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BAPTISM(S)
OPENING: This is a discussion
of baptism or baptisms since the Bible speaks of different kinds of baptism. To begin,
those who want to become Christians tell God in prayer that although imperfect we want to do His will. He
then baptizes us by His Holy Spirit, which is Baptism by Spirit. We become baptized as Christians via use
water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which is important symbolic Water Baptism. Some
say this is only to be done by total immersion in water; others say it is to be only by sprinkling; and still others say it
can be either way. This will be discussed more farther along.
BAPTISM BY HOLY SPIRIT: As to which is greater, baptism by water or baptism by Holy
Spirit, John the baptizer said of Christ "I baptize you with water, but he who comes after me will baptize you with the
Holy Spirit." (Mark 1:8) Christ and his apostles used water too, but even more importantly, as explained
by John, was the baptism by Holy Spirit. Baptism by water is symbolic of what baptism by Holy Spirit has
already done, but it is important and to be done.
WATER BAPTISM:
There are to be at least two witnesses to water baptism. One witness can be the first person being baptized
and the second witness can be the person doing the water baptism. But let us note that Nicodemus and Joseph
of Arimathea are described in the Bible as “secret” believers in Jesus Christ. (Jn 3:12; Mt
27:57, Jn 19:38) So this raises the question of who baptized such secret Christians?
WATER BAPTISM DURING PERSECUTION: If at all possible they would have baptized one another.
Another possibility is that when a secret Christian did not know who another secret believer was, he or she may have
baptized himself or herself as witnessed to by God for the second witness, in addition to which God’s on-looking, faithful
angels were also witnesses.
This is an important consideration
in view of the fact that for over 2,000 years now Christians have experienced fierce persecution in first on nation and then
another. For example today there is grave danger for those Christians who seek to convert others to Christianity
in many Arabic lands such as the Sudan in Africa. It is comforting to know that some persons even in such
lands have privately, even secretly repented of their sins, dedicated themselves to Christ, and been able to have water baptism
with safety to themselves and others.
IMPORTANCE
OF VISIBLE WATER BAPTISM: This does not mean, though, that Christians at times and places of normalcy should be
getting baptized witnessed only by themselves and God or the angels. The normal process is that a person
is baptized with other humans present, for example loving Christian friends and family. Each one of
us knows what his or her own situation is. Another factor to bear strongly in mind is that water baptism is not only
important symbolically, but when seen by other Christians it is also a powerful source of comfort and a motivator as
Christians are also told to make new followers of Christ. (Mt 28:19)
BAPTISM OF JOHN: Another interesting point about baptism or baptisms is that the Bible says some early Christians at first
had received only the Baptism of John. (Ac 18:25, 19:3) However,
those who received baptism from John the Baptizer, such as Apollo and twelve men of Ephesus, also went on to receive the Baptism
of Christ, that is a Christian Baptism involving Holy Spirit and the accompanying gifts. John’s Baptism
had been one of repentance. Baptism into Christ and the Body of Christ, the one faith of overall
Christianity, surpassed this, bringing forgiveness, clean conscience, new birth, resurrection hope, and gifts.. (Ac 19:4,
5)
BAPTISM OF THE DEAD: Then, there is the Baptism of the Dead.
(1Cor15:29) The Bible does not clearly define what this was so there are various, even many guesses as
to what the expression Baptism of the Dead means. Among the various guesses, is that it refers to the fact
that when people receive baptism by water their old bad conscience dies there, (Romans 6:4) that it is symbolically washed
away, after which they are lifted up to their new lives as Christians made eligible for the Christian hope of resurrection.
GIFTS AT BAPTISM: Each newly baptized Christian
also receives gifts from the Holy Spirit. Besides hope of the resurrection, and the super happy feeling
of having a cleansed conscience and closer relationship with God, the greatest gift is love, (1Cor 3:1-3) not a self love
of oneself but a love for doing the will of God which is the showing active love for God and suffering humanity. (Mt 22:36-40)
Another gift can be the ability to speak other languages that other humans use and understand or
else the ability to speak in a non-human tongue understood by angels although not by most if any humans. (Acts 19:1-6)
BORN AGAIN: Each Christian thus experiences symbolic
death followed by being born again spiritually. In fact Christ says we must be born again or we cannot
inherit the kingdom of the heavens. (Jn 3:3) John 3:5 says “Jesus answered, "I tell you the
truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.” IMMERSION OR SPRINKLING: At this point we can discuss if water baptism is done
only by total immersion in water, by sprinkling, by either method, or perhaps even by both methods. Those
believing immersion is necessary note that John 3:23 points out that John baptized people near Salim because much or “plenty
of water” was located there. Acts 8:38, 39 says Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch or official went
down into water for baptism after which the eunuch was lifted up out of it.
