Baptism and Church Membership

The Bible is clear that our salvation is a matter of faith and not of works (Romans 1:17, 3:28 Ephesians 2:8-9). This is why the New Testament consistently shows baptism as an act of obedience following belief (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). We often refer to this as believer’s baptism. An infant is never capable of making such a decision to know or follow Jesus. The New Testament is silent in both instruction and practice regarding infant baptism. Because of the consistent references to immersion following belief, we do not uphold the practice of infant baptism.

The Bible is consistent in both instruction and practice that baptism always follows belief. We are saved through our faith in Jesus (John 3:16; Romans 5:1). We believe that every person is accountable to confess their sins and profess faith in Jesus for their salvation. Once a child understands their own sin, and their need for Jesus, they are invited to obediently participate in baptism. It is not age, but a right understanding of faith that matters. We realize that this is an important decision for families, so we encourage meeting with one of our pastors to determine if a child is ready for baptism.

The Bible teaches us that salvation is a work of God according to His grace (Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 2:8) It is through faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus that saves. At GracePoint, we like to say that Jesus, plus anything else, is not the gospel. This includes baptism. Baptism is an act of obedience that demonstrates our salvation in Christ. The waters of baptism do not accomplish or seal our salvation; it is simply a public declaration of the work the Lord has already accomplished within us.

The New Testament uses the word “immersion” to describe baptism. This is instructive to the common practice of baptism, because it is a word that describes someone being dipped or fully submerged in water. There is no evidence in Scripture to suggest that baptism is a passive activity; meaning, the water was never sprinkled or placed on someone. We see many examples of immersion in the Bible, including the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17). Finally, the meaning of this word helps to illustrate the believer’s identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:4-5).