Paragraph 1. Baptism is an
ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the
party baptized, a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death and resurrection;
of his being engrafted into him;3 of remission of sins;4
and of giving up into God, through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness
of life.5
3 Rom. 6:3-5; Col.
2:12; Gal. 3:27
4 Mark 1:4; Acts
22:16
5 Rom. 6:4
Paragraph 2. Those who do
actually profess repentance towards God, faith in, and obedience to, our
Lord Jesus Christ, are the only proper subjects of this ordinance.6
6 Mark 16:16; Acts
8:36,37, 2:41, 8:12, 18:8
Paragraph 3. The outward
element to be used in this ordinance is water, wherein the party is to
be baptized, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit.7
7 Matt. 28:19, 20;
Acts 8:38
Paragraph 4. Immersion, or
dipping of the person in water, is necessary to the due administration
of this ordinance.8
8 Matt. 3:16; John
3:23