Baptism

Baptism is reserved for those who have repented of their sin and placed their faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism is an outward expression of an inward transformation that has already taken place. It is intended for believers who have experienced the forgiveness of sins, regeneration by the Holy Spirit, and a new life in Christ. It also serves as their identification with Jesus as his disciple.

Babies are never baptized in the Bible. Since baptism is reserved for those who have repented of their sin and placed their faith in Jesus Christ, it must only be applied to those who are old enough to do this.

Some people believe that the babies of believers should be baptized. They believe this because they have chosen to treat baptism under the New Covenant like circumcision under the Old Covenant. They see support for their view in New Testament passages which speak of an individual and “their household” being baptized (Acts 16:15,33; Acts 18:8; 1 Cor 1:16). However, there is no reason to assume that included in “their household” were children too young to believe. It is best to read these passages in a way consistent with every other example of baptism in the New Testament. If we do this, we can conclude that in these households were family and household servants old enough to believe.

Yes. Children at an age when they can understand the gospel, and what it means to be baptized, can be baptized. Churches have diverse opinions regarding at what age that might be. Best practice is for parents to speak with their Pastors/Elders on a case-by-case basis to determine when baptism is appropriate for their child.

Yes, baptism by immersion is the most biblically faithful mode of baptism, as it best reflects the meaning and symbolism described in Scripture (and these studies). While other traditions may practice sprinkling or pouring, immersion is the clearest representation of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the believer’s union with Him in these things.

Further, baptism by immersion most closely follows the example set by the New Testament. It appears that Jesus was baptized by immersion as he, “came up out of the water” after being baptized (Mark 1:9-10), as was the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:38-39). Further, John chose to baptize where “water was plentiful” (John 3:23). Besides these examples, the very Greek word for “baptize” literally means “to dip,” “immerse,” or “submerge."

Yes, it matters who administers baptism. In the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), Jesus entrusted the authority to baptize to His apostles, and that authority now rests with the church, which is built on their foundation (Eph 2:19-20).

Baptism is not just a personal act; it is a public affirmation of a new believer’s faith and their entry into the New Covenant community, the church. The person baptizing should have the authority to affirm the validity of the new believer’s profession of faith. This should be an authority recognized by the church that is receiving the individual into its fellowship.

Sometimes a new believer may request to be baptized by a friend or relative who played a significant role in leading them to Christ. This can be appropriate if the baptism is conducted under the oversight and authority of a local church.

Yes, baptism should be public, as it is a declaration of faith, and an act of obedience meant to testify to others about your commitment to Christ. Baptism is not merely a private moment between you and God; it is a visible sign of your inclusion in the body of Christ and your identification with His death, burial, and resurrection. 

While extraordinary circumstances (like health or imprisonment) may sometimes limit the public nature of baptism, it is ideally a community event under the oversight of a local church, allowing fellow believers to witness, celebrate, and affirm your step of faith. Public baptism serves as both a personal testimony to the power of the gospel and a witness to the world of your allegiance to Christ.

The location of baptism is flexible. You may be baptized in a body of water, a baptistry in a church, or even a church member’s swimming pool. Location doesn’t really matter provided your baptism is carried out consistent with the principles explored in our previous answers.

Yes. Baptism is the means by which you publicly declare your repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ. One can’t expect to be added to the fellowship of disciples if they have refused to first publicly identify as a disciple in the way that Jesus commanded. Biblically, baptism always preceded individuals being added to the fellowship of believers.

The answer depends on the circumstances surrounding your baptism. Baptism is ultimately about your faith in Christ, not the perfection of the church or baptizer. If your baptism was conducted in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19) and as an outward expression of genuine faith and repentance on your part, it is generally considered valid, even if the church later proved to be in error.

However, you may consider being rebaptized if:

a. The Church Denied Core Biblical Truths: If the church’s teachings were heretical (e.g., rejecting the deity of Christ, the gospel of salvation by grace through faith, or the Trinity), the baptism may not have been grounded in biblical faith.

b. You Did Not Understand or Believe the Gospel at the Time: If your baptism was not based on a genuine understanding of and faith in the gospel, it would be appropriate to be baptized now as a genuine believer.

If you were baptized as a child before you could personally understand the gospel, repent of your sins, and place your faith in Jesus Christ, then your baptism was not a true biblical baptism as described in the New Testament. Baptism is meant to be an outward expression of a personal decision to follow Christ, so in this case, you should consider being baptized as a believer. This is not actually a “rebaptism” but being baptized biblically for the first time.

Biblically, baptism can sometimes be spoken of in a way closely tied to salvation because it is meant as a proclamation of one’s repentance and faith (Acts 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21). Jesus, for instance, in Mark 16 said:

Mark 16:16   Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

At first glance, this verse seems to suggest that baptism is necessary for salvation. However, notice that although belief and baptism are tied together and said to lead to salvation, it is only unbelief which is said to lead to condemnation. If baptism were required for salvation, the second half of the verse would logically also condemn those who are not baptized. Instead, it focuses solely on unbelief as the cause of condemnation. When examined in context and in light of the broader biblical teaching, it becomes clear that salvation is by grace through faith, and baptism, while important, is not a requirement for salvation.

In all discussions like this, we must do something with the example of the thief on the cross who was promised a place with Christ in heaven, even without being baptized (Luke 23:42-43). Further, the New Testament is explicit that salvation is by grace through faith alone, and not by works which we have done (Eph 2:8; Titus 3:5).

As explored earlier, baptism was never meant to be separated from faith and repentance. Baptism is always assumed present with repentance and faith, and is sometimes spoken of as representative of both. Although the act of baptism does not save, it remains an essential step of obedience expected of every genuine disciple of Jesus.

A new believer should seek baptism as soon as possible (Acts 8:35-38; 10:45-48; 16:33; 22:16).

Since many churches will offer a baptism class or other instruction so as to ensure that the candidate does indeed understand the gospel and what baptism represents, this might introduce a delay. This is valid as the church seeks to do its due diligence in welcoming only genuine believers into its fellowship.

Yes. It is never too late to obey Jesus. Ask his forgiveness for your delay and arrange to be baptized at your earliest convenience.