Richard Hollerman

“Baptism”? We may wonder what this word means for it so bandied about today. What does it mean and what is the significance of this act? How are we to understand the mean and significance of this important act?

We may wonder, first, about the meaning of such a strange term as “baptism.” We know that it is commonly used in religious circles but what does the term mean? The word itself comes from a Greek term that means immersing or dipping a person in water. Of course, this is the theological meaning. It comes from the Greek baptizo, meaning immerse.

It may be done today, in “church” circles, to an infant or baby and actually is usually done on this age, but we know that it is not at all Biblical in nature. What about the “act” or “action” of baptism? It means an immersion, although it is often (and wrongly) done with the meaning of sprinkling (aspersion) or pouring (effusion). It actually is an immersion (or dipping) of the person in a liquid, generally water.

What does it mean? It has come to mean an initiation or an entrance into the “church”  or a modern denomination but, of course, it signifies an immersion into Christ Himself (see Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12).

We know that some denominations, such as the Oneness people (also called the “Jesus Only” people) merely immerse a person and refuse to use Matthew 28:19 and the like in its support. They are totally wrong, of course, for Jesus says that we are to baptize/immerse into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (See Matthew 28:19; etc; by the way there is no textual problem with this verse). Others, such as the so-called “Ultra-dispensationalists” refuse to baptize (immerse) at all, thinking that this is an act that was suitable for the book of Acts but not later. The Dispensationalists immerse but do so with only a few of the NT references applicable.

No, we know that God intends that a person who believes and is repentant (Acts 2:38; 16:22; etc.), be immersed in the name of Jesus, the “Son” of the Father, and the Holy Spirit, for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38-39), for salvation (1 Peter 3:21; Mark 16;16), and for entrance into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13). Notice that this act has nothing to do with modern denominationalism, but is intended for entering into the body of Christ or the assembly of God, not for entering a man-made denomination or modern church.

P.S. We encourage you to use the “search” feature to find many other passages in the website that would deal with this subject much deeper than this.