BAPTISM

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What is baptism?

Baptism is a sacrament commended by Jesus himself to the church. Baptism is a means of grace by which those who are “baptized into Christ Jesus [are] baptized into his death. We [are] buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3-4).

At FPCOS, we believe in one baptism.

People do not need to get rebaptized to become a member of the church or after a time of personal, spiritual renewal.

We practice infant baptism for the children of members of FPCOS. Infant baptism recognizes the covenant relationship God has with His elect. We believe that those baptized infants should make a credible profession of faith when they can and we work with parents toward that end. We are confident that children of believers are a part of God’s covenant family and will at some point make a credible profession of faith in response to God’s effectual calling in their lives. We do not rebaptize those who were baptized as infants when they do make their public profession of faith.

We practice believer baptism for those who have never been baptized and have made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. To be a member of the church, you must be baptized. However, we have members of FPCOS that do not share our biblical view of covenant baptism who choose to wait for their children to make a profession of faith before they are baptized.

We do not affirm only one “mode” of baptism. We sprinkle infants and those who wish to be baptized with water administered by hand. We pour water from a pitcher over the heads of those who wished to be baptized while kneeling. We submerse those who wish to be “dunked”. How the water is administered is not as important as the fact that is administered as a recognition and response to God’s grace. In obedience to Christ’s explicit command in Matthew 28:19, we baptize people in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.