BURIED WITH CHRIST.
RAISED TO LIFE.
Baptism is the joyful, public confession of a believer who has been united to Jesus Christ by faith.
A SIGN OF
THE GOSPEL.
Baptism is one of the clearest ways Jesus has given believers to publicly identify themselves with Him and His church. Explore the questions below to learn what Scripture teaches and how we practice baptism at Loftstofan.
Matthew 28:19–20 · Acts 2:41 · Romans 6:3–4
01
What
WHAT IS BAPTISM?
WHAT IS BAPTISM?
Baptism is a public sign of the gospel. It identifies a believer with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection and with the people He has redeemed.
Baptism does not save us. Salvation is by grace alone through faith in Christ alone. Baptism is an act of obedience flowing from that salvation.
We baptize by immersion. Being lowered beneath the water and raised again beautifully pictures burial with Christ and resurrection to new life.
Romans 6:3–4 · Colossians 2:12
02
Why
WHY SHOULD I BE BAPTIZED?
WHY SHOULD I BE BAPTIZED?
First, because Jesus commands His disciples to be baptized. Baptism is an act of joyful obedience to Christ.
Second, baptism publicly displays the gospel. It points away from our own righteousness and toward the saving work of Jesus in His death and resurrection.
Finally, baptism identifies us with Christ's people. Baptism and church membership therefore naturally belong together. Baptism publicly identifies a believer with Christ and His church, while membership is the church's recognition of that profession of faith.
Matthew 28:19–20 · Romans 6:3–4
03
Who
WHO SHOULD BE BAPTIZED?
WHO SHOULD BE BAPTIZED?
Baptism is for those who have repented of their sin and personally trusted in Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, people hear the gospel, believe, and are then baptized.
For this reason, Loftstofan practices believer's baptism. The prerequisite for baptism is not spiritual maturity or having everything figured out, but a credible profession of repentance and faith in Christ.
Because we understand the New Testament pattern to be faith followed by baptism, we do not baptize infants. We do not regard the application of water apart from personal faith and repentance as Christian baptism. Therefore, someone baptized as an infant who later comes to faith is not being “rebaptized,” but receiving believer's baptism.
Acts 2:38–41 · Acts 8:12 · Acts 18:8
04
When
WHEN SHOULD I BE BAPTIZED?
WHEN SHOULD I BE BAPTIZED?
Baptism should follow a credible profession of faith in Jesus Christ. A Christian does not need to wait until they feel sufficiently mature, knowledgeable, or worthy.
Baptism does not testify that we have become good enough. It testifies that our hope is entirely in Christ. If you have repented of your sin, trusted in Jesus, and have not been baptized as a believer, baptism is an appropriate next step of obedience.
Acts 2:41 · Acts 8:35–38
05
Where
WHERE DOES BAPTISM HAPPEN?
WHERE DOES BAPTISM HAPPEN?
We ordinarily celebrate baptism publicly with the gathered church. Baptism is personal, but it is not merely private. It publicly identifies a believer with Christ and His people.
The particular location is secondary. What matters is that a believer is baptized in water as a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ.
Acts 2:41 · Acts 8:36–38