Born of Water (PDFDrive)

BORN
OF WATER
BORN
OF
WATER
^]^]
What the Bible Really Says

About Baptism
Third Edition
Rex Geissler
Great Commission Illustrated

Highlands Ranch, CO
www.greatcommission.com
All Scripture quotations unless indicated are taken from the
NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright

©1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995
by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Born of Water
What the Bible Really Says

About Baptism
© 1996, 1998, 2003, 2007 by Rex Geissler
Appendix C © 1998 by John Engler, Highlands Ranch, CO
All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be duplicated,

copied, translated, printed for resale, or reproduced without specific,
written permission of the author.
Published by Great Commission Illustrated.
Printed in the United States of America

October 2007
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publications Data
Front and back cover graphic design by William To
Photograph of the author baptizing

a friend in Boulder Creek, Colorado
taken by Shirley Desmond Jackson
ISBN 0-9653469-0-0
Dedication
^]^]
I would like to dedicate this book to the search for doctrinal
truth, historical accuracy, and intellectual honesty.
To every Apollos around the world with the zeal to teach the
truth, the heart to change their life, and the intellectual honesty to
accept a new teaching, that is really a scripturally old teaching.
To my dad and mom, Carl & Marion Geissler, who not only
gave me life and the seeds of faith, but also gave me every
opportunity in life to be the best I could be.
To my spiritual parents, Harold “Shu” and Carol Shumaker,

who taught me the word of God and showed me the true meaning of
Christ.
To my incredible wife, Michele, who daily encourages and

inspires me. I will always love you!
To my friends, Peter Smith, Dan Rice, and an all generations

of the Boulder Gang scattered throughout the earth, who have shown
me the best of times and who continue to lead souls to Christ. You
continually show me that the life that truly is life is fun and colorful,
much more than the black and white bits and bytes of my computer
software world.
To my God, who has given me the wellspring of life and

never gives up on my failing attempts to serve him.
^]^]
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless

one is born of water and the Spirit, he
cannot enter into the kingdom of
God”…After these things Jesus and
His disciples came into the land of
Judea, and there He was spending
time with them and baptizing.
~ Jesus Christ from the third chapter

of the gospel of John
Contents
^]^]
Acknowledgments ..................................................................... 10
Foreword ................................................................................... 11
Introduction .............................................................................. 12
CHAPTER 1 The Great Commission of Jesus Christ ............. 15
CHAPTER 2 Three Thousand Baptized to Begin Jesus’
Church ............................................................................. 23
CHAPTER 3 In Christ Jesus ................................................... 30
CHAPTER 4 Unless One is Born of Water and the Spirit ...... 42
CHAPTER 5 ‘What Prevents Me from Being Baptized?’....... 48
CHAPTER 6 Baptism Now Saves You .................................... 54
CHAPTER 7 Clothe Yourselves with Christ............................ 59
CHAPTER 8 One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism .................. 64
CHAPTER 9 ‘Into What Then Were You Baptized?’ ............. 69
CHAPTER 10 Observations on Baptism Scriptures ............... 74
Appendix A A Study of Conversion in the Book of Acts ........ 76
Appendix B Translations of the Greek Word "eis"
in Acts 2:38 ............................................................... 78
Appendix C The Greek Text of Matthew 28:18-20 ................. 79
Appendix D False Conversion Doctrines................................ 84
Appendix E What the Early Christians
Really Said About Baptism ............................................. 133
Acknowledgments
^]^]
Thanks go to the ministers who have helped shape my view
of baptism by their biblical insights: Mark Hayward, Dr. Martin
Wooten, Grant Henley, Dan Rice, Curt Simmons, Jay Kelly, Gregg
Marutzky, Tom Snyder, Jeff Wadstrom, Brad Fangman, Dan
Stolldorf, Larry Sharp, Charlie Ferguson, John Engler, Peter Hiett,
and Alan Scott. I would like to especially thank Preston Shepherd,
who loaned me his special “parchments” RSV Bible, which has
incredible notes and insights encrypted throughout.
I want to give a heartfelt thanks to Douglas Jacoby for his
diligent biblical critique and guidance. Peter Gorham started a great
contribution to this book by helping with the Appendix on “What the
Early Christians Really Said About Baptism.” I want to thank Dave
Witt, who originally re-typed the manuscript. I would also like to
thank Dr. Tom Hedman, Amy Morgan, and Tad Wakefield for editing
the manuscript. Dr. Hedman, author of A Life of IMPACT, Tom Jones
and Tom Foote of DPI all deserve much credit for freely giving
guidance and advice.
I want to thank William To for putting together the cover
graphics, even during his wedding days. (Thank you also, Tina!)
Thanks also go to Dave Ford, Charles Eickele, Dick Gee, Don Splitt
Todd Priestley, Alan Strecker, and John Engler for special effects and
being great friends when I needed you the most. A heart-felt
appreciation goes to Paul Chilson and his dad for their software
know-how.
Foreword
^]^]
Those who study seriously the subject of baptism know that,

according to the scriptures and earliest Christian practice, baptism
was considered to be the door into the kingdom of God. In the New
Testament there are dozens of explicit "baptism passages," in addition
to a host of baptismal allusions. In the first century, baptism had not
yet been reduced to a mere symbol or confessional ritual. It was vital,
universal, and part of the new birth. While many acknowledge this,
few have taken the time to delve deeply ― into the New Testament
and the early sources. After all, such research can be tedious, and, like
all research, time-consuming.
I appreciate Rex Geissler for taking the time to do just this. An
intelligent man, a hard worker, and a person of faith, Rex has
produced a book that will be of enduring value for new disciples,
older Christians, those "immersed" in man-made interpretations of
baptism, and all interested in weighing and assessing doctrines
against the standard of God's Word.
I also appreciate Rex as a friend, loyal to the cause of Christ and
to his brothers and sisters in Christ. He is not afraid of the conclusions
to which his study leads. Further, Rex is an ideas man ― a non-stop
stream of fresh approaches, new concepts, and dreams.
I am sure you will enjoy Born of Water. It is my pleasure to
commend this book to you the reader, while commending Rex
Geissler for his labor of love.
Douglas Jacoby
Teacher and Evangelist
12 BORN OF WATER
Introduction
^]^]
Water baptism is one of the more controversial subjects in the
Christian religion. A biblical understanding of this topic is extremely
important to the would-be disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus stated that
every person who would follow him should be baptized (Matthew
28:18-20). Yet many times people need to wrestle with the Scriptures
in order to accept this teaching. Why does Jesus want people to be
baptized? What is the purpose of baptism? Why would God in human
form command all nations to be baptized?
Spiritual concepts are sometimes indefinable by nature and
often defy human attempts to categorize or legislate them. However,
while this book attempts to aid this area, like any human work it has
its shortcomings. Being able to understand the Scriptures and being
able to teach others is extremely valuable for those who would defend
the Christian faith. As the brother of the Lord Jesus states in James
3:1:
Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my

brothers, because you know that we who teach will be
judged more strictly.
And as the apostle Peter states:
But even if you should suffer for the sake of

righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their
intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as
Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense
to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope
that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence (1 Peter
3:14-15)…
In a world where thousands of churches with different

doctrinal stands dot the landscape, Christians must dig back into the
word of God to find out the “elementary teachings” (NIV) of the New
Testament Christians. Only in this way will Jesus’ body, the church,
be truly unified. As Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:16, “life and doctrine”
(NIV) must be taken together. The biblical response to the gospel of
Christ’s amazing and wonderful grace must be crystal clear and
Introduction 13
biblically sound. Knowing that Jesus died on the cross, was buried,
and was resurrected from the dead for our sins is the beginning of our
walk with God in faith. As we begin that walk and spiritual journey,
the Bible teaches that people should also learn how to respond
correctly to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We should strive to hold to the gospel of Christ, as Paul
writes to the Corinthians, saying:
Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which

I preached to you, which also you received, in which also
you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the
word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain
(1 Corinthians 15:1-2).
Biblical conversion is important not only to a person’s own

life, but also in teaching others how to form a personal relationship
with God. This book is not an exposé on God’s grace through Jesus
Christ, faith, repentance, or discipleship as there are already many
excellent books written on these subjects. I was prompted to write this
book after realizing that there was no unity of understanding on
salvation doctrine as many churches teach differently how a person
becomes a Christian and how a person should initially respond to
God’s grace. My intent is not to reduce a focus upon the grace and
mercy of God. Rather, my hope and prayer is that all believers
worldwide will accept the spiritual importance that the Bible gives to
water baptism. I hope and pray that each person opens his or her mind
to what the Bible has to say and that each reader finishes reading this
entire book. In Born of Water, I will show some of the major
scriptures on baptism with a short commentary on each. Then I will
conclude with general observations on the conversion process. Some
very helpful appendixes follow with information on conversion in the
church history book of Acts, the rendering of the Greek word “eis” in
Acts 2:38, discussions of false doctrines about conversion, and the
early Christians’ consistent view of baptism.
Most of the time I have used the New American Standard
(NAS) version of the Bible as its “word for word” quality is generally
considered the most accurate English translation. This emphasis on
the accuracy of the translation is in keeping with my premise that
people must surrender themselves to what the Scriptures say. In a
world in which many people have been brought up hearing and being
taught the Bible, I also believe that it is important to sometimes take a
14 BORN OF WATER
fresh look at the Scriptures. This is another reason to read the

Scriptures in another translation as it forces the reader to think and
consider them more.
Introduction to the Second Edition (1998)

In the Second Edition of Born of Water, I have included a
new appendix on the Greek text of Matthew 28:18-20 by John Engler
(www.barnabasministry.com), enhanced and added more sections in
the False Doctrines appendix, added many quotes from the early
Christian writers, and updated references and footnotes.
Introduction to the Third Edition (2003)

Sometimes one regrets past words. Such is the case with me. I
thank God for his love, grace, and forgiveness. I have re-thought a
few of my positions because of their inconsistencies that became
apparent over time. And so, after reconsidering former positions, I
regret my previous legalistic focus, unnecessary discipleship
requirements, and sectarian approach that I have promoted in
previous editions. That being said, I absolutely believe there is much
to share and consider on this subject as a response to the grace of God
Almighty and Christ’s love. And to that end, I commit this Third
Edition of Born of Water.
^^ ]] 1
The
Great Commission
of Jesus Christ
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All
authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go
therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded
you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the
age (Matthew 28:18-20).”
According to this scripture, there is no option in regard to

baptism! Matthew 28:18 shows that God gave Jesus authority over
the universe. Since Jesus has all the authority in the universe, he
commanded that all people everywhere be baptized. God always
wanted for people to trust him enough to obey him. For example, in
the Old Testament God would not heal Naaman the Syrian’s leprosy
until he humbly obeyed the word of God (2 Kings 5:9-14). God will
bless people when they give their lives over to him, including in
baptism.
This command was not something new to the more than five
hundred Jewish followers who saw Jesus’ bodily resurrection (1
Corinthians 15:1-6) as John the Baptist and Jesus’ own disciples had
been baptizing people for the past few years (John 4:1). The Jews of
the later first century (80 A.D.) discussed ceremonial washings to
cleanse themselves from impurity as well as proselyte baptism for
Jewish converts.1 However, the concept that John the Baptist
borrowed baptism from Judaism is debatable since no pre-Christian
writers nor the New Testament writers nor the Jewish historians Philo
and Josephus mention ceremonial washings or proselyte baptism (a
1
Trent C. Butler, Ph.D., Holman Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN:
Holman Bible Publishers, 1991), 150.
16 BORN OF WATER
baptism the Israelites used for those Gentiles who were converted to
Judaism).2
Qumran Mikvah for Ceremonial Cleansing Immersions
The tradition of washing to clean the inner soul is prevalent in

many societies, as seen in the widespread belief in healing pools such
as the one used by the paralytic (John 5:4). G. R. Beasley-Murray3
notes in his book Baptism in the New Testament that a bath or
washing in Leviticus would occur after any kind of discharge from
the bowels, from intercourse, from the birth of a baby, from
menstruation, or from touching a sick or dead person.4 The radical
Qumran sect, who descended from the priesthood and who copied the
Dead Sea Scrolls, put great emphasis on these purifying rites.5 This
idea of purification by immersion probably goes back to the priestly
2
G. R. Beasley-Murray, Baptism in the New Testament (Grand Rapids,
MI: William B. Eerdman’s Publishing, 1962), 19.
3
G. R. Beasley-Murray was Professor Emeritus of New Testament
Interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville,
Kentucky. He spoke and lectured around the world and was the Principal of
Spurgeon’s College in London, England.
4
G. R. Beasley-Murray, Baptism in the New Testament (Grand Rapids,
MI: William B. Eerdman’s Publishing, 1962), 6.
5
Ibid., 11.
The Great Commission of Jesus Christ 17
baths prior to offering sacrifices, in verses 4 and 24 of Leviticus 16,
where the High Priest was to bathe before approaching God in the
Most Holy Place of the temple. The Scriptures show that John the
Baptist baptized his disciples for forgiveness of sins in a one-time act
whereas the washings at Qumran were daily purifications. (Matthew
3:1-20, Mark 1:1-13, Luke 3:1-22, John 1:19-34, 3:22-26). The Greek
word for baptism is baptizo meaning to immerse or dip cloth into a
vat of dye. The word is derived from an industry of dying cloth in
Lebanon. The vats used to hold the different colors of dye, and the
process of placing the cloth into the vats was called baptizo. As time
passed the ritual purity process of immersion began to be known as
baptism. The Hebrew word for immersion is tevilah and means
literally immersing in a ritual bath known as a mikvah. Immersion is
the act of washing performed to correct a condition of ritual impurity
and restore the impure to a state of ritual purity. Immersion was never
for the purpose of cleaning or bathing the body. The mikvah/ritual
bath was of great importance to the first century Jew. If a community
or village had only enough money for a synagogue or a mikvah, the
mikvah would be built first. The Torah speaks of numerous things
that make a person Tomeh or ritually unclean, and a number of
processes of purification. The one act required in all purification
processes was immersion in the mikvah.
Some of Jesus’ disciples were followers of John the Baptist even
before his ministry began. One of John the Baptist’s disciples was
Andrew (John 1:40). Andrew brought his brother Peter to Jesus and
then became a disciple of Jesus himself. For three years the twelve
apostles baptized Jesus’ disciples. This is shown by John 4:1-2 in
Jesus’ ministry: “When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees
had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than
John (although Jesus himself was not baptizing, but His disciples
were).” This last command of Jesus was simply a restatement of the
Eleven’s purpose which they had already been practicing with Jesus.
Baptism is for every person in every nation, situation and culture
around the world. This concept of baptizing “all the nations” was also
begun by Jesus humbling himself to be baptized by John the Baptist.
Dr. H.F. York6 notes about baptism in his book The Plan Behind the
Plea,
6
H. F. York was a minister and teacher in the Christian
churches/churches of Christ in the first half of the twentieth century. He took
the unity of the church very seriously (John 17:20-23) and dedicated his life
to helping people restore the New Testament church.
18 BORN OF WATER
A subject fraught with so much meaning should

