What Is Baptism?

Baptism refers to a person’s being submerged in water and coming up out of it. That explains why Jesus was baptized in a sizable river. (Matthew 3:​13, 16) Likewise, an Ethiopian man asked to be baptized when coming to “a body of water.”​—Acts 8:​36-​40.

The meaning of baptism

The Bible compares baptism to burial. (Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:​12) Water baptism symbolizes a person’s dying to his past course of life and beginning a new one as a Christian dedicated to God.

Baptism and the steps that lead up to it are God’s arrangement for a person to gain a clean conscience based on his faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 3:​21) Thus, Jesus taught that his disciples must get baptized.​—Matthew 28:19, 20.

Does water baptism wash away sin?

No. The Bible teaches that we can be cleansed from sin only through Jesus’ shed blood. (Romans 5:​8, 9; 1 John 1:7) To benefit from Jesus’ sacrifice, however, a person must exercise faith in Jesus, change his course of life to live in harmony with Jesus’ teachings, and get baptized.​—Acts 2:​38; 3:​19.

What is christening?

The terms “christen” and “christening” do not appear in the Bible. They refer to a ceremony performed by some churches in which an infant is “baptized” (by having water sprinkled or poured on his head) and named.

Does the Bible teach infant baptism?

No, it does not. Christian baptism is for those old enough to understand and believe in “the good news of the Kingdom of God.” (Acts 8:​12) It is linked with hearing God’s word, accepting it, and repenting​—actions that an infant cannot take.​—Acts 2:​22, 38, 41.

In addition, the Bible shows that God views the young children of Christians as being holy, or clean in his sight, because of the parents’ faithful course. (1 Corinthians 7:​14) If infant baptism were valid, those children would not need to have the merit of someone else extended to them. b

Misconceptions about Christian baptism

Misconception: Sprinkling or pouring water on a person is an acceptable substitute for complete immersion.

Fact: The baptisms mentioned in the Bible all involved immersion. For example, when the disciple Philip baptized the Ethiopian man, they “went down into the water” for the baptism. Afterward, “they came up out of the water.”​—Acts 8:​36-​39.

Misconception: The Bible implies that infants were included when entire households were baptized. For example, it says of a jailer in Philippi: “He and his entire household were baptized.”​—Acts 16:31-​34.

Fact: The account of the jailer’s conversion indicates that those who were baptized understood “the word of Jehovah” and that they “rejoiced greatly.” (Acts 16:32, 34) Those facts lead to the conclusion that any infants in the jailer’s household would not have been included in the baptism, because they could not understand the word of Jehovah.

Misconception: Jesus taught infant baptism by saying that the Kingdom belongs to young children.​—Matthew 19:13-​15; Mark 10:13-​16.

Fact: Jesus was not discussing baptism when he said those words. Instead, he was showing that those who would qualify for the Kingdom of God must be childlike​—meek and teachable.​—Matthew 18:4; Luke 18:16, 17.

Jokanem:
What Is Baptism? - Baptism refers to a person’s being submerged in water and coming up out of it. That explains why Jesus was baptized in a sizable river. (Matthew 3:​13, 16) Likewise, an Ethiopian man asked to be baptized when coming to “a body of water.”​—Acts 8:​36-​40.

The meaning of baptism - The Bible compares baptism to burial. (Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:​12) Water baptism symbolizes a person’s dying to his past course of life and beginning a new one as a Christian dedicated to God. Baptism and the steps that lead up to it are God’s [s]arrangement for a person to gain a clean conscience based on his faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.[/s] (1 Peter 3:​21) Thus, Jesus taught that his disciples must get baptized.​—Matthew 28:19, 20.

Man was born flesh and blood from his mother's womb. Jesus Christ told you this in His Gospel, affirming what God said in the beginning when He pointed out that man was made from the clay of this earth, not spirit - Genesis 2 vs 6 - 7. So in order to become a citizen of the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom where only those who are born of spirit can gain access, a first step in becoming a Son of God and eventually a partaker in the blessings and rewards of the Kingdom of God, one must first be born-again. And as broken down carefully in His Gospel by Jesus Christ, one must first be born-again before one can then become a citizen of the Kingdom of God.

