Voiceover: Next on That’s In The Bible. 

Brother Bob Pellien: Wherein today we’ll be discussing various questions that we’ve received regarding true baptism. What happens, then? What part of us dies? What part of us is buried in the waters of baptism? Let’s continue with the question of Andrew. He asked, “What’s the true meaning of how to be baptized?”

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Brother Bob: Hello, I’m Brother Bob Pellien, and thanks for joining us in this episode of That’s In The Bible. Wherein today we’ll be discussing various questions that we’ve received regarding true baptism. 

Why is Immersion Needed for Baptism?

Brother Bob: The first question comes from Brenda and Bonnie from Southern California. They wrote in this question, “Why is immersion needed for baptism?” 

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Question: 

Why is immersion needed for baptism?

Brenda & Bonnie

Southern California

Brother Bob: Well, we thank you, Brenda and Bonnie, both, for sending [us] this question. There’s a lot of religions that perform so many different kinds and forms of baptism. For example, some just sprinkle a small amount of water on the one to be baptized, and others will in fact, pour an amount of water on the forehead of their baptismal candidate. Here in the Church Of Christ, we are immersed completely into the water.

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We are immersed completely into the water

Brother Bob: To understand which is the proper way, as always, we need to turn to the pages of the Holy Bible and understand the real meaning of baptism in the first place. 

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Turn to the Holy Bible to understand the real meaning of baptism.

Brother Bob: So let’s do that. How does,  first of all, the Bible even call baptism? It’s described here in the Book of Romans in Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans. It’s described like this Romans 6:3 I quote:

Did you forget that all of us became part of Christ Jesus when we were baptized? In our baptism we shared in his death. 

[Romans 6:3 Easy to Read Version]

Brother Bob: So the baptism described here in the Bible, it’s a baptism wherein we share in and are baptized into death. We actually share in Christ’s death. But, dear friends, what does that mean? And since the true baptism described here involves our joining or being attached into Christ’s death, what happens next? Let’s continue reading. We read verse 3. Let’s just go ahead to verse 4:

So when we were baptized, we were buried with Christ and took part in his death. And just as Christ was raised from death by the wonderful power of the Father, so we can now live a new life. 

[Romans 6:4 Easy to Read Version]

Brother Bob: So the one to be baptized is to be buried. But, dear friends, is that how it was done in the beginning, like during the time of John the Baptist, for example? Let’s check. There’s an incident recorded in the Book of John chapter 3, which can answer that question. It does so like this in verse 23: 

Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized.

[John 3:23 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: When they conducted baptism in the first century was done in a place where they had much water. Why was there a need for much water? They needed much water because Acts [verse] 38 give some insight on that: 

He ordered the chariot to stop. Then they both went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 

[Acts 8:38 Contemporary English Version]

Brother Bob: Philip was conducting a baptism of another, and they both went down into the water. So they needed a place where there was much water. The Bible clearly indicates that they both went down. The one administering the baptism and the one being immersed into the water. 

What’s the True Meaning of How to be Baptized?

Brother Bob: Our next question is from Andrew Pascual in Waikiki, Hawaii. He emailed us this question and it’s also continuing question regarding all of these issues about baptism. Let’s continue with the question of Andrew. He asked, “What’s the true meaning of how to be baptized?” 

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Question:

What’s the true meaning of how to be baptized?

Andrew

Waikiki, HI

Brother Bob: Well, we’ve already determined thus far how one should be baptized in our first question. Let’s answer Andrew, your concerns regarding [the] true meaning of baptism. Why is the proper way of conducting the true baptism by immersion only, and the other methods being used by other religions cannot be considered true baptism? Let’s continue on in the book of Romans chapter 6. Apostle Paul wrote many things about baptism here in this Romans chapter 6: 

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,

[Romans 6:5 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: So Andrew, because the true baptism is to be a burial, or an entrance into the water and then emerging from the water, which as we’ve seen described here by Apostle Paul, it’s in the likeness of Christ’s death and resurrection. What happens, then? What part of us dies? What part of us is buried in the waters of baptism? 

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What part of us dies? What part of us is buried in the waters of baptism?

Brother Bob: Let’s turn back again to Apostle Paul’s writings, Romans, chapter 6:6: 

We know that our old life was put to death on the cross with Christ. This happened so that our sinful selves would have no power over us. Then we would not be slaves to sin. 

[Romans 6:6 Easy to Read Version]

Brother Bob: What dies and is buried in the waters of baptism is our sinful self of the past. That’s removed. When we undergo that true baptism, and are buried in the waters of baptism, and are resurrected or brought out of the waters of baptism, representing the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ into a new life, what are we baptized into? 1 Corinthians 12:13, the same apostle wrote the following: 

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 

[1 Corinthians 12:13 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: When we receive the true baptism we are baptized into the one body of Christ, which we have learned in other lessons here in the Church Of Christ and also on this program That’s In The Bible. The body is the body of Christ. The body is the Church. We have been baptized, therefore, into the body of Christ or Church Of Christ, which leads us directly into our next question. It’s also from Andrew:

Do All People Need to be Baptized Right Away?

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Question:

Do all people need to be baptized right away?

Andrew 

Waikiki, HI

Brother Bob: All people do need to be baptized, Andrew. Absolutely. As soon as one can meet, however, all the biblical requirements or prerequisites. Why is that so? Let’s take a look at the words of our Lord Jesus Christ recorded in the book of Mark 16: 15-16:

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 

[Mark 16:15-16 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: Baptism is directly connected to being saved. So yes, Andrew, all people need to be baptized because all people need to be saved. Jesus made it very clear here that one needs first, however, to believe and be baptized. There’s another prerequisite. What else must a person do first prior to being baptized if they wish to be baptized? They must, as Apostle Peter made mention here in the Book of Acts 2:38. Another prerequisite was mentioned: 

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

[Acts 2:38 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: So another prerequisite was mentioned here and that was repentance. So one must be taught the true gospel, believe in the true gospel, repent for sins committed in their life, and that’s the time and that’s the only time that they would be qualified to undergo the true baptism. 

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Repentance

Taught the true gospel. Believe the true gospel. Repent for your sins. 

Brother Bob: When you asked, Andrew, in your question, “Do all people really need to be baptized?” Well, if they want to be saved, they do. But what if one would say, “Well, I don’t need to be baptized. I don’t need to be saved. I’m okay. I’m a good person. I don’t need any of that.” There’s an important biblical truth that they may have overlooked when thinking that way. I’d like to quote it also from Apostle Paul. Romans, chapter 5, he wrote: 

Sin came into the world because of what one man did. And with sin came death. So this is why all people must die—because all people have sinned. 

[Romans 5:12 Easy to Read Version]

Brother Bob: Andrew, this is what all people need to accept. The biblical truth of the matter is: all people sin. Because all people have sinned it has brought up death, and we all know that’s referring to our second death in the lake of fire. Therefore people need to be saved. Salvation comes, as we’ve already read, by undergoing true baptism, being taught the true gospel, believe the true gospel, undergo the true baptism into the body of Christ, the Church Of Christ. Everyone needs salvation. All people have sinned. They need to be baptized into the one true Church Of Christ. So it’s very clear here in the Bible. 

Well, that’s all we have time for today. And what you’ve heard is just an introduction to the teachings of the Bible taught here in the Church Of Christ. And that’s why we invite you to continue learning more, and join with us. But if you have questions you’d like answered here on this program, email us and we’ll use the guidance of the Holy Scriptures to help you find your answer. The truth. Thanks for watching. I’m Brother Bob Pellien. We’ll see you next time.