obtain much concern from every living soul who has
become accountable. Sad but true, many treat the
subject of ‘baptism’ as just a matter of conscience,
and not really essential to one’s salvation. Our Lord,
and our Master, thought it important enough to walk
sixty or seventy miles, and was baptized. He said,
‘Fulfill all righteousness,’ and later enjoined it upon
all His followers, commanding it to be done in every
nation.7
At the time of Jesus’ baptism, God showed Jesus to be the

Messiah by opening the heavens and sending the Holy Spirit down in
the form of a dove (Matthew 3:1-17, Mark 11:1-11, and Luke 3:3-22).
York also notes, “God did not recognize Him publicly as His Son
until after He was baptized. A hint to us that God does not recognize
us fully until after we are baptized.”8
Matthew 28:19-20 is also referred to as the Great Commission–
the purpose for each person’s life. The Great Commission was not
just a reminder to the apostles of what they had been doing for the
past three years. It was also a command for the Jewish disciples to
baptize non-Jewish or Gentile people, to teach all nations. This “all
nations” command was a foreign concept to the Jewish mindset of the
Hebrew heritage. Up to the New Testament era, the Hebrews were the
one physical race of God (starting with Abraham who settled in
Hebron around 2100 B.C.) Jesus was calling the Eleven to open their
eyes to a worldwide vision, opening the door to the Gentile people
that he had earlier talked about: “And I have other sheep, which are
not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice;
and they shall become one flock with one shepherd” (John 10:16).
This “all nations” concept is also rooted in the spiritual implication of
God’s original command to mankind “And God blessed them; and
God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill all the earth and
subdue it’” (Genesis 1:28).
Jesus gives a last and most important command before ascending
to heaven: to make disciples of everyone around the world who are
open to God’s word by baptizing them and teaching them to
7
H. F. York, The Plan Behind the Plea (Diamond, MO: Armokan
Publishing Company, 1948), 41.
8
Ibid., 48.
“observe” or “obey” (NIV) everything that Jesus commanded. Read
carefully, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them.” A person is instructed to be a follower of Christ
through teaching and baptism (see appendix). Before baptism, a
person should be taught about God’s grace in our lives and then make
the decision to enter into a relationship with Jesus. After Jesus set the
impossible bar of perfection to clear in the gospel accounts (far above
the Mosaic Law), which demands our lifelong need for the grace of
God, a person should study the scriptures about discipleship.9 Even
though we are taught about God’s love for us, our understanding will
always be lacking and always growing. As John Engler shows in
Keeping the Faith:
“One might ask where the ‘counting the cost’

may appear in these seemingly ‘fast’ instances of
baptism. It is most likely that the cost of discipleship
to Jesus was readily apparent to those who lived
during New Testament times: Jesus had been killed
by a conspiracy of the Jewish and Roman leaders; to
claim an alliance to him was to incur the immediate
wrath of the Jewish leaders and the Romans. This
cost—of persecution and other forms of very real and
imminent suffering—was readily apparent to all.
Thus, counting the cost is not excluded, but probably
implicit in becoming a Christian in such
circumstances.”10
The key to becoming a follower of Jesus is starting a person’s

life over. Beasley-Murray notes that the early Rabbis immersed a new
household slave in the name of “slavery,” and thus he became a slave.
When the slave was freed, he was immersed in the name of
“freedom” to become free.11 The New Testament emphasizes
baptizing “in the name of Jesus Christ,” which shows that the
9
Matthew 5-7, 10:24-ff, 18:1-9, 19:16-ff, 21:26-28, 22:34-39, Mark
1:14-20, 3:20-ff, 10:17-31, Luke 6:20-ff, 7:29-30, 9:23-26, 57-62, 11:1-4,
12:13-ff, 13:1-8, 14:25-33, 18:1-8 and John 3:1-21, 4:1-2, 24, 6:25-ff, 7:17,
8:31-32, 12:23-26, 47-ff, 13:34-35, and 14:5-17:ff.
10
John Engler, Keeping the Faith (Long Beach, CA: Great
Commission Illustrated, 1997), 204-205.
11
G. R. Beasley-Murray, Baptism in the New Testament (Grand
Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdman’s Publishing, 1962), 91.
20 BORN OF WATER
baptized one is beginning a relationship with Jesus. Christ is the one

who died for our sins and we should all surrender our lives to him.
1 Corinthians 10 talks about the Israelites being baptized into Moses
while today people are baptized into Christ, or under the leadership of
Christ. Moses led the Israelites through the “Yam Suf / Sea of Reeds”
out of slavery in Egypt and into the wilderness where they were
forced to rely on the manna in faith to live on a daily basis and
eventually into the promised land. Beasley-Murray considers what
some of the early Christians alluded to, that “baptized into Moses” for
the Israelites was possibly their version of being “baptized into
Christ” since Jesus says that the Israelites’ spiritual meat and drink of
the Exodus was Christ (John 6). Beasley-Murray notes, “The one sure
inference concerning baptism that can be drawn from this passage is
the inability of baptism to save from judgment and bestow the
blessings of the kingdom when it is not accompanied by obedience.”12
Yam Suf “Sea of Reeds” Possible Location Near Goshen, Egypt
12
Ibid., 184.
Into My Life
• Have I been baptized?
• If so, why was I baptized?
• What scriptures can I point to in order to show why I was
baptized?
• Have I ever studied out why Jesus commands every believer in
the world to be baptized?
• Do I teach people to be baptized?
Believe and Be Baptized

