WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT
BAPTISM
INTRODUCTION
HEB 5:12-6:3 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes (only) of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washing (baptisms, Gk.), and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we shall do, if God permits.
This booklet is for the purpose of helping people who respect and revere the Bible as God’s Word and the final authority on truth. We are warned in GAL. 5:2-4 that circumcision, like Baptism, or any other good work, or sacrament, when included for salvation, voids salvation. We are cut off from Christ, and He is of “no benefit” to us. We pray that this collection of all the verses in the Bible referring to BAPTISM will help you understand the truth about this elementary principle of God’s Word.
BAPTISMS:
BODY OF CHRIST; THE CHURCH, BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
ROM 6:3 Or do you not know that all of us
who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
ROM 6:4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in
order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father,
so we too might walk in newness of life.
1COR 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all
baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we
were all made to drink of one Spirit.
GAL 3:27 For all of you who were baptized
into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
COL 2:12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were
also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from
the dead.
1PE 3:21 And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you--not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
MATT 3:11 “As for me, I baptize you with
water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I
am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and
fire.
MAR 1:8 “I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the
Holy Spirit.”
LUK 3:16 John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize
you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to
untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
JOH 1:33 “And I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize
in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining
upon Him, this is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’
ACT 1:5 for John baptized with
water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
ACT 11:16 “And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John
baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
CEREMONIAL WASHING
MAR 7:4 and when they come from the market
place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many
other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing (baptizing,
Greek.) of cups and pitchers and copper pots.
LUK 11:38 And when the Pharisee saw it, he was surprised that He had
not first ceremonially washed (baptized, Greek.) before the meal.
HEB 9:10 since they relate only to food and drink and various
washings, (baptizings, Greek.) regulations for the body imposed until a
time of reformation.
OF TEACHING
MAT 21:25 “The baptism of John was from what
source, from heaven or from men?” And they began reasoning among themselves,
saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not
believe him?’
MAT 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
MAR 1:4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a
baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
MAR 11:30 “Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer Me.”
LUK 7:29 And when all the people and the tax gatherers heard this,
they acknowledged God’s justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John.
LUK 7:30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for
themselves, not having been baptized by John.
LUK 20:4 “Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?”
ACT 1:22 beginning with the baptism of John, until the day that he
was taken up from us-one of these should become a witness with us of His
resurrection.”
ACT 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in
the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit.
ACT 9:17
And Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying hands on him
said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which
you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your
sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” (happens at moment of
salvation; H.S. baptism)
ACT 22:15,16 For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you
have seen and heard. And now why do you delay? Arise, and be baptized, and
wash away your sins, calling His name.
ACT 9:18
And immediately (there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he
regained his sight, and) he arose and was baptized;
Ananias, a “disciple,” Acts 9:10, and “who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by the Jews,” Acts 22:12, needed to teach and instruct (baptize) Saul from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.
ACT 10:37 you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea,
starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed.
ACT 13:24 after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance
to all the people of Israel.
ACT 18:25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being
fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning
Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John;
ACT 19:3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into
John’s baptism.”
ACT 19:4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling
the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”
EPH 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, (teaching, source of truth,
Matthew 28:19)
WATER
MAT 3:11 “As for me, I baptize you with
water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am
not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and
fire.
MAT 3:13 Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be
baptized by him.
MAT 3:14 But John tried to prevent Him saying, “I have need to be baptized
by You, and do You come to me?”
MAT 3:16 And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water;
and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending
as a dove, and coming upon Him,
MAR 1:5 And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all
the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan
River, confessing their sins.
MAR 1:8 “I baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy
Spirit.”
MAR 1:9 And it came about in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth in
Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
LUK 3:7 He therefore began saying to the multitudes who were going
out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the
wrath to come?
LUK 3:12 And some tax gatherers also came to be baptized, and they said to
him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”
LUK 3:16 John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with
water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the
thong of His sandals; He will baptize
you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
LUK 3:21 Now it came about when all the people were baptized, that Jesus also
was baptized
and while He was praying, heaven was opened,
LUK 16:24 And he cried out and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and
send Lazarus, that he may dip (baptize) the tip of his finger in water and cool
off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.”
JOH 1:25 And they asked him, and said to
him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the
Prophet?”
JOH 1:26 John answered them saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands
One whom you do not know.
JOH 1:28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was
baptizing.
JOH 1:33 “And I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water
said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him,
this is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’
JOH 3:23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was
much water there; and they were coming and were being baptized.
JOH 3:26 And they came to John and said to him,”Rabbi, He who was with you
beyond the Jordan, to whom you have borne witness, behold, he is baptizing, and
all are coming to Him.”
