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When it comes to baptism there are many traditions. Some rooted in Scripture and some not. Baptism by sprinkling versus Baptism by immersion is one of these examples. This is why it is important to take the time to evaluate each practice to make sure it aligns with Scripture.

The word for baptism comes from the Greek word ‘Baptisma’ which is the “process of immersion, submersion and emergence”. Immersion is defined this way, “to make fully wet, to cover wholly with fluid, hence to dip”. This is why in every example in the New Testament you will see that the person being baptized was fully immersed in a body of water.

Sprinkling on the other hand, came about by a tradition. Whether it was because of the lack of water or merely for convenience sake, this form of baptism has grown in popularity especially among liturgical churches. However, Jesus told the Pharisees that the word of God is made of none effect by the teachings and doctrines of men ( Mark 7:13 ).

Baptism symbolizes our death, burial and resurrection to new life in Christ ( Romans 6:14, II Corinthians 5:17, Colossians 2:11-12 ). In the case of an actual death you would never sprinkle a dead person with dirt, you would bury them. The body would need to be taken care of. The same is true in the spiritual realm; our old self is buried and gone so that we can live in the new way of the spirit ( Romans 7:6 ). The body of sin is done away with and we are freed from its control ( Romans 6:8-10, Romans 7:4; Romand 7:6, Galatians 3:26-29 ).

The act of baptism helps us to visualize the change that has taken place inside. It only makes sense with full immersion into a body of water. Christ was buried and raised again, how can we visualize our resurrection while water is being poured or sprinkled on us? However, rising up out of the water paints a wonderful picture of the beginning of this new life in Christ.

We too must follow in the examples set before us in every account of Scripture concerning baptism. We have died to sin; we have buried it with Christ’s death on the cross so that it is gone and holds no power over us. And we are raised to a new life in Christ to live out the remainder of our days celebrating this victory.

For further study on baptism please look at these passages: Mark 16:15-16, Acts 2:36-41, Acts 8:5;12;14-15, Acts 8:35-38, Acts 9:3-6; 17-18, Acts 10:43-48, Acts 16:14-15, Acts 16:30-34, Acts 19:1-6, Acts 22:12-16.

A couple that my husband and I had discipled for almost two years had a baby. As soon their little girl was born, the mother came to me one night asking if I thought they should baptize their new baby. I was surprised at this question. We have been through the foundations of God’s word for over a year and they were growing in grace and truth. It seemed that she was being pressured from friends and family to have this done so as to spare her child if something were to happen to it. As we talked things over she naturally came to a scriptural conclusion which put both her heart and mind at ease as well as gave her a response to use when questioned. What she concluded is that baptism is an act of faith stemming from salvation, not the means for salvation. So there was no reason for her baby to be baptized, that decision would need to be made by this child in the future when she understands the gift of grace offered by God.

Baby baptism seems to be a hot topic. Even people who do not believe in Jesus will have their children baptized so they will go to heaven even though there is no scripture to support such a claim. This is because a lot of denominations teach that baptism saves a person. So they offer this ritual to new parents, as if this decision could be made by anyone other than the individual.

This practice stems from circumcising infants at eight days which was what God instructed Abraham to do ( Genesis 17:12 ). Circumcision was a sign of the covenant God made with Abraham. All males born out of this promise would undergo the rite of circumcision at eight days. Circumcision was a sign or token of the promise to remind the person that they were in covenant with God. Many assume baptism in the New Testament correlates with the token of circumcision in the Old Testament. However as New Testament believers, our token to the covenant between God and mankind is not baptism which illustrates the cutting away of the flesh or sin nature ( Colossians 2:11-12 ), our token to this covenant is the deposited Holy Spirit living inside us, a gift that God gives to remind us of what has taken place. This can only happen by invitation, period. A baby can neither understand, invite nor accept this gift.

Because of this, there is no scriptural basis for baptizing infants. The things that are required for water baptism actually disqualify babies. The first thing is that the person is required to repent and believe ( Acts 2:38, Acts 20:21, Acts 17:30 ). This requires a change of heart and mind resulting in turning to Jesus to be forgiven. “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” ( Acts 2:38 ). Next, the person must exercise faith in Jesus as Lord and savior ( Mark 16:16, John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10 ). “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” ( Mark 16:16 ). A baby cannot repent, cannot confess, cannot believe and cannot receive. Therefore they are completely disqualified from being baptized according to the Scriptural example of water baptism.

However, at the heart of why people want to baptize their children lies idea they want to protect their children. Whether they are completely ignorant of salvation or they simply use this as a covering until the child reaches an age where they can understand for themselves what it means to believe in Jesus as their savior. While the intent is noble, it is void of truth. We can achieve the same assured peace by simply understanding God’s nature and scripture as a whole.

