Should Babies Be Baptized?

Should Babies Be Baptized?

The Bible clearly teaches that baptism is essential to salvation and forgiveness of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21) and is needed in order to become a disciple of Christ (Matt. 28:19-20; Gal. 3:26-27).  Concerning this act, a question many have is whether infants should be baptized.  This question is relevant especially to me at this point in my life, being a new daddy with an infant daughter a little over a year of age.  Is my daughter in need of salvation and forgiveness of sins?  Should she be baptized today?  Should I have baptized her a year ago when she was born?  A careful study of everything the Scripture says about baptism and sin in general reveals that the baptism of infants is not the baptism one reads about in God’s Word.

What does water on the head of babies do?

What does water on the head of babies do?

For one, biblical baptism is actually immersion in the original Greek, rather than pouring or sprinkling.  Today, the “baptism” of infants as commonly practiced is a misnomer, in that water more often poured or sprinkled on the baby.  It could only be truly called “infant baptism” if the baby was immersed.

That said, immersion is not the only thing which constitutes biblical baptism, because the baptism one reads of in the New Testament requires certain prerequisites.  First, one must have faith in Christ before being baptized (Acts 8:35-38; Mark 16:16; cf. Rom. 10:9-10).  An infant is incapable of believing in anything, much less in Jesus, and certainly cannot confess that faith as is commanded by Paul and exemplified by the Ethiopian eunuch.  Secondly, one must also choose to repent of their sins before being baptized (Acts 2:38).  Repentance requires having godly sorrow over one’s sins (2 Cor. 7:9-10).  An infant does not have the capability to have godly sorrow over sin and thus make the decision to repent or turn away from said sin.

In fact, the Bible actually teaches that infants have no sin in their lives that they need to repent of or be saved from the wages of (Rom. 6:23) in the first place.  A widely held belief in the denominational world is that babies inherit the guilt of their ancestor’s sins, going all the way back to Adam.  It is this belief that in fact led to the establishment of the practice of infant baptism by men two centuries after Christ lived on this earth and the church began.  However, the Bible very specifically states that people are not held accountable for the sins of their ancestors (Ezek. 18:20).  In fact, Paul described a time in his life when he was spiritually alive before becoming a sinner (Rom. 7:7-11).  He also described Jacob and Esau as having not yet done either good or evil while in the womb (Rom. 9:10-11).  If the doctrine known as “original sin” is true, Paul would not have been able to say this about himself or about Jacob and Esau because they all would have been physically born sinful.  But if children are born free from the guilt of sin and remain so until they reach an accountable age as taught in the Bible (Is. 7:15), then Paul’s statements about himself and Jacob and Esau are correct.

Finally, consider the fact that no one enters into the new covenant with the Lord without first knowing him (Heb. 8:6-13).  In the old covenant, the Israelites entered into it by virtue of being born into a Jewish family.  The males entered the covenant by way of circumcision when they were eight days old (Gen. 17:9-14), and as they grew older they had to be taught to know the Lord.  But under the new covenant, you are first taught the gospel about the Lord (Rom. 10:17; Mark 16:15).  Only after having obeyed it through faithful, penitent, baptism do you enter into that covenant relationship with God with a “circumcision without hands” (Col. 2:11-12).  Where infant baptism is practiced, this distinctive feature of the new covenant is no longer present.  Infants who have been baptized and supposedly entered a covenant relationship with the Lord at that point would still need to be introduced to know the Lord as they grew older.  However, what the writer of Hebrews said about the new covenant is true only when baptism (the means by which we enter a covenant relationship with the Lord today) is administered to penitent believers.

Therefore, God’s Word teaches me that there is no need for my infant daughter to be baptized.  If I did so, I would only accomplish getting her wet and going against what the Bible teaches myself.  Eventually, she will grow enough so that she will become accountable, and then it will be inevitable that she will sin (Rom. 3:23).  That is when she will need the salvation and forgiveness of sins that only the penitent baptism of a whole-hearted believer in the gospel of Jesus Christ can provide.

