WATER BAPTISM

Water baptism as an outward sign of an inward work.
Water baptism is a type of:
Death (Romans 6:3-11).
Burial (Colossians 2:12)
Resurrection ( Romans 6:4-5)
Water baptism is not optional
Jesus commanded it (Mark 16:16)
Jesus Himself was baptized (Matthew 3:13-17).
Peter commanded it (Acts 10:47-48).
It saves us (I Peter 3:21).

The Scriptures Depict Only One Mode of Baptism-Immersion.
John sought and selected sites where ample water was available for baptizing (John 3:23; Matthew 3:13).  Jesus came up out of the water after He was baptized (Matthew 3:16).  Philip and the eunuch “went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him” (Acts 8:38).  The word baptize, in its Greek form means to dip,” and there is no reason to think it means otherwise.  The scriptural mode of baptism is immersion.

Answers to Matthew 28:19
Why do we baptize in the name of Jesus Christ and not the way Jesus states in Matt. 28:19?  First law of rightly dividing the word is, “never build a doctrine on one scripture alone”.

The book of Matthew was written about 34 years after the Day of Pentecost (A.D. 67).

Matthew stood with Peter (Acts 2:14) and did not dispute the baptism in Jesus Name.

Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are titles not names.

Matthew is historically considered to have written this book to Jews who were taught not to say His name in vain.

Mark and Luke both used the singular name in their account of the Great Commission (Mark 16:17, Luke 24:47).


Baptism Formula
The correct formula for water baptism is one that uses the name of Jesus.  Every recorded baptism supports this truth. (See Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5.)

In Acts 2:38, the Apostle Peter, with the support of the other apostles, commanded his Jewish audience to “be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ.” Scripture records that the Samaritans, the Gentiles, and the disciples of John at Ephesus were also baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 8:16; 10:4-8; 19:5).

An important point to remember is that history records that the baptism formula was actually changed by the Catholic Church around 300 A.D. to the titles.


Questions to ask:     Why wouldn’t you want His name in baptism?

Why would you heal, preach and pray in His name and not be baptized in His name? Jesus’ Name literally means “Jehovah is become salvation”.  So there is no salvation outside His name (Acts 4:12).  Authority, responsibility, and promises are through the name.