What does it mean to be baptized?

Question

I always thought baptizing was something done to little babies, or maybe adults who are "new" to God. But last night at church, there was a baptism, and I would say 40-50 people were baptized. One of the guys said that they do baptisms every few weeks, and it's usually a group of people. There weren't any babies, there were some kids, but mostly adults, a few married couples and even a whole family. All those people, it makes me wonder- do you only get baptized once? What does it mean? Do you get baptized after you've accepted God, or when you actually start feeling Him?

Answer 1

Gen. 17:12, Lev. 12:3 - these texts show the circumcision of eight-day old babies as the way of entering into the Old Covenant - Col 2:11-12 - however, baptism is the new "circumcision" for all people of the New Covenant. Therefore, baptism is for babies as well as adults. God did not make His new Covenant narrower than the old Covenant. To the contrary, He made it wider, for both Jews and Gentiles, infants and adults.

Job 14:1-4 - man that is born of woman is full of trouble and unclean. Baptism is required for all human beings because of our sinful human nature.

Psalm 51:5 - we are conceived in the iniquity of sin. This shows the necessity of baptism from conception.

Matt. 18:2-5 - Jesus says unless we become like children, we cannot enter into heaven. So why would children be excluded from baptism?

Matt 19:14 - Jesus clearly says the kingdom of heaven also belongs to children. There is no age limit on entering the kingdom, and no age limit for being eligible for baptism.

Mark 10:14 - Jesus says to let the children come to Him for the kingdom of God also belongs to them. Jesus says nothing about being too young to come into the kingdom of God.

Mark 16:16 - Jesus says to the crowd, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved." But in reference to the same people, Jesus immediately follows with "He who does not believe will be condemned." This demonstrates that one can be baptized and still not be a believer. This disproves the Protestant argument that one must be a believer to be baptized. There is nothing in the Bible about a "believer's baptism."

Luke 18:15 – Jesus says, “Let the children come to me.” The people brought infants to Jesus that he might touch them. This demonstrates that the receipt of grace is not dependent upon the age of reason.

Acts 2:38 - Peter says to the multitude, "Repent and be baptized.." Protestants use this verse to prove one must be a believer (not an infant) to be baptized. But the Greek translation literally says, "If you repent, then each one who is a part of you and yours must each be baptized” (“Metanoesate kai bapistheto hekastos hymon.”) This, contrary to what Protestants argue, actually proves that babies are baptized based on their parents’ faith. This is confirmed in the next verse.

Acts 2:39 - Peter then says baptism is specifically given to children as well as adults. “Those far off” refers to those who were at their “homes” (primarily infants and children). God's covenant family includes children. The word "children" that Peter used comes from the Greek word "teknon" which also includes infants.

Luke 1:59 - this proves that "teknon" includes infants. Here, John as a "teknon" (infant) was circumcised. See also Acts 21:21 which uses “teknon” for eight-day old babies. So baptism is for infants as well as adults.

Acts 10:47-48 - Peter baptized the entire house of Cornelius, which generally included infants and young children. There is not one word in Scripture about baptism being limited to adults.

Acts 16:15 - Paul baptized Lydia and her entire household. The word "household" comes from the Greek word "oikos" which is a household that includes infants and children.

Acts 16:15 - further, Paul baptizes the household based on Lydia's faith, not the faith of the members of the household. This demonstrates that parents can present their children for baptism based on the parents' faith, not the children's faith.

Acts 16:30-33 - it was only the adults who were candidates for baptism that had to profess a belief in Jesus. This is consistent with the Church's practice of instructing catechumens before baptism. But this verse does not support a "believer's baptism" requirement for everyone. See Acts 16:15,33. The earlier one comes to baptism, the better. For those who come to baptism as adults, the Church has always required them to profess their belief in Christ. For babies who come to baptism, the Church has always required the parents to profess the belief in Christ on behalf of the baby. But there is nothing in the Scriptures about a requirement for ALL baptism candidates to profess their own belief in Christ (because the Church has baptized babies for 2,000 years).

Acts 16:33 - Paul baptized the jailer (an adult) and his entire household (which had to include children). Baptism is never limited to adults and those of the age of reason. See also Luke 19:9; John 4:53; Acts 11:14; 1 Cor. 1:16; and 1 Tim. 3:12; Gen. 31:41; 36:6; 41:51; Joshua 24:15; 2 Sam. 7:11, 1 Chron. 10:6 which shows “oikos” generally includes children.

