BAPTISM

Those who are baptized are following Jesus’ example and obeying His command.

• “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” – Matthew 3:16–17
• “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.’” – Matthew 28:18–20

Water baptism is a public declaration of three very important things:

• You are a follower of Jesus Christ.
  “Those who accepted his message were baptized.” – Acts 2:41
• You are beginning a changed life in Christ.
  “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.” – Romans 6:4
• You are part of a new family.
  “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” – Galatians 3:26–27

Your baptism should have signified you becoming a follower of Jesus, beginning a changed life, and uniting with a new family. If your baptism did not reflect this change of life, then you should be baptized again.

We will baptize anyone over age 7 who understands what baptism symbolizes and wants to make that personal public declaration. We encourage any parents to partner with our Kids ministry team to guide your children through these decisions of faith.

Throughout the New Testament, the Bible teaches that baptism is a public expression of worship symbolizing the new life we have when we follow Jesus. In the Bible we see that Jesus’ parents dedicated him to the Lord (Luke 2:22–40), and he was later baptized as an adult (Matthew 3:16–17).

We understand that some churches practice “baptism of confirmation” for children. This ceremony is intended to be a commitment between the parents and God on the behalf of the child. The parents promise to raise their child in the faith until the child is old enough to make his or her own personal confession of Christ. This custom began about 300 years after the Bible was completed and is different from the biblical examples of new believers being baptized to publicly profess their faith in Jesus.

Those who are baptized are responding to the gospel. God has provided all we need for forgiveness, restored relationship, and hope of eternity with Him in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus of Nazareth. Out of His desire for a loving relationship with us, God extends an invitation through the Gospel to respond to His provision in Christ. The biblical responses to the Gospel are:

• Faith is belief or trust in Jesus and what he did on the cross to rescue us and in his resurrection, which opened heaven for us. (Romans 10:11-13; Philippians 2:11)

• Repentance is acknowledging our personal sin and rebellion and our need to turn to God’s provision. (Romans 3:23; Titus 3:3-7)(repenting – Luke 24:45-47; Acts 3:19; 17:30

• Confession is calling on the name of Jesus as Lord and Savior and is often done at our baptism. (Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:9, 10)

• Baptism is being immersed in water. We are baptized into Jesus. We are united with Jesus in his death, burial and resurrection. We are baptized in the name of Jesus and so come under his reign, rule, and ownership. In baptism we die with Jesus, are buried with Jesus, and rise to a new life with Jesus. (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-4)

In the Bible, these four responses to the Gospel were usually done on the same day even the same hour. Faith, repentance, confession, and baptism all converge as our response to the good news of God’s grace in Christ.