Baptism

We are happy to baptize any child who is spiritually and intellectually ready. If you child has put his/her faith in Jesus Christ for salvation and seeks to obey the Lord in baptism, we have a program in place to facilitate it.

Is Your Child Ready?

Your child’s baptism should be approached with patience, caution and carefulness. Children raised in the church are often able to articulate things that God has not yet done in their hearts. Parents should not push children toward baptism or perhaps even suggest it. The Spirit of God will prompt the child to be baptized at an appropriate time. Allow your child to bring up the topic - maybe even several times - before acting on it.

Are you and your child convinced that he/she will spend eternity in heaven with God when he/she dies? Baptism is only for those whom God has saved.

Is your child able to understand and articulate the meaning and significance of baptism? Is he/she clear on what baptism is or is there still confusion? Unless he/she is clear, it is not yet time.

Is your child prepared to accept the responsibilities that come with identification with Christ? Baptism is not salvation, nor is it church membership, but it does bring great responsibility because it is our method of public identification.

The Baptism Process at Colonial

Children who want to pursue baptism must first complete a course entitled “I’m A Christian Now”. This course meets at various times throughout the year and involves one session for parents and 4 sessions for kids.

Prior to baptising a child, Pastor Scott will meet with that child’s father (or mother if he is not available) to discuss the child’s baptism.

Pastor Scott will also meet individually with each child to discuss his/her salvation, baptism nd issues related to your child's desire to be baptized.

Once a child becomes a candidate for baptism, we will work with you to set up a date for baptism during one of our three morning worship services.

The Meaning of Baptism

The word "ordinance" means "that which is ordered by or commanded." By the ordinances of the Church, we mean the external rites which the Scriptures set forth to be observed by believers. In most Protestant churches, we observe two such rites that were commanded by Christ - Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

We do not use the word "sacrament" as applied to the ordinance, because that word indicates something that is especially sacred in itself and necessary for salvation.

What is Baptism?

Water Baptism is a meaningful demonstration of a personal identification with the Lord Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. It is also a public testimony of an inward personal salvation experience that took place at an earlier time. This you will see again throughout this study.

In the early church, its meaning was very significant. Jewish believers would be excommunicated from family and friends, and the Gentiles would suffer ridicule and persecution. Baptisms were generally done publicly for anyone to observe. Today, although baptism is primarily observed within the local assembly of believers, it still holds a very significant meaning.

For some people, the thought of public confession can be very frightening, but we must not forget that: 2 Timothy 1:7-8 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with {me} in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, "God has not given us the spirit of timidity, but of power, and of love, and of sound mind...therefore, we should not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord ."

Baptism is an outward sign or symbol of an inward reality. It symbolizes that which took place in our lives when we were saved. It is a sign testifying to all that we have had a born-again experience with God and that He has made a change in our lives. It has no saving power in itself, but it signifies that we have had a born again experience with Christ, and that He is precious to us. For an unsaved person to be baptized is hypocrisy, as he is signifying something that is not true, and being baptized in no way makes it true. If he has not received Christ as Savior, he is lost; being baptized will make no difference in his life and relationship to Christ.

What is our authority for observing this ordinance?

1. It is commanded by Christ.

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..."

Since it is commanded by Christ, we actually need no further authority that this. Jesus said, "Ye are my friends if ye do the things which I command you." He also said, "Why call ye me Lord, and do not the things which I say?" Out of our love and loyalty to Him we should desire to be baptized.

2. Baptism was enjoined by the apostles.

Acts 2:38 Peter {said} to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

3. Baptism was practiced by the early Church.

One of the best books on baptism is the book of Acts in the New Testament. A reading of this book will reveal that the early church baptized those who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.

What does Baptism Mean - What Does It Signify?

Remember that we said that baptism was an outward sign of an inward reality, or a symbol of that which has already taken place in the life of the believer. Let us see then what has taken place in the life of the believer which baptism signifies.

