What Is Baptism?

For many, depending on if, and which Christian traditions people come from, questions arise surrounding the meaning of baptism and its implications for the believer. Below is a brief summary of Missio Dei Church’s beliefs and practices concerning baptism. If you have further questions about baptism or would like to speak with one of our pastors about being baptized  this Sunday, email us at info [at] mdcasheville.org.

What does baptism mean?


Christian baptism is an act of obedience to the command of Jesus, declaring the believers faith in and identification with their crucified, buried, and risen Savior. It is a visible declaration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The believer being baptized is immersed beneath the waters in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, which expresses the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, which expresses the believers’ death to sin and the buriel of their old life, and then emersed out of the water, which expresses the believers’ resurrection to a new kingdom life in Christ Jesus. Furthermore, baptism identifies a Christian with Jesus, the universal churchand the local church.



Who should be baptized?



1.     In the precursor to Christian baptism, John the Baptizer required that people repent of sin before being baptized. (Matt. 3:2Mark 1:4Luke 3:3)

2.     Every baptism in the New Testament is preceded by repentance of sin and faith in Jesus. (Acts 2:38–418:129:18–1910:44–4816:14–1529–3618:819:1–7;22:16)



5.     The Bible does record occurrences where entire households were baptized. (Acts 10:3344–4811:1416:151 Cor. 1:16) In these cases, the Bible also records that each member of these households believed in Jesus and was saved. (John 4:53Acts 18:81 Cor. 16:15)

6.     Both Jesus and his apostles gave the command for disciples to be baptized as an expression of that discipleship. (Matt. 28:19Acts 2:38)

 Do you have to be baptized to be saved?



