Baptism

WHAT IS BAPTISM?

FAQs

BAPTISM FORM

What is Baptism?

Baptism is a declaration of our need for forgiveness and a reception of the forgiveness God offers through Christ our Savior. Being washed in water is designed by God to be a physical experience of a spiritual reality that is impossible to achieve on our own efforts. While there is nothing magical about the physical water, baptism is ordained by God to be both a physical experience and a spiritual reality. (Acts 2:38; 22:16; Luke 3:3; 24:47)

Baptism is a public declaration of our faith in and decision to follow Jesus and our desire to receive all that he came to give in love and grace. (Acts 18:8; 1 Peter 3:21; Matthew 10:32).

Baptism is a reenactment of death and new life that unites us to Christ in his saving death and resurrection. Baptism is a death to our old self and a rebirth into the new life found only in Christ by his power. In baptism take on a new identity as disciples of Jesus, empowered by the Spirit to live a resurrected life taught and modeled in him. (Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 6:4; Galatians 3:27)

Baptism is a new birth into the new family that is Christ’s Church. Baptism is not a work we do to earn entrance into the family, but something we freely receive from both Christ and the Church. It functions similar to a ceremony of adoption into a new family where we are given a new name and new inheritance. Baptism is also a sign of the Spiritual unity of God’s Church across space and time. (John 3:3-5; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:4)

Baptism is a declaration of our need for forgiveness and a reception of the forgiveness God offers through Christ our Savior. Being washed in water is designed by God to be a physical experience of a spiritual reality that is impossible to achieve on our own efforts. While there is nothing magical about the physical water, baptism is ordained by God to be both a physical experience and a spiritual reality. (Acts 2:38; 22:16; Luke 3:3; 24:47)

Baptism is not something we do to earn salvation, but it does express our commitment to obey Christ our Lord in all things. It is a sign of our freedom from sin’s penalty as well as sin’s power. Baptism is a surrender of our entire lives to God, a pledge of allegiance to Jesus as King, and a vow to walk by the Spirit in faith, hope, and love. (Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 6:1-14; 1 Peter 3:21; Galatians 5:26).

God’s mission has always been to dwell with his people, and Jesus promised to be with his disciples to the end of the age. In baptism we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit as the indwelling presence of God with us. In baptism the Spirit seals us as members of God’s family, giving us assurance of salvation and acting as a down payment of the fullness of salvation we will experience in eternity. (Acts 2:38; Matthew 28:18-20; John 15:16; 16:7; 2 Corinthians 1:21)

Frequently Asked Questions

Immersion?

The New Testament was written in Greek, and the word we translate “baptize” (baptizō) literally means to dip, plunge, or immerse. The act of going down into and coming up out of the water is not random, but symbolic of what is actually taking place: the death, burial, and resurrection of a new person.

Infants?

Baptism in the Bible is connected to one’s personal decision and obedience. While entire “households” were baptized, there is no indication that infants without the ability to make a public confession were included. Every instance of an individual being baptized is always someone old enough to make their own profession of faith. While parents are called to raise their children in the Lord, each individual must make his/her own decision to become a disciple of Jesus. 

Rebaptism?

An individual is only baptized into Christ once, and does not need to be rebaptized due to sin or an immature understanding of the gospel. The need for repentance and a growing understanding is a common part of the life of a disciple. However, questions about the authenticity of one’s baptism for various reasons (volition, coercion, doctrine, etc.) may lead some to desire a baptism in line with the New Testament. 

Necessary?

Baptism is the normative way one enters into a relationship with Jesus and the church. There are no unbaptized believers in the New Testament. It is a decisive response in obedience to receive all that Jesus offers in grace and love. While the Bible doesn’t speak to how Jesus will judge a believer who misinterprets or resists baptism, the Bible does clearly speak about intentional disobedience. Resistance to baptism due to embarrassment or discomfort when others will applaud may reveal a heart that is not ready to confess Christ when it will not be comfortable or popular. 

Who can baptize?

Every disciple of Jesus is called to make disciples and baptize others (Matthew 28:18-20). A believer does not need to be an ordained minister to baptize another person into Christ. There is no magic in the water, the words of confession, or the person doing the baptizing; what matters is God acting in the life of the person coming to Christ in faith. 

What comes next?

Baptism is just the beginning! It is where we acknowledge our need for Christ as Savior and proclaim our commitment to Christ as Lord. This is both a personal and communal event, and we have created Pathways to help determine what your next step could be to know God, grow in God, and go with God. 

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