Why Be Baptized?

What is the correct method of baptism: sprinkling, pouring, immersion or some other technique? As Bible dictionaries show, the word ‘baptize’ means primarily ‘to dip into’ or ‘immerse’. All biblical examples reveal that baptism was always performed in a body of water large and deep enough for immersion. John 3:23, for example, tells us that John the Baptist was baptising in Aenon near Salim because there was much water there. Matthew records that when Jesus was baptized, he came up immediately from the water (Matt 3:16).

All other examples of baptism by Christ’s disciples mentioned in the scriptures follow the pattern. We read in Acts 8:38 that “both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and he (Philip) baptized him”. There is no biblical example of any other form of water baptism.

The scriptures show us that baptism should be performed in water deep enough to completely submerge the whole body. Baptism performed in this manner is profound in its meaning. Romans 6 shows that baptism represents not only the burial of our old self, but our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus as our Lord and Master. It also pictures our rising from a symbolic death to a new, converted life. It represents our faith that just as Jesus was resurrected from the grave, so God resurrects us to immortality at Christ’s return.

Until our baptism, the Bible describes us as enslaved to our self-serving human nature. But once we are baptized and our sins forgiven, God regards us as servants to righteousness. We are redeemed, brought from a life of slavery to sin, to becoming servants of God and of true righteousness (Romans 6:16-19).

Bro Gift Lungu (Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe)