Jesus gave the church two signs that they are Christians are saved by grace. Another word for these signs, often used in church is “sacraments.”
Baptism is the 1st sign. Adults who place their faith in Christ alone for salvation get baptized as a sign that just as water washes water from the body, Christ’s blood has washed away our sin.
Baptism has taken different forms in the church around the world.
Some baptize by immersion in water. In going under the water and come up from the water, this is a faithful practice and sign that identifies with Christ’s death & resurrection. (Acts 8:38)
Some baptize by sprinkling with water. This is a faithful practice and sign of God’s saving grace because it is a reminder of the blood that the priests in the Old Testament sprinkled on the Mercy seat and how Christ, as the great high priest, greater temple and ultimate sacrificial lamb, sprinkled His blood for the salvation of the nations. (Isaiah 52)
Some Baptize by pouring water. This is a faithful practice and sign of God’s saving grace because Jesus said that His blood would be poured out for us. (Matthew 26, Luke 22)
We baptize the children of Christian parents as a sign that God’s gift of saving grace is being offered to that child. God has always commanded His people to give His covenant sign (which means “promise”) to their children in infancy, welcoming them into His family. The old covenant sign of circumcision was given to children since Abraham, and the apostles continued the practice with the new sign of baptism, giving God’s covenant sign to children in baptism, welcoming them into the family of God. (Acts 16:30–34) The Holy Spirit, who is present in the child’s baptism, begins drawing the child to faith along side the teaching of God’s Word in the home and church. Once the baptized children of believers are able to make a profession of faith, we celebrate that the child has received God’s saving grace, extended to them, as children of the promise, in baptism. The children are then welcomed to the Lord’s Table to eat & drink and celebrate God’s goodness toward them in the gospel.