From the Elder's Pen "Baptized" 2/17/02 Past/Future Articles

How much should a person know before he or she is baptized?  Should they know a whole lot before they are baptized?  Let’s look in the Bible for some examples.

When we look into the scriptures, they indicate that most of those whose baptisms are recorded had been taught very little.  In fact, most of them were baptized the first time they heard the gospel.  When people on Pentecost asked what they needed to do, Peter told them, “Repent and be baptized…”.  They did (Acts 2:37-41).  We read
In Acts 18:8, “many of the Corinthians, hearing believed and were baptized.”  Paul taught them many things later, including some facts about the purpose of baptism (I Cor. 12:13).

What is baptism: A new birth (John 3:3-5), buried/raised up (Col. 2:12).  Now we can start our way to Heaven.  The road is bumpy, we must study daily so we won’t take the wrong turn and miss Heaven.  Now how much should we know before we are baptized?  We should know that we want to be a Christian.  Who should be baptized:

? Those who have heard the word (Rom. 10:17).
? Those who have received the word (Acts 2:41
? Those who believe in Christ (Mark 15:15-16).
? Those who are convicted of their sin (Acts 2:37).

If you know, “he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16), you know as much as those of whom we read about in the book of Acts who became Christians.