Baptism

Scriptures Commands

 Throughout the New Testament, there are several times believers are instructed to be baptized:

• Mark 16:16 "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. "
  
• John 3:5 "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. " 
  
• Matthew 28:19 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: "
  
• 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. " 

There is little debate about the fact that baptism is instructed. However, what these instructions mean is subject to much debate:

• Is it literal water immersion, or spiritual metaphor? 
• Is it necessary for salvation, or simply an outward profession of faith?
• Is immersion necessary, or is sprinkling water sufficient?
  
• Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, or Jesus name?

The purpose of this article is to answer these questions scripturally and accurately.

Literal or metaphorical?

Some understand these commands to be metaphorical—that the baptism the Bible instructs refers to the spiritual process that happens when we place our faith in Christ, rather than a water baptism. Considering verses like these, it can be a tricky topic to discern:

• Romans 10:9 "that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

• Ephesians 2:8-9 "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. "

At first glance, these verses appear to define salvation solely in terms of belief and confession, raising the question of whether baptism is intended to be literal or symbolic. So must we be baptized in water, or is the baptism Jesus spoke of merely symbolic of what happens when we confess Him to be our savior?

To answer that question, we must not set these verses aside, but rather seek to understand what Paul means here within the greater context of the Bible. An important thing to note about Paul's ministry is that his focus was on preaching the gospel, not baptizing believers: 

"For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel..." (1 Corinthians 1:17)

This is not to say that Paul neglected baptism, but to explain why Paul’s letters are lighter on baptismal instruction. Not because it was unimportant, but because he was addressing already-baptized believers.

Prior verses of the same chapter detail the baptismal ministry of Crispus and Gaius, and Paul speaks of the household of Stephanas, whom he himself baptized (1 Corinthians 1:13, 14). Paul’s own acknowledgment that he and his fellow ministers baptized believers shows without a doubt that he understood baptism to be a physical act, not merely a metaphor for believing in Jesus.

If baptism were merely a figurative term for belief, Paul’s distinction between preaching the gospel and baptizing believers—and his concern over who baptized whom—would be meaningless. If baptism is not merely symbolic but a commanded, physical response, the remaining question is whether Scripture presents it as optional or necessary for salvation.

The Necessity of Baptism

Born of the Spirit Only?

The view that baptism is a spritual process alone often stems from misunderstanding of John 3:5:

"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. "

Some interpret “born of water” to mean natural birth, while “born of the Spirit” is rightly understood as receiving the Holy Ghost. The problem with this understanding, is that the Book of Acts shows being born of water and born of the Spirit are actually two distinct events.

Born of Water and of the Spirit

Acts Chapter 10 details the conversion of the household of Cornelius.

"While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word... Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." (Acts 10:44-48)

Shown in this passage is the distinction between receiving the Holy Ghost, and baptism by water. This is what Jesus spoke of when he said one must be "born of water and of the Spirit": water baptism (born of water), and receiving of the Holy Ghost (born of the Spirit). Peter's immediately commanding them to be baptized by water "in the name of the Lord" shows the necessity of both.

Necessity

Baptism is first commanded by Jesus, and the understanding of that command to mean baptism by water is demonstrated throughout the Book of Acts and Pauls teachings. It is not shown to be only a public confession of faith (though it is that, too), but rather baptism is emphasized as being necessary for salvation.

This passage (1 Peter 3:20-21) explains that Noah's obedience to God was symbolic of the "baptism that now saves you also":

"...long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, "

Just as Noah and his family were saved by water through obedience in the Ark, so the waters of baptism now save us also "by the resurrection of Jesus Christ". 

Is full water immersion necessary?

Scripture consistently describes baptism in ways that indicate full-body immersion:

• Matthew 3:16: “And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water…” — He went down into the water and came up, showing immersion.
• Acts 8:38-39: Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch “went down both into the water… and they came up out of the water,” again illustrating immersion.
• Romans 6:3-4 likens baptism to being buried with Christ and rising again, a symbolic image that naturally implies full submersion.
• John 3:23 notes that John was baptizing “because there was much water there,” suggesting ample water for immersion.

Furthermore, the Greek word baptizo (βαπτίζω) literally means to immerse, submerge, or dip, and is consistently used in the New Testament to describe water baptism—not sprinkling.

Is this contrary to "by grace, through faith"?

Some claim that if baptism were necessary for salvation, it would undermine Christ’s atoning work, making salvation dependent on human action. Scripture, however, teaches the opposite: baptism saves “by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:20-21). It is not a work, in the sense that it could possibly earn our salvation; without Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, baptism accomplishes nothing.

Scripture shows both the command to be baptized, as well as the early apostles understanding of what that meant. Do we therefore disregard this, because Paul writes that "by grace are ye saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8)? Certainly not! 

Paul wrote to believers in Ephesus who were already baptized (Acts 19), and was detailing the means by which we access salvation rather than the exact process of receiving it. He and his audience understood that "faith" includes obedience to Jesus' commandments, which is perfectly in line with Jesus' own words:  “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15).

Paul’s point in Romans 10:9 is similar: a believing heart brings us “unto righteousness,” and the confession of the mouth is made “unto salvation.” This verse emphasizes that faith begins in the heart and is expressed outwardly, but Paul also understood that faith must be expressed through obedience, including baptism, which brings the believer into Christ (Galatians 3:27, Romans 6:4, Acts 19:4-5, Acts 2:38).

The Baptismal Formula

In the Book of Matthew, Jesus gives this command:

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

Considering Jesus himself gave this command, at first it may seem as though there should be no question about the spoken baptismal formula. However in the Book of Acts, we see another formual carried out by 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)

"(for as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) " (Acts 8:16)

"And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. " (Acts 10:48)

"When they heard this , they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. " (Acts 19:5)

"And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. " (Acts 22:16)

There are several ways Matthew 28:19 is commonly reconciled with the baptismal accounts in Acts. Some suggest that “in the name of Jesus” refers only to acting under His authority, rather than the words spoken. Others propose that it is merely a shortened reference to the fuller command Jesus gave. However, Acts 22:16 emphasizes literally "calling on the name of the Lord."

Jesus did not command baptism in titles, but in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The name by which the Father is revealed, manifested through the Son, and by which the Spirit is given, is Jesus Christ. The consistent practice of the apostles confirms this understanding of "the name."

The Book of Acts does not present competing formulas, but rather the apostolic understanding of Jesus’ command. Seen through this lens, Acts not only resolves the apparent contradictions in baptismal instructions, but also offers a deeper revelation of who Jesus is.

Conclusion

Ultimately, our understanding of baptism must be anchored in Scripture, not tradition or preference. The New Testament consistently presents baptism as commanded by Jesus, faithfully practiced by the apostles, and inseparably linked to salvation. To read Scripture honestly is to recognize both the authority of Christ and the means He has instituted for entering His kingdom. Baptism is not an optional ritual or mere symbol—it is a step God has ordained, through which obedience meets faith, and His plan for salvation unfolds.