The Meaning of Baptism

Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines “baptism” as a “Christian sacrament marked by ritual use of water and admit­ting the recipient to the Christian community.” The word “bap­tize” is defined as, 1) to administer baptism to, 2) to purify or cleanse spiritually especially by a purging experience or ordeal. Neither word is properly defined in its New Testament setting. The act of baptism has come to mean the sprinkling, pouring, or immersion of an individual in water for the purpose of obtaining membership in a religious body. But, such was not the case in the first century.

Our English word “baptism” is a transliteration of the Greek word “baptisma“, meaning immersion or submersion. The word “baptize” meant to dip repeatedly, to immerge, or submerge. These words find there origin in the Greek “bapto” which meant to “dip, dip in, immerse” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon, pages 94, 95). There is no word in the Bible whose meaning is more certain and yet more disputed.

In the New Testament baptism is described as “a burial” (Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12). It involved a “going down into” and a “coming up out of” water (Acts 8:38-39). It never implied the sprinkling or pouring of water upon an individual. And, not one single account of infant baptism can be found in the Bible!

According to the New Testament, baptism was for “the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38), and necessary for one’s salvation (Mark 16:16). Saul of Tarsus was told, “Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).

Have you been baptized?

Salvation:  Hear - Believe - Repent - Confess - Be Baptized - Live Faithfully