Revision as of 20:26, 7 August 2013

The word baptize comes from the from the Greek word βάπτειν, which means "to immerse". For two thousand years, Christians have been immersed in water to demonstrate their obedience to the words of Jesus, who instructed his followers to be baptized "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." The Bible records that the apostles baptized all new converts in the name of Jesus Christ.

Baptism in Tanzania using a cow trough

Baptism in Siberia through the ice

Baptism in the Philippines in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Baptism symbolizes a Christian's participation in Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. It demonstrates submission to the teachings of Jesus Christ, and is also an acceptance of the promise of eternal life.

Why must Christians be Baptized?

Baptism in the Black Sea, Ukraine.

Jesus commanded it.

Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)

Baptism was taught and practiced by Jesus' Disciples (the Apostles)

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38)

The Apostle Peter said this doctrine was applicable to all Christians - in every century.

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call. (Acts 2:39)

Baptism is God's instruction for us. It is not wise to reject this instruction

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (Mark 16:16)

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. (Luke 7:30)

Baptism is identification with the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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)

Should Christians be Immersed?

Immersion in a Philippine Jail.

Full Immersion is the only Biblical method of Baptism.

The Greek word for baptize (βάπτειν) means to fully immerse something in a fluid. Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words states that the word is derived from bapto, meaning to dip, and was used among the Greeks to signify the dyeing of a garment, or the drawing of water by dipping a vessel into another. Vine's also sets forth the noun form as follows: "baptisma ... baptism, consisting of the process of immersion, submersion and emergence (from bapto, to dip)."

Consider also the following scriptures:

At that time Jesus...was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water... (Mark 1:9-10)
Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. (John 3:23)

The fact that baptism is to be by full immersion is further validated by its being likened biblically to a burial.

We were therefore buried with him through baptism. (Rom. 6:4)
Having been buried with him in baptism. (Col. 2:12)

In what Name should Christians be baptized?

Baptism in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ in India.

Christians shoudl be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus said Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (Mat. 28:19)

The name of the Father is Lord.
1. I am the LORD; that is my name! (Isa. 42:8)
2. The LORD who formed it the earth and established it— the LORD is his name. (Jer. 33:2)
The name of the Son is Jesus.
1. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. (Matt. 1:21)
The name Christ (Greek: Christos), frequently applied to Jesus, is the name wherein the Holy Spirit, the anointing, is identified.
1. Christ [Greek: Christos] in you, the hope of glory. (Col. 1:27)
The Name of the Father (Lord), and of the Son (Jesus), and of the Holy Spirit (Christ) cannot be separated into separate persons.
1. God hath made ... Jesus... both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36)
2. Jesus Christ: (He is Lord of all). (Acts 10:36)

Christians should therefore be baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, which is in the Name is the Lord Jesus Christ. The words 'Father', 'Son', and 'Holy Spirit' are not names (or one Name), but are titles reflecting various attributes of God.

The following scriptures record actual baptisms in the New Testament:

Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:38)
...and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized... (Acts 8:12)
They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 8:16)
Be baptized in the name of the Lord. (Acts 10:48)
That is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard [this], they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.(Acts 19:4b,5)

In the 'great commission,' Jesus said, "In my name they will drive out demons...they will place their hands on sick people." The apostles did this by invoking the name, speaking aloud his name. The same should be done at water baptism.

