What does Gateway Church believe about salvation and baptism?

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We believe that we are saved by God’s grace, through our faith, not by our works—salvation is a free gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-10). Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins so that we can have a reconciled relationship with God (1 John 2:2). We enter into this relationship through faith in Christ (Romans 3:22). Faith in Christ must be demonstrated in obedience to Christ. Christ commands that we repent of our sins (Luke 13:3), confess before others that He is Lord (Matthew 10:32), and be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Baptism represents giving our lives over to Christ. We believe baptism is connected to salvation because of the following Scriptures:

  • The Apostle Peter refers to baptism as an act that “now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. . .” (1 Peter 3:21).
  • “And now, what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16).
  • On the day that the Christian church began, Peter said to the crowd, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
  • “We were therefore buried with him [Jesus] 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” (Romans 6:4).
  • “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Galatians 3:27).

We believe immersion is the biblical method of baptism, as it “re-enacts” the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ for each Christian. We also believe that baptism is only for believers who are old enough to choose it for themselves. Every member of Gateway is a baptized believer, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13). Jesus himself was baptized to “fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15), and we invite others to follow in His steps.