Water Baptism
Baptism is an important step of obedience for everyone who has accepted Christ as his or her Savior.
Who Should be baptized?
We believe that the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, provides the sole basis for the forgiveness of sin. Therefore, salvation occurs only when a person places his or her faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as the sufficient payment for his/her sin. Baptism in water is the next step of obedience after being born again.
According to scripture, baptism is an act of obedience to the explicit command of Christ as outlined in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), where believers are instructed to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Beyond obedience, baptism is seen as a public proclamation of one’s faith and a tangible expression of the internal transformation that occurs when an individual embraces Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Through immersion in water, a person publicly declares their union with Christ, the forgiveness of sins, and their commitment to a new life in Him. It serves as a powerful testimony to the redemptive work of Christ in the believer’s life and invites the community to witness and celebrate the transformative power of God’s grace.
Public declaration of an inward commitment to follow Jesus
What does water baptism symbolize?
• You have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
• You are sharing in His death and resurrection, illustrated by going under the water (dead to your old life), then rising again (new life).
• You’ve been symbolically washed clean and your sins have been forgiven by His death on the cross.
• Because Jesus instructed us to be baptized, baptism is an act of obedience. While it is not necessary for salvation, it demonstrates submission to God. Immersion is the model Jesus used in Scripture, therefore, that’s the way we celebrate baptism here at Life Changers.
