Baptism
Baptism holds profound significance as an ordinance commanded by Jesus Christ rather than a sacrament that imparts saving grace. It serves as a public profession of personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, symbolizing the believer's identification with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection—going under the water represents dying to sin and being buried with Him, while emerging signifies rising to new life in Christ (Romans 6:3-4). Baptists emphasize believer's baptism by immersion, practiced only upon a credible profession of faith, viewing it as an act of obedience to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and a vivid pictorial declaration of the gospel itself. While not necessary for salvation—which comes by grace through faith alone—baptism marks entry into the visible church community, testifies to God's transformative work in the individual's life, and provides a powerful testimony that encourages both the one baptized and the watching congregation.
