BAPTISMBAPTISMWHY BE BAPTIZED BY IMMERSION?

Jesus was baptized that way.

Every baptism in the Bible was by immersion.

The word Baptize means “to dip under water” or “to immerse”.

Immersion best symbolizes the burial and resurrection of Christ.

Matthew 3:16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.

Acts 8:38–39 Both Philip and the officer went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away; the officer never saw him again. And the officer continued on his way home, full of joy.

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF BAPTISM?

It illustrates Christ’s burial and resurrection.

It illustrates new life as a Christian.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scrip-tures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.

Colossians 2:12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.

Romans 6:3-4 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

Baptism doesn’t make you a believer – it’s the public statement that you already believe in Christ. Baptism does not save you, only your faith in Christ does that. Baptism is like a wedding ring – it’s the outward symbol of the commitment you’ve made in your heart.

WHO SHOULD BE BAPTIZED?

Every person who has believed in Christ.

Acts 2:41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Acts 8:12–13 But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptized.

Some churches practice a "baptism of confirmation" for infants/children. This cere-mony is intended to be a covenant between the parents and God on the behalf of the child. The parents promise to raise their child in the faith until the child is old enough to make his or her own personal confession of Christ. Infant Baptism is a custom that began about 300 years after the Bible was completed. This is different from the baptism talked about in the Bible, which was only for those old enough to believe. At Seabreeze, we wait until our children are old enough to believe and understand the true meaning of baptism before we baptize them. The purpose of baptism is to publicly confess your personal commitment to Christ. If you were baptizedas an infant, no problem. You will, however, need to be baptized by immersion after your personal commitment to Christ.

BAPTISMBAPTISM

WHEN SHOULD I BE BAPTIZED?

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR WHEN I AM BAPTIZED?

Baptism should follow commitment to Christ.

Acts 2:41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Acts 8:35–38 Philip began to speak, and starting with this same Scripture, he told the man the Good News about Jesus. While they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The officer said, “Look, here is water. What is stopping me from being baptized?” Philip answered, “If you believe with all your heart, you can.” The officer said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Then the officer commanded the chariot to stop. Both Philip and the officer went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

There is no reason to delay. As soon as you have decided to receive Christ into your life, you can and should be baptized. If you wait until you are perfect you will never feel good enough. Baptism is a statement about the direction of your life not the condition of your life.

Women should wear shorts or a modest bathing suit and a dark T-shirt. Men should wear shorts and a T-shirt. Bring a change of clothes, a towel and a plastic bag for your wet clothes.

18162 Gothard StreetHuntington Beach, CA 92648

714-841-7622

WILL I HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING WHEN I AM BAPTIZED?

WHAT DO I DO IF I WANT TO BE BAPTIZED AT SEABREEZE?

At the beginning of the baptism, one of the pastors will briefly explain the meaning of baptism. Then you will be asked to declare your decision to believe in Christ stating when you made this decision. You can add a few sentences of explanation if you would like. Just before you are baptized the pastor will ask you two questions. 1. Is Jesus your Savior and Lord? 2. Is the Bible your guide? After affirming these two statements you will be baptized. We encourage you to invite all your relatives and friends to attend your baptism.

To sign-up, click the baptism link atseabreezechurch.com

For further questions email Elliot Edwards elliot@seabreezechurch.com

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