Baptism and New Life in Christ: Meaning and Significance

Baptism is a Christian rite intended to be an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, a ceremonial, symbolic, constitutive, inscriptive and initiatory activity among those who profess the Christian faith. This sacramental act meanings in Christian theology to spiritually receive a new life in Christ, which is a spiritual transformation of a person resulting in a new spiritual status and existence as a spiritual person as the result of having faith in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit operating within the Believer. The sacrament of Baptism signifies cleansing, rebirth, and union with the Body of Christ. Baptism has as its meaning: a public announcement, an obedience of the command of Christ, a grace filled means, and an initiation into a lifetime of discipleship. Referred to as the “Christening” of infants (in some traditions including as a dialogue), or “immersion” of the body in water, it is a sacrament practiced by most Christians (who view it as a means of “grace… When practiced outside of the Christian mainstream, the practice may be perceived theologically differently (e.g., the form of the water-rite, or, theologically, as not being a sacrament at all, but an ordinance of Jesus Christ).

This article considers the nuanced theology of Baptism and new life in Christ. First it will develop and to some degree justify what may be considered a Christian doctrine of what Baptism amounts to by taking stock of the biblical roots and theological rationales for the practice. The body of the paper will then delve into the intimate link between Baptismal act and the transformative reality of coming to new life in Christ, the particular articulation and practice of spiritual rebirth in this sacrament. The role of the Holy Spirit, the dying/ rising with Christ, forgiveness of sin, and the incorporation into the church will be explored. Moreover, this paper will discuss the implications of this new life in the life of the believer, such as the invitation to holiness, communal participation among the Christians and the spiritual growth on the way. The consideration of other forms and confessions of Baptism in Christian tradition will, in addition, take the reader into diverse expressions of this common sacrament. Finally, the paper will discuss Christian initiation in a wider context, and use it to address some questions about the nature and practice of Baptism.

AFC – What is the deep sense and lasting efficacy of BAPTISM and of the NEW LIFE in CHRIST?

The profound effectiveness of Baptism and the permanence of Baptism stem from its ability to symbolize out-and inwardly the process of the believing person’s entrance into a new life in Christ. It takes on this event as a central sacrament, which brings about a spiritual change, a turning into Christ. Its significance is multi-faceted, but includes cleansing from sin, regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit, and new birth as a child of God through the union with Christ in the death and resurrection of Christ and incorporation into the church as the body of Christ. MeaningThere is also its significance as an act of obedience, a public confession of faith and a medium through which divine grace is supposed to be given, the beginning of the lifelong process of discipleship and spiritual growth in what is manifested as the new life in Christ.

What Is The Bible Teaching Concerning Baptism And The New Life In Christ?

Biblical Basis for Christian Baptism and New Life in Christ The Old Testament: The touch of life The basis for understanding Baptism and the new life in Christ is found in both the Old and New Testaments, the later giving us both the direct command(s) and theological explanation(s) for Christian Baptism. Its meaning and importance are defined by a number of key passages and themes.’

How Does the Old Testament Prepare for Christian Baptism?

In the Old Testament there are numerous prototypes and typological anticipations of Christian Baptism – mainly in the Precursor and foreshadowing of Christian Baptism appear in various things pertaining to water and to spirit in the Old Testament: fulfilment of prophecies, types, symbols, and other ways. For example, Noah’s boat and the resulting flood (Genesis 6-9) is seen by some as a foreshadowing of water salvation as given in 1 Peter 3:20-21. The original passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea (Exodus 14), out of slavery in Egypt, becomes for Paul an instance of “baptism” into Moses, a deliverance and reception of a new covenant relationship to God (1 Cor 10:1-2). Ritual ablutions for cleansing from defilement were also enjoined by the Mosaic law (Leviticus 14-15, Numbers 19), thus bringing out more clearly the symbolism of water as an agent of spiritual purification, foreshadowed in the Christian Sacrament of Baptism. Circumcision, the badge of the Abrahamic covenant (Ge 17), some theologians regard as a type alike of admittance into covenant-connection with God’s people and of the renewal of the inner nature (Col 2:11-12, where Paul speaks of Baptism as a “circumcision made in Christ”). These Old Testament histories and rituals – the ceremonial washings, the crossing of the Red Sea, and the covenant of circumcision – give a wealth of symbolical material from which to draw what is the significance and meaning of Baptism in the Christian sense and how it effects the transition to the new life that is in Jesus Christ.

