Water Baptism
Share
Water Baptism
Main Verses
Matthew 28:19-20 … make disciples … baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Mark 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.
John 3:5 … no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
Acts 2:38 Repent and be baptized … so that your sins may be forgiven.
Acts 22:16 … be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.
Romans 6:3-4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism.
Galatians 3:27 … all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Ephesians 5:25-26 Christ loved the church … cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.
Titus 3:5 … he (Christ) saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 10:22 … let us draw near to God … having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
1 Peter 3:21 … this water (the water of the flood in Noah’s time) symbolizes baptism that now saves you also. … It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
What Is Water Baptism?
Water baptism is the application of water to a person by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit as commanded by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 28:19.
The Old Testament Jews practiced a ceremony similar to baptism. This was CIRCUMCISION of the male child’s foreskin on the eighth day of life (Genesis 17:10-14). Paul said that believers in Christ do not have to practice physical circumcision (Acts 15:1-29; Galatians 5:2). Most Bible scholars believe that the meaning of Colossians 2:11-12 is that water baptism has replaced physical circumcision and is related to our “spiritual circumcision” by Christ Himself, in which our old sinful nature is “cut off’ and thrown away.
John the Baptist practiced a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4), but this was not Christian baptism. After Jesus’ death and RESURRECTION, John’s baptism was not considered adequate for Christians (Acts 18:25), and the Ephesians who had previously received John’s baptism were rebaptized into the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:1-7). However, there is only one Christian baptism (Ephesians 4:5).
Jesus Himself was baptized by John in the Jordan River (Matthew 3:13-17). Although without sin and without the need for repentance, Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). Indeed, after His water baptism, the HOLY SPIRIT descended on Jesus, empowering Him for service and ministry (Mark 1:10).
Jesus described His death on the CROSS as a “baptism” (Luke 12:50). Jesus’ baptism of death and His resurrection is the basis for our baptism, the reason we are able to be baptized (Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21).
From the very beginning, the church has followed Jesus’ command and baptized new believers. Notable examples of Christian baptism in the New Testament are found in Acts 2:41; 8:12; 8:38; 10:48; 16:15; 16:33; 19:1-5. In many of these verses, water baptism followed immediately after profession of faith in Christ. Several were baptisms of entire households (Acts 10:48; 16:31-33).
Baptism is not unique to the Christian religion. Before the time of Christ, non-Jewish converts to the Jewish religion were often baptized in water. And some of the Greek “mystery” religions at the time of Christ required baptism, sometimes with blood being allowed to drip over the recipient instead of water.
Why Do We Baptize With Water?
Jesus commanded us to baptize new believers (Matthew 28:19). In all cultures and countries, water baptism has been viewed as the act of conversion from one’s old religion to Christianity. It is one of the initial steps in SALVATION (Acts 2:38). Jesus also connected the promise of salvation to baptism (Mark 16:16). In the history of the church, there have been many different opinions about how salvation is connected with baptism.
