Baptism
We believe that baptism is the public confession of Christ as Savior and Lord. It is a symbol of one’s union, by faith, with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection, and therefore is to be administered by immersion to only those who have given evidence of faith in Christ as their personal Savior (Matt. 28:19 [show]Matthew 28:19
[19]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, (ESV)
; Mark 16:16 [show]Mark 16:16
[16]Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (ESV); Acts 2:38-41, 8 [show]Acts 2:38-41
[38]And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [39]For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." [40]And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation." [41]So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. (ESV)
Acts 2:8
[8]And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? (ESV):36-39; Rom. 6:3-5 [show]Romans 6:3-5
[3]Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? [4]We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
[5]For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. (ESV); Col. 2:12 [show]Colossians 2:12
[12]having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. (ESV)). We believe that baptism is the official entrance into local church membership.