What does the Baptism of John the Baptist do?

John the Baptist’s Gospel baptism John the Baptists baptism is the immediate precursor to Christian Baptism and provided a major impetus to the meaning of the Christian sacrament.

John preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4). It was a visible indication of your inward decision to turn from your sin and focus on God as you awaited the arrival of the Messiah. There are three key elements to John’s baptism: it was a call to repentance, it was linked with the remission of sins, and it laid down a challenge to the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire (3:11). Jesus himself was baptized by John (Matthew 3:13-17) though He had no need to repent “to fulfill all righteousness,” acknowledge His human solidarity, and endorse John’s ministry. That act made Baptism holy. Where the baptism of John was a “baptism of repentance,” Christian Baptism, which Christ instituted, has “a fuller view” as it is explicitly linked to the death and resurrection of Jesus and the imparting of the Holy Spirit, and becomes the new life in Christ.

Did Jesus Establish Christian Baptism?

Christian Baptism was instituted by Jesus Christ after His resurrection, most clearly in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). He ordered His followers, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” 3 This verse identifies three essential elements: the universal outreach of the mandate (“all nations”), the radical nature of Baptism as a key activity in the making of disciples, and the Trinitarian indication (“in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”). The warrant for this is in Jesus himself (“All authority in heaven on earth has been given to me”). The observance of the command of Baptism by the apostles (cp., Acts 2:38-41, Acts 8:12-13, Acts 10:47-48, for examples) reveals their obedience to this command, and also reflects its content and importance as the rite of initiation into Christian faith and community of life, and as the memorial of the beginning of life in Christ.

The Theological Symbolism of the Action of Baptism

Baptism is a richly theological act containing various theological truths, which speak of the Christian faith and the believer’s experience of salvation and coming into the new life in Christ. These meanings are related to each other and are part of the rich meaning of Baptism.

What is Symbolised by Baptism as a Token of Union with the Death and Resurrection of Christ?

Baptism pictures so clearly a believer’s union with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul explains this in Romans 6:3-4: “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Water immersion (common to many religions) gives a powerful picture: going under the water is a picture of dying and being buried with Christ; coming up out of the water is a picture of being raised with Christ to a new life. That this identifier isn’t just a token embrace but rather a performance of spiritual reality. in faith and through Baptism, sharing in Christ’s work of salvation. This connection implies that Christ’s triumph over sin and death is theirs, transforming their lives. This is fundamental to the meaning of Baptism and of the new existence in Christ.

How does baptism symbolize or represent the remission of sin and purity?

What does baptism represent now anyway? Water: a type that appears universally in legends as a symbol of washing and cleansing. In connection with Baptism, it is the cleansing away of sin by God’s grace with thanks to Christ gainful death. Peter’s sermon at Pentecost connects Baptism with repentance and the forgiveness of sins: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Likewise, Ananias told Saul (soon to be known as Paul): “Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16). Although the water itself does not have the power by which sin is washed away (that power is in Christ’s blood and in the grace of God), yet Baptism is the sign and seal of that inner cleansing and forgiveness, being the appointed means by which one enters visibly into a new state, or order of being, as a justified man or woman upon whom the new life has dawned. The relevancy of Baptism in this regard is that here we have a manifestation of an invisible grace.

Relation of Baptism to Regeneration and the Gift of the Holy Spirit?

Baptism is Scripturally tied to spiritual rebirth (being “born again”) and the impartation of the Holy Spirit which are essential components to newness of life in Christ. Jesus also said that one must be “born of water and the Spirit” to enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5). Titus 3:5 mentions the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. The promise of the Holy Spirit is tied to repentance and Baptism as spoken of in Acts 2:38. The Holy Spirit is the immediate agent in the new birth, empowering the believer to repent and believe, uniting the believer to Christ and His body, the Church. While there may be varied theological views as to the nature of the link between them (e.g., Baptism confers the Spirit or is a sign of having received the Spirit), the biblical association between them is significant. What Baptism signifies here is an event or a sign of the process of spiritual rebirth and the communication of Divine life. The importance of Baptism is that it represents the creative work of God which gives and maintains a life in Christ.

