Baptism by Immersion

[kyredneck]

I cannot find any legal requirement in the Bible regarding method of baptism. I'm not sure that God is all too concerned with the process.

If I wanted to build an ark like Noah built, or one like Moses built, or perform any of the ceremonial/sacrificial rites contained in the law I can find concise instructions on how to do it. It's odd that there are no such 'how to' instructions for Baptism.

 

[tyndale1946]

Baptism by immersion, picturing the death, burial,
and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We crucified the old man, he's put him to death... We buried him in the liquid grave and are resurrected as a new man in Jesus Christ... Did John sprinkle Jesus?... I will follow and did follow the example Jesus set... The mode of Baptism was set by God... If you're a Baptist and still sprinkle?... Baptize means to immerse... You need to change denominations... Brother Glen

 

[tyndale1946]

Believers should be baptized (only by immersion) but it’s not salvific. It is identification with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

The Holy Spirit adds to the church daily those that are saved.

Because a man “joins” a church means nothing if he’s a tare.

I heard a preacher make this comment back in the day... If the one being Baptized isn't regenerated before they are immersed in the baptismal waters... They go in a dry devil and come out a wet one!... Brother Glen

 

[Alan Gross]

If I wanted to build an ark like Noah built, or one like Moses built, or perform any of the ceremonial/sacrificial rites contained in the law I can find concise instructions on how to do it. It's odd that there are no such 'how to' instructions for Baptism.

DEFINITIONS OF DOCTRINE
Volume III

The New Testament Church
by C.D. Cole

CHAPTER VI

THE DOCTRINE OF BAPTISM

A. The Subject: Only a believer (born again).

B. The Mode: Only by immersion.

C. The Design: Only to symbolize the burial and resurrection of Christ.

D. The Authority: Only a church of Jesus Christ.


A. THE PROPER SUBJECT

Baptism is only for believers, and believers are saved or justified. "And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:39);

"And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:31);

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36);

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1),

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8,9).

This excludes unregenerate adults and all infants. A Jesuit Theologian, S. J. Hunter, said: "It is impossible for infant baptism to be discussed directly between a Catholic and a Baptist. They have no common ground.

The Baptist urges that the scriptures everywhere teach faith as a prerequisite to baptism. The Catholic defends his practice as to infants by the authority of the Church, which the Baptist refuse to accept." (Outline of Dogmatic Theology Vol. 3, page 222.)

ARGUMENT:

1. To baptize any but believers is to accept Catholic authority rather than Scriptural authority. The Scriptures nowhere command baptism for any but believers.

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

"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls" (Acts 2:41);

"But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women" (Acts 8:12);

"And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized" Acts 18:8);

"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" (Acts 19:4).

2. To baptize infants destroys the privilege of personal obedience to the command to be baptized. There can be no personal obedience on the part of an infant when it is immersed or sprinkled.

3. To baptize infants or unregenerate adults is to merge the church and the world. It is filling the church with the world. Infants have no personal responsibility and are not lost and need no so-called saving rite of baptism.

4. To baptize any but the saved is to deny that the church should be composed of only lovers of God and of Christ. Think of having enemies of Christ in the church which is His body, and the custodian of His truth. And nobody loves God except the born again believers.

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God" (I John 4:7);

"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him" (I John 5:1).

Love and faith are results of the new birth from God.

B. THE PROPER MODE

Baptism is to be by immersion only.

ARGUMENT:

1. From the meaning of the word baptize. Greek scholars are in agreement that the word means to dip, immerse.

2. From the "Church Fathers." Cyril 315-386 A. D.

Bishop of Jerusalem: "For as he who sinks down in the waters and is immersed (baptized)...."

Basil, Bishop of Caesarea, 370 A. D. "Imitating the burial of Christ by the immersion (baptism)...."

Gregory, Bishop of Constantanople, 380 A.D.: "Let us, therefore, be buried with Christ by the immersion (baptism) that we may also rise with Him...."

3. From the admissions of those who do not now immerse. D. Dollinger, a Roman Catholic historian: "At first Christian baptism commonly took place in the Jordan; of course, as the church spread more widely, in private houses also.

Like that of St. John, it was by immersion of the whole person, which is the only meaning of the New Testament word. A mere pouring or sprinkling was never thought of." (The First age of Christianity and the church, page 324-325).

Mr. Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church, in his comment on Rom. 6:4, 5 admits that the reference is to immersion as the primitive mode of baptism.

The Catholic Encyclopedia: "The most ancient form usually employed was unquestionably immersion.... In the Latin Church immersion seems to have prevailed until the twelfth century.

