Baptism
#3
Baptize How?
Immersion vs sprinkling?
How much water is necessary for baptism?
How can water do such great things?
Who can administer baptism?
Series Index
How much water is necessary for baptism?
How can water do such great things?
Who can administer baptism?
Series Index
Matthew 3:1-12
About that time John the Baptist began preaching in the desert area of Judea... Many people came from Jerusalem and Judea and all the area around the Jordan River to hear John. They confessed their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River...
"I baptize you with water to show that your hearts and lives have changed. But there is one coming after me who is greater than I am, whose sandals I am not good enough to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He will come ready to clean the grain, separating the good grain from the chaff. He will put the good part of the grain into his barn, but he will burn the chaff with a fire that cannot be put out." (New Century Version)
Acts 8:26-39
An angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get ready and go south to the road that leads down to Gaza from Jerusalem—the desert road." So Philip got ready and went. On the road he saw a man from Ethiopia, a eunuch. He was an important officer in the service of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians; he was responsible for taking care of all her money. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship. Now, as he was on his way home, he was sitting in his chariot reading from the Book of Isaiah, the prophet. The Spirit said to Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."
So when Philip ran toward the chariot, he heard the man reading from Isaiah the prophet. Philip asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
He answered, "How can I understand unless someone explains it to me?" Then he invited Philip to climb in and sit with him. The portion of Scripture he was reading was this:
"He was like a sheep being led to be killed.
He was quiet, as a lamb is quiet while its wool is being cut;
he never opened his mouth.
He was shamed and was treated unfairly.
He died without children to continue his family.
His life on earth has ended." Isaiah 53:7-8
The officer said to Philip, "Please tell me, who is the prophet talking about—himself or someone else?" Philip began to speak, and starting with this same Scripture, he told the man the Good News about Jesus.
While they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The officer said, “Look, here is water. What is stopping me from being baptized?" Then the officer commanded the chariot to stop. Both Philip and the officer went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away; the officer never saw him again. And the officer continued on his way home, full of joy. (New Century Version)
When Christians discuss their differing points of view about baptism, there are two issues which inspire the greatest debate... and disagreement:
1. Baptizing babies.
2. Immersion.
Last week we studied the Bible about the faith in God that babies can have, which is the reason we baptize them. Next week we will answer some arguments against infant baptism.
Today we will look at the question: How much water is necessary for baptism? Does the Bible require immersion -- covered with water? Or is sprinkling enough?
Disagreements about these questions leads us to even disagree about the correct sign for "baptism."
1. Baptizing babies.
2. Immersion.
Last week we studied the Bible about the faith in God that babies can have, which is the reason we baptize them. Next week we will answer some arguments against infant baptism.
Today we will look at the question: How much water is necessary for baptism? Does the Bible require immersion -- covered with water? Or is sprinkling enough?
Disagreements about these questions leads us to even disagree about the correct sign for "baptism."
How much water is necessary for baptism?
If we go back to our first lesson about baptism, we remember that WATER itself has no power. The important thing in baptism is GOD'S WORD that is connected with water. Remember what God's Word says happens in baptism.
Acts 2
If we go back to our first lesson about baptism, we remember that WATER itself has no power. The important thing in baptism is GOD'S WORD that is connected with water. Remember what God's Word says happens in baptism.
Acts 2
Peter said to them, "Repent and become baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Galatians 3
You were all baptized into Christ, and so you were all clothed with Christ. This means that you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Titus 2
He saved us through washing that made us new people through the Holy Spirit.
God richly poured out upon us that Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Our friends who criticize us for pouring and not immersing, they agree with us that water itself has no power. But they also say that God's Word in baptism also has no power! So, ignoring God's Word, they focus on the water, measuring how much you use, how wet you become... for what purpose? For what reason? Why baptize? For obedience -- that's all. For them, baptism is our work, not God's work. This completely opposes everything the Bible says about baptism.
So, is immersion wrong? No, of course not! Truly, immersion is a beautiful picture of what the Bible says that baptism means. Paul says in Romans 6 that when we become baptized in Christ, we unite with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. [Sign: Immersion down, covered, immersion up.] Do you see the picture?
It is interesting that the Greek Orthodox Church, when they baptize infants, they don't sprinkle. They immerse babies, too.
How did people do baptisms in the Bible? It depends on who, where, and what they "baptized." The word "baptize" is a Greek word that basically means "washing." Many of the earliest manuscripts of Mark 7:3-4 say:
So, is immersion wrong? No, of course not! Truly, immersion is a beautiful picture of what the Bible says that baptism means. Paul says in Romans 6 that when we become baptized in Christ, we unite with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. [Sign: Immersion down, covered, immersion up.] Do you see the picture?
