Q. What does baptism represent or symbolize? Do you have to be baptized to go to heaven? (Submitted by: Yvette) A. According to the Bible, baptism is a requirement for salvation (Mark 16:16; Titus 3:5). Baptism pictures the death and burial of our old self and our resurrection to a new life in Jesus Christ as Romans 6 tells us: "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. "For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. "For the death that He (Jesus) died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:3-6, 10-11, NKJV)
Baptism is a physical demonstration of repentance (Acts 2:37-38), and faith in Jesus Christ (Mark 16:16; Acts 8:36-37). When baptized, our sins are forgiven, and spiritually washed away (Acts 22:16). The physical act of baptism is not what cleanses us of sin (1 Peter 3:21), it is not some magical act, but a symbolic ceremony in which we express repentance, faith in Jesus, and the willingness to live a new life in Christ. In your question you wrote of going to heaven. Surprising as it may sound, the Bible does not teach that Christians will go to heaven. | 