The verb baptize comes from the Greek word baptizo. Let’s see how Strong’s Concordance translates the Greek word baptizo to English:
Strong's G907 – baptize:
1) to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk)
2) to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean
with water, to wash one’s self, bathe
3) to overwhelm
Since the primary meaning of baptize in the Greek is to dip or immerse, immersion is the correct method to baptize. It is also true that the Greek words for sprinkle or pour are never used in the New Testament in connection with baptism.
Immersing the person in water better pictures the believer’s union in Christ than do the other methods of baptism. Although not all, many churches who only immerse don’t believe that baptism represents the spiritual cleansing or regenerative work of the Holy Spirit. They believe it is singly a picture of the Christian’s union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. It is interesting to note that Naaman, the captain of the king of Syria, was cleansed of his leprosy by dipping himself in the Jordan.
14 So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. (11 Kings 5:14)
Notice also from above that cleansing is a part of the definition of baptizo (2).
Many churches who baptize only by immersion feel that those who have been sprinkled or poured on have not had a valid baptism. To enter their membership, those previously baptized by sprinkling or pouring would normally have to be re-baptized by immersion.
Christ’s Baptism
Since the word baptize means to immerse in the Greek and Scripture says that Jesus came up out of the water at His baptism (When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; Matt. 3:16), our Lord was immersed at His baptism. Jesus was dipped under the water and then brought back up out of the water to picture His death, burial, and resurrection. Therefore, Christians should also follow His example in their baptism to show their union with Him.
Chapter 7
New Testament Cases of Baptism
I would now like to review some of the cases when people were baptized in the New Testament to see if they can shed any light on which method of baptism is the correct one.
Baptisms Performed by John the Baptist
4 Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. (Matt. 3:4-6)
John baptized thousands of people in a very short span of ministry. Scripture records that great multitudes flocked to him from Jerusalem, Judea, and Jordan to be baptized. John would baptize great numbers of people at one time while in the Jordan River. As physically taxing as it is to even dip backwards under water and pull back up from out of the water one person, how could John have physically been able to accomplish this over one hundred times on a given day? Miracles are identified as such in Scripture but no mention is made of God enabling John to accomplish such a feat of strength.
Therefore, some believe that John could only have baptized these large numbers of people as was done in the Old Testament.
19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, (Heb. 9:19)
It would not have been difficult to baptize these masses of people by sprinkling or pouring. It would have been extremely difficult or almost impossible for one man to have immersed the great number of people John baptized.
However, it is quite possible that the person being baptized did not go backwards under the water and then have to be pulled back up. Perhaps the one baptized went down vertically or even down in a forward motion under the water. This would have caused John no problem physically because the individual being baptized would have been able to help with coming up out of the water. The person being baptized would still have been completely immersed in the water.
The Baptism of Christ
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:16,17)
Scripture states that when Jesus was baptized He came up out of the water. Does this mean He was certainly immersed? Jesus would have stepped down from the river bank into the water and when baptized He would have stepped back up onto the river bank. He could have been sprinkled, poured on, or immersed in the water and still would have come up out of the water.
Baptisms on the Day of Pentecost
40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. (Acts 2:40, 41)
Three thousand people were baptized in one day when the Holy Spirit mightily came upon the people at Pentecost. No advance preparations were made to baptize such a great multitude of people. There are no bodies of water near Jerusalem. The probability is great that these masses of people were baptized by sprinkling or pouring. One cannot overrule the possibility that immersions were performed as there were pools of water in the city. Two questions would need to be answered. Were these pools deep enough to allow for immersions? Were these pools large enough to have the quantity of water needed for such a large number of immersions?
The Ethiopian Eunuch
38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. (Acts 8:38,39)
Both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water for this baptism and then both came up out of the water. The same explanation given in the baptism of Christ applies here. Stepping down into the water and then stepping up out of the water does not conclusively prove one method over the other.
It is important to note that the eunuch had been reading from Isaiah 53 for some time about the suffering Christ servant. It is quite likely that he read and Philip explained Isaiah 52:13-15 which says that the suffering Christ “servant” shall sprinkle many nations. There were no chapter or verse notations back then and Isaiah 52:13-15 immediately precedes chapter 53 and both passages refer to this suffering servant. This would add biblical support to the eunuch being baptized by sprinkling. However, there is the possibility that the baptism could have been performed by any of the three methods.
