Baptism

Naimoi, a good friend of mine, who lives in Bermuda did not consider baptism to be merely an option . She attended a seventh-day institution were they believe that by baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and testify our death to sin and of our purpose to walk in the newness of life. For more than a year she had eagerly studied the Bible, and longed to become a Christian. One evening she shared with her family the new information that she had learned, and they were glad for her. The time came for Naimoi to be baptized in the gravery waters. Peace filled her heart as she was baptized.

The English word baptize comes from the Greek verb bapizo, which implies immersion, since it is derived from the verb bapto, meaning "to dip in or under." Baptism is simply a symbol of Christ's death and resurrection. If this was not so, baptism would have had no significance as a symbol of

Christ's passion "if the apostolic church had practiced a mode of baptism other than immersion." Therefore "the strongest argument for baptism by immersion is a theological one.

Baptism is virtually linked to salvation. Christ taught that "he who believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16). Even though baptism is linked to salvation it does not guarantee salvation. It brings about a newness of life, forgiveness of our sins, and our reception of the Holy

Spirit. I can remember my baptism like it was yesterday. I was all excited, filled with joy and happiness. After coming from under the water,

I felt like a new person. I didn't feel isolated anymore, because I became part of Christ's church. Even though I was baptized didn't mean that I had reached my highest peak attainable to being a Christian. As we grow spiritually, we acquire Christian graces to be used in serving others on

God's plan of multiplication: "grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord" (2 Peter 1:2)

We see that baptism incorporates new believers into the church with the context of "being born again." Therefore, the question is often asked if infants or children be baptized? Incorporation takes place at the "new birth," not at "infant birth." This is why believers wee baptized - "both men and woman"(Acts 8:12) "Nowhere in the New Testament," Karl Barth