What we believe about baptism
Who should be baptized?
Everyone who believes in Christ*.
“So those who welcomed His word were baptized…” Acts 2:41
“When they believed Philip, who was proclaiming the good news about the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon believed. After being baptized he stayed constantly with Philip…” Acts 8:12-13
“Crispus, the official of the synagogue became a believer in the Lord, together with his household; and many Corinthians who heard Paul became believers and were baptized.”
Acts 18:8
What is the meaning of baptism?
Baptism represents Christ’s death, burial and resurrection.
“…Christ died for our sins…He was buried…He was raised on the third day...”
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
“…when you were buried with Him in baptism, you were also raised with Him through faith in the power of God…” Colossians 2:12
Baptism illustrates our new life as Christians.
“So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” 2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore we have been buried with Him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4
Baptism does not make you a believer – it shows that you already believe. Baptism is an outward expression of the commitment you have already made to Christ by faith.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
Why be baptized by immersion?
Because Jesus was baptized that way.
“After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water…” Matthew 3:16
Every baptism in the Bible is by immersion.
(Example)…”Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water…” Acts 8:38-39
The word Baptism comes from the Greek word Baptizo which means “to immerse” or “dip under water.”
When should I be baptized?
As soon as you have become a believer.
“As they went along the road they came to some water and the eunuch said, ‘Look, water! What prevents me from being baptized?’... and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.” Acts 8:36 & 38
There is no reason to delay. As soon as you have trusted Christ with your life you can, and should be baptized. If you wait until you are “perfect”, you will never feel “good enough.”
*At Christ Church we wait until our children are old enough to understand the meaning of baptism before we baptize them. Generally, we expect that most youth (over 12 years) are capable of knowing the significance of personal sin, the need for salvation and that baptism signifies dying to an old way of life and being raised to a new life in Christ.
Although we do not baptize infants and young children we do dedicate them to the Lord along with their parents as part of our Community Service (see Baby Dedication).
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