Changes

Although there are several sub-groups within the Churches of Christ, common beliefs and practices within the group include:

Although there are several sub-groups within the Churches of Christ, common beliefs and practices within the group include:

*Baptism by immersion "for the remission of sins" as a component of the salvation process.

*Baptism by immersion "for the remission of sins" as a component of the salvation process.

**Churches of Christ do not believe in infant baptism; only persons old enough to understand what is required of salvation can be baptized.

**Churches of Christ do not believe in [[infant baptism]]; only persons old enough to understand what is required of salvation can be baptized.

**The belief that baptism is an essential component of salvation has led opponents to accuse adherents of believing in "baptismal regeneration" and rejecting the views of [[sola gratia]] and [[sola fide]]; in return adherents believe that faith requires obedience or it is not truly faith at all.

**The belief that baptism is an essential component of salvation has led opponents to accuse adherents of believing in "baptismal regeneration" and rejecting the views of [[sola gratia]] and [[sola fide]]; in return adherents believe that faith requires obedience or it is not truly faith at all.

**The phrase "for the remission of sins" does not have a uniform position within Churches of Christ.  The majority view is that a baptismal candidate must understand that baptism will remit their sins; as such, any baptism (even by immersion) with any other belief (such as it being symbolic, as what [[Baptist]]s and most other Protestant denominations teach) is not valid and the candidate would have to be rebaptized in the Church of Christ.  However, a significant minority view holds that, so long as the candidate had a desire to obey God, it is valid even if the candidate did not completely understand its significance.

**The phrase "for the remission of sins" does not have a uniform position within Churches of Christ.  The majority view is that a baptismal candidate must understand that baptism will remit their sins; as such, any baptism (even by immersion) with any other belief (such as it being symbolic, as what [[Baptist]]s and most other Protestant denominations teach) is not valid and the candidate would have to be rebaptized in the Church of Christ.  However, a significant minority view holds that, so long as the candidate had a desire to obey God, it is valid even if the candidate did not completely understand its significance.