As we learned yesterday, Jesus is the ruler, or put another way, Jesus is in charge. Therefore, He has given us certain commandments, expectations or guidelines to follow as a church. For example, one of those areas is baptism. Why do we preach, teach and practice baptism at Tucson Baptist Church? We refer to this as an ordinance within our church.

We learn from Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch that one must be saved prior to being baptized. The mode of baptism is immersion. Baptism by immersion is the only mode that adequately displays for us the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Baptism is not a petty preference. It is one of the distinguishing characteristics between a Baptist church and the non-denominational movements of this day. 

The Methodist general conference, in their published report said, “We do not pretend to find the right of infant baptism on any supposed precept of scripture.” Why baptize infants then? We, as Baptists, believe in Bible authority!

Archbishop Hughes of the Roman Catholic Church stated – “It does not appear from scripture that even one infant was ever baptized.” No infant can be baptized, because no infant can be saved.

God gave to the local church the authority to administer the ordinance of baptism. We should rejoice every Sunday that we are able to celebrate another new believer.