What about you?  Were you baptized as an infant?  If so, I encourage you to consider that you need to be baptized again, baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, baptized into his body which is his church (1 Cor. 12:13; cf. Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4; Gal. 3:26-27), so that your sins will be washed away (Acts 22:16).  If you believe in Jesus with all of your heart and are willing to repent of your sins and dedicate your life to him, there is no better time than today for you to be baptized (Acts 8:35-38; 2:38; cf. 2 Cor. 6:1-2).  Jesus is extending to you his invitation right now.  Accept it by obeying his commands.  Only then will he truly be your Lord and Savior (Luke 6:46; Matt. 7:21-27; Heb. 5:9).

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Are The Scriptures Sufficient for Salvation?

Are The Scriptures Sufficient for Salvation?

Many in the religious world today claim for themselves additional infallible sources of information other than what is found in the Bible. Some of these religious groups claim that these additional sources are necessary because the Bible isn’t a sufficient source of information for man’s salvation. However, if it can be shown that inspired writers do, in fact, teach the sufficiency of the scriptures in supplying the necessary information for man’s salvation, this means that other sources are not needed.

Are the words in this book sufficient for salvation?

Are the words in this book sufficient for salvation?

There are two ways that one could show that the scriptures supply all of the necessary information that man needs for salvation. One could either show where the scriptures directly say that they supply all of the information man needs, or one could show that in the entirety of the teaching of the scriptures, there is a complete picture given that would be sufficient for salvation. Because the later of these two would require a volume of information to prove, we’ll focus upon the first method in this article.

The word sufficient means adequate for the purpose; enough according to the Random House dictionary. The American Heritage dictionary defines sufficient as being as much as is needed. Princeton University’s WordNet defines sufficient in this way: of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant. So, in order for scripture to be sufficient for man’s salvation it must be adequate to provide for man’s salvation; it must be enough information, as much as is needed, or in a required quantity to fulfill the need. Does the Bible make such a claim for itself? There are several scriptures that answer this question.

Consider that the apostles themselves considered the written scriptures to be sufficient for providing for man’s salvation. Romans 15:4 says, For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Paul says that the written scriptures are given that we might have hope for salvation. If they were not sufficient to provide for salvation, how could they provide hope? If the scriptures were less than sufficient to provide for salvation, they could not give hope. What kind of hope does the Christian have? Hebrews 6:19 says, Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil. Such a hope is sufficient for salvation, hence, the scriptures that provide that hope, are sufficient for man’s salvation.

Consider 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 which says, Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. Paul tells the church at Corinth that the gospel he preached to them was sufficient to save them. What was the basis of that gospel? It was the death of Jesus for our sins, His burial, and resurrection. Paul makes it clear in this passage that these truths were according to the scriptures. It is sufficient for Paul that the scriptures declare, in prophecy, the gospel message sufficient for salvation. Were the scriptures sufficient to provide this information? They were. See also Romans 16:25-26.

In Acts 17:10, Paul and Silas made their way to Beroea. There they preached the gospel. Acts 17:11-12 says, These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. The Beroeans, prior to Paul and Silas’ arrival were not believers. Paul and Silas then preached the gospel to them. What was said? Whatever it was, it caused the Beroeans to search the scriptures to see if what Paul said was true. When they looked to the scriptures, they believed and as a result became Christians. Did the scriptures supply that which was needed for salvation? They did.

Finally, however, we must look at 2 Timothy 3:14-17. Paul wrote to Timothy: But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. Paul says several things here. First, he says that the scriptures were able to make Timothy wise unto salvation. Thus, they would be sufficient for man’s salvation. Paul, however, doesn’t stop his discussion here. He then says that the scriptures are given by inspiration; that is, they were given by the very breath of God. He then says that these scriptures are profitable for the purpose of making the people of God complete and that they furnish completely all the information one needs for all good works. In other words, there is not one good work in which man must be involved for salvation that the scriptures don’t supply. They supply it all. Hence, the scriptures are sufficient for man’s salvation.