“He who has believed and has been baptized shall be
saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned
(Mark 16:16).”
It should be noted that Mark 16:9-ff is not included in the earliest

manuscripts. However, it was accepted by most early churches and
was in line with what they believed and taught to others. True belief
in Jesus means that a person trusts Jesus enough to obey whatever he
says. Today, belief has been watered down to mean only intellectual
assent, believing only that Jesus is the Son of God, instead of
believing and obeying what he said (John 8:31-32, John 14:15, 15:14).
However, in the early church, there was no difference between
disciples, believers, saints, and followers although each description
emphasized a particular facet of the Christian life. Each person has a
decision to make in his or her life. It was clear from a person’s daily
life whether their decision was for or against Christ. It must be
reiterated that “belief” in the New Testament meant much more than
just a prayer or acknowledgment (John 8:31-32). This does not mean
faultless adherence to all commands as nobody could follow this,
which are typified by the Mosaic Law and by the additional
requirements that Jesus added to it. However, we are quite able to
obey his command to be baptized. It is not an extraordinary command
but rather simple direction. Just like believing in the scientific truth of
gravity means much more in a person’s life than simply being able to
understand the scientific equations written down on paper. People
believe in gravity because they witness it in their lives everyday.
Knowledge is good but it must be applied to individual lives in order
to truly benefit from it.
22 BORN OF WATER
Some people attempt to twist Mark 16:15-16 into a pretzel by

ruling baptism out of the salvation process. This is poor biblical
exegesis. Mark 16:16 is a simple statement by Jesus. Belief and
baptism are both extremely important spiritually. The reason that
Jesus did not include “and is not baptized” in the second part of Mark
16:16 is twofold: without believing in Jesus a person would have no
belief in baptism anyway; and without accompanying faith/repentance
(as seen in the other scriptures such as Colossians 2:12, Acts 2:38,
etc.) baptism would be just a bath anyway. Also John 3:18 says that
whoever does not believe is condemned already. Dr. Tom Hedman
concludes his commentary on the gospel of Mark, “He [Jesus]
reminded them in the most simple of terms that theirs was a life and
death mission. Their success meant people being saved from
condemnation.”13
All of these responses to the good news of Jesus Christ—
acceptance, faith, repentance, and baptism—are typically seen in a
new Christian around the same time period. However, people should
resist the temptation to place a formula or timeline around these
responses in a new believer’s life. In western thought, we want to
systematically document each step in order. However, in eastern
thought that includes biblical texts, the idea of trying to break down
something complex into distinct components and then analyzing them
to see which is more important is really a foreign concept. Theology
is not chemistry. The Scriptures don't really break everything down
and place a timeline on all responses, and it seems like we are on
shaky ground when we do so. Faith, repentance, and baptism are
somewhat like the trinity (except that there are four of them) in that
they are individual concepts but are "one" in terms of their effects.
Into My Life
• Why does Jesus talk about “becoming a disciple” in Matthew
28:18-20 and about “believing” in Mark 16:15-16?
• If I find that I haven’t followed the Bible in the past, will I obey
God’s word now? What holds me back from having enough faith
to follow Christ?
• If the Bible said to crack an egg and pour it over my head in
response to God’s saving grace, would I do it?
13
Tom Hedman, A Life of IMPACT (Toronto, Canada: New Life
Publications, 1992), 232.
^^ ]] 2
Three Thousand Baptized to
Begin Jesus’ Church
Jesus’ preached repentance (Matthew 4:17) from the beginning
of his ministry because the Kingdom of heaven was at hand (literally,
at the elbow). Repentance is not just a change in behavior from
former sins, but a literal turn around in the heart and mind that shows
Jesus is the Lord of a person’s life. In Luke 24:44-49, Jesus foretold
that repentance and forgiveness of sins would be preached in his
name beginning at Jerusalem. In Acts the scripture shows the
prophecies’ fulfillment and the start of the church:
Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain

that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus
whom you crucified. Now when they heard this, they were
pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the
apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” And Peter said to
them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name
of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you
shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is
for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as
many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself.” And with
many other words he solemnly testified and kept on
exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse
generation!” So then, those who had received his word
were baptized; and there were added that day about three
thousand souls (Acts 2:36-41).
The audience for Peter’s sermon was the Jews from Jerusalem
and those Jews who had come from different nations for the
celebration of Pentecost. This Jewish holiday was the perfect time for
God to show people how to enter the kingdom of God since early
converts from around the known world could take the word of God
back to their homelands to make disciples of “all the nations.” It is
obvious the listeners were convicted as “they were pierced to the
24 BORN OF WATER
heart” (Acts 2:37). This occurred after the audience realized that the
result of their sin was the crucifixion of Jesus.
Temple Mount Southern Wall Mikvah for ceremonial washings

probably used on the first Pentecost Day of Jesus' church (Acts 2)
Three Thousand Baptized to Begin Jesus’ Church 25
Some of the crowd was undoubtedly at Pilate’s palace fifty days
earlier yelling for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be
crucified. The leaders of the Jewish people were in the crowd as well
(Matthew 27:20). The crowd may have then realized they were under
the authority of the Sanhedrin. Since the Sanhedrin condemned Jesus
to death, perhaps the people also felt responsible for the decision of
their leaders. The crowd understood and believed that they were
responsible, yet they asked the apostles what to do to rectify their dire
situation. The people were probably thinking that they were
condemned and that nothing could save them for having killed the
one and only Son of God. The emotion of their response, “Brethren,
what shall we do?” indicates that the crowd might have done anything
at this point to get back in Jesus’ and God’s good grace.
After Peter states the response to the gospel in Acts 2:38 when
the people ask, “What shall we do?” Peter continues: “Repent, and let
each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the
forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who
are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself.” Note
that this is the same answer for every person on the earth (repentance
and baptism), close to six billion souls in “all the nations” (Matthew
28:19) today who desire to become a Christian in the biblical fashion.
Some skeptics might say that it would be impossible to baptize
three thousand people in one day. True to the Bible record,
archaeological finds have uncovered more than enough mikvah
cleansing pools on the temple grounds for the three thousand new
believers. In fact, T.W. Brents remarks, “There were in Jerusalem the
following pools: Bethesda, twenty-two rods long and eight rods wide;
Solomon’s pool, fifteen rods long and six rods wide; the pool of
Siloam, fifty-three feet long and eighteen feet wide, with a smaller
pool; Old pool, twenty rods long and thirteen rods wide; pool of
Hezekiah, fifteen rods long and nine rods wide; lower pool of Gihon,
thirty-six rods long and sixteen rods wide, now, in the days of the
apostles it covered over four acres.”14
If one person was immersed and after coming out of the water
immersed someone else, calculations show that in a minimal amount
of time (forty-five minutes to an hour), all three thousand people
could have been immersed. Excavations and the healing of the
14
T.W. Brents, The Gospel Plan of Salvation (Bowling Green, KY:
Guardian of Truth Foundation, 1987), 300-301.
26 BORN OF WATER
paralytic by Jesus (John 9) show some of the pools on the grounds of

the Temple in Jerusalem. Today, thousands of modern Jews and
Muslims regularly clean themselves near the old Temple site in ritual
washings.
Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem
In regard to the actual number of people baptized teacher