Many Christians believe that baptism is one of the “means of grace,” one of the ways God’s GRACE is given to us. The most important means of grace is the word of God (Romans 10:17; 1 Peter 1:23). These Christians believe that God’s grace comes to us through water baptism also. Even in water baptism the important thing is God’s written word (Ephesians 5:26). These Christians talk of baptism as having an outward and visible sign (the water) and an inward and spiritual gift (union with Christ’s death and resurrection, forgiveness of sins, and membership in the church through the Spirit). These Christians believe that through baptism, received in faith, our life is truly buried and resurrected with Christ (Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12) and clothed with Christ (Galatians 3:27). Since in Acts 2:38 Peter calls us to be baptized so that (our) sins may be forgiven, these Christians believe that through water baptism we receive forgiveness of sins in a special way. In 1 Peter 3:21, Peter wrote of a baptism that now saves you also. … It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Peter said that this baptism was not a removal of dirt from the body, but rather a spiritual washing that results in a good conscience. Therefore, these Christians say that in baptism our sins are actually “washed away” and our consciences are truly “cleansed” (Acts 22:16; Ephesians 5:26; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 10:22). In their view, baptism actually is our spiritual circumcision, our putting off of the sinful nature (Colossians 2:11-12). Jesus said, “… no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit” (John 3:5). These Christians believe that “water” in this verse refers to baptism. The water alone has no effect, but baptism is water used as God commanded with His word of promise (Mark 16:16; Ephesians 5:26), and for this reason it becomes effective.1 In baptism God offers and gives His grace, but this grace must be received by faith. Without faith in God’s word of promise, we receive no benefits. Water baptism itself strengthens our faith in God’s word of promise.2
Many other Christians do not believe there is any special grace available in water baptism. Since many verses in Scripture only mention faith in Jesus (John 1:12; 3:16; Romans 10:9-10) or faith in the word of God (Romans 1:16; 10:17; 1 Peter 1:23) as the way to receive God’s blessings, these Christians believe that the word of God is the only “means of grace.” Hearing the word of God and believing in Jesus is all we need to receive salvation. These Christians believe that water baptism is only a sign or symbol of what happens when we believe. In their view, baptism does not truly cleanse us or bring forgiveness in a special way. It is only a symbol of our death with Christ, of being clothed with Christ, and of being circumcised by Christ (Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:11-12). It is only an outward sign of what takes place when we believe. Some believe that being born of water in John 3:5 refers to physical birth; others believe water refers to the word of God. Some of these Christians also say that baptism is a witness to the world of one’s faith in Christ; therefore, it must be done publicly, not privately. Some of these Christians believe that baptism is a sign of God’s COVENANT with His people as a group, just as circumcision in the Old Testament was a sign of God’s covenant with the JEWS. They point to Colossians 2:11-13 to support this view.
Concerning the meaning of baptism, some true spiritual Christians have believed one view and some the other. All believe that they are following the teaching of the Bible. Whichever view we hold, we should not judge and condemn one another.
Related to this, several further questions arise regarding the necessity and the permanence of baptism. The first question is: What happens if a believer dies without being baptized? The Bible does not say for sure. Almost all Christians believe that that person is saved. According to Mark 16:16, it is unbelief that damns a person, not lack of baptism. And the dying criminal in Luke 23:4043 was promised paradise, even though he had no chance to be baptized. However, the church has always believed that one who refuses baptism is in a dangerous position. Does that person have true faith? If we knowingly continue to refuse Christ’s command, we will not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 7:21). Therefore, when the church leaders are ready to baptize someone, that person should not delay, but take the first opportunity to receive baptism.
A second question is this: If a baptized believer rebels against God and lives a life of sin but later repents and returns to Christ, does he need to be baptized again? The church has always answered “No.” There is only one baptism (Ephesians 4:5). After God has made us His children, we may rebel and lose the benefits of being a child of God. If we later repent, we do not need to be readopted, but only forgiven (Luke 15:11-24). God is faithful, even if we are unfaithful (Romans 3:3; 11:29; 2 Corinthians 1:20).
There is a related question: When we have been baptized in one church, do we need to be rebaptized when we join another church? The answer is no. There is only one Christian baptism (Ephesians 4:5). A believer who has been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19) does not need to be baptized again.
Baptism of Children
Different customs related to the baptism of children have been followed in the church. In church history, the earliest recorded discussions of baptism mention infant baptism and claim it was a tradition handed down by the apostles. By 250 A.D., it was the universal custom in the churches. However, after the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s, some of the Protestant churches believed that baptism should only be given to adults and older children. Many churches today follow this practice. Christians in these churches point out that there are no clear examples of infant baptism in the Bible. They believe baptism should be only for those who can be taught about Christian beliefs and can confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:9-10). Repentance should be first, followed by baptism (Acts 2:38). They call this “believer’s baptism” (Acts 8:37). They believe that infants can neither repent nor have true faith; therefore, small children are not eligible for baptism. In most of these churches the earliest age for the baptism of believing children is around ten or twelve years. A few churches will baptize as early as age five or six, if the child can declare his faith clearly. Most of these churches that do not baptize infants have developed an infant dedication ceremony in place of baptism.