After that time it was found in some places even as late as the 16th century.." (See The Catholic Encyclopedia, in 15th vol., edited by Charles G. Herberan, Ph.D., LL,D., pages 261, 262).

Prof. Marcus Dods, Edenburgh explained baptism as "a rite wherein by immersion of water the participant symbolizes and signalizes his transition from an impure to a pure life, his death to a past he abandons, and his birth to a future he desires."

4. From the practice of the early church. The first instance of baptism by any other mode than immersion was about the middle of the third century.

A man named Novatian was ill and was baptized by having water poured around him.

The first public (official) authority for sprinkling was given about 811 A.D. by Pope Steven II. Some of the French clergy informed the pope that there were some too sick and some too small to be immersed and asked for permission to sprinkle them.

The pope replied, "If such were cases of necessity, and if sprinkling were performed in the Name of the Trinity, it should be valid."

Greek word for sprinkling: Rhantizo: I Peter 1:2 "of the blood of Jesus"

Hebrews 12:24; "blood of sprinkling"

Hebrews 10:22; "hearts sprinkled... and bodies washed in pure water."

At the Council of Ravenna in 1311, the Roman Church decreed: "Baptism is to be administered by triune aspersion (sprinkling, CDC) or immersion."

The Westminster (Presbyterian) Assembly met in 1643 to compose a Confession of Faith. Baptism was hotly discussed; 24 voted to retain immersion; 25 voted for sprinkling or pouring.

5. From the New Testament metaphor by which baptism is represented. It is called a burial and a resurrection.

"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" (Rom. 6:4);

"Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead" (Col. 2:12).

con't

 

[Alan Gross]

C. THE SCRIPTURAL DESIGN

On this point there are two views of baptism: The sacramental and the symbolic.

The sacramental makes baptism a saving sacrament; it is to confer grace.

The symbolic declares that grace has already been conferred.

One makes baptism essential to regeneration and remission of sins;

the other makes it a symbol or figure of what saves, even the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

W. M. Nevins says, "The design in Baptist Churches is not in order to obtain the remission of sins. It is not a means of grace. It is not in order to obtain regeneration. It has nothing to do with our salvation. It is a picture showing forth the gospel: the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and signifies that the one baptized is dead to the old life of sin and risen to a new life in Christ."

The author states his view of baptism as a symbol in a somewhat different way to most of his brethren. To him it is not a symbol of regeneration but of justification.

It symbolizes the believer's death to the guilt and penalty of sin; and the Bible word that denotes this judicial death is justification rather than regeneration.

Rom. 6:7 says, "For he that is dead is freed (justified) from sin."

This is judicial death and not death in the experimental sense.

Regeneration is not the Bible word used to denote death to sin.

Regeneration does kill the sinner to the love of sin, but not to the experience of sin.

Regeneration is the putting of the divine nature within, but it does not remove the old nature.

The new birth makes one more sensitive to sin; it does not kill him to the sense of sin.

D. THE SCRIPTURAL ADMINISTRATOR OF BAPTISM

Who is to authorize the believer's baptism?

This question reverts back to the question to whom or to what was the commission given?

It was given to something, an institution that would be perpetuated until the end of the age. It was spoken to the apostles, not as individuals but as representatives of the church.

And so the church is to make disciples, baptize disciples, and teach disciples what God has commanded to be observed or practiced.

The believer must be received by the church; he unites with and his baptism must be authorized by the same church.

Only a church of Christ--a Scriptural church can execute the commission to baptize. And so every group of Christians must prove itself to be a Scripturally constituted church before it can Scripturally execute Christ's command.

Until the time of the reformation beginning with Luther, there were widely scattered churches, each a little democracy in contrast to the Roman hierarchy with a human head.

These scattered churches were called Anabaptists because they insisted on baptizing all who came to them from the Roman hierarchy.

The name Anabaptists was applied to them because they were charged with rebaptizing those who came to them from Rome.

They rejected the name and claimed that those they baptized had never been baptized.

The early conflict was not over the mode of baptism because the Roman Catholic hierarchy immersed for several centuries.

The issue was over the authority to baptize.

None but a Scriptural Church has authority to baptize, for the command to baptize was given to the church that would be in existence from the days of Christ to the end of the age.

The strongest argument that Baptist Churches represent the institution to whom the commission was given is the witness or testimony of those who are not Baptists.

Mosheim, the Lutheran historian writes: "The true origin of that sect which acquired the name of Anabaptists, by their administering anew the rite of baptism to those who came over to their communion, is hid in the remote depths of antiquity, and is, consequently, extremely difficult to be ascertained."

The Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge has his to say: "The Baptist's, who were formerly called Anabaptists, and in later times Mednonnites, were the original Waldenses, and have long in the history of the church received the honor of that origin."

