Baptism is the Biblical response to salvation. Perinton Community Church practices believer's baptism by immersion.
Baptism
We teach:
- I am a sinner before holy God fully deserving His righteous wrath. God presented Jesus on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for my sin. Jesus is my substitute on the cross, bearing in himself the punishment of my sin and suffering death in my place. The forgiveness of my sin is found only in Jesus.
- It is only by grace I am saved. From the promise to overturn the serpent's deceit in the Garden of Eden in Genesis, to the death and resurrection of Jesus, to the Holy Spirit laying the gospel upon my heart: it is all of God's grace to me! The only thing I bring to my salvation is my sin.
- I receive my salvation by grace ... through faith. Not faith in the practices of the church nor faith in my faith. Only faith in Jesus! Only Jesus is the object of my faith. In every way, only through faith and not through any action on my part, am I saved by grace. Even my faith comes to me by the grace of God.
- Baptism is the open confession of my salvation. I am joined with Christ in His death and His resurrection. Baptism is the open submission of my life to Jesus. I am clothed with His righteousness; my life is hidden in His life. In the act of baptism I know, the church knows and the world knows I am no longer mine, but His. I am to live the baptized life. I am to consider myself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
We do not practice infant baptism because no infant can call upon the name of the Lord Jesus in faith and be saved. Since each person's salvation is an individual event with God no parent can believe and be saved for their infant child. Further, no infant can consider themselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. We do not consider the act of baptism to be the Christian equivalent to Jewish circumcision. Under Christ our hearts and not our flesh are ceremonially cut.
Dedication
We joyfully practice a form of Dedication for our children. We set aside time in our Sunday morning worship for the parents to present their child to the congregation. Often there will be some kind of sharing or witness regarding the family and the birth of the child. We ask the parents to commit to raising their child to know and to love Jesus. Further, we ask the extended family and the church family to join with the parents in loving support.
I'm interested in baptism or dedication