Douglas Jacoby states that three thousand could have been a Jewish
count, which would have included only the males. Counting the males
in Jewish society was a very common way to count people, as seen by
the six hundred thousand males going through the Red Sea in Exodus,
and in New Testament times, the feeding of the five thousand
(Matthew 14:21) and the number of believers growing to five
thousand (Acts 4:4). Therefore, there were very possibly six thousand
to eight thousand men and women in total baptized on Pentecost day.
Notice that all three thousand people who responded to the message
were baptized. We cannot say how many of the three thousand
baptized on that day had received the possible Jewish proselyte
baptism, how many had received John’s baptism, and how many had
received the baptism from Jesus’ disciples; but no differentiation was
made by the apostles, for all were baptized on Pentecost in the name
of Jesus Christ.15
Peter’s sermon in Acts 2:17-41 is also the first church sermon of
Jesus’ universal church. An in-depth study of the kingdom of God,
the church, will show that it began on Earth on Pentecost Day. Since
Jesus gave the keys of the kingdom of God to Peter (Matthew 16:19),
one should expect that on the opening day of Jesus’ church not only
an evangelical tone to Peter’s sermon, but also a direct and lasting
statement to set the standard of how to get in a right relationship with
God. The people had already believed, been convicted and cut to the
heart, yet Peter said to them also, “Repent, and let each of you be
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
On this first day of the church, note that 1) forgiveness of sins
and 2) new indwelling of the Holy Spirit are the two things given to
the new converts through repentance and baptism. Those two things
are also needed in order to be “in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1-11). Dr.
H. F. York concurs with this conclusion as he states, “Peter tells us
that remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit are beyond
baptism, on the other side; therefore, according to the testimony of
these inspired witnesses, baptism is the dividing line between the
world (Kingdom of Nature), and the church (Kingdom of Grace), and
in the approach to this dividing line, or before this dividing line can
be crossed the sinner must hear the word of God…”16
Much weight could be put on the fact that the Greek of Acts 2:38
is a clear command. Acts 2:38 teaches that the forgiveness of sins and
the indwelling of the Holy Spirit come as a result of repentance and
baptism. The sentence is also supported by the scriptures that follow
it, which are in total harmony with this command of baptism. Peter’s
statement shows the necessity of baptism for salvation. The gift of the
Holy Spirit is imparted after a person repents and allows himself to be
baptized. Of course, without faith and repentance, baptism does not
mean anything. But how should a person biblically respond to God’s
15
16
Publishing Company, 1948), 50.
28 BORN OF WATER
love through Jesus? Biblically, a person responds through his belief in

Christ, repentance of sins, confession of Jesus as Lord, and baptism
into Christ. Therefore, all are a part of the saving faith and all
spiritual response to Jesus’ love.
Some religious people will argue that the Greek word “eis”
(pronounced ace), which is translated “for” in “let each of you be
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins,”
should really be translated “in order to show.” If this hypothesis were
true, “eis” would mean that baptism was just an “outward sign of an
inward grace” which had taken place earlier (when faith first began).
Beside other scriptures that contradict this concept, this book includes
an appendix of Protestant translators with their translations of the
Greek word “eis” in Acts 2:38. The Protestant translators agree that
“eis” means “for” or “so that.” It is true that the translation of “eis”
can mean different things in different contexts in the Greek, but there
is no debate among Greek scholars about its translation in Acts 2:38.
Another place in the New Testament where the same phrase “for
the forgiveness of sins” occurs is in Matthew 26:28: “Drink from it,
all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out
for many for the forgiveness of sins.” If one takes the false view of
“eis” meaning “because of,” Jesus would be saying that he did not
have to die on the cross. Jesus would be testifying that his blood of
the covenant had already been poured out even before his death. And
yet the whole purpose of the New Covenant is Jesus’ blood and body
given for our sins. This contradicts other New Testament teaching on
baptism. This view also contradicts the biblical doctrine that Jesus’
blood of the covenant was shed on the cross for sins.
Other places in the New Testament where this arrangement of
the Greek is found in regard to conversion are Mark 1:1-22 and Luke
3:3-22. These scriptures are about John’s baptism, which also was
translated, “for the forgiveness of sins.” There is no doubt about what
Peter said on Pentecost day. There is no doubt what Matthew, Mark,
and Luke meant to say in the Greek. Any attempt to distort this
biblical doctrine is either a sincere attempt to follow false traditions of
men or a smoke screen used in order not to obey and teach the
biblical way to become a Christian. Therefore, a person should not be
intimidated by a lofty-sounding, theological question like “Do you
really know the Greek in Acts 2:38?”
Peter says very clearly, “Be saved from this perverse
generation!” Peter had just told those on Pentecost how to be saved
after the audience asked what to do. Peter stated to them how to be
saved by responding to the gospel of Christ through repentance and
baptism. Those people who believed were baptized and saved by
God’s grace and the blood of the Lamb!
Into My Life
• According to Acts 2:38, what are the two benefits resulting from
baptism?
• Have I made a decision to accept God’s love through Jesus?
• Have I made a decision to follow Jesus Christ?
• Make a timeline of the spiritual events in my life. Compare it
with the order of events in Acts 2:38 and an appendix on A Study
of Conversion in the Book of Acts.
Birth Today
Å—————————————————————————Æ
Came to faith Forgiven of sins