In the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 6:29-31), Abraham tells the Rich Man regarding the salvation of his brothers, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. The Rich Man, in essence, objects and says that if only they had an additional source of information, they would believe. Abraham replied, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. The implication is clear; the written word of God is sufficient to provide for man’s salvation. Any information that one requires beyond that simply indicates unbelief.

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La Iglesia de Cristo

¿CÓMO PODEMOS IDENTIFICAR LA IGLESIA QUE CRISTO ESTABLECIÓ?

INTRODUCCIÓN

LA IGLESIA DE CRISTO

LA IGLESIA DE CRISTO

Muchos han tratado de llamarse asimismo la Iglesia que Cristo edifico pero eso a, probarlo hay una distancia muy grande. Cada una de las personas religiosas en la actualidad tienen de una u otra manera la noción de Dios y la Iglesia; por esta razón muchos han llegado a la conclusión de que todas las Iglesias son iguales y que todas adoran al mismo Dios dando por resultado la unidad con cualquiera de ellas. Más sin embargo cuando tomamos pasajes como Mateo 16:18 donde Cristo dice “Y yo también te digo que tú eres Pedro y sobre esta roca edificaré mi Iglesia, y las puertas del Hades no prevalecerán contra ella”1 entendemos la promesa que el señor hace y lo hace en un sentido singular, pensando en una sola y no en muchas, y muy probablemente lleguemos a estar de acuerdo en esto por lo que el pasaje establece la premisa entonces es ¿Cómo podemos identificar la Iglesia que Cristo estableció?

POR SU NATURALEZA DIVINA

Cuando pensamos en Iglesia la idea primordial que cae de inmediato al pensamiento la idea de un edificio, pero la Iglesia son personas que obedecido el evangelio y ahora son los salvados, en paralelo a esto consideramos de igual manera a Dios mismo, un ser superior que tiene dominio sobre todo y en todos, siempre el Dios de la Biblia creador del Cielo y de la Tierra es quien figura como el único ser Supremo. La Iglesia estuve en la mente de Dios desde antes de la fundación del Mundo por eso es de carácter divino también esto lo declaro y explico Pablo en Efe 1:3-5 por tal motivo la Iglesia no es el producto de un ser humano común y corriente, sino del Dios verdadero. (Una iglesia puede no enseñar la misma cosa que otra iglesia, pero según el denominacionalismo, ambas son “la Iglesia de Cristo”. Sin embargo, la escritura nos enseña que solo hay un cuerpo, una iglesia, y que esa iglesia enseña la misma cosa uni- formemente. Eso es lo que debemos tratar de hacer hoy: hablar “de acuerdo a los designios de Dios”, y no diferenciarnos o de- nominarnos en muchos grupos diferentes, clamando ser un solo cuerpo- B.J. Clarke predicador)2 .Podemos conocer a la Iglesia que Cristo estableció concretamente por sus características, por aplicar la Biblia únicamente como regla de fe.

LA IGLESIA QUE CRISTO EDIFICO ES DE CARÁCTER AUTÓNOMO.

En toda la evidencia del N.T podemos observar como la Iglesia del Señor era autónoma, si bien es cierto no existe un texto Bíblico que contenga esta palabra explicita como tal, el concepto fundamental prevalece. Para poder comprender el termino hay que tomar bajo consideración pasajes claves y ver a la Iglesia en sentido general y las iglesias en el sentido de congregaciones locales (1Cor 14:17; 7:17)Autónomo significa ser “independiente” y lo que Dios quería asegurarse con esto era tener un freno bien establecido a la apostasía

LA IGLESIA QUE CRISTO EDIFICO TIENE UN GOBIERNO BÍBLICO.

