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“baptism” “Baptism” is an ordinance of the Church of Christ. It is an ordinance that was instituted and commanded by Jesus himself: (Mat 28:19) “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" This verse is in the context of what is generally called “The Great Commission”. Jesus knows He is about to speak to His apostles for the last time and He gives them orders [or instructions] of what He wants them to do after He has ascended into heaven to be seated at the right hand of His Father. Let’s look at this command that Jesus gave to His apostles. The first thing that we learn is that Jesus wanted them to “go”. This in and of itself was not easy to be carried out. They either had to walk or ride a donkey. Therefore it would require a great effort on their part. As they went they were to do more than just tour the land, they were to “teach”. What did they teach? They taught the gospel: (Mat 26:13) "Verily I say unto you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her." This is exactly what the apostle Peter did on the “day of Pentecost” [C.f. Acts chapter 2]. This is exactly what the apostle Paul did; not being ashamed of it: (Rom 1:16) "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." However, teaching did not end the things they were to do! After the gospel had been taught and believed by those who heard it, Jesus instructed them to “baptize” the believers who were willing to repent of their sins: (Luke 13:3) "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." And to confess Him before men: (Rom 10:9-10) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. {10} For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." This for the most part explains what was to be done in compliance to Jesus’ command. But how is this “baptism” to be done. In our world you will find that there are those who pour water, those who sprinkle water and those who immerse. How did those who first fulfilled the command of Jesus do their baptizing? Looking again at Matthew 28:19 we see that Jesus instructed them to baptize “in the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost”; this is simply telling them that their authority to baptize was of “the Father, the son and the Holy Ghost. I am certain that they did just as Jesus had given them command. But what of the physical act of baptizing; how did they physically baptize? Did they pour, did they sprinkle or did they immerse? Do you recall the time when Jesus was baptized by John? (Mat 3:16) "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:" My question is this, “Why did Jesus have to come “out of the water” if He was sprinkled or poured for baptism by John?” If you sprinkle or pour there is no need to go into the water. To further show that baptism is an immersion I would like to point out that baptism is a burial: (Rom 6:4) "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Col 2:12) "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." In two different epistles the apostle Paul wrote by inspiration that baptism is a burial. What do you do when you bury something, do you sprinkle a little dirt upon the object that is to be buried or do you completely cover it up. Furthermore in Romans 6:5 Paul wrote "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:" If you simply sprinkle a little dirt on a seed do you expect it to sprout and become a plant? No indeed, you bury that seed in the dirt! It cannot be argued scripturally that baptism is a pouring or a sprinkling, baptism is a burial or to put it another way baptism is by immersion. Have you been baptized in the same manner that the early Christians were baptized? If not why not do what countless numbers of people have done; why not do it today?
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