Baptism or baptize is a transliteration of the Greek word bapto
or baptizo. The Greek words mean to immerse, submerge, to dip or
to dunk. Baptism by the Holy Spirit happens at the moment the
person becomes a believer. Christ baptizes the believer with the
Holy Spirit and the believer is placed into the body of Christ.
The believer lives in unity with Jesus Christ and with other
believers. The Church uses water baptism as an outward sign of
the inward change that has taken place in the believer's heart.
Baptism involves the application of water to the body of a
person. It is frequently thought of as an act by which the
believer enters the fellowship of a local congregation or the
universal church. Water baptism is not the means by which
salvation is brought about, but is a sign and seal of the
covenant. The covenant is God's pledge to save mankind. Because
of what He has done and what He has promised, God forgives and
gives new life to the believer. On the one hand, baptism is a
sign of the promise. On the oth