8.1.4 The proper dispensation of Holy Baptism with water

The elements of the three sacraments have been prescribed by God. The two essential elements of Holy Baptism with water are the water and the Trinitarian formula: "I baptise you in the name of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." When performed in this fashion, Holy Baptism can unfold in its effect upon the believer.

The water, the outward sign of inner purification, requires consecration to lift it up out of the domain of the profane and into that of the holy. It is therefore consecrated in the name of the triune God prior to the act of baptism. The baptising minister then uses the consecrated water to make the sign of the cross three times on the forehead of the person being baptised, and–under laying on of hands–baptises him in the name of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The sign of the cross symbolises salvation in Christ and the redemption He effected through His sacrificial death. Making the sign of the cross three times on the forehead of the person being baptised is a reference to the triune God.