Holy Baptism with water is the first and fundamental act of grace of the triune God bestowed on a human being who believes in Jesus Christ. Through it original sin is washed away and the believer is led out of his position of remoteness from God. Nevertheless, his inclination to sin (concupiscence) remains. Through Holy Baptism with water, the baptised shares in the merit Jesus Christ acquired for mankind through His sacrificial death. Thereby a human being is led into his or her first close relationship with God and becomes a Christian, and is therefore also incorporated into the church, that is, into the fellowship of those who believe in Jesus Christ and profess Him as their Lord.^[44]