What is Baptism?

Baptism is a public step a person takes after they decide to follow Jesus. It shows on the outside what has happened on the inside: the person has turned from sin and trusted Jesus. In baptism the person goes all the way under the water and then comes up again to show they died to their old life and are starting a new life with Christ. Baptism does not save someone, but Jesus told his followers to be baptized, and it is usually done when a person is old enough to understand and say they believe.