Paul's Baptism - Glen Cove Christian Church - December 9, 2025

Baptism FAQs— Baptism is an important step of obedience that shows others we have personally trusted Jesus for our salvation. Jesus was baptized when He was on Earth, and we do this to follow His example. When Christians are baptized, they are submerged under water to identify with the death and burial of Jesus and raised out of the water to identify with His resurrection. • What is baptism? Baptism is a visible response to one’s trust in Jesus’ finished work on the cross. Baptism is a picture of the death (dying to our sin and old life), burial (washed and cleansed by Jesus’ blood), and resurrection (raised to new life) of Jesus (Romans 6:1-23). • Why should I be baptized? In the Bible, baptism was the consistent response for people who trusted in Jesus. When people accepted Christ as Savior in New Testament times, they believed in Him (Acts 16:31), repented of their sins (Acts 2:38), confessed Christ as Lord (Matthew 16:16-18, Romans 10:9-10), and were baptized (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 2:38- 41, Acts 8:36-38). • How do I know I’m ready to be baptized? You’re ready to be baptized once you’ve made a personal decision to make Jesus the Lord and Savior of your life. • Is baptism important for my salvation? Receiving Christ requires a response on our part—one that includes belief, repentance, confession, and baptism. Each part expresses our trust in Jesus Christ for our salvation. The actions—including baptism—do not save us, but each action is mentioned in Scripture as part of becoming a Christian. • Does baptism save a person? The Bible teaches that Christ saves. Acts 4:12 states salvation is found “in no other name” than Jesus. The Bible teaches us to believe, repent, confess, and be baptized. As mentioned before, the actions do not save us, but each action is mentioned in Scripture as part of becoming a Christ follower. • Why does GCCC baptize by immersion instead of sprinkling or pouring? Jesus is our leader, and we follow His example of baptism found in Matthew 3:13-17. When Paul and other authors wrote of baptism, they always used the Greek word that meant “to dip or immerse.” There are other Greek words that mean “to sprinkle or pour,” and the authors would have used those words if they had intended to include other modes of baptism. • Should infants be baptized? At Glen Cove Christian Church, we believe baptism requires a personal understanding of the gospel that leads to a personal decision to follow Jesus. Since infants do not yet have that capacity, we do not baptize them. The New Testament practice was baptism upon acceptance of the gospel (Acts 8), which is an act of obedience that should follow one’s profession of faith in Christ. Therefore, we encourage everyone who was baptized as an infant to consider being baptized again as an adult. In so doing, you consciously and personally identify yourself with Jesus Christ and declare the faith you have put in Him. • Can I be a member of Glen Cove Christian Church and not be baptized? No—to be a member of Glen Cove Christian Church, you must be a baptized believer who has completed Glen Cove Christian Church 101. • What Bible passages can I study? In the book of Acts, which records the history of the early Church, everyone who accepted Christ was baptized. Here are some Scriptures to study: Acts 2 - The Samaritans Acts 8:26-40 - The Ethiopian Acts 10:23-48 - Cornelius Acts 16:11-15 - Lydia Acts 16:30-34 - The Philippian Jailer Acts 22:6-16 - Paul on Trial 1 Peter 3:21-22 Colossians 2:11-15 Romans 6 John 3:16-21 Matthew 28:18-20 Matthew 3:13-17 1 John 2:4-6 If you’d like to speak with someone about this important step in your journey with Jesus, email [email protected] or text 502-667-2981. Transcript Follow along using the transcript. Show transcript Glen Cove Christian Church