Pablo escribiendo a Tito (Tito 1:5) explica que había una deficiencia que debía ser corregida, esto era la carencia de un gobierno sobre la Iglesia local; este punto está íntimamente ligado al anterior los rasgos de la Iglesia fundada por Cristo consiste en una autonomía es decir un gobierno propio y este gobierno son los Ancianos, pastores u obispos. Tres términos aplicados a la misma persona pasajes como (1Ped 5:1, He 20:28, He 14:23,1Tes 5:12, He 13:17, Ro 12:8, 1Ti 3:5, 5:17, 1Cor 14:26) son algunos de los pasajes donde siempre existen estos ancianos gobernando sobre una congregación y no muchas y siendo pluralidad, nunca individual. Existen Tres términos para ellos, Anciano (Griego- Presbuteroi) uno de edad avanzada, la sabiduría de los ancianos en la edad por tatas cosas vividas a lo largo de su vida era lo que Dios estaba requiriendo de ellos el hermano Mike Vestal dijo lo siguiente referente a esto; “El hecho de que presbuteroi sea un término Bíblico no significa que debo estar en la Iglesia Presbiteriana o que se deba llamar así”3Dios fue sabio al establecer los requisitos en su palabra. El Segundo término es Obispo (Griego-Episkopos) 4uno que supervisa y el tercero es Pastor (Griego-Poimen) en todos los casos se aplica al mismo trabajo por tato la Iglesia verdadera es aquella que cuenta con este gobierno establecido por Dios y llenando los 17 requisitos para ejercer el cargo.

LA IGLESIA QUE CRISTO EDIFICO ADORA CORRECTAMENTE.

Al ingresar por primera vez a un servicio de adoración de la Iglesia de Cristo lo primero que notara el visitante será la manera diferente de adorar a Dios provocando en él o ella, un sentimiento de sorpresa; el porqué no de un piano o una guitarra o al menos una flauta para acompañar el canto. Lo cierto es que para la Iglesia que Cristo edifico no era sorpresa alguna ellos estaban acostumbrados a al tipo de adoración que ahora realiza la Iglesia de Cristo, la abundancia de la evidencia Bíblica para definir un patrón de adoración nos obliga a no equivocarnos en la adoración, sino con un apego al N.T solamente como Regla de fe. Algunos piensan los cristianos somos algo así como Testigos, Católicos o los más comunes Evangélicos o protestantes; pero la verdad no es esa la Iglesia de Cristo somos el grupo de personas que ha dado la espalda a cada opinión humana. Ha sido establecida cerca del Año 33 D.C y encontramos su origen en Hechos 2:36-47, su nombre hace honor a su fundador, Cristo mismo Ro 16:16, cada religión populares tiene tales orígenes considere usted: 1. Católica nacidos en 325-por Constantino, Testigos de Jehová 1878-por Carlos Russell, Sabatistas 1863-por Juan Smyth, Mormones 1830-por José Smith, Evangélicos 1900-por José Parham y tantas otras5. Ninguna adora de la manera que lo hace la Iglesia de Cristo su naturaleza divina hace una bendición para cada ser humano a poder desechar las filas de las denominaciones acogiendo solamente el nombre cristiano (Hechos 17:11) siendo miembro de la Iglesia de Cristo su salvador y dueño (Hechos 20:28) la biblia estable solamente 5 tipos de adoración la cual es el modelo a seguir en cada una de los servicios de de la Iglesia establecida por Cristo.

LA ORACIÓN: Este acto consiste no en rezar que es repetir lo mismo sino en hablar con Dios (Mat 6:6,7), los apóstoles perseveraban en la oración es trascendentalmente importante (He 2:44, Juan 16:23, Ro 12:13).

El CANTO: Nunca en el Nuevo Testamento se autoriza el uso de instrumentos musicales, existe una enorme diferencia de la palabra Tocar a Cantar, la instrucción que siempre se nos da es a cantar con la voz solamente (He 13:15, Co 3:16, Efe 5:19, San 5:13, He 16:25) Es más el mismo Jesús Canto (Mat 26:30), para el tiempo del Señor ya existían los instrumentos mecánicos pero el Señor no uso ninguno de ellos, muchos piensan en que, no había en ese momento pero la Biblia dice que solamente Canto, es decir no uso sus palmas como muchos lo hacen hoy.

