Baptism is "the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace". That is a formal, concise way of saying that when believers are baptised they are declaring to everybody that they know their sins have been forgiven and that they are now living a new life. Our faith in Jesus Christ is not something that other people can see directly. In baptism we confess, in a visible way, that we are his. Everybody can see where we stand because we identify ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.

• Baptism is a demonstration of belonging to Christ and identifying with him.