1. Baptism is a public confession of Christ.

A man becomes a soldier when he takes the soldier’s oath. The public, however, may not realize he has become a soldier until he is seen in his new uniform. The uniform does not make him a soldier; it simply proclaims that he is a soldier. In a similar way, a person becomes a Christian by putting his trust in Christ. In baptism, he puts on the Christian’s uniform, telling the world that he has become a follower of Christ.

2. Union With Christ.

Galatians 3:26-27 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

When a person receives Christ he is baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. This means that the believer is vitally united to Christ, and the very life of the Son of God flows into the believer. Water baptism symbolizes this baptism of the Holy Spirit and becomes to the Christian the sign of his vital union with Christ.

3. Baptism symbolizes death to sin and resurrection to a new life in Christ.

Romans 6:3-5 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with {Him} in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be {in the likeness} of His resurrection,

Colossians 2:12 ...having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the {life} which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Christ took the place of the sinner in bearing the penalty for sin. So complete is the believer’s identification which Jesus Christ that when Christ died on the cross and arose from the dead, the believer is pictured as having died and arisen with Him. Baptism symbolizes therefore, the cancellation of personal guilt through the absolute and complete removal of the penalty of sins through the blood of Christ. But further than that it pictures the believer’s death to sin and resurrection to a new life in Christ. By being lowered into the water the believer is testifying, "My sinful life, the old man, unrighteousness, the old sinful person that I was is buried with Christ." When a person is being raised from the water he is testifying, "I am now a new creation in Christ Jesus raised in newness of life to God and righteousness."

In baptism, the believer testifies to that which Christ has done, and we declare our identity with Him in crucifixion and resurrection. We bear witness to the fact that His righteousness becomes ours "through the faith of the operation of God."

4. The Lordship of Jesus Christ

Galatians 3:27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Baptism signifies the enthronement of Christ as the Lord of the believer’s life.

How do we baptize? What is the proper mode of baptism?

We believe that immersion in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is the proper mode of baptism.

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im·mer·sion   Pronunciation Key  (i-mûrzhn, -shn) n. 1.a: The act or an instance of immersing / 1.b. The condition of being immersed. / 2. Baptism performed by totally submerging a person in water.

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1. The word "baptize" means 'to dip or immerse".
The Greek word "baptizo" which has been translated into the English language is used 127 times in the New Testament and is not once translated sprinkle or pour.

2. The examples of baptism we have in the New Testament were immersion.
The only two baptisms that were reported in detail in the New Testament are those of Jesus and the Ethiopian eunuch These were clearly by immersion.

Matthew 3:13-17 Then Jesus *arrived from Galilee at the Jordan {coming} to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit {it} at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he *permitted Him.

After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove {and} lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."

Acts:36-39 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?" [And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."] And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.

3. Immersion best presents symbolism of baptism.

Immersion is clearly the best symbol of burial and resurrection. Neither sprinkling nor pouring picture the symbolism of baptism as effectively. Only the burying of a believer in the water grave of baptism and raising him again from the water grave can carry out the figure of burial and resurrection.

Who Should Be Baptized?

1. Jesus commanded the church to teach and baptize.

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,"

2. In every example we have in the Bible, those who were baptized first received Christ as Savior. Note the following:

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 preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike."

Acts 8:13 "Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed"

Acts 8:36,37 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?" [And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."]

Acts 10:44,48 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.

Acts 16:14-15 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay." And she prevailed upon us.

Acts 18:8 Crispus,the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized.

Acts 19:4-5 Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus." When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

3. There is no teaching or example of the baptism of infants or unbelievers in the New Testament.Question Box, "...there is no conclusive proof in the New Testament of the practice of infant baptism. In this matter many Protestants inconsistently violate the principle of the Bible only as a rule of faith and follow the divine tradition of the Roman Catholic Church. Again, if a man is justified by an act of faith, and an infant is incapable of such an act, it follows logically on Protestant principles that children ought not to be baptized."

4. Baptism has no meaning whatsoever for infants or unbelievers.

Read again the meaning or significance of baptism. None of these symbols are true of the person who has not personally received Christ as Savior.