LA CENA DEL SEÑOR: Es un mandamiento a seguir (1Cor 11:23-26, Mat 26:17-29) ¿Cuando? (He 20:7) Cada primer día de la semana no Lunes o Martes sino cada domingo.

OFRENDA: Conforme haya prosperado , cada domingo (2Cor 9:7, 1Cor 16:2), el diezmo ni siquiera se menciona en el N.T y la razón es porque en el antiguo era dado solamente a la tribu de Leví y no era dinero sino alimentos para que sobreviviera esta tribu que servía a Dios en el templo todo el tiempo (Nehemías 10:37). Hoy ni hay Israel como nación ni templo en Jerusalén, por tanto tampoco diezmo.

PREDICACIÓN: Importante acto de adoración también (Tito 2:1, 2Tim 3:16, 2Tim 4:2) y según los pasajes antes mencionados como es la exposición de lo que dice Dios no hay lugar para teatros, shows, dramas, y demás. La Iglesia de Cristo adora según el Nuevo Testamento ya que la ley de Moisés; es decir el Antiguo Testamento ha quedado abolido en la Cruz (Heb 8:6-13, Col 2:14, Efe 2:15-16, Ro 10:4, Ga 3:10-24; 5:1-4, San 2:10, 2Cor 3:6-18) Utilizando el Antiguo pacto únicamente como lo explica (1Cor 10:6,11) como ejemplo para no caer en los mismos errores que ellos pero no lo podemos tomar para establecer puntos doctrinales que ya están establecidos por Cristo en el Nuevo.

CONCLUCIÓN

La Iglesia que Cristo edifico puede ser identificada en la actualidad por su naturaleza divina, una naturaleza distintiva única. la Iglesia que estaba en la mente del Creador antes de la fundación del mundo es visible por la manera en que adora al Señor en Espíritu y en Verdad ( Juan 4:24) El Señor y murió por todos los hombres venció la muerte con poder, al entregar su vida en rescate de los que lo entregaban, aquí radica el gran valor de apreciar la Iglesia tal como la encontramos en las páginas de la Biblia sin añadir nada, el escritor de los Hebreos nos advierte “¡Horrenda cosa es caer en las manos del Dios vivo!”6 Hebreos 10:31. 6 Biblia de las Americas.

BIBLIÓGRAFIA

Biblia Reina – Valera 1960 (Holman Publishers, Nashville Tennessee año 2000)

Moore John (Buscando la verdad 2009 por World Video Bible School)

El restaurador (Memphis TN 2004)

Strong James (Concordancia Exhaustiva Strong, LL, S.T.D)

Jennings Alvin , (Tradiciones de hombres Versus la palabra de Dios, Fort Worth Tx

año1996).

Biblia de las Américas( Fundations Publications)

1 Versión Reina- Valera revisión 1960

2 Buscando la verdad( por John Moore, acerca de la Iglesia pág. 57)

3 El restaurador Pág. 4, Febrero 1998.

4 Concordancia exhaustiva Strong, (Referencia 1985, palabras griegas).

5 Tradiciones de hombres versus la palabra de Dios(por Alvin Jennings)

 

 

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Fasting

Why Don’t We Talk About Fasting?

It has been said on more than one occasion that members of the church cannot get together without eating. In fact, some of my own seminars have been graded on the number of pounds I gained: “Well, that was a five pound meeting.” We love to eat. We eat when we are happy and celebrating (birthdays, VBS, camp, anniversaries) and we eat when we are sad (deaths, sickness, hospital stays, or even breakups). Eating can bring comfort, allow for fellowship, and may even serve as a distraction.

Fasting isn't something we often talk about.

Fasting isn’t something we often talk about.

