Question for people who say baptism must be by immersion?

Question

This question is for people who say that baptism MUST be done by immersion. If a person lives in the dessert where there is not enough water available for immersion, is that person illegible for baptism?

I will agree that baptism comes from a word that means immersion, but where in the Bible does it state that a person must be IMMERSED in water in order for a Baptism to be valid and pouring water over the head is NOT valid?

Answer 1

You have made a good point here,the trouble is that too many people take the written word so seriously that they become like the Pharisee`s,they are unable to bend and be practical anymore and this problem with water baptism is a case in point.
Three drops of water poured on the forehead in the names of the Father,Son and Holy Spirit is a valid baptism, another bone of contention is adult baptism.
Some Protestant denominations declare that infant baptism is wrong and only adults should be baptized,again this is sticking to the letter of the law so tightly that there is no scope left to move, Jesus told the Pharisee`s that God made the Sabbath for man and not man for the Sabbath,but some have become so inflexible that they forget this attitude.

Answer 2

The word "baptism" was invented by the translators of the KJV. The Greek word is immersion.

The reason is the King told them to give an accurate translation of the Bible, but the Church of England practiced sprinkling. The King was the head of the Church of England and he himself was sprinkled. The translators did not dare use a word that was not accurate, but they also did not dare give a translation that contradicted the King's religious doctrine, so they invented a new word.

Every verse in the Bible that says "baptize" would be more accurately translated "immerse". Mark 16:16 - "He that believes and is immersed shall be saved".

But, note the description of baptism in the Bible.

Matthew 3:16-17 has Jesus in the water and coming up out of the water. Only immersion fits this description.

John 3:23 - John chose the location for baptism "because there was much water there". Only immersion requires much water.

Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12 - Describes baptism as a burial. Only immersion is a burial.

Acts 8:38-39 - Describes baptism as going down into the water and coming up out of the water. Immersion!

Since you agree that baptism means immersion, then that is what is commanded.

Where do you get authority to baptize in any other way?

If the word "baptism" means immersion, then everywhere the Bible commands "baptism", it is commanding immersion. To do anything else is to not do what is commanded.

Back to John 3:23. Baptism requires "much water". How much water is much water?

What is required in just enough to bury (immerse) someone. The majority of the earth is covered by water. If a land is able to support human life, then there must be some source of water (pond, river stream, well, etc.)

All that is required is a natural body of water or a container to collect water. I know people who have baptized in bathtubs, cattle watering troughs, etc.

Archaeologists have found baptismal vats in many locations around the holy land. I would dare say, if a person wants to be immersed, he can find and/or collect enough water, no matter where he lives on Earth!

Answer 3

First of all the examples of baptism where they actually talk about when and where are usually in a body of water. John the baptist baptized people in the Jordan river and then there was a eunich who was traveling from Ephesus who after hearing the word pointed out some water where he could get baptized. Also when Jesus was baptized he rose out of the water. Matthew 3:16. Then you have the translation of the word means immersion. Those are the best proofs to offer. I accept on faith that baptism must be full immersion but what I definitly do know from scripture is that baptism must be done to a fully thinking rational adult, not a baby. How can a baby repent? As for your question about someone living in the desert, there is nothing saying that you can't be baptized in artificial water such as a bathtup, that's where I was baptized.
www.licoc.org

Answer 4

Let me expand on this a little bit. How about John the Baptist standing in waste-deep water, yelling at the throngs gathered on the shore, "repent! For the kingdom of heaven is at hand" -- and reaching back and arcing his arm across the water to splash the people gathered on the shore. What an image, huh? All those people splattered with water, as if from a prescient sprinkling of the blood of the lamb.

Or think of the image of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon God's people, gallons and gallons of water, matching the fire that he will baptize with. Now THAT's baptism!

The burial and resurrection image is now carried today by many denominations, and it is most definitely a beautiful symbol of our in grafting into Christ. But to take this last image and make it into such a concrete form, form, form, that we take away from the spirit of what it really means, is to very nearly desecrate the rite. I would hope you would never be led down such a path.

Answer 5

I hear this all the time. I was baptized in a Southern Baptist church. I went all the way under. Thats just the way they do it. However-its just a ceremony-nothing else. Baptism is absolutely worthless if the baptizee (sp) is not born again. Its the salvation that counts, not the ceremonial "wash". BTW thats all baptism real is- a washing away of the sins. The baptismal water has "no" power, the repentance and trusting Christ is what you have to get right.
Sprinkling and pouring was allowed early on in the early church because of what you brought up. Often there was no place to "dip". And, there were the ill and infirmed who could not get up to get into the water if it was available.

You are correct-and you may quote me on that
Yours truly-
John the Baptist.

Answer 6

Preferably it should be by immersion- as that is what the word indicates. But what if there is no water at all available? Then what? Thankfully- water baptism does not save... but faith by grace is the gift from God that saves us. The water is an opportunity for the new believer to act on that faith.

I don't think anyone needs to demand legalistic performance on any part of the sacramental institutions. Christianity is a heart thing --led to highest obedience where knowledge and love are real.

Thanks for listening
Ps. Larry Lombardi
www.wordoflove.org.nz

Answer 7

Well, I for one believe the people who say baptism should be full immersion, because it is a symbolic passage to the cleansing of your sins/sinful body. The symbolism that takes place by full immersion is that, as your old self is immersed in full, your new self clean of sin, raises up out of the water.

In the end if you live in the dessert God is mighty enough to provide the waters for a baptism in full or otherwise. All is possible through Jesus.

I wouldn't say a baptism of just your head is invalid, since people who practice it are trying to honor the word of God. But I personally choose the full body option :) good question.

Answer 8

Baptism is not only an act of obedience, but a demonstration to whoever is being baptised that he or she has died and been buried (in the water), then is risen back alive as Jesus was by God, and joins with Christ into a new life. (See Romans 6)

Pouring or sprinkling may not get the point across. But if you are in the desert, ask God what He wants you to do for baptism.

There was enough water along the desert road for Philip to baptise the newly believing Ethiopian after the gospel, starting from Isaiah, was explained to him. (Acts 8:26-39)

Answer 9

In countries where there is not large amount of water it is done by sprinkling on the head, even in the Catholic church this is the way it is done......

Baptism
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article is about the Christian religious act of Baptism. For other uses, see Baptism (disambiguation).

Baptism in early Christian art.
Perhaps a representation of "the Spirit like a dove descending upon you" (Mark 1:10)Jesus at his baptismBaptism is a religious act of purification by water usually associated with admission to membership or fullness of membership of Christianity.

By analogy, the word is used of any ceremony, trial, or experience by which one is initiated, purified, or given a name.[1] It is thus used also of the Amrit (holy water) ceremony[2] of Sikhism.

Because of the word's association with Christianity, the Jewish purification rite of Mikvah is not normally spoken of as baptism.

This article will consider chiefly the practices and beliefs of Christians with regard to this rite and in particular the forms in which they hold that it should be administered.

Answer 10

Everyone seems to get hung up on the act of baptism rather than what it means. By all means, immersion is the Biblical form, as you have said, the very word means to immerse.

Hypotheticals aside, the rite is symbolic of dying, being buried and then being resurrected to walk in newness of life. Paul tells us (in Romans I think) that this is symbolic of us dying with Christ. The washing is also represented. Can you get "clean" just by a mist of water on your head or do you need REAL cleansing? Yes, it is just a symbol but would you eat an animal cracker and drink kool-aid for communion? Why not? The bread & wine are just symbols? (I know that you are catholic so you believe in transubstantiation so this rheotoric may not apply to you directly).

Anyway, I hope this helps.