Believer’s Baptism

At Inner Chamber, the Bible is the source of our beliefs, including our views on baptism. A few key passages help show the purpose baptism plays in the life of a Christian. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commands his followers to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” Baptism is the means by which disciples are identified. Because Christ himself commanded baptism, Christ’s followers willingly submit to it. In passages such as Acts 2:41, 8:12, and 10:47-48, it is evident that the act of baptism came after an individual’s decision to trust Christ for salvation. It was an outward sign of something that had occurred in the person’s life (usually quite recently). No one would dream of being baptized unless he or she had made a decision to identify with Christ, and no one can make that decision for another person. The New Testament records the baptisms of adults who were believers, but never infants. Baptism can’t give a person anything―spiritually speaking. It can only signify something that has already happened. In Romans 6:1-11, Paul explains how the immersion mode of baptism identifies the believer with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Going under water depicts Christ’s death and burial. Coming out of the water illustrates His resurrection. We believe the immersion mode of baptism best illustrates the work of Christ in a person’s life.