Converted Immersed
Believed Born again
Received Christ Repented/Lordship
Prayed Jesus into heart Joined church
Infant baptized Holy Spirit baptized
Received Spirit Saved
^^ 3]]
In Christ Jesus
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who
are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For
what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the
flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful
flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the
flesh, in order that the requirement of the Law might be
fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but
according to the Spirit (Romans 8:1-4).
To Paul the apostle, a person was either “in Christ Jesus” or not
“in Christ Jesus.” The New Testament does not allow a compromise
position.17 Similarly, a person either has the Spirit of God or does not
have the Spirit of God. A person not “in Christ Jesus” is in his or her
own sin. This is why Jesus was adamant that the Jews either believe
him or die in their sin. Jesus speaks, “I said therefore to you, that you
shall die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He you shall
die in your sins” (John 8:24). Paul makes a similar statement about
being in sin or in Christ, “For if the dead are not raised, not even
Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is
worthless; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:16-17).
Why is there “now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Jesus”? Individuals are saved by God’s grace through the blood of
Jesus, not by anything they can do. No matter what people do on their
own, they cannot earn salvation or the forgiveness of sins. The real
question is not how many good works does a person need to do to
earn salvation, because no one can ever be saved without Jesus Christ.
Rather, a person should ask how do the Scriptures state that a person
becomes a part of “Christ Jesus” or the global church. Being “in
Christ Jesus” refers to having a relationship with God. A great symbol
to illustrate this concept of being “in Christ” is that of being married.
Just as Genesis 2:24 says “they shall become one flesh,” a person
17
In Christ Jesus 31
(spiritually speaking) marries God when he or she commits his or her
life to him, becoming one with Jesus (Mark 2:19, John 3:29, Romans
7:4, 2 Corinthians 11:2, Ephesians 5:23-33, Revelation 19:7-9, 21:1-
2, 9). This marriage ceremony occurs at the point of baptism, where
people are “baptized into Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:1-5, Galatians
3:26-27) and become a part of Jesus’ universal church, the body of
Christ. Unfortunately, there is some discussion about the wonderful
benefits of “being in Christ Jesus” without ever discussing what the
Bible teaches people about “getting into Christ Jesus”? Romans 6
discusses “getting into Christ Jesus” directly:
May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live
in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been
baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His
death? 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. For if we have become united with Him
in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the
likeness of His resurrection (Romans 6:2-5).
Many people are also very confused between “works for

salvation” and “works because of salvation.” Ephesians 2:10 clearly
states that people are created “in Christ Jesus” to do good works. This
is completely different from the Jews being circumcised and then
being required to obey all of the Old Testament laws and the sacrifice
system for their entire lives in order to reach salvation. Some people
claim that baptism is a work. To compare allowing oneself to be
immersed in water on a one-time basis with the daily obedience and
the sacrifice system of Judaism is not accurate and a gross distortion
of the reality.
Although baptism is a thing that is done, it is not a work of merit
and shows that the person is trusting in God to save him or her. Many
in the religious world have been exposed to false teaching about
baptism resulting in a untrusting view of baptism having anything to
do with man’s salvation. For instance, the Roman Catholic church
teaches that baptism is a work of merit. In other words, the act itself
merits salvation whether any faith exists behind the act or not as the
following Catholic publication quotes: “Valid reception does not
require faith…Therefore, an unbeliever who so desires may be validly
32 BORN OF WATER
baptized even though he has no faith.”18 Likewise, Catholic Sources

teach one need not even be conscious when he is baptized, “Baptize
any person found unconscious and in a dying condition.”19 However,
just because one religious group goes to one extreme does not mean
that others should go to the opposite extreme. Throughout religious
history, one can find many examples of how people overreact to one
doctrine or another. The evangelical world has done this with the
beautiful spiritual significance of baptism. My intent is not to lower
the unbelievable grace of Christ Jesus but to simply teach what the
Bible teaches.
If someone still insists on saying that baptism is a “work,” how
then is confession with one’s mouth not also a “work”? How can
saying a prayer not be a “work”? Why is firing the neurons in your
brain while making a decision to follow Jesus not also a “work”?
These are all physical works, but not the works of the Jewish law that
can never make a person righteous. They are acts of faith in Jesus
Christ because there is no visible Temple of God to be baptized into,
no visible Savior to confess the name of, no visible race of people to
be born into, and no visible meeting place to worship. In fact, baptism
is the most passive act of the typical biblical salvation process
including gaining faith, repenting of sins, confessing Jesus as Lord,
and being baptized into Christ because another person is doing the
“work” of immersing the person’s body in water. Irregardless, this
discussion is almost pointless since it is God who is doing the real
work of forgiving the person of his sins through the blood of Jesus
Christ on the cross.
David Berçot20 in his book Will the Real Heretics Please Stand
Up? gives some great insight into how salvation through grace works.
Berçot writes:
Like Schaeffer, most evangelical writers give the

impression that the belief that our own merits and works
18
O.C. Lambert, Catholocism Against Itself (O.C. Lambert: Winfield,
AL), 2:218-222.
19
Ibid., 32.
20
David Berçot is a practicing title attorney, earning his livelihood
from interpreting documents. With keen insights and with writing in a fluid,
readable style, Berçot explains the key doctrines of the early Christian
writers and common sense interpretation techniques in several books such as
Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up?, Common Sense and Dictionary of
Early Christian Beliefs.
In Christ Jesus 33
affect our salvation was something that gradually crept into
the church after the time of Constantine and the fall of
Rome. But that’s not really the case.
The early Christians universally believed that works or

obedience play an essential role in our salvation. This is
probably quite a shocking revelation to most evangelicals.
But that there’s no room for doubt concerning this matter, I
have quoted below (in approximate chronological order)
from early Christian writers of virtually every generation-—
from the time of the Apostle John to the inauguration of
Constantine…
In fact, every early Christian writer who discussed the

subject of salvation presented this same view…
Does This Mean That Christians Earn Their

Salvation By Works?
No, the early Christians did not teach that we earn

salvation by an accumulation of good works. They
recognized and emphasized the fact that faith is absolutely
essential for salvation, and that without God’s grace
nobody can be saved…
You may be saying to yourself, “I’m confused”…
Our problem is that Augustine, Luther, and other

Western theologians have convinced us that there’s an
irreconcilable conflict between salvation based on grace and
salvation conditioned on works or obedience. They have
used a fallacious form of argumentation known as the ‘false
dilemma,’ by asserting that there are only two possibilities
regarding salvation: it’s either (1) a gift from God or (2) it’s
something we earn by our works.
The early Christians would have replied that a gift is

no less a gift simply because it’s conditioned on obedience.
Suppose a king asked his son to go to the royal orchard and
bring back a basket full of the king’s favorite apples. After
the son had complied, suppose the king gave his son half of
his kingdom. Was the reward a gift, or was it something the
34 BORN OF WATER
son had earned? The answer is that it was a gift. The son
obviously didn’t earn half of his father’s kingdom by
performing such a small task. The fact that the gift was
conditioned on the son’s obedience doesn’t change the fact
that it was still a gift.
The early Christians believed that salvation is a gift

from God but that God gives His gift to whomever He
chooses. And He chooses to give it to those who love and obey
him.
Is their understanding really that strange? I so often

hear evangelical Christians say that welfare should only be
given to those persons who are truly deserving. When they
say that certain poor persons are “deserving,” do they mean
that welfare constitutes wages earned by such persons? Of
course not. They still consider welfare to be a gift. Simply
because a person is selective in his giving, it doesn’t change
the gift into a wage…
As surprising as all of this may be to you, what I’m