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-'''The word ''baptize''''' comes from the from the Greek word βάπτειν, which means "to immerse".  For two thousand years, Christians have been immersed in water to demonstrate their obedience to the words of Jesus, who instructed his followers to be baptized "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."  The Bible records that the apostles baptized all new converts in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as this is the common name of the person of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
+'''The word ''baptize''''' comes from the from the Greek word βάπτειν, which means "to immerse".  For two thousand years, Christians have been immersed in water to demonstrate their obedience to the words of Jesus, who instructed his followers to be baptized "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."  The Bible records that the apostles baptized all new converts in the name of Jesus Christ.
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@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 [[Image:Baptism-Philippines.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Baptism in the Philippines in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.]]
 {{col-end}}
-Baptism symbolizes a Christian's participation in Jesus' death, burial, and resurection.  It demonstrates submission to the teachings of Jesus Christ, and is also an acceptance of the promise of eternal life.  Anyone who has not been baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, as instructed by the scriptures and demonstrated in the Book of Acts, must be baptized or rebaptized in this Name: ''"for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."'' (Acts 4:12)
+Baptism symbolizes a Christian's participation in Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection.  It demonstrates submission to the teachings of Jesus Christ, and is also an acceptance of the promise of eternal life.
@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 :''For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.'' (Acts 2:39)
-'''Baptism is God's instruction for us.  It is not wise to reject this instuction'''
+'''Baptism is God's instruction for us.  It is not wise to reject this instruction'''
 :''He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.'' (Mark 16:16)
 :''But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.'' (Luke 7:30)
-'''Baptizm is identification with the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.'''
+'''Baptism is identification with the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.'''
 :''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)
@@ Line 66: / Line 66: @@
 Christians shoudl be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
-Jesus said ''Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:'' (Mat. 28:19)  The Name, singular, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is the Lord Jesus Christ.
+Jesus said ''Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:'' (Mat. 28:19)
 #The name of the Father is Lord.
@@ Line 82: / Line 82: @@
 The following scriptures record actual baptisms in the New Testament:
-#''Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.'' (Acts 2:38)
+#''Be baptized in the '''name of Jesus Christ'''.'' (Acts 2:38)
-#''...and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized...'' (Acts 8:12)
+#''...and the '''name of Jesus Christ''', they were baptized...'' (Acts 8:12)
-#''They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.'' (Acts 8:16)
+#''They were baptized in the '''name of the Lord Jesus'''.'' (Acts 8:16)
-#''Be baptized in the name of the Lord.'' (Acts 10:48)
+#''Be baptized in the '''name of the Lord'''.'' (Acts 10:48)
-#''That is, on Christ Jesus.  When they heard [this], they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.''(Acts 19:4b,5)
+#''That is, on Christ Jesus.  When they heard [this], they were baptized in the '''name of the Lord Jesus'''.''(Acts 19:4b,5)
-Baptizing in the name does not merely mean doing it in the authority of. It means invoking the name; it means speaking the name aloud. In the 'great commission,' Jesus said, "In my name they will drive out demons...they will place their hands on sick people." The apostles did this by invoking the name, speaking aloud his name. The same should be done at water baptism.
-<div style="border-bottom:1px #B87333 solid; text-align:center; font-size:140%; padding:1px; margin:1px;">Is rebaptism necessary for someone that has not been immersed in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ?</div>
-[[Image:Baptism Brazil.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Baptism in Brazil, where the majority of the population are baptized as infants.]]
-Christians who have only been baptized in the titles of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit should be repabtized for the following reasons:
-'''1) It is clear from the Bible (Acts 19:1-5) that people that were baptized incorrectly were commanded to be rebaptized:'''
-:''And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?  And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.  And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.  Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.''
-'''2) God wants us to obey his commandments as stated in I John 2:3-5:'''
-:''And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
-'''3) Refusing God's invitation to baptism means that He has no obligation to give you the gift of the Holy Ghost.'''
-Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, and having been given the Keys to the Kingdom by Jesus, answered the people who asked "What shall we do?" with the following commandment in Acts 2:38:
-:''Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.''
-If a person does not obey the scriptural pattern of conversion by repenting, then baptizm in Name of the Lord Jesus Christ by immersion, God has no obligation to give them His Holy Spirit.
-'''4) No one has the authority to supersede the Biblical example of Water Baptism'''
-Peter, who Catholics consider to be the first Pope, was given the keys to the kingdom by Jesus (Mat. 16:19).  Jesus told Peter to baptise ''in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost'' (Mat. 28:19), and Peter then went out and preached that everyone must ''Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ'' (Acts 2:38).  Peter was not disobeying Jesus, but knew that the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost is the Lord Jesus Christ.  Galatians 1:8 says that ''But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.''  This means that even if the Pope himself tells you not to be baptised by immersion in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that message is a different gospel than the one that Peter and Paul preached.
-'''5) All Churches agree that baptism according to the Bible is necessary.'''
-In the article "Are Catholics Born Again?" by Bishop Robert H. Brom (San Diego), it states:
-:''Catholics should ask Protestants, "Are you born again—the way the Bible understands that concept?" If the Evangelical has not been properly water baptized, he has not been born again "the Bible way," regardless of what he may think.'' <ref name="Are Catholics Born Again">[http://www.catholic.com/library/Are_Catholics_Born_Again.asp Are Catholics Born Again]</ref>
-While not supporting the various Protestant interpretations of being born again that are discussed in Bishop Brom's article, it is important to note that Bishop Brom states that ''many Protestants have abandoned this biblical teaching, substituting man-made theories on regeneration.''  However, the Catholic church, is guilty above all other religous organizations and Christian denominations of abandoning biblical teaching for man-made theories - including their method of water baptism.  Baptism by immersion in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only Biblical way to be baptised.
-If you have not been baptised by immersion in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, you should be rebaptised.
+In the 'great commission,' Jesus said, "In my name they will drive out demons...they will place their hands on sick people." The apostles did this by invoking the name, speaking aloud his name. The same should be done at water baptism.
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