What does it mean to be baptized ”in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit?”.

To be baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19) is an expression as pregnant with significance theologically as can be imagined. The name eis to onoma does not just mean a formula; it can mean to be carried into union with, to be made subject to, to participate in the life and reality of the Triune God. 4 key implications are:

1. Divine authority and ownership: Baptism is conducted on the authority of God and ‘stamps’ the person as belonging to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
2. Relationship to the Trinity: It points to a covenant relationship with the triune God. The believer is introduced into communion with the Father as a Father, with the Son as their Saviour and Lord, and with the Holy Spirit as their Sanctifier and Comforter.
3. Confession of Trinitarian Faith: The pronouncement of the Trinitarian formula is a confession of the Christian conception of God as One God in three Persons. It suggests the triune character of our salvation and also of our new life in Christ.
4. Commitment to Trinitarian Discipleship: God’s love is perfectly lived in each person within the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, a commitment to livess as well as character and will of the.

Being baptized in the name of the (crucified and risen) Christ and sealed with the Holy Spirit (who is powered and sent forth by the crucified and risen Christ) occur in the ever-creating (and re-creating) work of the Father (39-40). This Trinitarian center is thus the key to Christian understanding of Baptism and new life in Christ, securing the fact that salvation and the life of the Christian are set firm in the life and work of God. The meaning of Baptism is there insofar as this universal divine relationship is implied.

What Is The Meaning And Power Of Baptism For The Believer & The Church?

The importance of Baptism transcends its theological symbolism; its implications spread into the practical aspects, both personal and ecclesiastical, of the individual believer or the Christian Church. It is, in fact, a decisive event that embodies their initiation into the visible body of Christ—the community of the saints—where their identity and commitment as bearers of new life in Christ are formed.

How is Baptism a Public Confession of Faith and Allegiance to Jesus Christ?

Baptism is an outward expression of a person’s belief in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. The early church, as outlined in the book of Acts, commonly baptized immediately after profession of faith (e.g., Acts 8:36-38 with the Ethiopian eunuch). In submitting to Baptism, believers publicly connect themselves to Christ and His people, sometimes in contrast to their former beliefs or sociological moorings. It is a physical expression of an internal change and an outward sign that one wants to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. There are 3 important elements to this public act:

1. Witness to Others: It gives a visible witness to the world which is watching that Christ has the power to save and that the new life in Christ is possible.
2. Personal Decision: It restates the believer’s own commitment, crystallizing a decisive moment of decision and dedication.
3. Identity with the Persecuted: In the past, and in some situations today, baptism could also have meant a likelihood of excommunication or even persecution, a fact with made it a significant assertion of costly discipleship.

The significance of Baptismas a public confession illustrates the believer’s personal consent to accept themeaning of Baptismand become a partofthe new life in Christpublicly.

How is Baptism an Obedience to the Command of Christ?

Baptism is a simple act of obedience to Jesus Christ. As we read in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19), Jesus gave the command to baptize to His disciples: “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them. …“Therefore, one must be Baptized into Christ’s teaching. This obedience should not be a instrument to merit salvation, but rather a lover’s response to the God who has loved her since eternity, and it is an act of love to the God who saved her. This is where the importance of Baptism comes in, it is the public display of a believer’s surrender to Christ’s leadership and example. This obedience is one of the first and the most significant evidences of the new life in Christ, which is striving to live according to the will of God. And for just as many who claim belief in Christ, Christ’s command is a significant reason why they’re baptized, because they understand it fits with their ongoing life with Christ. This obedience emphasizes the relational sense of the word “meaning of the Baptism”—A response, to the loving command of the Savior.

What Is the Connection between Baptism and Incorporation into the Church, the Body of Christ?

Baptism is universally acknowledged as a rite of admission into the Christian Church, the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13 And it reads, “For by [or in] one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” Here this Verse points out that Baptism is the method whereby a member is united to this spiritual body. Such incorporation takes place on several levels:

• Universal church: It signifies entry into the universal Church and fellowship with all believers in Christ in all ages, everywhere.
• Local Church: Among most traditions, membership in a local congregation is contingent upon one’s having been baptized, as we receive fellowship, accountability, and the opportunity to worship and engage in mission with others.
• Common Identity: It assigns to them a common identity as fellow-members of God’s covenant people in Christ.