Eating is a major part of our culture. We define our day around meals or what we are eating. And rare is the parent who has not heard hundreds of times: “What are we eating for dinner?” It is no surprise then that many pulpits remain silent on fasting—after all who wants to upset the applecart (unless those spilled apples could be put into a pie)? Preachers will readily joke about their stomachs being “chicken graveyards,” but how many will touch on the Biblical topic of fasting?

Here’s what I intend to teach my children regarding fasting.

I have a weakness for food. I love to eat good food. In fact, about the only thing I just won’t eat is liver. Aside from that, I’m game to try just about anything. You know firsthand that I normally keep a stash of ice cream in the freezer, and it’s not hard to talk me into stopping by a restaurant on the weekends. So understand what I’m about to share with you goes against my nature, and is something I have to work hard on.

The Bible records over twenty times this experience known as fasting (e.g., Jeremiah 36:6; Daniel 6:18; Daniel 9:3; Joel 2:12). Probably the most prominent example and most familiar passages come from Jesus. In Matthew chapter four we find Jesus fasting when he is tempted by Satan. Just a few chapters later Jesus instructs: “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.” (Matthew 6:16)

In Matthew chapter nine Jesus is questioned about his disciples and their fasting: “Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, ‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.’” (Matthew 9:14-15, emp. added).

So here is what we know. Jesus fasted. Jesus instructed us how to fast. And Jesus’ disciples fasted. There are many more passages we could examine, but this is ample evidence that we should also be fasting.

Why? What is the purpose of fasting? Fasting is to make us more focused and more aware of our need for God. It is a temporary measure that reminds us that life is not about earthly pleasure, but rather there is a day coming when we will no longer need to fast! Fasting helps us to grow spiritually as we deny ourselves something in order to glorify and grow closer to God.

While Jesus does give some instruction in Matthew chapter six on fasting, He does not indicate things like how often or specifics on how. Many individuals try to jump in and do day long (or even week-long) fasts having never fasted before. These individuals are setting themselves up for failure.

Let me recommend you start out purposefully fasting through a single meal. Then increase it to that same meal two or three days in a row. After that try fasting for an entire day. Many scholars recommend continuing to drink water (so you don’t become dehydrated) and others recommend doing a juice fast—which would cut out solid foods, but would still give you some nutrients and sugars to give you enough strength to continue on throughout the day.

My recommendation is you start out small and increase from there. Be very conscientious of how your fasting causes you to treat others (in other words, it does no good to fast to get closer to God if you are grumpy all day with your siblings and parents!). And plan ahead! How will you deal with those times when you get really hungry? Will you use this time to read your Bible, take a walk outside, pray, etc.?

Fasting is not something I’ve perfected. But it is something that is in the Bible and we should work on. I’ll make you a deal: you encourage me when I’m fasting, and I’ll do my best not to put my big bowl of ice cream in front of you when you are fasting. Keep growing and keep studying.

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Baptism: Sprinkling or Dunking

Baptism: Sprinkling or Dunking

The Bible makes it very clear that baptism is essential to obtain salvation and become a disciple of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Matt. 28:19-20; Gal. 3:26-27; 1 Pet. 3:21).  Therefore, it is necessary for us to determine the proper mode of baptism, especially since various religious bodies in Christendom define baptism in different ways.  Some pour or sprinkle water on people’s heads and say they’ve baptized them; others completely immerse them in water and define that as baptism.  Which of these is correct?  Or, are both of them correct?  Does it really matter?

How does the Bible show baptism occurring?

How does the Bible show baptism occurring?

God told us in his Word that “every word of God is tested…” (Prov. 30:5), and we are not to add to or take away from his Word (Deut. 4:2; Prov. 30:6; 1 Cor. 4:6; Rev. 22:18-19).  Therefore, determining the proper definition of baptism is just as important as recognizing that it is scripturally necessary for salvation and forgiveness of sins.  After all, if God told us to baptize with a specific act in mind and we do something different, we have not actually obeyed him and thus our eternal salvation is in jeopardy (Heb. 5:9; Matt. 7:21-23).

