Water Baptism
What Does the Bible Say About It?

Sid Galloway © 2002
[Updated September 29, 2002]

    Way back as a tiny infant, my parents had me baptized because they loved me and belonged to a denomination, whose tradition taught that sprinkling infants was the right thing to do.  They and their denomination, lovingly yet mistakenly believed that an infant could become a Christian and somehow enter the family of God - even though a baby can make no decision for itself about God.  Sadly as the years unfolded, it became clear that I had never truly been born of God's Spirit and character.  Instead, I became increasingly bitter, rebellious, and eventually depressed, shy, and withdrawn.  I took drugs, regularly broke the law, and studied New Age, eastern religions and psychology to find answers to the big questions in life.  But the fruit growing on the tree of my life continually proved that the root in my soul was not God's Spirit, but subtle sin instead.

    Finally in my mid-twenties, I came to the end of myself (you can see the full testimony on our website), and quit trying to be my own boss.  I submitted to Jesus as the LORD He had so clearly proven He always was - the one who paid the price of death for my sins.  As John chapter 3 describes, I was, for the first time, born brand new of the Spirit and character of God the Father, by submissive faith in Christ Jesus alone.  My efforts to be good enough could never do it.  Only by admitting that and submitting my will to His will, could I become a true child of God.

    As a new Christian, I studied the Bible, God's Word, and began to see that all new believers were soon afterward baptized by being submerged into a river.  But remember that I was super shy, so I tried to find a loop hole to get out of this embarrassing baptism thing.   I took a Bible concordance and studied every verse that mentioned anything about baptism, but at the end it was clear.  To be obedient to Jesus as my Lord, I knew I must obey Him in baptism.  So I agreed to do it, told my pastor, and he set up a time for the baptismal service to be held at a friend's pool.

    I knew the Bible said baptism was simply a public play to show that I'd chosen to die to my old life of sinful selfishness, and that baptism didn't do anything magical or mystical for me.  Yet, I had hoped that by being obedient to Him, God would somehow set me free from my crippling shyness.  I was wrong, at least at first.  

    After the baptism, they had sort of a celebration meal inside my friend's house, but I was so intensely insecure that I stayed out in the pool.  I couldn't make myself go in the house with all of those people.  As I swam, I began to ask God (in my mind) why He'd not miraculously removed my shyness.  As I questioned, I began to be tempted with bitter self-pity.  I kept thinking, "This is not fair God.  Your Bible promises You would help me grow stronger and more secure, if I submitted and followed Your commands."

    At that very moment, a lady and her son came out of the house to swim.  The mom got into the pool across from her son, who was standing on the edge at the other side.  She held out her arms and said, "Jump in son and swim to me".  The boy looked terrified, panicked and ran back against the fence.  His mom calmly swam over to the edge of the pool near him, then backed up about two feet and said, "Don't worry son.  I'm right here to hold you.  Trust me".  The boy looked the situation over, realized that she'd be right their to catch him, and jumped into her arms.  He then climbed out and his mom backed up a few more feet.  He jumped in and swam the new, farther distance to her.  Soon, his mom was all the way to other side, and he was swimming across the whole pool.

    God had answered my questions, through this parent and a little child.  God my Father showed me that He would always be there to hold my hand and L.E.A.D. me across the scary pools of life.  I knew I might "choke" a occasionally, but He'd be there to lift me up, and to train me until I was stronger.  So I climbed out that pool, dried myself off, and walked into the "pool of people", while trusting my Heavenly Father to teach me how to interact for His glory and the blessing of others.  I knew that I had to grow, the same way I become born-again, by walking in submissive faith toward my Father.  I had to trust God and His Word as my boss, instead of my own limited and foolish ideas.  That's what baptism pictures.  It pictures the decision to ask God to put to death our old patterns of self-rule and self-love, until He grows us into the character of His Son, Jesus Christ. 

Please read Acts 2:37-38; 41, 47.
The word, "baptism", comes from the Greek term in the Bible, baptidzo, which means to soak, or to immerse in a liquid. It was often used to describe the dunking of cloth into a vat of dye to change its color. Every example in the Bible of baptism and all of the records of the early first century church show that people were baptized by being immersed under water.

Please read Matthew 28:18-20.
Did Jesus give a command or a suggestion about people being baptized?

Who should be baptized, infants or disciples who have chosen to submit to God in faith?

Please read Matthew 3:11; 20:22_23; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 12:13.
The Bible also uses the Greek term, baptidzo (immerse), for things other than WATER baptism. The baptism of FIRE in Mat 3:11, refers to the final judgment of God on all rebels. Mat 20 talks about a faithful believer enduring persecution from those who hate Jesus (a baptism of SUFFERINGS). In the Romans & Corinthians passages it refers to God's SPIRITUAL work of salvation inside a person, before he chooses to be baptized (also in Mat 3:11 "HOLY SPIRIT").

WATER baptism does not save someone, nor is it a magic ritual that does anything mystical or spiritual to the person being baptized. It is simply a public, visible display to show other people that you are a believer, who has chosen to submit to God in faith. It's a powerful way to witness to others. Water baptism shows other people that you have already trusted God to put to death your old lifestyle of self-rule, bury it behind you, and raise you up to become a mature Christian with Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Baptism shows them that you have already asked God to change you, train you, and even discipline you until you become the person He wants you to be.

Publicly dedicating a baby to God is a good thing, but it cannot be a truly biblical baptism.  Why is it that sprinkling an infant cannot fulfill the meaning and method of biblical baptism?

1. Sprinkling -

2. Infants -

Are you a real believer who has submitted in faith to Jesus as your boss Matthew 7:21?

According to John 14:15, if you love Jesus, what will you do, even when fear tempts you?

Will you obey God, as the African man in Acts 8:35-38 did, and be publicly baptized, to please God and witness to other people?

Please remember that those who refuse to follow Jesus and His Way will face the final judgment of destruction in the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:11) - AN IMMERSION IN FIRE.

So out of love, all Christians should be eager to witness to others through WATER BAPTISM, about the good news of salvation and eternal life in God's family.