Baptism
FOLLOWING JESUS IN BAPTISM
Water baptism, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, signifies our adoption into Christ, our cleansing from sin, and our commitment to follow Christ and belong to His church. At Laurel Baptist Church, we believe baptism is both a personal act of obedience and a public declaration of belonging to Christ’s body as expressed through the local church. For this reason, baptism is reserved for those who are members of Laurel Baptist Church.
3 key reasons
why a believer in Christ should follow Him in baptism:
1. Baptism is an expressed symbol of our identity with Christ and His gospel.
Just like a wedding ring symbolizes marriage in our identity with our spouse, the Scriptures teach that baptism symbolizes salvation in our identity with Jesus. Those who believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ are to identify with Him through water baptism. Baptism doesn’t bring us salvation; it simply symbolizes the gospel in which we have put our faith. In short, baptism is an outward expression of an inward decision.
Acts 2:41; Romans 6:4, 10:11
2. Baptism is an act of obedience in uniting with Christ’s church.
Christ commanded His followers to be baptized and to join the fellowship of His church. Here at Laurel Baptist, baptism affirms not only your obedience to Christ’s command but also your covenant relationship with this local body. It is one of the first steps in faithfully participating in the life and mission of our church family.
Matthew 28:19; John 15:14
3. Baptism is a fruit of repentance as we follow Christ’s example for us.
Christ set the example by being baptized by John the Baptist, and He teaches us that a fruit of genuine repentance is following His example. As members of His body here at Laurel Baptist, we joyfully follow in His steps.
Matthew 3:13; John 8:31
What Do We Believe About Baptism?
At Laurel Baptist Church, we believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is a solemn and beautiful emblem of our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior—signifying our death to sin and resurrection to a new life in Christ. We believe that baptism is a prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and participation in the Lord’s Supper. In the Lord’s Supper, the members of the church, by the sacred use of the bread and the cup, commemorate together the dying love of Christ, always preceded by a time of solemn self-examination.
Acts 8:36–39; Matthew 3:5–6; John 3:22–23; Matthew 28:19–20; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 8:12; Acts 16:32–34; Acts 18:8; Acts 10:47–48; Galatians 3:26–28; Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:20–21; Acts 22:16; Acts 2:41–42; 1 Corinthians 11:26; Matthew 26:26–29; Mark 14:22–25; Luke 22:14–20; 1 Corinthians 11:28