Baptism at Constance

Baptism is a public declaration of personal faith in Christ as well as a symbol of the new identity that the believer has received in Christ. When we get baptized, we identify with Christ's death. When we are raised out of the water, we show the new life we have through the power of Christ's resurrection. Our understanding of this comes from Romans 6:1-4.

IDENTIFICATION

Through water baptism, we proclaim our identification with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, & resurrection. (Romans 6:1-7; Colossians 2:12)

We proclaim our identification with the body of Christ, the Church, having been placed into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit at salvation. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)

In water baptism, we also publicly proclaim our identification with the local Church, a confession that we have identified with the body of Christ. (Acts 2:41)

DECLARATION

Baptism is not a part of our salvation, but a major step in discipleship. Salvation is experienced totally by grace through faith. It is a free gift of God to all who will believe in Christ & receive Him. (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:12; John 3:16)

Baptism is one specific way in which we are to confess Christ with others, identifying ourselves with the local body of believers.

Even in biblical times, it was always those who responded to the gospel of their own will that were baptized. This is why we refer to it as Believer's Baptism. It is for those who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord and want to declare their allegiance to Him. Given the absence of examples for infant baptism in the Scriptures and the understanding that baptism is to follow the exercise of personal faith, we do not practice infant baptism.

First, Jesus was baptized (Matthew 3:13-17). It symbolized the great redemptive work He would accomplish in dying, being buried, and being raised from the dead. It identified Him with lost sinners in His death, even though He was sinless. He established an example for us to follow; in being identified with Him as his disciples.

Also, Jesus commanded us to be baptized (Matthew 28:19-20) and the early church did so as well (Acts 2:41).