Baptism 

 

At Leigh Elim, we delight in the opportunity to celebrate our church family's steps of faith by being baptised in water. We've used the local swimming pool, baptism pools in church, and have even baptised in an Estonian river! It is such a joy to witness believers making this public declaration of their faith, and acting in obedience to be baptised.

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, are part of our church family, and wish to explore baptism, please talk to Pastor John and we would love to talk to you more about what this means for you.
 

What is water baptism?

Water baptism is when a person who has put their faith in Jesus is fully immersed under water and then brought back up. In Elim, it is believers’ baptism—something a person does after personally choosing to follow Jesus, rather than something that makes them a Christian.

It is a visible, public way of saying: 

“I believe in Jesus, I belong to Jesus, and I have chosen to follow Him.”

What does it represent?

The action of going under the water and coming back up is a picture of what has happened spiritually through faith in Christ.

Going under the water represents the old life dying and being buried with Christ. Coming back out of the water represents being raised with Christ to live a new life.

Paul explains this in Romans 6:4:

“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death … in order that … we too may live a new life.”

So baptism is a powerful picture of death, burial and resurrection with Jesus.

Why do Christians get baptised?

Christians are baptised because Jesus commanded his followers to be baptised.

In Matthew 28:19, Jesus told his disciples to make disciples and baptise them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

We also see this pattern throughout the book of Acts. People heard the gospel, believed in Jesus and were baptised.

Elim therefore understands baptism as part of Christian discipleship and obedience to Jesus. 

Does baptism save you?

Salvation comes through Jesus Christ and is received through faith. Baptism is the response of someone who has believed and been saved; it is not a way of earning salvation.

A simple way of putting it is:

We don't get baptised to become Christians; we get baptised because we have become Christians.

Why is baptism important?

Baptism matters because it is obedience to Jesus, a public declaration of faith, a picture of leaving the old life behind and beginning a new life in Christ, and an important step in becoming a committed disciple of Jesus.

It also gives the church an opportunity to celebrate what God has done in someone's life.

And in Pentecostal teaching, water baptism should not be confused with baptism in the Holy Spirit. Elim teaches both, but they refer to different things: water baptism is the believer's baptism by immersion, while baptism in the Holy Spirit concerns being empowered by the Holy Spirit. Elim's historic teaching explicitly identifies baptism by immersion for believers as an ordinance of the church.