Rom. 5:12 - sin came through Adam and death through sin. Babies' souls are affected by Adam's sin and need baptism just like adult souls.

Rom. 5:15 - the grace of Jesus Christ surpasses that of the Old Covenant. So children can also enter the new Covenant in baptism. From a Jewish perspective, it would have been unthinkable to exclude infants and children from God's Covenant kingdom.

1 Cor. 1:16 - Paul baptized the household ("oikos") of Stephanus. Baptism is not limited to adults.

Eph. 1:1; Col. 1:2 - Paul addresses the "saints" of the Church, and these include the children he addresses in Eph. 6:1 and Col. 3:20. Children become saints of the Church only through baptism.

Eph. 2:3 - we are all by nature children of wrath, in sin, like all mankind. Infants are no exception. See also Psalm 51:5 and Job 14:1-4 which teach us we are conceived in sin and born unclean.

2 Thess. 3:10 - if anyone does not work let him not eat. But this implies that those who are unable to work should still be able to eat. Babies should not starve because they are unable to work, and should also not be denied baptism because they are unable to make a declaration of faith.

Matt. 9:2; Mark 2:3-5 - the faith of those who brought in the paralytic cured the paralytic's sins. This is an example of the forgiveness of sins based on another's faith, just like infant baptism. The infant child is forgiven of sin based on the parents' faith.

Matt. 8:5-13 - the servant is healed based upon the centurion's faith. This is another example of healing based on another's faith. If Jesus can heal us based on someone else’s faith, then He can baptize us based on someone else’s faith as well.

Mark 9:22-25 - Jesus exercises the child's unclean spirit based on the father's faith. This healing is again based on another's faith.

1 Cor. 7:14 – Paul says that children are sanctified by God through the belief of only one of their parents.

Exodus 12:24-28 - the Passover was based on the parent's faith. If they did not kill and eat the lamb, their first-born child died.

Joshua 5:2-7 - God punished Israel because the people had not circumcised their children. This was based on the parent's faith. The parents play a critical role in their child's salvation.

Answer 2

Baptism is for the remittance, or washing away of your sins. A baby has not yet committed any sins to be cleansed from and a young child needs to have a good grasp of right and wrong to understand that he is a sinner and needs to have those sins washed away. Baptism in Jesus' name as recorded in the Bible (read the book of Acts...history of the first church; same rules still apply today). A person must understand the reason for being baptized and be ready to leave the past behind and start fresh with God. It's the second chance we all want after we mess everything up. And you only need to do it once IF it's done the Bible way. By the way , the people in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) that were baptized did it to show repentance(turning away from) their sins. They were still under the law of Moses until Jesus died on the cross and was raised again; they were not under Grace until then.

Answer 3

There are 2 Baptisms. 1. Is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, this happens when a person excepts Jesus as their Savior, They are Baptized into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. 2. Is the Baptism of water, this is done after you except Jesus as your Savior and it is done in order to show people that you are a Christian and a follower of Christ. There is no need to Baptize a baby, they are under Grace until they become of the age of accountability

Answer 4

Baptism is a public declaration of your salvation.
Some people believe that baptism is required in order to get into heaven. That is untrue, after all, the thief on the cross next to Jesus was never Baptized but he still went to heaven.
You only need to be baptized once. For some reason some people believe that getting baptized over and over again makes god forgive them of their sin or something.
Baptism is a symbol of what Jesus did for us. When you are dipped back, your death to sin is symbolized and when you are lifted back up it represents your new life in Christ.
Yes, you get baptized after you accept God to show the world that you are know a child of God.
"Feeling Him?" You never "feel" Him. God is not an emotion. To grow in fellowship with him you must obey his commandments and read His Word.

Answer 5

In the New Testament, after a sinner believes, confesses Christ, and repents of his sin, baptism were the point where he comes "into Christ" and into contact with His death (Romans 6:3-4, Gal. 3:27, Col. 2:12). Baptism is the point when one's sins are washed away (Acts 22:16). When you contact the death of Christ, you also are brought into contact with the saving blood, because that is when the blood was shed. Baptism is the point when one has "remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). Baptism is the point when an alien sinner becomes a Christian.

