Article 27

“Baptism is not only a sign of profession and a mark of difference by which Christians are distinguished from those who are not baptized. It is also a sign of regeneration or new birth, through which, as through an instrument, those who receive baptism in the right manner are grafted into the church, the promises of the forgiveness of sin and of our adoption as sons of God by the Holy Spirit are visibly signed and sealed, faith is confirmed, and grace is increased by virtue of prayer to God. The baptism of young children is undoubtedly to be retained in the church as that which agrees best with Christ’s institution.”

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Many people use the word “christening” to describe the ceremony in which a minister pours water over someone and says, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Strictly speaking, to christen means to name someone or something. When ships are about to enter service for the first time, they are christened – or named. Christians believe that baptism is much more significant than just a naming ceremony, so the word “baptism” is always used in the Bible and in our services. The word “christen” does not appear in the Bible, but the word “baptism” (in one form or another) can be found more than a hundred times!

In New Testament times, baptism so quickly followed conversion that the two were considered part of one event. Baptism is not the means by which we enter into a relationship with Jesus, but it is closely associated with the repentance and faith which makes such a relationship possible. This is why, when a person is baptized, they publicly declare that they turn to and trust Christ and that they repent of and reject their sin. The sprinkling of water implies washing, demonstrating that although our sin makes us dirty, God will make us clean when we accept that Jesus took the punishment we deserve for our sin on the cross.

The 39 Articles tell us that baptism is a sign of new birth and “those who receive baptism in the right manner are grafted into the church, the promises of the forgiveness of sin and of our adoption as sons of God by the Holy Spirit are visibly signed and sealed, faith is confirmed, and grace is increased.” Jesus himself, at the end of Matthew’s Gospel, both commands baptism and tells us what it means: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” So a baptized person should be a person who has been taught to obey Jesus – and does obey him!