Here at Hillside we observe two religious rites. One is known as Baptism and the other we refer to as either the Lord’s Supper or Communion. Both of these observances may be characterized Biblically as an ordinance and symbolic.
An ordinance is an authoritative order or command. Jesus Christ, the Head of the church, commanded those who become His followers to be baptized and to regularly observe the Lord’s Supper. Before Jesus returned to heaven after His resurrection, He instructed the apostles to baptize those who would become His followers through their preaching (Mat.28:18-20). Acts chapter 10 reports the incident of Peter’s preaching the gospel to the household of Cornelius. Peter commanded those who trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior to be baptized (see vs.48). When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He commanded the disciples to “do this in remembrance of Me.” The apostle Paul repeated Jesus’ command to the church at Corinth (1Co.11:23-26).
Both of these ordinances are symbolic of the death of Jesus Christ. The bread and juice used in communion represent the body of Christ that was given on the cross as a sacrifice for sin and the blood He shed for the remission of our sins. Baptism by immersion which we believe is the Biblical mode symbolizes the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. The one being baptized is indicating his or her union with Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6:1-8). Baptism symbolizes that what the disciple used to be in his old sinful way of life was brought to an end and that he was raised a new person in Christ Jesus. In baptism, a person professes that he has been saved from his sin through the death and resurrection of Christ. In the Lord’s Supper, the believer in Christ indicates his ongoing communion with Christ and His people. Baptism is to be done once only after believing in Christ as Savior. Communion is to be observed over and over again until Christ returns (1Cor.11:26).