The links below may provide more information. The second link shows a six-lesson video bible study. One of these lessons deals specifically with baptism, but I suggest you watch all six lessons in order if you have time to do so.

I hope this helped you! You may e-mail me if you have any additional questions or if you wish to discuss this further.

Thank you for the good question!

At baptism, you "rise to walk in newness of life", or in other words, you are born again. (Romans 6:3-4)

You only need to be baptized once. You are baptized when you become a Christian. After this, "if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7) This verses shows that when we live a faithful life, Christ's blood (that we contacted at baptism) keeps on cleansing us.

In the book of Acts, every example of the conversion of an alien sinner specifically mentions baptism. All of these converts were baptized immediately. There is no Biblical example of scheduling baptism at a later date, or once every few weeks or months. None of these converts either ate, drank, slept, or continued a journey until they were baptized.

A good example is Saul (Paul). He had nothing to eat or drink for 3 days, but when he was told he needed to be baptized to wash away his sins, he did so immediately, even before he took food! (Acts 9:9-11, Acts 9:18-19, Acts 22:16) This shows the urgency of baptism.

If you find you have slipped back into a sinful life after you have been baptized "for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38), then you need to repent and pray to return to God. (Acts 8:13, 21-22) You do not have to be baptized again. Again, you are born again at baptism. You do not have to be born again, again.

Again, to become a christian, hear the word of God, believe, repent, confess and be "baptized into Christ". Then continue to live a faithful life (Revelation 2:10).

There are many verses that talk about the blessings "in Christ", but the only verses I know of that use the phrase "into Christ" say we are "baptized into Christ". (Romans 6:3, Galatians 3:27) You enter into Christ at baptism.

Answer 6

Hope this helps you.

Baptism is an immersion or sprinkling of water that signifies one's identification with a belief or cause. In Christianity it is the believer's identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6:4-54). It is done in the name and authority (Acts 4:7) of Christ with the baptismal formula of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19). It does not save us (1 Pet. 3:21). However, it is our obligation, as believers, to receive it.

Baptismal Regeneration
The belief that baptism is essential to salvation, that it is the means where forgiveness of sins is made real to the believer. This is incorrect. Paul said that he came to preach the gospel, not to baptize (1 Cor. 1:14-17). If baptism were essential to salvation, then Paul would have included it in his standard practice and preaching of the salvation message of Jesus, but he did not. (See also Col. 2:10-11.)

Born Again
The new birth enjoyed by a Christian upon his conversion and regeneration. It is a work of the Holy Spirit within a believer. It is related to faith in Christ and Him crucified (John 3:3-5). It means that the person is no longer dead in sins (Eph. 2:1), no longer spiritually blind (1 Cor. 2:14), and is now a new creation in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17).

Answer 7

There is much confusion about baptism in the various Christian denominations. However, this is not a result of the Bible presenting a confusing message on baptism. The Bible is abundantly clear of what baptism is, who it is for, and what it accomplishes. In the Bible, only believers who had placed their faith in Christ were baptized - as a public testimony of their faith and identification with Him (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-4). Water baptism by immersion is a step of obedience after faith in Christ. It is a proclamation of faith in Christ, a statement of submission to Him, and an identification with His death, burial, and resurrection.



With this in view, infant baptism is not a Biblical practice. An infant cannot place his or her faith in Christ. An infant cannot make a conscious decision to obey Christ. An infant cannot understand what water baptism symbolizes. The Bible does not record any infants being baptized. Infant baptism is the origin of the sprinkling and pouring methods of baptism - as it is unwise and unsafe to immerse an infant under water. Even the method of infant baptism fails to agree with the Bible. How does pouring or sprinkling illustrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ?



Many Christians who practice infant baptism do so because they understand infant baptism as the new covenant equivalent of circumcision. In this view, just as circumcision joined a Hebrew to the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants, so baptism joined a person to the New Covenant of salvation through Jesus Christ. This view is unbiblical. The New Testament nowhere connects baptism and circumcision. The New Testament nowhere describes baptism as a sign of the New Covenant. It is faith in Jesus Christ that enables a person to enjoy to blessings of the New Covenant (1 Corinthians 11:25; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Hebrews 9:15).



