Baptism In Water
The ordinance of baptism by immersion in water (not sprinkling) is commanded in Scriptures (Mark 16:16). All who repent and believe on Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord are to be so baptized. This act of baptism symbolically declares to everyone, that the old sinful life and life-style of the baptized believer died with Christ at Salvation and a new spiritual being has been raised with Christ (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47-48; Romans 6:4).
Mark 16:16 "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,"
Acts 10:47-48 Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days."
Romans 6:4 "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."
Now that I'm a Christian, should I be baptized in water?
On the day of Pentecost, Peter told the people: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you" (Acts 2:38). This was the very first sermon of the Church. Following that sermon "they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." (Acts 2:41)
Philip, a deacon, baptized his converts at Samaria (Acts 8:12). Also he baptized the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:36-38)
(Acts 10:44-48): "While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days."
Since no man could "withold water" baptism to these new converts and new Spirit-baptized people, Peter commanded them to be baptized as all converts should be, not to save the soul, but as an answer to a good conscience and an outward testimony of an inward work.
(Acts 19:1-7) "And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? And they said, No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. And he said, Into what then were you baptized? They said, Into John's baptism. And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus. On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spoke in tongues, and prohesied. There were about twelve men."
We see here paul placing emphasis on not just being baptized but the formula used.
Four questions that are frequently asked concerning water baptism.
1. What was the act of baptism in Bible times?
As most great scholars of all brances of Christendom, even those who practice infant baptism and sprinkling and pouring, specifically declare, the original act of baptism was immersion, as the Greek words translated "baptism" and "baptize" clearly signify. moreover, nearly all the translations into modern languages convey the same meaning. It is no more difficult for a greek scholar to tell you the meaning of the words used in the Greek New testament for water batpism that it is for an Englishman to tell the meaning of the words "dip" or "Immerse."
Devotion to Christ demands that we do exactly what His word teaches, and that we do not substitute some other "Act". In loyalty to the Lord we must keep the ordinance of water baptism as it was delivered to us by Christ
The ordinance of baptism by immersion in water (not sprinkling) is commanded in Scriptures (Mark 16:16). All who repent and believe on Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord are to be so baptized. This act of baptism symbolically declares to everyone, that the old sinful life and life-style of the baptized believer died with Christ at Salvation and a new spiritual being has been raised with Christ (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47-48; Romans 6:4).
Mark 16:16 "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,"
Acts 10:47-48 Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days."
Romans 6:4 "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."
Now that I'm a Christian, should I be baptized in water?
On the day of Pentecost, Peter told the people: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you" (Acts 2:38). This was the very first sermon of the Church. Following that sermon "they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." (Acts 2:41)
Philip, a deacon, baptized his converts at Samaria (Acts 8:12). Also he baptized the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:36-38)
(Acts 10:44-48): "While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days."
Since no man could "withold water" baptism to these new converts and new Spirit-baptized people, Peter commanded them to be baptized as all converts should be, not to save the soul, but as an answer to a good conscience and an outward testimony of an inward work.
(Acts 19:1-7) "And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? And they said, No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. And he said, Into what then were you baptized? They said, Into John's baptism. And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus. On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spoke in tongues, and prohesied. There were about twelve men."
We see here paul placing emphasis on not just being baptized but the formula used.
Four questions that are frequently asked concerning water baptism.
1. What was the act of baptism in Bible times?
As most great scholars of all brances of Christendom, even those who practice infant baptism and sprinkling and pouring, specifically declare, the original act of baptism was immersion, as the Greek words translated "baptism" and "baptize" clearly signify. moreover, nearly all the translations into modern languages convey the same meaning. It is no more difficult for a greek scholar to tell you the meaning of the words used in the Greek New testament for water batpism that it is for an Englishman to tell the meaning of the words "dip" or "Immerse."
Devotion to Christ demands that we do exactly what His word teaches, and that we do not substitute some other "Act". In loyalty to the Lord we must keep the ordinance of water baptism as it was delivered to us by Christ
