Bible Baptism (Acts 2:38)

We read in Ephesians 4:5, that there is "one Lord, one faith, and one baptism." The purpose of this article is to clearly set for the Bible teaching as to what the ONE form of scriptural baptism is, instead of the opinion or tradition of any man or church.

We first invite the readers attention to the word "baptize," taken as it is from the Greek word, "baptizo," which means to plunge, or to dip the candidate.  This we will explain as the practice of the early church, and the teaching of the apostles.

Belief and repentance precede baptism, as it is found in Acts 2:38, Mark 16:6 and Acts 22:16.  Therefore little babies receive no divine benefit from baptism, they cannot repent or believe in Jesus.  Infant baptism has no place in the Bible, and is only a practice handed down to us from the Dark Ages, when the Bibles were burned.  It is one of the traditions of men.

Jesus first gave us the example of baptism about which it is said, "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water." (Matt. 3:16) He was our example, whose steps we are to follow, in order to be saved and have everlasting life.

John was baptizing in Aenon because there was much water there. (John 3:32) The Holy Spirit directed Philip to the desert of Gaza, where he found a man sitting in a chariot and he preached to him Christ. As they rode along and came to  a certain water, the eunuch said to Philip, "See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized? -  and commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both when down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him."  The Holy Spirit required both of them to go down.  (Acts 8:26-39)  This baptism was especially directed into the water, just as when Jesus was baptized.

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He told the apostles to, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."  (Mark 16:15-16)  Jesus gave us an example of what baptism was and how the act was performed and if anyone simply was water sprinkled on their heads or even poured on them, the are not baptized.  We prayerfully ask such ones to follow the instructions of Jesus and repent, be baptized, and enter into divine relationship with God; for you have never done so yet, and living in this age of light and education, God will surely hold you accountable at the judgment day.

The ordinance of baptism is a likeness of the burial and resurrection of Christ.  He died and was buried, and arose again from the grave; and so it is with the one who is baptized - he dies to the sins of the world, and is buried and resurrected to walk in newness of life.  He goes down to the watery grave, and is resurrected from it just as Jesus was when He set the example of Bible baptism, and later went in the literal grave and also rose again.

The Lord tells us plainly the significance of baptism in the following scripture, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." (Romans 6:3-5)

In the watery grave is where we meet Jesus and the old carnal man is destroyed and put off, and where we put on the new nature, having had a change of heart.  If you have only been sprinkled, something else besides "baptism," you are not in a condition to be saved and have never experienced the joy that is yours to receive.  "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth, we should not serve sin." (Verse 6)

Note Col. 3:1-5  Through daily prayer set your affections on things of God, by seeking Him in every beautiful attribute that so abounded in Jesus, and God will give them to you.

No person can furnish one scripture that says anything about sprinkling or pouring as a baptism rite.  Nor is there a single account given of anyone being received unto Jesus Christ through the ordinance of sprinkling or one Scripture where a baby was ever baptized.

BTCOG 7th Day - Missions Dept. | Believer's Tabernacle Church of God 7th Day!