The significance of Baptism for the Church is enourmous, for it is the means by which the community of faith is visibly constituted and continuously sustained. For the believer, it represents their belonging and their commitment to live as ones raised to new life in Christ in union with the fellowship of believers. The meaning of Baptism hereis social and covenanted.

The first question is this – is baptism a means of grace?

Baptism is considered in most churches as the means of washing away sin and of regenerating the soul, but has also been interpreted as a gift of the Holy Spirit or a form of  exorcism. There are different ways of understanding the operation of this grace. For example:

• Sacramental Traditions (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican): These traditions typically regard Baptism as an effective sign that communicates grace ex opere operato (from the work worked), which is to say that grace is bestowed through the rite itself when it is perform and received with the proper dispositions. This grace may involve regeneration, forgiveness of sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, beginning the new life in Christ.
• Reformed Traditions: Alongside the supposition that Baptism is a means of grace and a sacrament, the Reformed tradition typically maintains the additional idea that it is a sign and seal of the covenant of grace. Grace is given by the Holy Spirit, through the Word and sacraments, and received through faith. It’s a confirmation and reinforcement of the faith that God has placed within us.
• Believer’s Baptism Traditions (e.g., Baptist, Anabaptist): These traditions tend to treat Baptism as an ordinance, as a matter of obedience, and as a public testimony of a faith and a regenerative experience that has already occurred. Although it would perhaps not be denied that by the act of Baptism, as such, the individual might be blessed, the emphasis is on something other than Baptism as such, as the immediate means through which saving grace is mediated, rather symbol and witness to this and in the sense that the new life, is inherited already in Christ, the entire issue is raised into the background.

Regardless of how it is theologically formulated, the importance of Baptism as a moment of divine encounter and spiritual givingin is recognized by all, as it is part of the Christian process toward the new life in Christ.

When We are Baptized, What Does the New Life in Christ Look Like?

The new life in Christ, which begins in Baptism, is marked by a process of glorification of the spirit, dedication to holiness, service to the Christian community, and increased faith. It is not something static, but a dynamic reality enabled by the Holy Spirit.

What is the Call to Holiness and Transform Lifestyle in the New Creation?

The grace of a new beginning, which flows from Baptism, is there revealed as a principle of newness of life and of life taken up into the mystery of the Cross of Christ. “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:4), it says of us who have been baptized into Christ’s death and raised to walk in newness of life in him. And what does such a liberation from control by sin mean? Video for Beloved of God  It means that I am now free not to sin—that misshapen twisted desire—to keep up and maintain and build up my good “I am” in my relationship to God, my neighbor and all that my Lord has made. For Paul: “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions…but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness” (Rom. 6:12-13). Several aspects are involved in this transformation:

• Moral: Abandon other sinful behavior and develop godly tendencies (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control – Galatians 5:22-23).
• A Renewed Mind: New thinking, new value system, new worldview, and above all a new perspective based on Scripture and the kingdom of God (Romans 12:2).
• Devotion to God: A life focused on loving God, worshipping Him, and searching for His will.

The appeal to holiness constitutes a fundamental part of the meaning and the value of Baptism, because in it the reality is signified of one who is [ritually] separated for God and equipped by the Spirit to live in another way.” NEW LIFE IN CHRIST- The new life in Christ is a progressive sanctification.

How Does the New Life Grow in the Context of the Christian Community?

It is the participation in the Christian community, the Church, which is indispensable for sustaining and developing the new life in Christ which begins at Baptism. As the community of life, since Baptism in the Body of Christ, it also offers several invaluable forms of support:

• Sharing life experiences, and spiritual encouragement with other believers (Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:24-25) Fellowship.
• Worship and Sacraments: Public worship, praying, and receiving sacraments like Lord’s supper (Communion) feed faith and help grow connection to God and other Christians.
• Teaching and discipleship: Learning from the teaching of God’s word and being discipled by more mature believers is part of comprehending how to apply faith to real life on a day to day basis (Matt. 28:20; Eph. 4:11-13).
• Being responsible for each other: There is a context in the community for mutual support, loving correction, and bearing one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:1-2).
• Service and Mission: Service to others and engaging in the mission of the Church and world give focus and avenues of expression of spiritual gifts.

