Articles
Baptism In The New Testament
The word baptism is found 22 times in the New Testament. The verb form, baptize, is found 10 times and in the action form of "baptized" 60 times. It is a significant term in the vocabulary of Jesus and His disciples.
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John the Baptist came baptizing the Jews unto repentance (Matthew 3:1-6). This was a limited message given only to the people of Judea (Matthew 10:6; 15:24).
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Jesus, in giving His great commission of preaching the gospel to the whole world, commanded baptism. And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16). "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20).
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Since Jesus gave that commission it should be important to anyone to examine all that is taught in the New Testament about the purpose and method of baptism.
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The Purpose of Baptism
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Following the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus the apostles carried out the great commission. Preaching to the Jews on the day of Pentecost the apostles showed from the scriptures that Jesus was "both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36). When the multitude heard this they were "cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do'? Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call'." (Acts 2:37-38).
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These people, like all people, needed to be saved from their sins. They also understood exactly what Peter and the rest of the apostles commanded for we continue to read, "And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, 'Be saved from this perverse generation.' Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them." (Acts 2:40-41).
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Throughout the book of Acts we see, time and again, people hearing about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and being baptized in His name (Acts 8:12, 34-38; 9:18; 10:47-48; 16:15, 33). Even some who had been baptized with John's baptism were commanded to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 19:5).
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From the above scriptures we learn that people who believed in Jesus as the Christ, His death, burial and resurrection, were baptized for the remission of sins unto salvation (see also 1 Peter 3:20-21).
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The Method of Baptism
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From reading the conversion of people in the book of Acts we get an impression about the method of baptism. Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. (Acts 8:34-38).
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Notice this text informs us that both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water. The apostle Paul states that baptism is a burial in Romans 6:3-4 and Colossians 2:11-12.
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Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Rom. 6:3-4). In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. (Col. 2:11-12).
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Paul calls baptism a "burial." There is good reason for this. The Koine Greek word transliterated baptism means: "baptism, consisting of the processes of immersion, submersion and emergence." (from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers). Any reputable Greek Lexicon will concur with W. E. Vine's definition. Baptism in the New Testament was an immersion in water. Hence, the apostle Paul called it a "burial."
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In conclusion, baptism, after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, was practiced for the remission of sins for those who believed in Jesus, repented of their sins and confessed their faith in Jesus as the only begotten Son of God (c.f.: Romans 10:9-10; Acts 8:37).
