Water Baptism for a Christian

Should a Believer Baptize in Water?

Water baptism is a public declaration of faith in the Trinity of God—God the Father, God the Son (the Lord Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. It signifies the believer’s faith in the Trinity of God and in the redemptive work performed by the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary. Water baptism is an essential step for every follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. All four Gospels illustrate that the Lord Jesus was baptized in water by John the Baptist and in the Holy Spirit by God the Father Himself (see Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, and John 1:32-34). Specifically, Matthew 3:13-17 highlights that the Lord Jesus traveled from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. This act of the Lord Jesus’ baptism serves as a clear example for all faithful believers, indicating that they too must be baptized as conscious adults in water through full-body immersion for the forgiveness of their sins.
In Matthew 3:13-17, we read, “Then comes Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized of him. But John was hindering Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of Thee, and do Thou come to me? However, Jesus answering him said, Permit just now; for thus it is proper to us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he permits Him. Now, Jesus, having been baptized, ascended immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, alighting upon Him; and behold, a voice from out of the heavens, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
This passage of Scripture shows that even the sinless Lamb of God needs to be baptized in water. If the sinless Lamb of God asks to be baptized, how then can humans say they have no sin and do not need to be baptized? Here we see the example we need to follow about baptizing in water. The Lord Jesus Himself, talking to John the Baptist, says, “for thus it is proper to us to fulfill all righteousness,” showing that the Lord Jesus Himself needed to be baptized in water. The Lord Jesus is both God and human, serving as an example for humans to follow. If the sinless One has to be baptized in water, then all the people who want to follow the Lord Jesus must also do so. As is the walk through the gate of death, even so, a person baptizing in the water dies from the old life and becomes a new person in the Lord. The old book of life has been destroyed, and a new book of life starts (see Comments Matthew 12:30, and Comments Matthew 12:36-37). When you merge under the water in the name of God the Father, God the Son, Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit, your soul is touched by the Lord in that water. And when you come out from that water, the Lord becomes the guide of your soul in the unseen world and the Master of your life in this world. Water baptism is essential for a new believer, but the person must meditate on the Lord’s teachings and seek and ask for the Holy Spirit baptism as well. When you have received the Holy Spirit baptism, the Holy Spirit goes through your soul and guides your soul. All humans must be born of water and the Holy Spirit in order to enter the kingdom of heaven (see John 3:5, and our article, Guidance for the New Birth of a Believer in the Lord Jesus). Your life living on this earth must follow according to the Master of your life. After the Lord Jesus’s crucifixion, all believers must be baptized in water; if you do not baptize in water, your soul does not have a chance to be counted in. For the soul of a human, baptism in water is similar to a butterfly emerging. The soul itself is wrapped with many layers of sins. When you submerge into the baptism water, and when you come out, most of the layers of sins covering your soul are left in the water, and you come out with a purer soul, free: this is the new birth in the spiritual world. However, the Holy Spirit baptism, when it happens, will cleanse the soul thoroughly, making a complete cleansing of your soul.
Water baptism is necessary to complete the salvation seal on a believer’s heart. The salvation seal has been put on a believer’s heart when the person believes and gives his heart to the Lord Jesus and then goes and baptizes in the water: complete baptism, heart, and water, meaning soul and body (see Comments Matthew 16:18). The believer’s responsibility is to keep the salvation seal alive by staying in faith and studying the Word of God, and keeping it in the heart until the end of life on this earth. If you have the Word in your heart, it is like you have a shield of protection. Regardless of the order, whether baptism of the Holy Spirit or water baptism, all believers must undergo water baptism to complete the transformation of a person in both body and spirit.
The moment we are baptized in the water, our old book of life is destroyed. A new book of life starts at the time of our baptism in water, and the Lord will use this book of life to judge Christians. There is no turning back; we cannot go to be baptized again. Baptism in water is important, and you can find water if you want to be baptized. If you don’t want to be baptized, you won’t do it even if there is water. If the Lord of your life was baptized in water, how can you find a reason not to? (See Comments Matthew 12:35-36).

What is the Best Way to Be Baptized in Water?

The baptism in water must be performed publicly in the name of God the Father, God the Son, Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit through immersion, with the full body submerged in the baptism water. As Christians, we need to follow the example of our Lord Jesus and publicly confess our faith in the Trinity of God through a public baptism in a water ceremony. You can be baptized in every part of the earth to be born again in the water of the Lord Jesus’ blood (see Comments Matthew 26:27-28, and Comments John 19:34). We encourage all readers also to consult our article on Holy Spirit Baptism for a Christian for a deeper understanding of the completion of the salvation seal.

Comments Related to the Water Baptism

Our commentary includes numerous insights on water baptism and emphasizes why it is essential for every true believer to be baptized. We encourage all believers to read the relevant Bible passages along with our comments and to pray for guidance from the Lord through the Holy Spirit regarding their personal spiritual journey. Below, we first provide a list of Scripture passages that describe the water baptism of the Lord Jesus, followed by a comprehensive list of our comments on the topic of water baptism.

The Lord Jesus’ water baptism Scripture passages:

BCF comments related to water baptism listed in book order and chapter order: