“At that time Jesus came from Nazareth and was baptized by John in the river.” (Mark 1:9)
BECAUSE CHRIST COMMANDS IT.
“Jesus said, ‘Go then, to all people everywhere and make them my disciples, baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and then teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.’” (Matthew 28:19-20)
WHAT IS THE MEANING AND METHOD OF BAPTISM?
Baptism is a picture of your death, burial and resurrection with Christ. Baptism shows the death of the “old man” before you were saved, burial of the old life, and the resurrection of a new life to be lived for the Lord Jesus Christ. “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 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. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.” (Romans 6:3-5)
WHO SHOULD BE BAPTIZED?
EVERY PERSON WHO HAS BELIEVED IN CHRIST. “Those who believed and accepted His message were baptized...” (Acts 2:41) “Simon himself believed and was baptized..." (Acts 8:13) “But when they believed Philip as he preached the Good News...and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women."
(Acts 8:12)
WHAT ABOUT BAPTISM FOR CHILDREN?
At First Baptist, we wait until our children are old enough to believe and understand the true meaning of baptism before we baptize them.Some churches practice a “baptism of confirmation” for children. This ceremony is intended to be a covenant 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 own personal confession of Christ. This custom began about 300 years after the Bible was completed. This is different from the baptism talked about in the Bible which was only for those old enough to believe. The purpose is to publicly confess your personal commitment to Christ.
At First Baptist, it is a membership requirement that every member must have been baptized the way Jesus demonstrated, even though many of us were “confirmed” as children.
