Coming to God is a process that He starts, and we must choose to accept or reject His way when offered. If we accept, we have a definite process to follow that He clearly reveals in Scripture.
On the Day of Pentecost following Christ’s death and resurrection, the apostle Peter instructed those assembled to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38). Then God gave those who did so His Holy Spirit, which He will also give to us if we follow these same steps, enabling us to live the new life to which He has called us.
Baptism represents the most significant commitment a human being can make in this life. Though a simple ceremony, it powerfully acknowledges profound changes in one’s heart and mind. It represents utter rejection of past sinful ways and embarking on a new life of fully yielding to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
God earnestly desires that we take this path. Peter tells us, “The Lord is … longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Accepting His offer allows us to become His children. In John 1:12 we read, “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God.”
Baptism, as explained in your Bible, is much more than a means to join a church or just a religious ceremony for infants. It represents a mature decision, made only after careful deliberation. Jesus cautioned anyone who would follow Him to “count the cost” before committing (see Luke 14:27-33). Baptism portrays the magnitude of that commitment —and is a major step on the narrow road that leads to eternal life.