JOH 4:1 When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus
was making and baptizing more disciples than John
JOH 4:2 (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were),
JOH 10:40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was
first baptizing, and He was staying there.
ACT 1:5 for John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with
the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
ACT 2:41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and there were
added that day about three thousand souls.
ACT 8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the
kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and
women alike.
ACT 8:36 And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the
eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
ACT 8:38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the
water, Philip as well as the eunuch; and he baptized him.
ACT 10:47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have
received the Holy Spirit just as we did can he?”
ACT 10:48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then
they asked him to stay on for a few days.
ACT 11:16 “And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John
baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
ACT 16:15 And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us,
saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house
and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. ACT 16:33 And he
took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately
he was baptized, he and all his household.
ACT 18:8 And Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with
all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing
and being baptized.
ACT 19:5 And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord
Jesus.
The following verses most clearly show that water baptism has nothing to do with salvation, for infants or adults, since water baptism is not part of the gospel:
1 COR 1:13-17 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, that no man should say you were baptized in my name. Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, that the cross of Christ should not be made void.
SUFFERING FOR THE GOSPEL
MAR 10:38 But Jesus said to them, “you do
not know what you are asking for. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink,
or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?
MAR 10:39 And they said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The
cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism
with which I am baptized.
LUK 12:50 “But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am
until it is accomplished!
TAKING MARTYRED CHRISTIANS PLACE
1 COR 15:29 Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?
CHOOSING THE GOD OF MOSES
1 COR 10:2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
GRAVY BAPTISM
JOH 13:26 Jesus therefore answered, “That is the one for whom I shall dip (baptize, Gk.) the morsel and give it to him.” So when He had dipped (baptized, Gk.) the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
BLOOD
REV 19:13 And He is clothed in a robe dipped (baptized, Gk.) in blood; and His name is called The Word of God.
FIRE
MAT 3:11 “As for me, I baptize you with
water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am
not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and
fire.
LUK 3:16 John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize
you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to
untie the thong of His sandals; he will baptize
you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Many who call themselves “Christian” teach that there is more to being saved from the hell we deserve, than simply believing that Jesus died for all our sins. They teach that “good works,” such as keeping the commandments, Lord’s Table (Communion), repentance, or water BAPTISM, are needed. this is a different “distorted gospel” as it is called in GAL 1:6-9, and those who preach a “works” gospel are “ACCURSED,” -- they are not saved! Below are some examples of this erroneous teaching:
LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM,
Concordia Publishing, 1971 (emphasis added),
What does Baptism give or profit? It works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare. (p. 174)
254 ...By His suffering and death Christ has indeed earned these blessings for us; Baptism, however, is a means by which the Holy Ghost makes these blessings our own. (Baptism is a means of grace.). (p.175)
257 ...The word of God places these great blessings into Baptism; and through faith, which trusts this word of promise, we accept the forgiveness, life, and salvation offered in Baptism and make these blessings our own. (p.177)
John Calvin’s Institutes, 1994, book four, ch. 15
(In baptism) We are promised, first, the free pardon of sins and imputation of righteousness; and, secondly, the grace of the Holy Spirit, to form us again to newness of life. The last advantage which our faith receives from baptism is its assuring us not only that we are engrafted into the death and life of Christ, but so united to Christ himself as to be partakers of all his blessings. (p.515)
In baptism, the Lord promises forgiveness of sins; receive it, and be secure. (p.521)
...But if baptism was of God, it certainly included in it the promise of forgiveness of sin, mortification of the flesh, quickening of the Spirit, and communion with Christ . ... (p.521)
Hence they [Anabaptists] think they can make out that baptism cannot be lawfully given to anyone [infants] without previous faith and repentance. (Chapt. 16, p.544)
Catechism of the Catholic Church, Liberia Editrice Vaticana, 1990
Baptism is the first and chief sacrament of forgiveness of sins...(p.255)
This sacrament of Penance is necessary for salvation for those who have fallen after Baptism, just as Baptism is necessary for salvation for those who have not yet been reborn. (p.255)
Baptism not only purifies from all sins, but also makes the neophyte “a new creature,” an adopted son of God...(p. 322)
BAPTISM AND SPRINKLING
A. Nouns.
1. baptisma (908), “baptism,” consisting of the processes of immersion, submersion and emergence (from bapto, “to dip”), is used (a) of John’s “baptism,” (b) of Christian “baptism,” see B. below; (c) of the overwhelming afflictions and judgments to which the Lord voluntarily submitted on the cross, e.g., Luke 12:50; (d) of the sufferings His followers would experience, not of a vicarious character, but in fellowship with the sufferings of their Master. Some mss. have the word in Matt. 20:22-23; it is used in Mark 10:38-39, with this meaning.
