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;a of remission of
sins;b and of giving up into God, through Jesus
Christ, to live and walk in newness of
life.c
(a Romans
6:3-5, Colossians 2:12, Galatians 3:27;
b Mark
1:4, Acts
22:16; c Romans
6:4)
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.d
(d Mark
16:16, Acts
8:36,37, Acts
2:41, Acts
8:12, Acts
18:8)
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.e
(e Matthew
28:19,20, Acts
8:38)
4) Immersion, or dipping of the person in water, is
necessary to the due administration of this
ordinance.f
(f Matthew
3:16, John
3:23)