"I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean....
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you...."
(Ezekiel 36:25-26)

Baptism is an entryway to the church, and thus, to heaven. When parents bring a child to be baptized, they promise to teach him about the Lord and to guide him to obey the teachings of His Word. When an adult wishes to be baptized, he promises to turn away from evil and look to the Lord. The sacrament of baptism signals the desire to look to the Lord and recognition that the church can help us come to know and love Him.

During the time of John the Baptist, people were baptized in the Jordan River. And at the start of His public ministry, the Lord Himself came to be baptized. The waters of the Jordan symbolized the truths of the Word that teach us about the Lord. In the New Christian Church, a minister applies water to the forehead and makes the sign of the cross while saying, "I baptize you into the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." The washing of baptism symbolizes purifying our lives by means of truth, which will be a life-long process.

Baptism alone does not determine whether we will choose heaven or hell. Yet, if it is done with sincere intent, the sacrament has great power. It establishes a special connection with the Lord and with angels in heaven. And, as a gateway into the life of the church, it can help us turn away from selfishness and false ideas and turn toward the true worship of our Lord.

To learn more about Baptism, we suggest you read "Baptism" by Rev. Patrick Rose, "The Purpose and Meaning of Baptism" by Rev. Grant Odhner. Children may enjoy "Baptizing a Baby" by Rev. Kurt Asplundh and The Promise of Baptism by Rt. Rev. Peter Buss. See the sections on Application to Life and For the Family for ideas for activities for all ages.