about to tell you is even more bizarre. There was a religious
group, labeled as heretics by the early Christians, who
strongly disputed the church’s stance on salvation and
works. Instead, they taught that man is totally depraved.
That we are saved solely by grace. That works play no role
in our salvation. And that we cannot lose our salvation once
we obtain it.
I know what you’re thinking: This group of “heretics”

were the real Christians and the “orthodox” Christians were
really heretics. But such a conclusion is impossible. I say it’s
impossible because the group I’m referring to are the
gnostics.21
Today, most evangelicals are not Gnostics in the complete sense

but they do follow false doctrines such as “we are saved by grace
through faith alone” that the early church did not follow. Martin
Luther literally added the word “alone” to his translation of Ephesians
21
David Berçot, Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up? (Tyler, TX:
Scroll Publishing, 1989), 57, 60, 62, 66.
In Christ Jesus 35
2:8 in order to justify his position in his overreaction to the Catholic
Church’s wrong doctrines.
…and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed
the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have
the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. And if Christ
is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the
spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of
Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who
raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your
mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you
(Romans 8:8-11).
The second sentence of Romans 8:8 indicates that people must

have the Spirit of God. So, in order to be “in Christ Jesus” Romans
8:1, 8-9, and Acts 2:38 teaches that two essentials are needed: 1)
forgiveness of sins; and 2) the Holy Spirit.
Into My Life
• Based solely on the Bible, at what point do the Scriptures imply

our sins are forgiven?
• Based solely on the Bible, when does it imply people receive
God’s Holy Spirit?
Baptized Into Christ Jesus

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that
grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who
died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us
who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been
baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried
with Him through baptism into death, in order that as
Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the
Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we
have become united with Him in the likeness of His death,
certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection,
36 BORN OF WATER
knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that
our body of sin might be done away with, that we should
no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from
sin (Romans 6:1-7).
Romans 6:1-7 shows that baptism is an excellent and incredibly

beautiful representation of the gospel itself presented in 1 Corinthians
15:1-5 (the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ). But in the
Bible, baptism is never referred to as simply a symbol, which some
Protestants teach. Baptism is more than what some religious people
call, “an outward sign of an inward grace.” Paul equates death to sin
by being baptized into Christ Jesus (“Or do you not know that all of
us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into
His death?”) as a fact, not as a symbol or a sign.
Being “baptized into His death” means that one’s spiritual body
of sin is immersed in the life-saving blood of Jesus. The focus is on
Jesus’ death and how a person’s old self was crucified with him.
Because Jesus was physically resurrected from the dead, we too are
raised out of the burial waters of baptism to live a God-filled life. In
the King James Version of Romans 6:5, it states that we are planted
in the likeness of Jesus’ death. This causes us to recall the seed that
Christ said had to die in order to bear fruit and live again.
Note that Paul also talks about dying with Christ in Colossians
2:20, and in 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul speaks about the old man being
gone and the new man being alive. The point of faith, repentance and
baptism is the threshold to the new life in Christ. When talking about
this spiritual conversion of a person, it is hard to forget the similarities
of the Great Commission in the New Covenant—”Go therefore and
make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them”—of Matthew
28:19. And the following scripture penned by Paul the apostle adds to
an individual’s understanding:
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I

who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now
live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved
me, and delivered Himself up for me (Galatians 2:20).
Paul says we must be “in Christ Jesus” to be saved (Romans

8:1). Notice that the apostle Paul says that we are “baptized into
Christ Jesus,” not “believed into Christ Jesus” nor “prayed into
Christ Jesus” or “repented into Christ Jesus.” This is a crucial point.
In Christ Jesus 37
There are no scriptures in the Bible that say “into Christ Jesus” except
those referring to baptism. The writers of the New Testament use the
term “in Christ Jesus” fifty-five times, “in Christ” forty times and “in
the Lord” fifty-three times to designate a faithful person in a right
personal relationship with God. There are only two scriptures that talk
about getting “into Christ Jesus,” both of which use the phraseology
“baptized into Christ” (Romans 6:1-5, Galatians 3:26-27). There is no
other biblical way to get into a relationship with God—into the body
of Christ, his church. The benefits of baptism are two-fold: the person
is “in Christ Jesus” with the forgiveness of sins and God’s Holy Spirit
lives in him. John the apostle confirms this when he writes “Blessed
are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!” (Revelation 14:13,
italics mine).
When Jesus returns in the second coming, he will look for those
who look like himself, who are clothed with Christ. Will Jesus
acknowledge a person who is clothed with sin or one who has clothed
himself with Christ. What happened when Jesus died? Our sins were
piled on Jesus. Jesus said when a grain of wheat dies, a new plant is
born. Compare one’s sinful nature’s death with being born again
(John 3:5). Note the beauty of the complete gospel in this dying of the
seed compared with Jesus’ death. From the gospel’s definition in
1 Corinthians 15:1-8 and from Romans 6:1-7, we see not only Jesus’
death, burial and resurrection from the dead, but also the new
believer’s death to sin by being baptized into Christ Jesus’ death
through burial in the waters of baptism (full immersion). As Jesus’
body was laid down in the tomb and raised from the dead, people too
may live a new life, resurrected not only from sin itself but also from
the sinfulness of their previous life. The illustration of death and
burial may show why God picked baptism as the entry point to
become a Christian. Baptism is a great example (a symmetrical
representation) of the gospel itself, the point a person contacts the
blood of Jesus Christ. And especially in the New Testament world
where scriptures were not together yet, seeing people “baptized into
Christ” showed believers and non-believers alike a beautiful
representation of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection.
G. R. Beasley-Murray repeats this idea of the connection in
baptism between repentant sinner and loving God as he states, “Here
is an aspect of baptism to which justice has not been done in the
Church since its early days: baptism as a means of prayer for
acceptance with God and for full salvation from God, an ‘instrument
of surrender’ of a man formerly at enmity with God but who has
38 BO
ORN OF WAT
TER
learrned of the great Recon nciliation, layys down his arms in tottal
cappitulation andd enters into o peace…Thhe loss of thhis element in
bapptism is grievvous and it neeeds to be reggained if bapttism is to meaan
to tthe modern Church what itt did to the eaarliest Churchh.”22
Jesus Chrrist
DEATH R
RESURREC
CTION
BURIA
AL
Me
GO
OSPEL / BAP PTISM
Galatians 3:26-27
3
Colossians 2:11-12
Romans 6:1-4
DECISION
N RESURRE
ECTION
• Luke 9:23-26 • Baptized
B into Chriist • Raised with
w Christ
• Luke 9:57-62 • Buried
B with Christt • New Liffe
• Luke 14:25-333 • Die
D to Self; Kill olld Nature • Carry Cross
BURIA
AL
22
G. R. Beassley-Murray, Baptism
B N Testamennt (Grand
in the New
Rappids, MI: Williaam B. Eerdman’s Publishingg, 1962), 102.
In Christ Jesus 39
Into My Life
• In what biblical context is baptism considered a symbol?