Those believing that sprinkling
is okay or required note that both Phillip and the Ethiopian went into the water; the scripture says they both came out of
the water, but it is not clear if this means one or both came up out of water after immersion or it simply means they both
came up out of the river water. Similarly John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, (Mark 1:9) but still
it is not clear if Jesus was totally immersed.
Those saying to sprinkle only note that the
Ethiopian asked Phillip to baptize him because he had been reading what Isaiah the prophet said. (Act 8:32, 33)
Isaiah 52:15 says of Christ “13 Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; he shall be exalted and extolled and
be very high. 14 Just as many were astonished at you, so His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the
sons of men; 15 So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; for what had not been told
them they shall see, and what they had not heard they shall consider.
Ezekiel 36 says:
24 "For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries,
and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean;
I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and
put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27
I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.
29 I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses.”
Hebrews
10:22 says “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an
evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Numbers 19:20 notes “But the man who is unclean
and does not purify himself, that person shall be cut off from among the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of
the LORD. The water of purification has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean.” Also some point out that in
Greek the word for “to baptize” (βαπτίζω) usually refers to immersion,
not sprinkling in both the Septuagint and the New Testament. The related word βαπτω
appears in the New Testament and means "dip" or "dye," for example referring
to putting a piece of bread partly into wine.
Beyond Old Testament scriptures speaking
of sprinkling, a major verse referring clearly to sprinkling, again, is Hebrew 10:22. Those for total
immersion say the verse is focused on sprinkling for the cleansing of evil conscience, not the fullness of Christian baptism
which entails that, yes, but also much more. However, those for sprinkling counter that the preceding verse,
Hebrew 10:21 makes clear that the sprinkling must refer to full Christian baptism for it lets “us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.” Luke 11:38 is used by some as an example where the meaning is to perform ablutio, that is a washing
of the hands not just for cleansing but for ritual. In the passage a Pharisee was amazed to see Christ did not wash
his hands before eating. Scribes and Pharisees also complained to Jesus that the disciples did not wash their hands
as tradition called for before eating bread. (Mt 15:1,2)
In frustration some might even conclude that it is best to both go under water and also be sprinkled.
In fact a satisfactory resolution already goes before the water baptism, namely as said the fact is that regardless,
the baptism by Holy Spirit is what is most essential. A person might for example receive baptism by Holy
Spirit then die in a car wreck before he can get to either a river or even a glass of water. In some lands all bodies of water may be polluted with disease.
A person may be in an iron-lung and unable to be immersed in water due to health reasons. Some may
feel that going under water is more comprehensive and therefore more remindful of death of the old personality or bad conscience,
so that it is better.
MIKVOT (Singular variously spelled: Mikva, Mikve, Mikvah, Mikveh): In any event
if you go to the Temple Mount, the remains of the great temple in Jerusalem, you will still find before its entrance "mikvot"
which are ritual baths for personal purification and conversions. Before and during the time of Jesus Christ, Jews and
for that matter the earliest Jewish Christians, walked down steps into the mikvot, became fully immersed, and then
walked up out of the mikvot. This was a way of cleansing him- or herself from defilements, and to this day highly Orthodox
conservative Jews still use immersions. The practice which derived from scriptures in Leviticus chapters 13 through
17 and Number 19, was done without another person having to dunk then raise the person, although another person or persons
could watch and advise the bathing person as to if all his or her body had gone into and under the water.
The Bible
records that at Pentecost the first 3,000 Christians underwent baptism at Jerusalem. They could quickly and simply
bathe in the small mikva pools before entering the Temple, doing so without drawing undue attention from the Jewish priests.
However, within they were doing so now in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and in recognition that the Messiah
was Jesus Christ of Nazareth who had already come. For some one thousand years early Christianity, for the most part
dominated by the Roman Catholic Church, also used immersion.
THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR: Regardless of history etc,
etc, if water is used, then the essential point is that water baptism has been performed. The particular
method, immersion or sprinkling, is not the crucial factor, but rather the essential, crucial fact is that new Christians
undergo baptism by God’s Holy Spirit, doing so in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They thus
become members of the one Christian faith rather than of just one branch of it, some division, sect or organization.
If your baptism was to an organization, for example, then it is recommended that you receive a proper Christian
baptism. For example, those baptized as Jehovah's Witnesses after 1985 have had baptisms conducted in the
name of Jehovah, His Christ and "the spirit-directed organization."
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