Baptism

Who should be baptized?

Everyone who is willing to repent of their sins and confess their belief in Christ should be baptized (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38-39).

When Should I be baptized?

The word for “baptism” in the New Testament is the Greek word baptizo, which means “to immerse in water.” The New Testament says baptism represents the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:1-5). Baptism serves as a symbol of the burial of the old self and the resurrection of the believer’s soul to walk in life with Christ. Therefore, at Fairfield Church of Christ, we baptize people by immersing them in water. If you have been sprinkled, we would love to talk to you about why immersion is important.

‍A person should be baptized at the time he or she trusts in Christ. The Bible teaches we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), but in the New Testament church, a person’s baptism was always the first expression of faith, not separate from it. Therefore, baptism was not just a symbol or a memorial of faith, but was intended to offer a means of union with Christ and a benchmark of transformation, marking the place and time a person made a commitment to Christ (Romans 6:1-8). Therefore, we ask a person to be baptized at the point that he or she is ready to make a commitment to Christ.

Why should I be baptized?

A person should be baptized to follow the example of Christ (Matthew 3:13-17), to obey Christ’s command (Matthew 28:18), to accept forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16), to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), to express trust in Christ (Acts 8:12-13), and to testify to God’s work in his or her life (Romans 6:1-8; Galatians 3:27). The only method by which the human soul can be wiped clean of sin is through the blood of Christ (Hebrews 9:27-10:7), and this “washing away” of sin is most clearly symbolized in the act of baptism (Acts 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21).

The act of baptism cannot save an individual. We are saved only through accepting Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Baptism demonstrates the believer’s acceptance of Christ and is the point of time when the believer receives assurance of his or her faith.