Paul’s Baptism
9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. (Acts 9:9)
18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. (Acts 9:18, 19)
Paul had gone without food or drink for three days. When he received his sight, Ananias immediately baptized Paul and afterward he was fed. Is it probable that they would have searched around town to find a suitable place to perform an immersion with Paul’s frail physical condition, and then later given Paul something to eat and drink? The probability seems greater that the baptism, which was performed immediately, was done by sprinkling or pouring with whatever water was readily available. An immersion could have happened but the facts would seem to indicate otherwise. However, this case does not conclusively prove one method of baptism over another.
The Philippian Jailer and His Family
Paul and Silas had been imprisoned in Philippi because Paul had cast out a demon from a girl who brought her masters profit from her sorcery. At midnight while Paul and Silas were singing hymns of praise to God, there was an earthquake that shook the foundation of the jail and all the doors were opened and the prisoners’ chains were loosed. The jailer decided to draw his sword and kill himself rather than be faced with a tortuous death by the authorities. Paul yelled to him not to take his life because all the prisoners were still there. When the jailer saw that, he fell down before Paul and Silas and asked them what he must do to be saved.
31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household. (Acts 16:31-34)
Here we see that in the middle and darkness of the night, the jailer and his family were baptized by Paul and Silas. With no advance preparations made, how were these number of people immersed? Did they travel down to a river in darkness for the baptism? Scripture makes no mention of this. Is it more logical that after the jailer washed Paul and Silas’ wounds they were baptized by sprinkling or pouring with the water left over from their washing? Although unlikely that immersions were performed, it is possible that these persons could have been immersed.
Summary
What all this seems to say is that none of these accounts mentioned, nor others in Scripture, can be used to definitively prove one method over another. In each case, sprinkling, pouring, or immersion could have been done. In some of the cases mentioned, it is improbable but possible that immersions were performed. Suffice it to say that no New Testament case of baptism proves one method over the other.
Chapter 8
Concluding Thoughts on the Methods of Baptism
I have tried to discuss each method of baptism in as fair and unprejudiced a manner as possible. Which method is the correct one? I will let you decide that for yourself.
I would like to mention that although examining the etymology of a word can be helpful in this endeavor, one must not overly rely on it. The word, baptize, means primarily to dip or immerse as we have seen, yet it is used in Scripture at times when it doesn’t mean that.
4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches. (Mark 7:4)
Some of these items, like couches or tables, were too big to immerse under water for their cleaning. Water would have been applied to the object to clean it by sprinkling or pouring.
10 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, (1 Cor. 10:1,2)
Here we see that the Israelites were baptized in the Red Sea, but their only contact with water was as it may have sprayed on them as in sprinkling.
It must be said that those who sprinkle or pour in baptism also believe that baptism speaks of the Christian’s union with Christ in His sufferings, death, burial, and resurrection. However, they normally believe that water baptism is mainly a picture of the spiritual baptism by Christ. As a result of this regenerating process, we are united with our Lord. They differ with most immersionists who exclude the washing or cleansing aspect of the Holy Spirit in their definition of baptism. The immersionist usually insists that baptism is a picture of the work of Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection and not of the Holy Spirit.
In Rom. 6:3-8, we see that Christians are united by baptism into Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Does this mean that we should baptize by only one method since it says that we are “buried with him through baptism into death”? Obviously, these verses are speaking of the Christian’s baptism by Christ with the Holy Spirit and not about physical water baptism. Therefore these verses are not written to prove how we should be baptized by water, but state that when our spiritual baptism (washing) does take place, we are united with Christ.
Scripture gives us two requirements regarding baptism. First, water must be used.
7 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” (Acts 10:47)
Second, the baptism must be done in the name of the Trinity.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Matt. 28:19)
These are the only two requirements regarding baptism according to the Scriptures. Any additional requirements have been added by different religious denominations based on their traditions and conclusions. There certainly is nothing wrong with having traditions or conclusions as long as they don’t conflict with Scripture. However, care must be taken not to exalt these traditions so as to be critical or even deny the baptisms of others without scriptural proof.
In summary, one should keep the following details in mind concerning baptism. First, water baptism symbolizes the spiritual baptism, washing, and cleansing of sin in the regeneration process when Christ washes or baptizes us with the Holy Spirit at our conversion. Second, this process results in our union with Christ as our body of sinful flesh dies with Him, is buried with Him, and we are then free to walk in newness of the resurrected life in Christ. Third we must conclude, without Scripture to the contrary, that all three methods of baptism are valid and accepted by the Lord as long as they meet the two requirements previously mentioned.
Chapter 9
The Biblical Basis for Baptizing Believers Only
The primary reason why infants of Christians should not be baptized is that Scripture never authorizes baptism for them. In addition, there are many instances in Scripture that show repentance and belief before the baptism takes place.
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)
36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” 37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” (Acts 8:36,37)
8 Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized. (Acts 18:8)
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