Baptism is the way someone publicly shows that they are trusting in Jesus Christ. The act of baptism does not save anyone, people are saved through the faith that baptism expresses. We can see that in these Scriptures

• The jailer was promised salvation simply on the condition of faith; nothing is mentioned about baptism (Acts 16:31).
• Salvation is given through faith alone, without any works (Ephesians 2:8-9).
• The Spirit was poured out on them before they were baptized (Acts 10:44-48).

But even though baptism does not save us, it does have deep spiritual meaning.

• It is a picture of how this person’s sins have been washed away (Acts 22:16). 
• It is a picture of how this person has died to the old way of living, and been raised up to life with Christ (Romans 6:4-5).

One reason we have membership is because in the New Testament, church members are to be involved in crucial decisions concerning budget, personnel, and church discipline (Matthew 18:17; Acts 15:22). Therefore, it is important that church members be faithful believers who are submitted to Christ, and formal membership helps ensure this.

Another reason we have membership is because it gives us an opportunity to make clear what commitments are involved in being part of a local church. These commitments are described in our Church Covenant.

If you are interested in joining GracePoint Church, join us for our next Introduction to GracePoint Class, where we discuss:

• The Vision and Mission of GracePoint Church
• Why we are centered around Home Groups
• Opportunities to serve together
• What it means to be a member of GracePoint Church