On this account, the Baptists may be considered the only Christian community which has stood since the apostle's, and which has preserved pure the doctrines of the gospel through all the ages.

 

[Van]

In my learning, Baptism of people who have given a credible profession of Faith is what usually sets me apart from Presbyterians. (And Covenant Theology, Church rule)

However, there are those who would say that baptism by sprinkling or pouring is just as valid.

Now, I disagree. The word means to dip into. It was used of people who dyed cloth, dipping the cloth into dye.

Would your church accept someone who was Baptized by Pouring?

Yes, we accept people who were not physically immersed, but all are encouraged to submit to Christ's command and example of immersion. We also baptize people who have been baptized by immersion in the past, as they want to "rededicate" themselves to Christ fully and completely. Some of these were baptized when so young they did not really understand their statement of faith, and others realize they were not fully committed to Christ, but we just going through the motions.

I am of the opinion, and I know others disagree with good cause, it is better to accept someone's desire to be baptized, rather than stand in the way of their profession of faith, over the method of fulfilling Christ's coimmand. Errors can be corrected, but preventing efforts to commit to Christ could have eternal consequences. Millstone anyone?

 

[taisto]

Where do people think there is a command to immerse people entirely under water in the Bible? I understand it's Baptist tradition, but I am unsure of a Bible command that one must immerse another person in order to be baptized. Could a person stand in a kiddy pool and have water poured over them and still be baptized?

 

[tyndale1946]

Where do people think there is a command to immerse people entirely under water in the Bible? I understand it's Baptist tradition, but I am unsure of a Bible command that one must immerse another person in order to be baptized. Could a person stand in a kiddy pool and have water poured over them and still be baptized?

NO!... That's not Baptism... But our preacher long to be with the Lord was Baptized in the Pacific Ocean!

Acts 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

They needed water enough to immerse someone and to have someone stand in a kiddie pool and have water poured over them is not baptism... Where do people think there is a command to immerse people entirely under water in the Bible?... Matthew 3:16... Brother Glen

 

[37818]

New Where do people think there is a command to immerse people entirely under water in the Bible?

MLV, Romans 6:3-4, '. . . Or are you° ignorant that as many as were immersed* into Christ Jesus were immersed* into his death?
Therefore we were buried together with him through the immersion* into his death; . . .'

KJV, ". . . 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: . . ."

Water immersion is the believers' symbolic burial with Christ.

 

[taisto]

MLV, Romans 6:3-4, '. . . Or are you° ignorant that as many as were immersed* into Christ Jesus were immersed* into his death?
Therefore we were buried together with him through the immersion* into his death; . . .'

KJV, ". . . 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: . . ."

Water immersion is the believers' symbolic burial with Christ.

I understand the symbolism and the reason why Baptist's dunk people. That is a tradition, not a command in scripture. Is a believer not baptized when he has water poured on him and is immersed in that water? Do you think God makes a distinction?

 

[taisto]

NO!... That's not Baptism... But our preacher long to be with the Lord was Baptized in the Pacific Ocean!

Acts 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

They needed water enough to immerse someone and to have someone stand in a kiddie pool and have water poured over them is not baptism... Where do people think there is a command to immerse people entirely under water in the Bible?... Matthew 3:16... Brother Glen

Matthew 3:16 is not a command on the required mode of baptism. In fact, Matthew 3:16 isn't even believers baptism, which is one reason John was opposing the baptism.
I understand the tradition. I am asking if there is no place to dunk a new believer, would God be opposed to having water poured over the believer to show his union in the new covenant?

 

[tyndale1946]

Matthew 3:16 is not a command on the required mode of baptism. In fact, Matthew 3:16 isn't even believers baptism, which is one reason John was opposing the baptism.
I understand the tradition. I am asking if there is no place to dunk a new believer, would God be opposed to having water poured over the believer to show his union in the new covenant?

John was opposing the baptism because he didn't feel he was worthy to baptize the Son Of God... Brother Glen

John 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

 

[taisto]

John was opposing the baptism because he didn't feel he was worthy to baptize the Son Of God... Brother Glen

John 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Because Jesus had nothing to repent of, brother. John said that Jesus should baptize him, not the other way around.

The mode of baptism is never expressed or demanded in the Bible.

 

[JonC]

Because Jesus had nothing to repent of, brother. John said that Jesus should baptize him, not the other way around.

The mode of baptism is never expressed or demanded in the Bible.

I'm not sure.

If we use English and I say immerse in the name of Jesus it seems that the mode is in the word "immerse". Baptist means "to immerse" (not to sprinkle or pour over).

My argument is that the mode of baptism is indicated in Scripture with the word "baptize".

