Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. John 3:3-5

  Just how important is baptism? Some believe it is something that we can do if we want to, and something we don’t need to do if we don’t want to? It is a voluntary action, but notice this: If you want the blessing, there is no way to get it apart from complying with the teachings of the Word of God.

  We have a conviction that the new birth is just as miraculous and just as simple as a natural birth. The natural birth is the result of seed that is sown that produces a new life, an individual that breathes and eats and grows to maturity. The new birth is also the result of seed that is sown. The seed is sown by studying and hearing the Word of God. The seed grows as the Holy Spirit brings conviction within the heart. An awareness develops of not being right with God, of needing to confess his/her sinful condition to God, and that one’s life needs to be turned around in a completely different direction. A recognition of Jesus as the Savior to be followed brings the person to “the delivery experience” of the new birth. When Jesus said, “Except a man be born of water and the Spirit,” it indicates coming forth out of the baptismal water declaring the desire to live for Christ and to receive the power of the Holy Spirit to live a Spirit-led life. As the Holy Spirit earlier convicted us of our sinful nature the newly indwelling Spirit now confirms in us the divine nature God has bestowed upon us as His new child. The result is a new life that desires to breathe, drink, and eat spiritual food, and to mature in Christ. .

  Baptism with water is first mentioned in connection with John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-6). Jesus Himself was baptized by John the Baptist, not because He needed to repent of any sin, but in obedience “to fulfill all righteousness” as an example to us. In the early church, all new converts were baptized as we can see in these Bible verses: Acts 2:41; 8:36-39; 9:18; and 16:33.

  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 29:19).

  As Christians we want to follow the New Testament teachings and examples regarding baptism. In the verse quoted above, Jesus commanded the apostles to baptize those who believed on Him. On the day of Pentecost, Peter instructed the penitent, new believers to receive baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38-42). Therefore, church leaders are responsible to administer baptism and new believers are responsible to submit to it. God has planned it to be a meaningful step in the life of the new believer and a blessing to the church.

  The Bible says that baptism is “the answer of a good conscience toward God” (1 Peter 3:21). It is a step of obedience that the new believer must not take lightly. The Scriptures emphasize repeatedly that the Christian must obey God to have a good conscience before him. The new believer will want to obey Him and therefore will submit willingly to Christian baptism.

  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38). And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Acts 8:37). .

  The Bible teaches that the person who wants to be baptized must first repent and believe on the Lord Jesus. True repentance takes us beyond merely feeling bad about our wrong actions and saying we are sorry. Paul says the Corinthians sorrowed “to repentance.” Their sorrow brought a transforming change in their lives. Their view of their past, sinful life changed, leading them to make restitution. Their desires for the future changed, causing them to turn from their old ways and walk in the way of holiness before God. Their changed life proved them “to be clear.” (2 Corinthians 7:8-11) .

  Closely coupled to repentance is faith-saving faith, living faith. This kind of faith involves much more than merely giving assent to certain truths about God. It involves laying hold of God, throwing ourselves wholly and unreservedly into his arms, and deliberately and unashamedly bowing to His lordship in every facet of our lives. It is the belief from which springs whole-hearted commitment.

  Repentance (a deep-seated change) and faith (a whole-hearted commitment) stand as the Biblical conditions for baptism. These will produce an openness and responsiveness to truth that everyone will be able to see.

  All of these necessary conditions that the Bible states for the one desiring baptism require a degree of maturity and life experience. An infant or young child does not fit this description and should not be baptized. They are not sufficiently of age to comprehend such a decision even though children from a young age can be taught to have a sincere love for God.

  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 1 Peter 3:18-21.

  We want to have a clear understanding of the meaning of New Testament baptism. Baptism is an outward act which signifies an inward decision. Baptism symbolizes a crucifixion, a burial, and a resurrection.

  When a person is baptized with water they are confessing that the Spirit of God has applied the blood of Jesus to his life, cleansing him from his sins and giving him a clear conscience before God and man. If the person being baptized does not repent in his heart and confess Christ the mere application of water will mean nothing. Water alone cannot cleanse his heart and make him a Christian.

  The Bible plainly states that God makes us part of Christ’s body, the church, by the baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13). With water baptism the Spirit is given as a gift to indwell the believer to live the Spirit led (resurrection) life in Christ. Water baptism, then, is appropriately used as the new believer’s initiatory step into the body of Christ.

  Baptism publicly identifies the new believer with Christ (Gal 3:27). By it he declares, “I now belong to Christ. I no longer follow the world, or Satan, or my own sinful tendencies and desires. I renounce them and purpose to serve my Lord and Master.” Baptism seals this holy covenant with God. Notice the solemn vows that the new believer makes to God before witnesses when he is baptized:

Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He brought from Heaven a saving gospel? Do you willingly renounce the Devil with all the sinful pleasures and practices of this world? Do you covenant with God through Christ to be faithful unto death? .

  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Rom 6:4-6.

  Trine immersion is the mode of baptism held forth in the Word of God. The word baptize comes to us from the Greek word “baptizo”-a word which means, “I dip, I plunge, or I immerse repeatedly.” The very meaning of the word would tell us that it is necessary to dip, to plunge, or to immerse. The same thought is emphasized in Romans 6:4 which says “we are buried with him by baptism into death.” In order to be buried, we need to go completely under the water.

  The Bible teaches that the Trinity, (God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit) ought to be recognized with separate and distinct actions in baptism. Matthew 28:19 says, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” There are three names and the baptism is to be in each name.

  We dip with a forward action in baptism. The Bible teaches that we are to be baptized in the likeness of Christ’s death. When Jesus died on the cross, He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost (John 19:30). Jesus gave us an example of New Testament baptism when He himself was baptized of John in the river Jordan. He went down into the water, John baptized Him, and He came up out of the water.