We are thrilled about your interest in baptism! We believe baptism is a vital step of obedience for everyone who has received Christ as Lord and Savior. It serves as a powerful, symbolic milestone in a believer’s life, and it is our privilege to walk alongside you as you take this next step on your spiritual journey.
What is baptism?
Baptism is an outward symbol of an inward commitment to follow Christ, much like a wedding ring symbolizes the vow made between spouses. It is a public declaration of your faith in Christ through water immersion. Going under the water illustrates Christ’s death and our decision to die to our sinful nature. Rising out of the water signifies Christ’s resurrection, representing our new life in Him.
Biblical Passages Regarding Baptism
The significance of baptism extends far beyond human analogies. Scripture remains the ultimate source of our beliefs. In Matthew 28:19–20, Jesus commands His followers, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
- Identification with Christ: Baptism identifies believers as followers of Christ. Passages such as Acts 2:41, Acts 8:12, and Acts 10:47–48 demonstrate that baptism consistently follows an individual’s personal decision to trust Christ alone for salvation.
- Acts 2:41: “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”
- Acts 8:12: “But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”
- Acts 10:47–48: “‘Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.’ So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.”
- Union with Christ’s Death and Resurrection: In Romans 6:1–11, the Apostle Paul explains how water immersion connects the believer to Christ’s saving work:
- Romans 6:1–11: “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
- Believer’s Baptism vs. Infant Baptism: Scripture teaches that baptism is reserved for professing believers rather than infants who cannot yet decide for themselves. Consequently, we practice believer’s baptism. Baptism does not make someone a Christian; it demonstrates a deliberate choice to place faith in Christ. If you were baptized as an infant, your parents acted out of a desire for you to know the Lord. By choosing baptism today, you are personally declaring your own faith in Christ.