Baptism is the means by which God makes sons and daughters. Through baptism, we are washed and made new. God, who is rich in mercy and love, gives us a new birth into a living hope through the sacrament of baptism. By water and the Word, God delivers us from sin and death and raises us to new life in Jesus Christ. We are united with all the baptized in the one body of Christ, anointed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, and joined in God's mission for the life of the world (Evangelical Lutheran Worship - The Baptismal Liturgy)