People who attend church seem to struggle with the issue of baptism, within the topic of their salvation.
There are several reasons why baptism brings about so many questions. One is due to the fact that the Christian Church is made up of people from several different backgrounds.
Let us consider some of the most asked questions about baptism.
Q Does baptism actually save a person?
A The Bible teaches that only Christ saves.
Acts 4:12 states that salvation is found in no one other than Jesus. However, receiving Christ
necessitates response on our part. The Bible makes it clear that our response should include faith, repentance, confession, baptism, and growth. Each is important, but none is more important. These are ways we express the fact that we trust Christ for salvation. They do not save us. Christ does.
When people accepted Christ as Savior in New Testament times, they Believed in Him (Acts 16:31), they Repented of their sins (Acts 2:38), they Confessed Christ as Lord (Matthew 16:16-18), and they were Baptized (Acts 8:36-38).
As Christians, our role is to teach the same things that were taught by the apostles. As the Bible teaches, we encourage those who accept Christ to believe, repent, confess, be baptized, and grow.
Q Can I be a member of JCC and not be baptized?
A The elders and ministers of this church are responsible to God for what is taught.
The position of this church is that baptism was an ordinance in the New Testament. Everyone who accepted Christ was baptized. As a church seeking true Biblical standards, we feel we should teach what the Bible teaches and do what scriptures say to do.
Thus, we believe that members of JCC should actively participate in all the steps of salvation. We realize that not everyone will agree on its importance, but as leaders, we are called to lead the best we know how.
Q Why do you baptize by immersion, and not by sprinkling or pouring?
A The original language of the New Testament was Greek.
When Paul and others wrote about baptism, they always used the Greek word for “dip or immerse”. There are other Greek words that mean “to sprinkle or pour”. If the Bible writers had intended for other modes of baptism to be used, they would have used other words. Immersion was the commonly accepted form of baptism in the church for hundreds of years.
Q Isn't baptism just a "work"? And doesn't the Bible say that we are not saved by works?
A Baptism is not merely a "work", it is a part of faith.
It is an outward action demonstrating an inward obedience.
Other Scriptues
Whenever anyone mentioned in the book of Acts (the history book of the church), accepted Christ as Savior and Lord, they took the same next step.
Find these scriptures to discover the next step:
Acts 8:12 The Samaritans
Acts 8:36 The Ethiopian
Acts 10:38 Cornelius
Acts 16:15 Lydia
Acts 16:30 The Jailer
Acts 22:16 Paul
Other scriptures to study:
I Peter 3:21, Colossians 2:11-12, Romans 6:1-4, John 3:16-23, Matthew 28:18-20, Matthew 3:15, I John 2:4