Ministry Index

Baptism

The first step as a new Christian

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Connect to God through Baptism

We are excited to have you join us at First Baptist Church at the Mall. You will find a people passionately driven to help you connect to God, growth and ministry. Here are the most common questions about baptism.

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The Meaning of Baptism

  1. It is a symbol of Christ’s burial and resurrection.
    "Christ died for our sin... He was buried... and He rose again." 1 Corinthians 15:3,4
  2. It is a symbol of your new life as a Christian.
    "When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person inside. The old life has passed away and a new life has begun!" 2 Corinthians 2:12
    "By our baptism then we were buried with Him and shared His death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead also we might live a new life!" Romans 6:4

Why be baptized?

  1. Christ’s willingness to be baptized confirms the practice.
    2. "At that time Jesus came from Nazareth and was baptized by John in the river." Mark 1:9
  2. Christ commanded 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 28:19-2
  3.  It shows you are a believer.
    "...many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized." Acts 18:8
  4. Obeying the commands of Christ shows you know Him.
    "We know that we have come to know Him, if we obey His commands." 1 John 2:3 

Who should be baptized? 

"Those who believed and accepted his message were baptized." Acts 2:14

"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 8:13

The one requirement for baptism is that a person has received Christ as Lord and Savior.

At First Baptist Church at the Mall, we wait until our children are old enough to believe and understand the true meaning of baptism before we baptize them. We have a special Children’s New Believers Class, which assists both the child and parents. Contact the Children’s Pastor for more information.

How are we to be baptized?

  1. Like Jesus was baptized - by being immersed in water.
    2. "As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water." Matthew 3:16
  2. Every baptism in the Bible was by immersion under water.
    (Example) "...then both 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
  3. The word "baptize" literally means "to dip under water." The Greek word "baptizo" means "to immerse or dip under water.
  4. It is the best way to picture a burial and resurrection.

When are we to be baptized?

As soon as you have believed! You shouldn’t delay.
"Those who believed... were baptized... that day! Acts 2:41

There is no reason to delay. As soon as a person decides to believe Christ, they can and should be baptized.

The founders of denominations agree:
"I would have those who are to be baptized to be entirely immersed, as the Word imports and the mystery signifies." Martin Luther (Lutheran)

"The word ‘baptize’ signifies to immerse. It is certain that immersion was the practice of the ancient church." John Calvin (Presbyterian & Reformed churches)

"Buried with Him, alluding to baptizing by immersion according to the custom of the first church." John Wesley (Methodists)

Our doctrinal statement is from the "Baptist Faith and Message" (2000)
"Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried and risen Saviour, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Jesus Christ. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord’s Supper."

References
Matthew 3:13-17; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12

What next?
Let us know you would like to be baptized or need more information.