It is interesting that the Greek Orthodox Church, when they baptize infants, they don't sprinkle. They immerse babies, too.
How did people do baptisms in the Bible? It depends on who, where, and what they "baptized." The word "baptize" is a Greek word that basically means "washing." Many of the earliest manuscripts of Mark 7:3-4 say:
For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash [BAPTIZE] their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing [BAPTIZING] of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches. [NKJV. The KJV translates "couches" as "tables." Most modern English translations conveniently assign the word "couches" to a footnote.]
We have only two stories in the Bible that seem to hint that in those two instances baptism was done by immersion. One was when John baptized Jesus in the Jordan river. The other was when Philip baptized the Ethiopian. Both stories describe them as "coming up out of the water."
But in the story about the prison official in Philippi, baptism by immersion is very doubtful.
But in the story about the prison official in Philippi, baptism by immersion is very doubtful.
At that hour of the night, the jailer took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. Right away he and his whole family were baptized. (Acts 16:33)
So... did this Philippian prison officer have a swimming pool? Maybe a hot tub? Not likely. It is far more probable that Paul baptized the jailer "and his whole family" similar to the way the jailer "washed their wounds."
Only once in the Bible do we see the validity of a baptism questioned -- meaning: Was it a real Christian baptism? The issue was not how much water was used.
Only once in the Bible do we see the validity of a baptism questioned -- meaning: Was it a real Christian baptism? The issue was not how much water was used.
Paul took the road to Ephesus. When he arrived, he found some believers there. He asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?"
"No," they answered. "We haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"
"John's baptism," they replied.
Paul said, "John baptized people, calling them to turn away from their sins. He told them to believe in the one who was coming after him. Jesus is that one." After hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 19:1-5)
From the Bible's perspective, the amount of water used in baptism is never an issue. The Gospel of Jesus Christ -- God's Word -- is always the central focus.
A third question about baptism came up a couple weeks ago which we can answer here:
Who can do baptisms?
Does the Bible say that only a pastor can do baptism?
The answer is No. Any Christian -- especially any Christian who leads another person to Jesus Christ -- can baptize a new believer. Philip was not a pastor when he baptized the Ethiopian.
Does that mean a Christian nurse working in a hospital maternity unit can secretly baptize all the babies in her care? No, that would be very inappropriate. When the 10 Commandments teach us to honor our parents, we must also honor the parents of the children in our care. We baptize children only by request and permission of the babies' parents. (Read the next lesson in this series for an interesting story related to this.)
So why do we usually have baptisms in church, during worship, done by the pastor? Because (1) baptism into Christ also brings an individual into His Body, the Church, and (2) baptism is a public confession of faith. The pastor merely serves as the Church's public representative. But in an emergency, any Christian can baptize "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
See:
The Lutheran Hymnal, the last page,
for "A short form for Holy Baptism in cases of necessity,"
Lutheran Worship, page 312, or
Lutheran Service Book, page 1023,
for "Holy Baptism in cases of emergency."
Who can do baptisms?
Does the Bible say that only a pastor can do baptism?
The answer is No. Any Christian -- especially any Christian who leads another person to Jesus Christ -- can baptize a new believer. Philip was not a pastor when he baptized the Ethiopian.
Does that mean a Christian nurse working in a hospital maternity unit can secretly baptize all the babies in her care? No, that would be very inappropriate. When the 10 Commandments teach us to honor our parents, we must also honor the parents of the children in our care. We baptize children only by request and permission of the babies' parents. (Read the next lesson in this series for an interesting story related to this.)
So why do we usually have baptisms in church, during worship, done by the pastor? Because (1) baptism into Christ also brings an individual into His Body, the Church, and (2) baptism is a public confession of faith. The pastor merely serves as the Church's public representative. But in an emergency, any Christian can baptize "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
See:
The Lutheran Hymnal, the last page,
for "A short form for Holy Baptism in cases of necessity,"
Lutheran Worship, page 312, or
Lutheran Service Book, page 1023,
for "Holy Baptism in cases of emergency."
Luther's Small Catechism
The Sacrament of Holy Baptism
The Sacrament of Holy Baptism
How can water do such great things?
Certainly not just water, but the Word of God in and with the water does these things, along with the faith which trusts this Word of God in the water. For without God's Word the water is plain water and no Baptism. But with the Word of God it is a Baptism, that is, a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says in Titus, chapter three: "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying" (Titus 3:5-8).
Certainly not just water, but the Word of God in and with the water does these things, along with the faith which trusts this Word of God in the water. For without God's Word the water is plain water and no Baptism. But with the Word of God it is a Baptism, that is, a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says in Titus, chapter three: "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying" (Titus 3:5-8).