Be Baptized
Biblical truth about Baptism is muddied by church traditions, but like most things Jesus and his apostles teach, Baptism is very important.
Beware: Church traditions must never go against the teachings of God. Jesus accused the Pharisees of teaching the traditions of men that nullified the commands and teachings of God (Mark 7:1-13), and churches do the same today when they teach and cling to their traditions of men concerning the matter of Baptism, while letting go of the teachings and commands of God nullified by their traditions of men.
What is baptism? In the original New Testament Greek, the word "baptism" comes from the word baptizo (βαπτίζω), which primarily means to immerse, submerge, dip, or plunge something into water.
A Google search of Baptism (below) shows Baptism mentioned dozens of times in the New Testament, primarily associated with repentance, the washing away of sins, and identification with Christ's death and resurrection.
Key verses include the command to baptize:
Matthew 28:19 NIV: [Jesus commanded] "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".
Acts 2:38 NIV: 'Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit"'.
1 Peter 3:21 NIV: "and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,"
Matthew 3:11 NIV: “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire".
Mark 16:16 NIV: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Acts 22:16 NIV: Ananias tells Saul [Paul] "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name."
Romans 6:3-4 NIV: [Paul wrote] "Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
Galatians 3:27 NIV: [Paul wrote] "for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."
1 Corinthians 12:13 NIV: "For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink."
Ephesians 4:5 NIV: [Paul wrote] "one Lord, one faith, one baptism;"
Examples of Baptism in Acts:
Acts 2:41: 3,000 baptized on the day of Pentecost.
Acts 8:12: The Samaritans were baptized, both men and women.
Acts 8:36-38: Philip baptizes the Ethiopian eunuch.
Acts 9:18: Saul [Paul] is baptized.
Acts 10:47-48: Records Cornelius and his household are baptized.
Acts 16:15: Lydia and her household are baptized.
Acts 16:33: The Philippian jailer and his family are baptized.
Acts 18:8: Crispus and many Corinthians believe and are baptized.
Acts 19:5: Ephesians re-baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Key verses include the command to baptize:
Matthew 28:19 NIV: [Jesus commanded] "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".
Acts 2:38 NIV: 'Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit"'.
1 Peter 3:21 NIV: "and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,"
Matthew 3:11 NIV: “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire".
Mark 16:16 NIV: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Acts 22:16 NIV: Ananias tells Saul [Paul] "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name."
Romans 6:3-4 NIV: [Paul wrote] "Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
Galatians 3:27 NIV: [Paul wrote] "for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."
1 Corinthians 12:13 NIV: "For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink."
Ephesians 4:5 NIV: [Paul wrote] "one Lord, one faith, one baptism;"
Examples of Baptism in Acts:
Acts 2:41: 3,000 baptized on the day of Pentecost.
Acts 8:12: The Samaritans were baptized, both men and women.
Acts 8:36-38: Philip baptizes the Ethiopian eunuch.
Acts 9:18: Saul [Paul] is baptized.
Acts 10:47-48: Records Cornelius and his household are baptized.
Acts 16:15: Lydia and her household are baptized.
Acts 16:33: The Philippian jailer and his family are baptized.
Acts 18:8: Crispus and many Corinthians believe and are baptized.
Acts 19:5: Ephesians re-baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.