0Virtual Church<\/strong>\u00a0via Zoom Conference<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  \u201cDo you accept the Lord Jesus as your only and sufficient Savior?\u201d This is the question the pastor asks just moments before a person is immersed in water during the baptism ceremony. Baptism is one of the core declarations of the Christian faith. This act symbolizes the decision of those who believe in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":248,"featured_media":343678,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[323],"tags":[189,6224,6122],"site":[],"class_list":["post-343676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-a-school-of-faith","tag-salvation","tag-the-word-of-god","tag-wednesday"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/universalchurchusa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/343676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/universalchurchusa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/universalchurchusa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/universalchurchusa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/248"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/universalchurchusa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=343676"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/universalchurchusa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/343676\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":344796,"href":"https:\/\/universalchurchusa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/343676\/revisions\/344796"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/universalchurchusa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/343678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/universalchurchusa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=343676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/universalchurchusa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=343676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/universalchurchusa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=343676"},{"taxonomy":"site","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/universalchurchusa.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/site?post=343676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}