However, many other Protestants continue to baptize infants of believing parents shortly after birth. These Christians point out that the Bible contains no examples of an infant dedication rite in the early church. Nor is there any reference to a child of Christian parents coming later to be baptized. They note that entire households were baptized, and it would be a rare household that did not include children (Acts 16:15; 16:33; 1 Corinthians 1:16). They believe that baptism is similar to the circumcision of males in the Old Testament, which was for both Jewish infants and also adult converts to Judaism. When parents brought their newborn babies and children to Jesus, He said, “Let the little children come to me … for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:16-17). Therefore, these churches believe that Jesus’ command to make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, refers not only to baptizing adult converts but also to baptizing infants and children (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:39).
The question centers around the meaning of baptism itself. Does infant baptism fit in with the meaning of baptism? Those Christians who believe baptism is a way to receive God’s grace usually practice infant baptism. Some of these believe that infants also can (and do) have faith (see General Article: Children and the Kingdom of God). Others believe that the parents’ faith is enough (as the Jews believed in the case of circumcision in the Old Testament). However, after becoming an adult, the baptized person must have faith in Christ in order to have salvation. Those churches which believe baptism is only a symbol may or may not baptize infants. If they believe that New Testament baptism has replaced Old Testament circumcision as a sign of the covenant God makes with a group of people, they usually practice infant baptism. If they believe that baptism is a public witness to the world of one’s personal faith, or that one must be able to confess faith in Christ with one’s mouth, then they will wait until one is old enough to declare his faith in Jesus.
Which Method of Baptism Is Correct?
There are three main methods of baptism: immersion, sprinkling, and pouring. In most churches sprinkling or pouring of water on the head of the recipient is practiced. If infants are baptized, sprinkling or pouring is usually used, although infant immersion has been practiced in the past. For adults, all three methods have been used. Very ill adults or those in unfavorable habitats of the world, such as deserts and ice-locked lands, usually do not receive baptism by immersion. However, in one place or another, all three methods have been practiced since the days of the early church.
The Bible itself does not state exactly how baptism should be performed. Baptism in the New Testament usually was done in rivers (Mark 1:5), or where there was plenty of water (John 3:23). Baptism by immersion would have been easy in such places, and probably was the usual practice. But at times, immersion would have been very difficult. For example, the Ethiopian was baptized in a desert place (Acts 8:36-38). The Philippian jailor and his household were baptized in the middle of the night between washing Paul’s wounds and giving him food (Acts 16:33). And three thousand converts were baptized at one time on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41). Because of the difficulties, many Bible scholars believe that in these cases the water was either sprinkled or poured.
The Greek3 word for baptism itself has several meanings. The most common meaning is “immersion.” The symbol of our death and burial with Christ (Romans 6:3-4) is most clearly portrayed by immersion. Therefore, many churches baptize only by immersion. However, “immersion” is not the only meaning of the word “baptism.” The ceremonial washing mentioned in Mark 7:3-4 is described using the Greek word for baptism and the Greek word which means “sprinkling” (see Luke 11:38-39). The “baptism of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5) that the Gentiles also received is described as a “pouring out” of the Spirit (Acts 2:17-18; 10:44-45). The Bible also talks of having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience (Ezekiel 36:25; Hebrews 10:22), which many Christians believe refers to water baptism. Therefore, many churches baptize by sprinkling or pouring.
Summary
Three major questions related to baptism have been discussed in this article: 1) What is the meaning of baptism—is it a means of receiving grace, or is it only a symbol? 2) Is baptism for infants also, or only for older children and adults? 3) Are all three methods of applying the water equally valid, or is only immersion valid? Only after studying the Scriptures involved should we decide any of these questions. And whatever we decide, we should not judge or condemn other
Christians if they should decide differently. The Bible does not give unequivocal answers to these questions. Our own beliefs about baptism should not separate us from our brother or sister for whom Christ died. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:4-6).
1 The Jordan River had no healing power in itself for Naaman, but when used in obedience as God had commanded, Naaman was healed (2 Kings 5:9-14). For more on the ‘means’ of healing, see General Article: Healing and Deliverance.
2 Some of these Christians say that baptism is a “means of grace” because baptism is a special way to increase our faith.
3 The New Testament was originally written in the Greek language.