Donald Fehlauer posted on October 05, 2005 00:00
The Bible teaches that God instituted the Sacrament of Holy Baptism as a necessary Means of Grace. Through Baptism the Holy Spirit gives us a new spiritual birth as children of God. (John 3:5).
Holy Baptism is the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit according to the command and promise of God (Matthew 28:18-20). God did not command the method of washing, so we may use immersion, pouring, or sprinkling.
Through Baptism the Holy Spirit gives the forgiveness of sins which Jesus Christ won for all by His sufferings and death (1 Peter 3:21-22). Through Baptism, the Holy Spirit actively works to create and preserve saving faith, washes away sins and gives eternal salvation to all who believe (Titus 3:5-7).
Scripture teaches that all people are to be baptized, including infants and children, because they can believe (Acts 2:38-39; Matt. 18:6). Whole households were baptized (Acts 16:30-34) and Jesus welcomed children (Luke 18:15-17).
Those who reject Baptism forfeit the forgiveness God offers through it (Luke 7:29-30). Similarly, a baptized person who continues in persistent unbelief to death loses his salvation (Mark 16:16).
We reject the teaching that baptism is merely a symbol, sign, or initiation into the church and not a saving work of the Holy Spirit. We reject that immersion is the only true method. We reject the teaching that only confessing adults should be baptized.