positive explanation of our our practice here chapter 29 speaks first concerning the spiritual significance of baptism so if we ask the Bible what is baptism I think paragraph one gives us a good explanation baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ to be unto the party baptized the sign of his fellowship with him in his death and resurrection of his being engrafted into him of remission of sins and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ to live and walk in newness of life and we ask the question next who are the proper subjects so the lawful subjects of Christian baptism paragraph 2 tells us those who do actually profess repentance towards God faith in and obedience to our lord Jesus are the only proper subjects of this ordinance and then when we ask the question what are the outward elements obviously we're standing in water so that probably lends you or leads us to that conclusion the Bible tells us I think this is a good summary statement the outward element to be used in this ordinance is water where in the party is to be baptized in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit goes on to say immersion or dipping of the person in water is necessary to the due administration of this ordinance as I mentioned it's not the case an incorrect view of baptism keeps one out of the Kingdom but in light of Ephesians 1:7 the most important thing is a correct understanding of who Jesus is the Redemption that is there through his blood even the Forgiveness of sins and that's what binds these Brethren together with us as a church when they are baptized they are joining the church as well and we have mutual obligations one to another in terms of encouragement love accountability and all the things that the New Testament envisions for the churches of the Lord Jesus Christ so differently than normal each of the three are to give their own testimony which is quite nice first is Sean conect in the kindness of God I was brought up under the ordinary means of his extraordinary Grace I grew up in a home where every day I heard the word of God and where the worship of God and the Assembly of his people on the Lord's day was our weekly pattern my parents raised me in the training and admonition of the Lord they taught me that I am a sinner and a rebel against God by nature but that God has graciously provided the way of forgiveness and Holiness through tusting in his son Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross in God's mercy I have never doubted these truths of man's sin and God's provision in Christ I believed these truths with childlike Faith from an early age but as I grew up and became more conscious of the depth and extent of my sinfulness I also struggled with assurance that there was forgiveness available for me personally around the age of 20 weary and heavy laden under conviction of sin I heard in the preaching of the word the voice of Jesus speaking directly to me as a sinner saying come unto me and rest by his Spirit his effectual call I was unable to come to him and found Rest For My Soul by his grace as I have continued to grow in the consciousness of my sinfulness God has directed my focus again and again outside of myself to the sufficiency of the finished work of Jesus life death and resurrection of my shty and representative to fully atone for all my sin secure my full and final salvation at a second coming by his Spirit I'm beginning to learn how to live in the freedom for which Christ is set I'm being baptized today because I read in the scriptures that my Lord Jesus has ordained and commanded that all those who receive and rest upon him alone for salvation ought to be baptized personal obedience to his command upon a personal profession of faith and repentance in submitting to this ordinance I also trust that the holy spirit will use it for the strengthening of my faith I believe and confess that Jesus is Lord and that God raised me from the dead I believe that he took my place under God's law that he died for my sins and rose again for my justification I believe that he has delivered me from the domain of darkness and death and transferred me into his King kingom of light and life to the praise of his glorious gra amen you in the name of the father and of the son and of the
