Baptism

Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the triune God. It is a visual and symbolic demonstration of a person’s union with Christ in the likeness of His death and resurrection. Baptism signifies that a person’s former way of life has been put to death and depicts a release from their slavery to sin.

Baptism is not merely a responsibility and demonstration but also a privilege. We have the opportunity to evidence our trust in and love for our King through baptism. It is our joy to be baptized, and we should eagerly participate in the ordinance. The desire to be baptized should be motivated by our hope to glorify God in faithful obedience. Any other motivation (to join a particular local church, to please a friend or family member, etc.) should not be the ultimate reason for seeking to be baptized.

Though grace is mysteriously mediated through the ordinance, it is not saving grace but rather sanctifying grace. We become more like Jesus as we obey Him in the call to be baptized. Without in any way diminishing the duty and delight of baptism for a believer, we caution against thinking which suggests that salvation is dependent upon baptism. The gospel message of salvation is that it comes through faith and divine grace alone, not through rituals or actions.

Many people experience the joy of baptism and then later in their journey of faith feel the need to recommit their lives to Jesus through being baptized a second time. We believe Jesus never lies or breaks his promises; therefore we do not re-baptize Christians. Baptism signifies the beginning of our life in Jesus. This means those who have already been baptized and want to recommit their lives to Jesus are encouraged not to go back into the waters of baptism, but to look ahead toward a deeper relationship with Jesus as his disciple. Please contact us if this applies to you.