The importance of Baptism- tying believers with the Church- is that thenew life in Christis not to be lived alone, but in communitarian relationships. This togetherness is crucial for continued growth and sake of faith.

What is the place of continuing spiritual growth and discipleship in the New Life?

The new life of Christ and Baptism is a pilgrimage toward continued spiritual growth and discipleship. It is not something that happens once, but a journey that continues everyday to become more like Christ. Peter writes, “Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Pet. This maturation takes several activities and disciplines:

• Study of God’s Word: Consistently reading the Bible, so as to get to know God and His will (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
• Prayer: Communion with God to build intimacy and dependency on God (Philippians 4:6-7).
• Obedience: Striving to put into practice all the teachings of Christ in all areas of life (John 14:15).
• Fruits Of The Spirit: Permitting the Holy Spirit to build Christlike character (Gal 5:22-23).
• Trials in Preserving: Living life and trusting God and growing in faith in times of trials and troubles (James 1:2-4).

The meaning of Baptism includes this entrance into a lifelong learning and change. The significance of Baptism is thus not simply in the event of ascent, but in what it presages in the upward-bound path of the believer’s life with God and in the unfolding of new life in Christ.

Is There Diversity Among Christian Traditions in the Modes and Meanings of Baptism?

Yes, Baptism is a central act in virtually all Christian traditions, but the modes of administration and theologies regarding who exactly is a proper candidate for baptism and what precisely happens in baptism have been quite diverse. Such differences embody also differing understandings of Scripture and cultural evolution, however each focuses on the basic value and meaning of Baptism as expressing how we come into the Christian faith and symbolically die to sin and are raised to new life in Christ.

What are the Usual Ways of Administering Water in Baptism?

In the Christian denomination, there are three main methods of applying water, which are as follows:

1. Full Submersion: This method involves the individual being fully submerged in water. It is frequently viewed as an “outward sign of an inward grace” visibly expressing death to sin and resurrection to new life in Christ surrounding Romans 6:3-4. Common denominations that immerse participants include Baptist, Anabaptist, Pentecostal and Churches of Christ, among others. A few traditions perform triple immersion, once for each person of the Trinity.
2. Pouring (Affusion): In this method water is poured over the head of the one being baptized. It is generally practiced by Catholic, Orthodox (although not exclusively as the use of a full-immersion baptism is not uncommon and in some cases in Orthodoxy is even mandatory), Lutheran, Methodist, and some Reformed Anabaptist churches. “It still means cleansing and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit,” supporters say.
3. Infusion (Aspersion): Water is sprinkled on the individual. While not so frequent as a primary method, these traditions that pour typically accept immersion also (for utilitarian or exceptional reasons, for instance the baptism of the sick).

The decision as to which mode is chosen is often a matter of theological perspective and interpretation of the biblical record and early church history and practice. With the exception of this diversity in practice, most Baptists retain the original sense of the rite (it is an action of cleansing, initiation into the new community, a rite of passage, and identification with Christ). The value of Baptism does not appear to be closely associated with a certain amount of water but with how it is used, with faith, and in accordance with the order of Christ.

What Are The Key Distinctions Between Believer’s Baptism And Infant Baptism?

One of the most important debates in the interpretation and application of Baptism is the issue of the proper subjects; in other words, whether infants (paedobaptism) or only believers (credobaptism) are the proper subjects.

