A: Dear Kayley,

Baptism is about making a public confession that we are giving our life to Jesus. It is a very important step in the life of a Christian. The Bible tells us that “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16). However, there are times when a person can’t be baptized. For example, the thief on the cross next to Jesus wasn’t baptized, but Jesus promised him salvation. He really didn’t have a way to get baptized, and Jesus knew it. But if a person for some reason can’t be baptized, Jesus can still save them.

There are also people who made decisions to be baptized, but died before they were able. There are others who died but were never baptized. Only Jesus knows the heart, and may choose to save them. There are also some children that want to be baptized, but their parents won’t allow them. Jesus knows their hearts, too, and may save them without being baptized.

What’s important to remember is that if a person wants to get baptized, and they are able to get baptized, they shouldn’t put it off. They should let their parents or their pastors know so they can begin preparation for baptism. For some children, the parents may feel they need to wait until they are a little more mature, maybe even a few years. Just remember that Jesus knows the decisions the young person has made, and counts them as “in the process” of baptism until the time comes when they are allowed to be baptized.

Thanks for writing, and remember, there's never been a better time to share Jesus!

Your friend, Pastor Howard