baptism
At First B, we believe baptism is an important step after making a decision to follow Jesus.
1. Though important, baptism is not required for salvation. Baptism is a work—a religious activity we perform—so it can’t be necessary for salvation because we can’t earn that by works. Baptism is not what enters us into God’s family, only faith in Jesus does that. It merely testifies that to the world.
Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
2. Baptism is an act of obedience for believers in Jesus. Baptism has been described as an “outward testimony of an inward reality.” Baptism only testifies to something if you’ve already trusted in Jesus.
Acts 2:41: So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.
Acts 8:12: But when they believed Philip as he was preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were being baptized.
3. Baptism is something Jesus commanded. This is the most basic reason for being baptized: Jesus said to. As His followers, we want to do what He says. And it’s sort of like a wedding ring for a newly married couple—they do it to show others they’re married; we get baptized to show others we’re saved.
Matthew 28:19: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son
and the Holy Spirit
4. We baptize by full immersion at First B. That’s how Jesus was baptized—He set the pattern. And by going down under water and coming back up, we symbolizing our identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
Romans 6:4: Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.