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Baptism


Jesus' final recorded words to His followers before His ascension to heaven express the importance He placed on Baptism. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commands His followers, “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Baptism does not provide salvation for an individual, but rather serves to identify publicly the individual as a follower of Christ.  Grace recognizes only two sacraments: Holy Baptism and Holy Communion.
Other rites such as Confirmation, Ordination, Holy Matrimony, Funerals, and Anointing of the Sick are performed but are not considered sacraments. 

In our Baptism, Grace believes that Baptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference whereby Christians are distinguished from others that are not baptized; but it is also a sign of regeneration or the new birth. Baptism is a sacrament in which God initiates a covenant with individuals and people become a part of the Church Universal.  Baptism is not to be repeated. It is a means of grace. 

The United Methodist Church generally practices Baptism by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion and recognizes Trinitarian formula baptisms from other Christian denominations in good standing.

These sacraments represent both the individual, inward commitment to a personal relationship with Jesus and the corporate, outward sign of being connected to a local community of Christ followers—the local church.

If you were baptized as a child, it was the intent of your parents that you would one day be a follower of Christ. They took a vow that they would raise you in the church and the church takes a vow to support you to become a fully devoted believer in Jesus Christ.  Baptism as an adult can be viewed as the fulfillment of your parents’ vow. It in no way repudiates the Baptism you received as a child.