The Meaning Of Baptism

Romans 6:3-6

The word “baptism” should not be found in any English translation of the Bible. As you know, I cherish above all translations the old Authorized (King James) Version of the Bible. I consider it to be the best English translation there is, and the most readable. But the translators were men who practiced sprinkling for baptism and administered the ordinance to unregenerate, unbelieving infants. They were Anglicans.

Consequently, when they came to the word baptism in the Greek text, instead of translating it, they transliterated it. That simply means they coined a new word. They simply spelled out the Greek word in English letters. Had they translated the word, it would have been translated “immersion.” To baptize means to “immerse” or “dip.” Wherever you read the words “baptism” and “baptize” in the New Testament, the word should be read “immersion” and “immerse.” Immersion is not a mode of baptism. Immersion is baptism. Sprinkling is sprinkling. Pouring is pouring. But immersion is baptism.

BAPTISM IS A BURIAL. It has no reference whatsoever to the Old Testament law of circumcision. It is a symbolic picture of the believer’s death and burial with Christ. Being crucified with Christ, we are buried with him in the watery grave, because we are now dead to sin and dead to the law. There is not a single New Testament connection between baptism and circumcision. Baptism is always represented as a picture of our being buried with Christ, by which we show to all how that our sins were washed away by our Savior’s death as our Substitute.

BAPTISM IS A RESURRECTION. As we died with Christ, so too, we are risen with him to walk in the newness of life. As our Lord came “up straightway out of the water” when he was immersed by John (Matt. 3:16), so every believer, when he confesses faith in Christ, comes up out of the watery grave with an avowed, public commitment to Christ to walk with him in the newness of life in hope of the resurrection.

BAPTISM IS FOR BELIEVERS ONLY. Nowhere in the Bible is

there a single example of infant baptism. The one condition required for baptism is faith (Acts 8:36-37). I have many friends whom I highly esteem in the kingdom of God, who practice infant baptism. I would not offend them for the world. But I must state the matter frankly and clearly - There is not a shred of evidence for the practice in the Word of God. Were it not a doctrine promoted and maintained by religious tradition, no one would ever conclude by reading the Bible alone that baptism should be performed by sprinkling, or that the ordinance should be administered to unregenerate, unbelieving babies.

Don Fortner