1 There was a man named Nicodemus, one of the Pharisees. He was an important Jewish leader.
2 One night he came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a teacher sent from God. No one can do these miraculous signs that you do unless they have God’s help.”
3 Jesus answered, “I assure you, everyone must be born again. Anyone who is not born again cannot be in God’s kingdom.”
4 Nicodemus said, “How can a man who is already old be born again? Can he go back into his mother’s womb and be born a second time?”
5 Jesus answered, “Believe me when I say that everyone must be born from water and the Spirit. Anyone who is not born from water and the Spirit cannot enter God’s kingdom.
6 The only life people get from their human parents is physical. But the new life that the Spirit gives a person is spiritual.
7 Don’t be surprised that I told you, ‘You must be born again.’
8 The wind blows wherever it wants to. You hear it, but you don’t know where it is coming from or where it is going. It is the same with everyone who is born from the Spirit.” - John 3 vs 5 - 8

○ Born of Water — Is an acknowledgment of the message spread by John the Baptist whose call for repentance as found in Matthew 3 vs 2 Jesus Christ was reiterated beginning at the start of His own Kingdom mission, "Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand" found in Matthew 4 vs 7 & Mark 1 vs 15.

As John explained in his conversation with the Pharisees, to be born of water — baptized — there is a need for repentance, a visible transition from following God's Old Law of Moses to following God's New agreement of peace —Jesus Christ. In verse 8 of the passage below, John instructs the Pharisees to change their hearts and show by the way that they live that they have in fact changed from following the Old Way to following the New way — Jesus Christ.

7 Many Pharisees and Sadducees came to where John was baptizing people. When John saw them, he said, “You are all snakes! Who warned you to run from God’s judgment that is coming?
8 Change your hearts! And show by the way you live that you have changed.
9 I know what you are thinking. You want to say, ‘but Abraham is our father!’ That means nothing. I tell you, God could make children for Abraham from these rocks.
10 The ax is now ready to cut down the trees. Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
[b]11 “I baptize you with water to show that you have changed your hearts and lives. But there is someone coming later who is able to do more than I can. I am not good enough to be the slave who takes off his sandals. - Matthew 3 vs 7 - 11

Suffice to say, the kind of repentance God desires is not simply an abandoning of one's sinful ways but more importantly, an abandoning of the hold the Old Law had on one to embrace instead a full commitment to following and abiding by the direct teachings and commandments of Jesus Christ alone. Once one is baptized in water after this, one is said to have concluded the work of obedience necessary for one to be Born of water.
○ Born of Spirit(Eternal Life) - In John 3 vs 16, Jesus Christ elucidated that all those who believe in Him will receive Eternal Life in place of the condemnation of Death which they formerly lived under as a result of God's judgment against sinners of Old - Deuteronomy 30 vs 15 - 20. The Spirit of Eternal life, the spirit those who are in fact born again are born of, as described by Jesus Christ in the context of John 3 vs 1 - 21 is not a passive spirit. Rather, He is an uncontrollable invasion of those of the individual who is born of Him — a possession so to speak. This can be vividly seen in what Jesus Christ said of those who are born of the Spirit of Life in John 3 vs 5 - 8

7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”
8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.)
9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
10 Jesus answered, “You don’t know what God can give you. And you don’t know who I am, the one who asked you for a drink. If you knew, you would have asked me, and I would have given you living water.”
11 The woman said, “Sir, where will you get that living water? The well is very deep, and you have nothing to get water with.
12 Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob? He is the one who gave us this well. He drank from it himself, and his sons and all his animals drank from it too.”
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again.
14 But anyone who drinks the water I give will never be thirsty again. The water I give people will be like a spring flowing inside them. It will bring them eternal life.”
15 The woman said to Jesus, “Sir, give me this water. Then I will never be thirsty again and won’t have to come back here to get more water.” - John 4 vs 7 - 15

In the above passage, Jesus Christ equally describes the Spirit of Eternal life as living water on the inside of those who drink from Him again implying that one does not get a passive spirit but a conscious spirit wielding power inside of them when born of Spirit.

The born-again process is clearly not of the mind but of acts of obedience and also of invasion by the controlling power of the Spirit of Eternal Life who then guides one into the Kingdom of God where eventually — if one continues in submission and obedience — one is able to become a son of God, moving on to attain righteous by seeking first the Kingdom of God(holiness) and God's righteousness as commanded by Jesus Christ. However, none of this will be possible if one is not first born-again. So, ask yourself today, are you born-again? Can you confirm today that the Spirit of Eternal life has invaded your person and is actively working in you pushing you in whichever direction He chooses? or are you pretending to be born again in order to fit into the religious circles of men?

Jokanem:
Misconception: Jesus taught infant baptism by saying that the Kingdom belongs to young children.​—Matthew 19:13-​15; Mark 10:13-​16.

Fact: Jesus was not discussing baptism when he said those words. Instead, he was showing that those who would qualify for the Kingdom of God must be childlike​—meek and teachable. ​—Matthew 18:4; Luke 18:16, 17.

If those who are qualified for the kingdom of God should be CHILD-LIKE, how come your religious leader still claimed children are enemies of God?