Baptism is undoubtedly one of the most historically controversial, humanly misunderstood and yet Biblically clear principles that anyone could identify.

It is controversial on a number of counts: the very name "Baptist" is derived from the word ana-Baptist used to identify (and demean) whose who required people coming from the Catholic Church to be "re-baptized."

It is clear, in that the Bible includes over thirty passages which address the subject of baptism, its symbolism, and its importance.

The meaning of baptism has been perverted throughout the centuries largely through the false teaching that baptism washes away sins and is a prerequisite to salvtion.

As a backlash, some of today’s churches virtually ignore baptism, relegating it to optional status and making it something that is preferable rather than important. Others continue to teach that any who are not baptized are not saved.

False churches that teach false gospels have baptized infants, eight year olds, and even people on their death beds so that they might "see the kingdom of heaven" or wash away "original sin." Catholic Pope Gregory I (540-604 A.D.) said, "baptism works faith and forgives the guilt of past sins, particularly original sin."

In 789 A.D. Charles the Great issued an edict stating that all his European subjects, including infants, must be baptized. In the 1500’s, Martain Luther taught that, "baptism worketh forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and confers everlasting life and salvation on all who believe."

Baptism neither is nor does any of those things. If we are willing to approach the Bible Honestly, we will find that baptism and its true meaning are clearly defined. A systematic review of the Biblical doctrine of baptism will reveal, among others, the following facts.

1. Baptism Is A Distinctly New Testament Act. It was given to John from Heaven (Matt. 21:25, Luke 20:24) and is never mentioned or practiced in the Old Testament. It is a mistake for anyone to call themselves a priest and then to practice baptism as Biblical priests never baptized. Anyone who mixes priesthood and baptism doesn’t understand the office of a priest as defined in the Bible.

2. Baptistm Is Identification With Doctrine. The Lord was baptized in identification with John’s doctrine to show publicly that He agreed with John, and as an example to us. The Lord had no original sin to wash away; if baptism washes away sin it would seem incongruous for the Lord to be baptized and identify with the act of washing away sins. The Bible never says that baptism washes away sins, and in fact the Bible says that Baptism does not put away the filth of the flesh (1 Peter 3:21).

3. Baptism is to be only by immersion. The Lord was baptized by immersion and "came up out of the water" (Matthew 3:16). Much water is needed in order to be baptized (John 3:23); one must go down into the water in order to be baptized (Acts 8:38). You can’t symbolize death, burial, and resurrection by sprinkling somebody with water.

4. Baptism symbolizes an experience rather than being the experience itself. This is described in Matthew 20:23, Mark 10:38-39, Luke 12:50, and Romans 6:3-4. Baptism is a figure of something else (1 Peter 3:21). It is an answer of a good conscience, for example. As it is a symbol, proper mode (immersion vs. sprinkling) becomes very important.

5. Baptism is commanded; it is not optional for believers (Matt. 28:19, Acts 2:38). It is expected that once a man believes he will submit to baptism (Mark 16:16). Paul writes to churches like Corinth and Galatia and takes it for granted that they have been baptized.

6. Proxy baptism is a figure of the human imagination. The Bible never includes any example or exhortation to be baptized for somebody else. I Corinthians 15:29 is easily understood when we realize that the entire chapter of I Corinthians 15 is an exhortation to believe in the resurrection of the dead. We are not baptized "for " a dead Christ, but "for" a living one.

7. Baptism is an outward identification with a particular doctrine. In Luke 7:28-30 the decision to be baptized or not to be baptized demonstrated an affiliation or rejection with the doctrine taught by John. Baptism is a sign that we are disciples (John 4:1, Matt. 28:19). It is a demonstration that we have gladly received the word (Acts 2:41, Acts 8:12).

8. Baptism is for today; it did not cease during New Testament times. The Lord’s disciples baptized (John 3:22), Peter baptized (Acts 2:38), Paul baptized (I Cor. 1:16), Lydia was baptized (Acts 16:15), and so was the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:33). All New Testament born again believers are to be baptized.

9. Baptism is the mode of admission into a church. We are all baptized into a church body (I Cor. 1:13). The New Testament example is that people were baptized and added to a church (Acts 2:41). The Bible clearly demonstrtes that believeers were always to be baptized upon their profession of faith, and that they were also to then become members of the local church (i.e. the one that led them to the Lord).

10. Baptism is only allowed subsequently to belief in the Lord Jesus Chirst (Acts 8:37). Infants are never seen being baptized in the Bible because they are not able to believe. The idea that people should be baptized at the age of eight yers is an invention of man also not found in the Bible.

11. If Baptism is not done for the right reason or in the proper manner, it must be done again. This is even true if the person baptizing is the right person. In Acts 19:1-5 men were baptized again because they did not have a "proper" baptism. There is no shame in this act; it is a matter of obedience to God’s command. If you are dipped into water or sprinkled by a false church that teaches a false gospel, you really haven’t been baptized at all.

It seems strange that Baptist churches are singled out for being so particular about baptism when Baptists have historically held to the truth about baptism. Baptists aren’t the ones who insisted that infants be baptized, or that baptism was essential to salvation. Maybe it’s the Baptist insistence on accuracy in this area of doctrine that gained such notoriety for us.

It also seems strange that, of all words, the word "Baptist" would be the one chosen to identify a group simply because they chose to hold to the truth (but then that happened to a man named John the Baptist, didn’t it). Instead of calling us "Baptists" and other peoplle something else, shouldn’t they call us something else and call the other people "un-baptists?" After all, we’re just standing upfor what the Bible teaches.

Strangest of all is the fact that people make such a fuss over such a simple act of obedience for which the Lord Jesus Christ gave a perfect example. He was baptized, and we should be too. Men and women will endure all sorts of inconvenience and hardship to become a member of a secular group, but will adamantly balk at the notion of identifying with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection in order to become a member of His church. It doesn’t make any sense.