Christian Churches and Churches of Christ - Baptism

Baptism

Of the principles cited above, one characteristic marks most Christian Churches and Churches of Christ as distinctly different from other modern evangelical Christian groups today. That is the teaching that a person is ultimately regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and receives the remission of sins, during his baptism. Baptism is:

• by immersion ,
• for publicly confessing believers in Jesus Christ ,
• a work of God's grace, not a work of man ,
• a promise received through obedient submission ,
• necessarily accompanied with confession of sinfulness and repentance ,
• the occasion when one receives God's forgiveness for their sins ,
• the occasion when one calls on His name for salvation ,
• the occasion when the equipping, indwelling Holy Spirit is received as a seal and promise of heaven ,
• a "circumcision" or transformation of the believer's heart by the hands of Christ himself ,
• foreshadowed in the Old Testament ceremonial washings, now fulfilled in a believer's shared experience with Christ ,
• symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and the only assurance of the hope of the resurrection from the dead ,
• specifically emphasized and commanded by Christ in his brief closing remarks ("The Great Commission") before ascending into heaven,
• not only an outward sign of an inward change, but is both simultaneously ,
• one baptism indeed, both physically in water and spiritually in the blood of Jesus ,
• entry into the body of Christ at large, and hence, the only viable entry into the membership of a local congregation of the Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ (as in the Church of Christ (non-instrumental), a candidate for membership is not usually required to be re-baptized if they have previously been "baptized into Christ"in accordance with the above general understanding and/or guidelines) .

The teaching that "salvation coming by grace through faith at immersion into Christ" is the only New Testament example for Christians to follow today is viewed by many groups, particularly those of Calvinist persuasion, as too similar to a salvation by works rather than a salvation by faith alone. Christian Churches and Churches of Christ contend that true faith is not mere belief, but no less than a believing, trusting, and repentant obedience, that baptism is always mentioned in the passive verbal forms in the New Testament (i.e. "be baptized ", as opposed to Old Testament-styled active commands), because it is a work of God, not man . In that respect, (being a work of God) baptism may be considered similar to belief . The assertion follows that it is Christ's redemptive work one trusts in as they, by faith, accept his free offer of grace. Finally, a life of trusting faithfulness until death is seen to demonstrate the authenticity of one's faith, and further makes his or her calling and election sure.