Baptism does not save a person. It does not matter if you were baptized by immersion, pouring, or sprinkling - if you have not first trusted in Christ for salvation, baptism (no matter the method) is meaningless and useless. Water baptism by immersion is a step of obedience to be done after salvation as a public profession of faith in Christ and identification with Him. Infant baptism does not fit the Biblical definition of baptism or the Biblical method of baptism. If Christian parents wish to dedicate their child to Christ, then a baby dedication service is entirely appropriate. However, even if infants are dedicated to the Lord, when they grow up they will still have to make a personal decision to believe in Jesus Christ in order to be saved.

Answer 8

Babies don't need to be baptized because they haven't sinned. We aren't held responsible for sin until we reach the age of accountability. This is different for everyone. It's when you become old enough to know right from wrong morally

Here is the steps to becoming a Christian

Hear the Word
Believe the Word
admit you are a sinner
repent of your sins
BE BAPTIZED!
Live a faithful life

Answer 9

No, we must endure till the end according to the Bible. Baptism Definition: The word “baptize” comes from the Greek ba·pti′zein, meaning “to dip, to plunge.” (A Greek-English Lexicon, by Liddell and Scott) Christian water baptism is an outward symbol that the one being baptized has made a complete, unreserved, and unconditional dedication through Jesus Christ to do the will of Jehovah God. The Scriptures also refer to John’s baptism, baptism with holy spirit, and baptism with fire, among others.

Answer 10

TRUE baptism is for BELIEVERS. Babies CANNOT express belief and have NO NEED of forgiveness. (Original sin is a lie. Ezekiel 18 teaches that the GUILT of sin CANNOT be passed from one generation to the next.)

-- Ezekiel 18:20 People will die because of their own sins. The son will not be guilty because of what his father did. And the father will not be guilty because of what his son did. The right things a godly person does will be added to his account. The wrong things a sinful person does will be charged against him.

EVERY time the New Testament records someone becoming a Christian, they are IMMEDIATELY BAPTIZED. It was viewed as integral to one becoming a Christian. Notice, for instance, the conversion of the Ethiopian recorded in Acts 8:

Acts 8:26 An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip. “Go south to the desert road,” he said. “It’s the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
27 So Philip started out. On his way he met an Ethiopian official. The man had an important position. He was in charge of all the wealth of Candace. She was the queen of Ethiopia. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship. 28 On his way home he was sitting in his chariot. He was reading the book of Isaiah the prophet.
29 The Holy Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot. Stay near it.”
30 So Philip ran up to the chariot. He heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you’re reading?” Philip asked.
31 “How can I?” he said. “I need someone to explain it to me.” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 Here is the part of Scripture the official was reading. It says, “He was led like a sheep to be killed. Just as lambs are silent while their wool is being cut off, he did not open his mouth.
33 When he was treated badly, he was refused a fair trial. Who can say anything about his children? His life was cut off from the earth.” (Isaiah 53:7, 8)
34 The official said to Philip, “Tell me, please. Who is the prophet talking about? Himself, or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that same part of Scripture. He told him the good news about Jesus. 36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water. The official said, “Look! Here is water! Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” 38 He gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the official went down into the water. Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away. The official did not see him again. He went on his way full of joy.
40 Philip was seen next at Azotus. From there he traveled all around. He preached the good news in all the towns. Finally he arrived in Caesarea. (Verse 37 is MISSING from ALL the best ancient manuscripts of Acts, thus indicating that it was likely not part of the original letter so it is not included here. - It possibly originated as a marginal note that was mistakenly included in the text of subsequent copies.)

... It was the suggestion of the convert that it be done immediately, so it MUST have been included in "the good news about Jesus." The New Testament does not support the view that many churches present that baptism is not part of the process of becoming a Christian and certainly does not support the baptism of infants.

Romans 6:1 What should we say then? Should we keep on sinning so that God’s grace can increase? 2 Not at all! As far as sin is concerned, we are dead. So how can we keep on sinning?
3 All of us were baptized into Christ Jesus. Don’t you know that we were baptized into his death? 4 By being baptized, we were buried with Christ into his death. Christ has been raised from the dead by the Father’s glory. And like Christ we also can live a new life. 5 By being baptized, we have been joined with him in his death. We will certainly also be joined with him in his resurrection.

"Baptized INTO Christ Jesus..." sounds like Paul is describing the way a person comes to be in a relationship with Jesus.

Answer 11

It says in the book of Matthew 28:18 18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

You get baptized after accepting Christ but I tend to make a pledge every once in while to live for him.