When questioned by the Pharisees who had the intent to trap him, Jesus answered “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God” ( Matthew 22:29, Mark 12:24 ). The Pharisees knew the Scriptures but had no knowledge or understanding of them. Neither did they understand the true nature of God. If they had, they would not have asked the same questions. The same is true for us. If we really understood the complete and true nature of God we would not be looking to infant baptism as a way of protecting our children. We would realize that God has always operated from grace, especially when innocence is concerned.

Children do not have the capacity to understand their sin in relation to God’s holiness. While they may understand when they are naughty and do something wrong (even from an early age) they cannot comprehend that they are actually sinning against God, therefore God does not hold them accountable until the time when they can understand this. Paul said in Romans, “For before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law" ( Romans 5:13 ). The law is what shows us our sin in contrast to God’s holiness. Which is why Paul said later on in Romans, "Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died." ( Romans 7:9 ). It is at that point when we are held responsible before God for our sin and understand the need for Jesus as our savior. It is God’s holiness that puts this into perspective for us. Young children are, by nature, disqualified from this type of accountability which will come later in life.

Until this point in life, God always operates in grace. David understood this which is why he said after the death of his child, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” ( II Samuel 12:22-23 ). David knew God’s loving nature and knew that his dead child was already and eternally with the Lord.

Baptizing infants solely for the sake of protecting them lest something should happen is a work in which you are doing something in exchange for salvation. However, trusting in God’s nature and character for their salvation up until the time that decision can be made with understanding by the child, falls in the realm of faith which always pleases the Lord ( Hebrews 11:6 ). My friend, who was a new mother came to this same conclusion and rejoiced as she understood the Lord had always held her daughter, securely wrapped in His amazing grace. There was no need to intervene because the Lord would take care of everything if something should happen.

Tomorrow we will finish this study on baptism by looking at immersion verse sprinkling. Please join me for part 5, What is the Difference Between Sprinkling and Immersion?

If the waters of baptism do not save a person, why should every believer be baptized? To answer this we must look at Jesus’ baptism. After all, Jesus was sinless and perfect and yet he was still baptized. In fact, in every gospel account the baptism of Jesus is recorded; which makes this extremely significant ( Matthew 3:1-17, Mark 1: 1-13, Luke 3:1-23, John 1: 19-28 ). Look at Matthew’s account:

“In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”

John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” ( Matthew 3:1-17 ).

John the Baptist was out in the desert baptizing the multitudes of people coming to him. To the Jew, baptism was a rite the gentiles would undergo when they converted to Judaism. It was not something a Jew would ever do. Gentiles did it to declare that they were forsaking their other gods and religion to align themselves with something completely different.

John told the Jewish people who came to him to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (verse 2). Repenting is defined as turning and going in the opposite direction. As people came to John to be baptized they were declaring that they were looking for the kingdom of God. John was sent to baptize so that Jesus would be revealed to Israel ( John 1:31 ).

When Jesus came to John to be baptized the scriptures say that John tried to deter Jesus, noting that he was the one who should be baptized. Look at Jesus’ response, “Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented” ( Matthews 3:15 ). Jesus was sinless, Jesus was already righteous but to fulfill all righteousness he was baptized. Remember water baptism is a declaration of faith, so when Jesus was baptized, through this act he fulfilled or completed the righteousness he already had in his heart.

This is why believers should follow in the Savior’s example and be baptized. Christian baptism is the outward act of the believer’s inward righteousness. It expresses a heart of faith relying on Jesus’ atoning death and resurrection. This is why we are baptized into the name of Jesus; because we are associating with his death, burial and resurrection. John baptized for the forgiveness of sins, but Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire ( Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16 ).

Even Paul re-baptized those who had only been baptized into John’s baptism. “While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied” ( Acts 19:1-6 ).

These people were waiting and hadn't heard of the Holy Spirit, Paul explained the full gospel of Christ to them and they immediately saw the need to be baptized as believers. Then they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues and operate in other gifts of the Spirit. They had begun their journey when they heard John the Baptist preach, but it wasn't complete until the fullness of Christ came to them. They, like Jesus, fulfilled all righteousness by being baptized.

Tomorrow we will look whether or not we should baptised babies. Please join me for part 4, Should Babies Be Baptized So They Can Go To Heaven If They Die?

A lot of the confusion surrounding baptism probably exists because there was no time frame between salvation and the act of baptism. The New Testament church, believed and was baptized, period, unlike today. Instead, we draw it out. When a person puts saving faith in Jesus we do not readily give them a platform to publicly demonstrate it until the next baptism service rolls around. This is often why the question of whether or not baptism is a requirement for salvation comes up, because it does not align with examples from Scripture. In order to know the truth we must look at Scripture and the examples throughout the New Testament to formulate a Biblical viewpoint of water baptism.

However, we must first look at salvation. The Bible clearly teaches that salvation is a gift of grace. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" ( Romans 3:23-24 ).

