Profession of Faith Baptism
April 30th, 2023
In the Christian church, baptism is a sign and seal of God’s New Covenant promises. These promises are set forth in Ezekiel 36 where God says:
“Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” (Ezek. 36:25-27)
Baptism is a visible sign of these invisible spiritual realities.
- In baptism you are united to Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection (Rom. 6:3-4, Gal. 3:27).
- In baptism your sins are washed away, your heart is cleansed, and you are made pure by the blood of Jesus (Acts 22:16, Titus 3:5).
- In baptism you are born again, as Jesus says in John 3, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).
This baptism is your formal entrance into the kingdom. It is what seals you as a member of the visible church, and it is what grants you access to partake of the Lord’s Supper with us, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body” (1 Cor. 12:13).