Words for pouring over and sprinkling are in the Bible (pouring water over...sprinkling blood on the altar). But the Bible uses "baptize" (to immerse).

 

[tyndale1946]

I'm not sure.

If we use English and I say immerse in the name of Jesus it seems that the mode is in the word "immerse". Baptist means "to immerse" (not to sprinkle or pour over).

My argument is that the mode of baptism is indicated in Scripture with the word "baptize".

Words for pouring over and sprinkling are in the Bible (pouring water over...sprinkling blood on the altar). But the Bible uses "baptize" (to immerse).

If you claim you are Baptist and pour or sprinkle, you're not a true Baptist are you?... If "baptize" means (to immerse), that is what separates us from those who pour or sprinkle... Brother Glen

 

[taisto]

If you claim you are Baptist and pour or sprinkle, you're not a true Baptist are you?... If "baptize" means (to immerse), that is what separates us from those who pour or sprinkle... Brother Glen

Indeed, it wouldn't be tradition. But, that is not what I am asking. I am asking if God has dictated a mode that must be used?

 

[tyndale1946]

Indeed, it wouldn't be tradition. But, that is not what I am asking. I am asking if God has dictated a mode that must be used?

Not according to the symbolism... The immersion is a resurrection to newness in life... Its the representation of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead but the Baptism that is the most important is not water Baptism... It is done by Jesus Christ alone!... Brother Glen

Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

 

[taisto]

Not according to the symbolism... The immersion is a resurrection to newness in life... Its the representation of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead but the Baptism that is the most important is not water Baptism... It is done by Jesus Christ alone!... Brother Glen

Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Again, you are stating a tradition that Baptists hold, but not a mandate by God.

Baptism expresses that we are immersed into Christ. In that expression we would never come back out. So, the mode of expression is not as significant as the expression of being immersed into Christ. Water in that case can be poured or sprinkled without offending God.

 

[37818]

Is a believer not baptized when he has water poured on him and is immersed in that water? Do you think God makes a distinction?

Pouring is not necessary immersion. It is a work, so not a matter of salvation. And is distinct from the gospel which it accompanies, per 1 Corinthians 1:17, ". . . . For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: . . ."

ἐπιχέω epicheoh is not βάπτισμα baptisma

 

[tyndale1946]

1 Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;... From John Gill... Brother Glen

Which may be considered either as together or separately; if together, the agreement between them and baptism lay in this; the Israelites, when they passed through the Red sea, hid the waters on each side of them, which stood up as a wall higher than they, and the cloud over them, so that they were as persons immersed in and covered with water; and very fitly represented the ordinance of baptism as performed by immersion; and which is the way it was administered in the apostles' time, to which he refers; and is the only way it ought to be administered in; and in which only the Israelites' passage through the sea, and under the cloud, could be a figure of it: or this may be considered separately, they were baptized in the cloud; which was either, as Gataker F7 thinks, when the cloud went from before the face of the Israelites, and stood behind them, and was between the two camps, to keep off the Egyptians from them, which as it passed over them let down a plentiful rain upon them, whereby they were in such a condition as if they had been all over dipped in water; or their being all under the cloud, and all over covered with it, was a representation of the ordinance of baptism, in which a person is all over covered with water; and then they were baptized in the sea, as they passed through it, the waters standing up above their heads, they seemed as if they were immersed in it. Very great is the resemblance between that passage of theirs, and baptism. For instance, their following Moses into the sea, which is meant by their being "baptized into him", was an acknowledgment of their regard unto him, as their guide and governor, as baptism is a following of Christ, who has left us an example that we should tread in his steps; and is an owning him to be our prophet to teach us, and lead us the way; and it is a profession of our faith in him, as our surety and Saviour, and a subjection to him as our King and Governor. This their baptism in the sea was after their coming out of Egypt, and at their first entrance on their journey to Canaan's land, as our baptism is, or should be, after a person is brought out of worse than Egyptian bondage and darkness, and has believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, and at the beginning of his profession of him, and entrance on his Christian race. The descent of the Israelites into the sea, when they seemed as buried in the waters, and their ascent out of it again on the shore, has a very great agreement with baptism, as administered by immersion, in which the person baptized goes down into the water, is buried with Christ therein, and comes up out of it as out of a grave, or as the children of Israel out of the Red sea; and as they, when they came out of it, could rejoice and sing in the view of their salvation and safety, and of the destruction of all their enemies, so the believer can, and does rejoice in this ordinance, in the view of his salvation by Christ, and safety in him, and of all his sins being buried and drowned in the sea of his blood; witness the instances of the eunuch and jailer. But though the Israelites were all in this sense baptized, yet they did not all inherit the land of Canaan.