With this in mind, we must remember that in the first century AD when the Holy Spirit inspired the writers of the New Testament (2 Pet. 1:20-21; Eph. 3:1-5; cf. 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 1 Cor. 14:37), their words were written in Greek.  The Greek words they used which in English we read as “baptize” and “baptism” are baptizo and baptisma.  Note the similarities between these Greek words and the English words “baptize” and “baptism.”  These similarities exist because “baptize” and “baptism” are not actually TRANSLATIONS of the Greek words, but instead are TRANSLITERATIONS (where Greek letters in a word are simply given their English equivalents.)  To confirm the actual meanings of baptizo and baptisma, we must go to authorities on the Greek language.

Greek linguistic authorities such as Thayer, Liddel & Scott, Sophocles, Cremer, and Vine all define “baptize” (baptizo) and “baptism” (baptisma) as “to immerse, to plunge, to dip,” “…consisting of the processes of immersion, submersion and emergence.”  Not one standard Greek lexicon defines baptizo as “to sprinkle” or “to pour.”  In fact, there are completely different Greek words for “pouring” (ekcheo) and “sprinkling” (rhantizo).  No, the proper definition of baptism is immersion.  When we understand this, it makes the biblical figures of speech used to describe baptism much clearer.  When Paul says that we are “buried” with Christ in baptism (Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12), that imagery makes more sense when correlated with actually burying someone in water via immersion rather than sprinkling them with water.  How many of us would sprinkle some dirt over someone’s coffin and conclude that we’ve buried them?

Furthermore, understanding baptism to be immersion in water also gives logic to the actions committed by those who baptized others in the Bible.  For example, John the Baptizer (Immerser) chose to baptize at Aenon near Salim…why?  The Scriptures specifically give the reason:  “…because water was plentiful there…” (John 3:23).  If baptism is sprinkling a few drops of water over someone’s head, why would John need to go where there was a lot of water?  A single glass of water would be sufficient to sprinkle at least one hundred people.  However, one would need a lot of water in order to dip someone’s entire body into it, especially if you needed to do so with hundreds of people.

In addition, consider the actions of Philip and the Ethiopian when Philip baptized him.  The Bible says that upon finding water and confessing his faith in Christ, the Ethiopian “commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.  And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away…”  (Acts 8:38-39).  If baptism is defined as Philip sprinkling a few drops of water over the eunuch’s head, why would both of them go down into the water and come back out of the water?  Why would even one of them need to go down into the water?  They both could have stood on the shore while Philip reached down and got his hands sufficiently wet enough to sprinkle some water on the eunuch’s head.  In fact, why would the Ethiopian even need to leave the chariot?  Philip could have left the chariot, come back with a handful or cupful of water from the oasis, and sprinkled some drops on the eunuch’s head right there in the chariot.  However, since baptism required Philip to fully immerse the Ethiopian’s body in water, it makes sense that they would both leave the chariot, go down into the water before baptism, and come up out of the water after baptism.  With this in mind, note that Jesus, upon being baptized by John, was also said to come up out of the water (Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:9-10), thus showing that our Lord himself was immersed in water when he was baptized.

Therefore, we must remember whenever we read in our English Bibles the words “baptize” and “baptism” that we are read transliterations of the original Greek words rather than the actual translations which only mean “to immerse” and “immersion,” transliterations that were made most likely to avoid offending those in the religious world who practice pouring or sprinkling instead of immersion.  However, the priority of true followers of Christ is to avoid offending God rather than men (Gal. 1:10).  To know exactly what his will is, we must use the actual definitions of the words the Holy Spirit inspired the writers of the New Testament to use.  May we set aside our fallible human wisdom which puts the actual commandments of God on the back burner in favor of keeping the traditions of men (Matt. 15:1-9; Mark 7:1-13)!  Instead, let us keep the actual commandments of God and thereby prove our love for him is true (John 14:15; 15:10, 14; 1 John 5:3).

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