Baptism and remission of sins

The church of Christ teaches and practices baptism by water immersion. Adult believers thus receive forgiveness of sins. Baptism is the act by which one accepts and confesses Christ as son of God and as Savior; before baptism it is therefore necessary that one believe and repent of his sins. "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:16)

Baptism is a crucial step by which God can grants us entrance into the church, and by which we can claim the hope of salvation: "And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47)

Baptism is the culminating act that symbolizes both the burial of Jesus and the burial of the believer along with his sinful nature, and likewise it symbolizes both the resurrection of Christ and the believer's spiritual birth to a new life. Water immersion is practiced today, just as it was practiced by the christians of the first century.

"We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him." (Romans 6:4-9)

Through baptism, God gives us the Holy Spirit "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38)

The rebirth to new life and the work of the Holy Spirit following baptism allow the essence of Christ to develop and be manifested in the new christian. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." (Galatians 2:20)