What do you teach about Baptism?
Baptism is a New Testament ordinance appointed by God, to be administered only to those who have demonstrated a credible profession of faith in Christ. Thus our practice is called credo-baptist.
Baptism is an external practice which represents an inward spiritual truth.
The inward truth represented in baptism reflects the radical and fundamental change which God alone has worked in the heart of a sinner. No man can know the heart of another, only God can do that. However, the Bible clearly teaches that those who have been regenerated will bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Regenerated people are new creations and are raised to walk in newness of life, united to Christ. The new life of a "born again" believer is a life empowered and impelled by the Holy Spirit to die unto sin and live unto righteousness, which is obedience to the Commandments of God.
Baptism by water does not regenerate, change or save anybody. Baptism is not the cause of regeneration or salvation. Baptism is administered after regeneration as a public demonstration whereby we express our belief that God has changed a person's heart. Thus baptism is to be applied only to those who have made a credible profession of faith in the merits of Christ alone.
The mode of baptism is by immersion in water. The word "baptize" is derived from the Greek word that means "immerse." Christians who make a credible profession of faith in Christ are immersed in water. Their going under symbolizes their death and being raised up their union to Christ in His resurrection. Baptism is an outward sign that they have been inwardly transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ.
