For many years people have “baptized” in many different forms. People have sprinkled water on someones head, people have poured water on someones head, some have completely immersed people in water, and some have even claimed there is no water involved in baptism but rather its a baptism of the Holy Spirit. Because there is so much confusion on the method of baptism, it begs the question “What does the Bible say?” Does it really matter how you baptize someone? Notice a few passages of scripture that speak to the method of baptism:

Acts 8:38-39 — “And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.”

Romans 6:4 — “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”

Colossians 2:12 — “having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”

Notice in all of these descriptions of baptism, there is a burial and a raising. There is a going down in the water, and a coming up out of the water. These descriptions show clearly what baptism looked like in the Bible. It was a burial in water, and a raising up out of that water. When ones asks the question, “what should a biblical baptism look like” the answer becomes painfully clear on the pages of scripture. Baptism in the Bible is an immersion in water.

How were you baptized? Were you sprinkled with water? Did someone pour water on your head? Did someone convince you there was no water involved? Or, were you buried in water and raised to walk in a new life (Romans 6:4). If you have not been properly baptized, we can do that for you today!

— Kolton Ballance