2. baptismos (909), as distinct from baptisma (the ordinance), is used of the “ceremonial washing of articles,” Mark 7:4, 8, in some texts; Heb. 9:10; once in a general sense, Heb. 6:2.¶ See washing.
3. baptistes (910), “a baptist,” is used only of John the Baptist, and only in the Synoptists, 14 times.
B. Verb.
baptizo (907), “to baptize,” primarily a frequentative form of bapto, “to dip,” was used among the Greeks to signify the dyeing of a garment, or the drawing of water by dipping a vessel into another, etc. Plutarchus uses it of the drawing of wine by dipping the cup into the bowl (Alexis, 67) and Plato, metaphorically, of being overwhelmed with questions (Euthydemus, 277 D).
It is used in the NT in Luke 11:38 of washing oneself (as in 2 Kings 5:14, “dipped himself,” Sept.); see also Isa. 21:4, lit., “lawlessness overwhelms me.” In the early chapters of the four Gospels and in Acts 1:5; 11:16; 19:4, it is used of the rite performed by John the Baptist who called upon the people to repent that they might receive remission of sins. Those who obeyed came “confessing their sins,” thus acknowledging their unfitness to be in the Messiah’s coming kingdom. Distinct from this is the “baptism” enjoined by Christ, Matt. 28:19, a “baptism” to be undergone by believers, thus witnessing to their identification with Him in death, burial and resurrection, e.g., Acts 19:5; Rom. 6:3-4; 1 Cor. 1:13-17; 12:13; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:12. The phrase in Matt. 28:19, “baptizing them into the Name” (rv; cf. Acts 8:16, rv), would indicate that the “baptized” person was closely bound to, or became the property of, the one into whose name he was “baptized.” In Acts 22:16 it is used in the middle voice, in the command given to Saul of Tarsus, “arise and be baptized,” the significance of the middle voice form being “get thyself baptized.” The experience of those who were in the ark at the time of the Flood was a figure or type of the facts of spiritual death, burial, and resurrection, Christian “baptism” being an antitupon, “a corresponding type,” a “like figure,” 1 Pet. 3:21. Likewise the nation of Israel was figuratively baptized when made to pass through the Red Sea under the cloud, 1 Cor. 10:2. The verb is used metaphorically also in two distinct senses: firstly, of “baptism” by the Holy Spirit, which took place on the Day of Pentecost; secondly, of the calamity which would come upon the nation of the Jews, a “baptism” of the fire of divine judgment for rejection of the will and word of God, Matt. 3:11; Luke 3:16.
A. Verb.
rhantizo (4472), “to sprinkle” (a later form of rhaino), is used in the active voice in Heb. 9:13, of “sprinkling” with blood the unclean, a token of the efficacy of the expiatory sacrifice of Christ, His blood signifying the giving up of His life in the shedding of His blood (cf. 9:22) under divine judgment upon sin (the voluntary act to be distinguished from that which took place after His death in the piercing of His side); so again in vv. 19, 21 (see B); in Heb. 10:22, passive voice, of the purging (on the ground of the same efficacy) of the hearts of believers from an evil conscience. This application of the blood of Christ is necessary for believers, in respect of their committal of sins, which on that ground receive forgiveness, [not for salvation, but for the restoration of fellowship, and to avoid discipline, Heb. 12] 1 John 1:9. In Mark 7:4, the verb is found in the middle voice “in some ancient authorities” (rv marg.) instead of baptizo. In Rev. 19:13, the rv, “sprinkled” follows those texts which have rhantizo (marg., “some anc. auth. read ‘dipped in.’” bapto; so Nestle’s text).¶ This requires mention as a variant text in Rev. 19:13 under DIP.
B. Nouns.
1. rhantismos (4473), “sprinkling,” akin to A, is used of the “sprinkling” of the blood of Christ, in Heb. 12:24 and 1 Pet. 1:2, an allusion to the use of the blood of sacrifices, appointed for Israel, typical of the sacrifice of Christ (see under A).¶
2. proschusis (4378), “a pouring or sprinkling upon,” occurs in Heb. 11:28, of the “sprinkling” of the blood of the Passover lamb.¶
SUMMARY
+ Water baptism—immersion, not sprinkling--never produces salvation, but is after salvation, as a public testimony that you are saved by faith in Christ’s work alone!
+ Water baptism is only for those who understand and can profess their faith in His death, burial, & resurrection--thus immersion. (no infants or little children)
+ Holy Spirit baptism happens at the moment of faith (believing, trusting, resting) in the “free gift” of salvation from the hell we deserve, by the work of the Creator in flesh, the Lord Jesus Christ. We have “eternal life,” can “never perish” because He paid for ALL our sins. We are “born again,” “sealed,” can never lose it since it is a “free gift” and ETERNAL!