• Baptism of Infants (Paedobaptism): Followed by organizations like Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, and Presbyterian.Theological Reasoning: Believers in favor of it explain that Baptism is a covenant act of God, welcoming children into the community of faith, much like circumcision in the Old Covenant. It is a tangible mark and seal of God’s promises, the forgiveness of original sin (in some traditions), and the start of a lifetime in which we are nurtured in the faith in hopes of finally coming to personal faith. They discuss the New Testament household baptisms (eg Acts 16:15, 33; 1 Corinthians 1:16) as possibly involving children. The significance of Baptism for infants is typically inextricably linked to covenant inclusion or prevenient grace, whereby they are brought within the sphere of God’s saving activity and life in Christ (that they will come to explicitly affirm at a later time).
• Believer’s Baptism (Credobaptism), commonly held by the Baptist, Anabaptist and Pentecostal churches, is the assertion that baptism is an act of the believer’s faith in God and the candidate must be old enough to believe.Theological Basis: Advocates claim that only those who have professed faith in Christ and repented from sin can validly receive Baptism (Calvinism). They cite New Testament instances of baptism after belief (e.g., Acts 2:38, Acts 8:12). For them, Baptism is a sign of an inner regeneration and faith. The signification of Baptism is closely connected with this personal confession and acceptance, denoting the conscious assumption of the new life in Christ. They do not usually consider infant baptism to be biblically valid, because infants cannot be shown to have faith in Jesus personally.

These differing attitudes towards the canidates for Baptismare themselves grounded in deeper theological beliefs about salvation, grace, the Church, and covenant. In serene, they focus on define other reality in the world, especially of christianity all through the crossfire in the world.

What Kind of Christian Activity is Baptism?

Christian baptism is one of two Christ-commanded ordinances that are recognised by the majority of Christians (the other being the Eucharist). It is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, fulfilling the need for water baptism as commanded in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) It is a rite of passage in the Christian faith and Churches, as the newly baptized (believer) is welcomed into the life and environment of the Christians. The content and importance of Baptism is therefore deeply embedded in its nature as a ceremony divinely appointed, seen and entered into which visibly and publicly indicates a person’s entrance into the visible church and acceptance of the demands of discipleship. It’s more than just practice that has deep spiritual implications and is seen as being instructed by Christ himself.

What other questions are raised regarding Christian initiation and life-newness?

How does Baptism save us?

Different Christian groups understand the relationship between Baptism and salvation differently. Some consider Baptism necessary for salvation in a regenerative sense; others as a mere symbol for salvation already obtained through faith; while still others regard it as a significant means of grace connected with salvation but causally ineffective in itself. All affirm that it is an act of divine command and closely connected with the inception of the new life in Christ.

Can one be a Christian yet not baptized?

Baptism is considered by most Christian denominations to be normative in the process of becoming a Christian as commanded by the Lord Jesus. But many, at the same time also recognize in faith that God’s saving grace, while conditioned mediately by the rite itself (not unconditionally), transcends absolutely the confines of the rite, especially in the cases in which baptism is impossible (e.g., the thief on the cross). Though Baptism is the normative public profession and incorporation, the defining test of being a Christian is authentic faith in Christ resulting in new life, of which baptism is the mark and seal.

What Is Confirmation and How Is It Related to Baptism in Traditions That Practice Infant Baptism?

Confirmation is a sacrament of some Christian denominations (such as the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion and the Methodist Church).According to tradition, it is required in order to baptize or, if the person had already been baptized as an infant, in order to be able to consume the church’s sacraments. It is considered both a personal statement of faith, and a statement of the faith into which one was baptized, an empowering act of the Holy Spirit, and an adult affirmation of faith and commitment as a Christian disciple. It consummates the opening to others that was begun in Baptism and is the readiness for a fuller participation in the life of the church, a more perfect configuration to its worship, its witness and its service, to a more active sharing in Mission,and a more convincing witness to others, in short, to the newness of life in Christ.

How is The Lord’s Supper (Communion) related to Baptism and to our new life in Christ?

The Lord’s Supper is another such sacrament or ordinance, and is ordained by Christ as well as Baptism. If as Baptism is the initiation into the new life in Christ and the Church, so the Lord’s Supper is that which provides ongoing spiritual nourishment and serves to remind of the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus and unity with Him and the Church. It nurtures and strengthens the new life that Baptism conveys, and usually only baptized believers are invited to receive it.

How if at all is to be “born again” connected to Baptism and new life in Christ?

“Born again” (or regeneration) is the act of the Holy Spirit’s new birth in a person’s life, making him or her a new creation in Christ and making him or her God’s child (John 3:3-8). This is what the new life in Christ is. Baptism is somehow related to this experience: some traditions liken baptism to the moment of regeneration, whereas to others it is the outward testimony of a regeneration effected by faith. Nevertheless, being born again is basic to sharing in the meaning and significance of Baptism.