Baptism

Jesus told people to repent and be baptized. A simple enough instruction. The important part of the instruction is the repentance bit, the response to repenting is baptism.

Over the centuries, baptism has developed into a ritual practice and a "ticket to heaven" Today many people believe they are fine to go to heaven because they are good people and they were baptized. Repentance does not figure into it. I have not yet been baptized because of the ticket to heaven business, I originally wanted to unwind people's thinking that Baptism gets you to heaven. It isn't, it doesn't and it never will, Jesus paid our debt and his grace and forgiveness gets us to heaven when we believe we are sinners and he is God and able to forgive.

Some misconceptions about baptism among people include

• It is the way to heaven, once you are baptized you are Christian enough to go to heaven, this is an almost entirely non christian view. Nobody who I know to be a Christian by their lives and words believes this as the bible doesn't support it.
• Baptism is a public declaration of what I believe. Many Godly christians think this but unless I missed the right verse the bible doesn't support this. If it is a public declaration, why can't I get up in church and say I believe Jesus is God and has the power to forgive sins and to raise us from the dead on the last day, that with the help of the Holy Spirit I am striving to live with Jesus as king of my life. That is a public declaration of what I believe, why the water?
• Baptism is a visible demonstration of what I believe (I think that could be worded better). This is getting closer I think to the biblical meaning of baptism. However it still gives more credit to it then is due. My christian daily life should be a visible demonstration of what I believe, a baptism is a bit of a one hit wonder so not really going to do this well.
• Baptism is to encourage other Christian. ??? where does it say that in the bible? It may encourage a christian to see a non christian that they have evangelized come to fully understand what it is to be a christian and to be baptized, but that is not a biblical reason (correct me if I am wrong)

In the bible, simply put, baptism signifies the end of the old life of ignoring God and having myself or another God as ruler of my life and the beginning of having Jesus as king of my life. This makes baptism very important to a convert, one who has come to Jesus from a life openly serving other gods including self. It is to show themselves and their families and friends that they belong to Jesus now and their old life is finished. 

I grew up always believing Jesus is God and he has a right to be king of my life. As I got older I questioned what I believe and decided for myself that yes, Jesus is still king in my life. At no point has there been a stopping of the old life and beginning of a new one, I have simply (by God's grace) grown into my faith and understanding. All the time I am learning but I have never not believed the gospel of Christ. So, do I need to get baptized? I don't believe so. Is it a salvation issue? no. 

Please feel free to POLITELY comment if you have any thoughts or wisdom to add or things I missed.