 Baptize By Immersion - Why Insist On Immersion?
Dear Writer:
Please explain why you folks insist on immersion for baptism. Asmeth Goli
Dear Asmeth:
Our goal is to practice the religion of Jesus just as the earliest disciples did. Our view of baptism is based on that premise.
The word "bapto" and its derivatives, transliterated baptize, means to dip, plunge or submerge (Compare Kittel's, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Vol. 1, p.529).
The contexts in which baptism is mentioned demands that it be an immersion.
- John the Baptist baptized at Enon, because there was much water there (John 3:23).
- When Jesus was baptized, he traveled to the Jordan River. Following his baptism, "he went right up out of the water" (Matthew 3:16), Goodspeed's translation).
- When the Ethiopian eunuch was baptized both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water (Acts 8:38).
- In writing to the Roman's, Paul described baptism as a burial in water (Romans 6:3-4). To the Ephesians we wrote "there is...one baptism" (Ephesians 4:45).
Historically, it is undeniable that the early Christians baptized by immersion. Why should we not do the same? How could anyone fault our so doing?
We are always ready to assist you in being baptized as Christ commanded. John Waddey |