Secondly, we must understand that we receive salvation by faith “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” ( Ephesians 2:8-9 ).

Next we accept our salvation by confessing and believing in Jesus. "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved" ( Romans 10:9-10 ). 

Lastly, we demonstrate our salvation by works of faith, not works of the flesh. James said, “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” ( James 2:14 ). His point is, that faith acts. When it is real, then faith is made complete by what one does, not to obtain salvation but as an outflowing of salvation ( James 2:22 ). In the same way, baptism is a declaration of faith and while it is not a condition of salvation it demonstrates the faith that does save us which is why Jesus said in Mark 16, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned ( Mark 16:16 ). Baptism doesn't save you but if you believe, you will be baptized and the reason you are baptized is because you believe.

The purpose of water baptism is to fulfill or complete your faith in Christ by an action. Baptism does not take away justification by faith, it actually strengthens the point because it gives the platform for faith to be made perfect and complete by demonstration. Look at the example of Noah who believed God and built the ark. “The LORD then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation” ( Genesis 7:1 ). Noah was declared righteous and Hebrews tells us that this declaration came because he believed God to the point that he acted by building an ark to save his family, “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith” ( Hebrews 11:7 ). Peter tells us that water baptism is the corresponding work of faith as is in the example from Noah, “...God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him” ( I Peter 3:20-22 ). Noah had to believe God to build the ark. He had to believe God to get in the ark and set sail. And because of this act of faith he and his family were saved through the waters. The same rings true for us today. This illustration is for us and the waters of our baptism are also an act of faith in God. Just as Noah became an heir of the righteousness of faith we too take hold of it in the same way.

To reiterate, baptism is not what saves, Jesus does. Water doesn't wash away sins, Jesus’ blood does. And faith is what applies His blood to you making you a new creation. God sees saving faith in the heart of a person before it expresses itself in an action. However, God shows us through Scripture how to express that faith with an action.

“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” ( Galatians 3:26-29 ).

Tomorrow we will look at why Jesus was baptised. Please join me for part 3, If Baptism is Not a Requirement for Salvation, Why Should I be Baptized?

When I was in tenth grade I met my friends every day on the stage of our school auditorium for lunch. My best friend was Presbyterian, our lunch buddy was Mormon and I grew up in a Baptist church. For an entire semester we went round and round over baptism. We argued over everything; never coming to any conclusions or swaying each other’s viewpoint. We finally agreed to not discuss it any further because the rift that it caused brought more harm than good. This was because each stance was according to the doctrines in which we were raised and they didn’t coincide for the three of us. While there was truth in what was shared, we were not using the Word of God to bring finality and understanding to the base questions that were raised. The result was confusion, dissension and arguing over something elementary that every new believer should be taught, right from the beginning.

As tenth graders we were not alone in this raging baptism debate among believers. This is why understanding water baptism, what it is and why we do it, from a scriptural viewpoint is very important. Because it settles the matter once and for all in our hearts and minds. Once it is settled and established it becomes a foundational building block to understanding many other truths from God’s Word. Not only does it settle it for us but it removes the confusion of different doctrines and brings the truth to light.

What Is water baptism?

A friend of mine recently sent a video link from a church in North Carolina that had just completed over two thousand baptisms the previous weekend. As I watched, I noticed that everyone being baptized was wearing a shirt that boldly declared, “I have decided”. This t-shirt reflected the true heart behind being baptized as it is an act of faith. It is the process in which a person publicly announces that they belong to Christ. It is a declaration that says the old is gone and the new has come.

Baptism is an illustration for the believer. It is symbolic of the change that took place when we were born again. This experience of going under the water and coming out helps us to visualize that we have died to ourselves, our old way of life, the sin nature and have been raised again as a new creation in Christ Jesus ( II Corinthians 5:17 ). Our old self is buried and gone and we have been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life ( Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12 ). Baptism is for our benefit and helps us understand the things that take place on a spiritual level at the moment of salvation. Salvation happens when we confess Jesus as Lord and trust Him to save us, accepting the gift of eternal life that is offered to us. ( John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10 ).  Water baptism is the ceremony that is the natural conclusion to the conversion that has already taken place. By undergoing it we publicly demonstrate our faith in Jesus.

This is why Jesus commanded us to go into the world preaching the good news, making disciples and baptizing in His name because it is the final declaration that you belong to Christ. It is faith in action and faith always acts ( James 2:17 ). By making this declaration you are identifying with Jesus’ redemptive work. His death, His burial and His resurrection and you want the world to know. Since baptism is a command from Jesus, the next question naturally becomes; Is water baptism a requirement for salvation? In other words, do I have to be baptized to be saved?

Tomorrow we will look at this question and find the answer by looking at Scripture. Please join me for part 2, Is Water Baptism A Requirement for Salvation?