• How is baptism not merely a symbol?
• What does it mean to wear Christ’s name?
• How does wearing Christ’s name relate to being an ambassador
of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20)?
• How could a wedding ceremony and baptism be similar?
Buried With Jesus in Baptism

For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily
form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is
the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were
also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands,
in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision
of Christ; 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. And
when you were dead in your transgressions and the
uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together
with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having
canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees
against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it
out of the way, having nailed it to the cross (Colossians 2:9-
14).
Faith and baptism are working together in this scripture. Baptism

is not merely something done by men, but rather a spiritual work
ordained, directed, and accomplished by God himself. One can almost
see the spiritual surgeon, Jesus, at work. While one is under the
waters of baptism, Jesus is carving off the sinful shell of their carnal,
worldly nature. Circumcision in Colossians 2:10 is not just cutting off
a little flesh, but the complete “removal of the body of the flesh by the
circumcision of Christ,” a gruesome and painful type of death. It
should be remembered that circumcision was the initiation of
becoming a true Hebrew in the Jewish culture. In a similar way,
baptism is the initiation ceremony into becoming a Christian. Gene
Edwards helps people understand this death, burial and resurrection a
40 BORN OF WATER
little better by visualizing baptism in the Jordan River, “It meant the
end of life, the cessation of everything. Everyone awaiting baptism
stood on the eastern bank, which was a foreign land. There they
stepped into the water and disappeared…there to die. But each came
up out of the water and stepped onto the western bank, safe within the
border of the promised land, there to begin a new life with God. This
simple drama was unforgettable.”
Faith must also be present for a valid baptism, as Paul writes:
“you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of
God, who raised Him from the dead” (Colossians 2:12). In John 4:1-
2, we see that both John the Baptist and Jesus were having their
disciples baptized, which means that the people were old enough to
learn, understand, and decide for themselves whether to repent (make
Jesus the Lord of their life) or not. How can a person then condone
infant baptism? Surely, if God had meant for infants to be born again,
he would have given them the ability to reason and decide for
themselves which path they would follow. Yet, infants do not decide
to “Repent, and let each of you be baptized” (Acts 2:38) through their
faith in Jesus Christ. The infants’ parents decide everything for them:
when to eat, what to eat, how much to eat, where to sleep and where
to live. To make “infant baptism” a biblical doctrine, one would
expect God would have given at least one specific example. Jesus
said that such as these children were of the kingdom of God and thus
right with God.
Logicians use the terms necessary and sufficient to describe
conditions that must exist for a given event to occur. A necessary
condition is a circumstance that must exist for that event to occur. For
example, having gas in one’s car is a necessary condition for it to run.
However, gas in the tank is not a sufficient condition for the car to
run. The engine must also be connected to the gas tank, the car must
have wheels, the ignition must be turned on etc. A sufficient condition
is a circumstance in which a given event must occur. This book
argues that faith, repentant hearts and baptism are necessary
conditions for salvation and all three together become a sufficient
condition for the New Covenant salvation.
In Christ Jesus 41
Ancient Mardin Syrian Orthodox Infant Immersion Baptistry

^^ ]] 4
Unless One is Born of
Water and the Spirit
Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to
you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born
when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his
mother’s womb and be born, can he?” Jesus answered,
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and
the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That
which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of
the Spirit is spirit (John 3:3-6).”
John 3:3-6 is an extraordinary statement by Jesus to one of the

leaders of Israel. Jesus told Nicodemus that a man cannot see the
kingdom of God “unless one is born again.” Beasley-Murray notes
that we can hardly imagine a more shattering sentence to the person
characterized as “the teacher of Israel” (v. 10).23 The disciples of
Jesus were constantly astonished at Jesus’ words (John 6:25ff).
“Born again” can also be translated “born from above.” This
suggests a divine act, not a human or earthly one. There is a deep
meaning in this statement and there is a double meaning. Sometimes
the last words are translated "born from above" and sometimes "born
again". It comes from a root meaning of something like "from the
very first or from the top", so possibly both "from above" and "over
again from the beginning". It appears to have been deliberately
ambiguous. The course of the conversation depends upon the
ambiguity. Nicodemus first takes it to mean "a second time"; Jesus
responded with the meaning "from above", in the sense being born of
the Spirit who comes from above, from God.
In John 3:3-6, we see Jesus further explain “born again” (v. 3) as
“born of water and the Spirit” (v. 5). Another command to be
23
Unless One is Born of Water and the Spirit 43
baptized with water is the example of the first Gentile disciples in
Acts 10:44-48. In this situation, Peter actually commanded Cornelius
and his family that they had to be baptized.
The early Christians often used John 3:3-5 as a biblical proof
text for baptism. This can be seen in an appendix to this book. The
early church was convinced that John 3:3-5 was talking about
Christian baptism. Some religious people try to say that Jesus was
speaking of physical birth, but a closer look at the scripture reveals
that Jesus was speaking to Nicodemus about spiritual concepts. In
addition, placental fluid is not water. John, the author of this gospel,
wrote two chapters earlier about physical birth referring to it as “of
blood,” not “of water” (John 1:12-13). Jesus was not so simple-
minded as to say something like, “Unless you are a homo-sapiens or
born physically, you cannot be saved.” It goes without saying that a
human has to be born to be saved.
In fact, after Jesus’ discourse on spiritual re-birth (John 3:1-21),
he immediately starts baptizing people, “After these things Jesus and
His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending
time with them and baptizing. And John also was baptizing in Aenon
near Salim, because there was much water there; and they were
coming and were being baptized” (John 3:22-23). So after Jesus tells
Nicodemus “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God,” he puts this into practice by going
out with his disciples and baptizing people. This discussion of Jesus
and John baptizing continues from John 3:22-4:1. After Jesus’
discussion on being born of water and the Spirit, after Jesus is
baptizing more disciples than John, and after John the Baptist is also
immersing people continually, the third chapter in John could be
considered the “baptism chapter” similar to the “love chapter”
(1 Corinthians 13) or the “faith chapter” (Hebrews 11).
Although some would argue that baptism before the cross of
Christ was completely different than after the cross, there is an
obvious consistency of believers being initiated into the faith through
baptism, both before the cross and after the cross. Before the cross,
believers placed their faith in their leader. John pointed the way to
Jesus for those who were baptized by John. And Jesus pointed the
way to the future for those baptized by Jesus or his disciples, the cross
and resurrection.
Some religious people ignore John 3:3-5 asserting John 3:16 in
its place. Which is more important, belief or baptism? Both work
together and T.W. Brents shows the problem with choosing between
44 BORN OF WATER
scriptures.
Does any one believe that Jesus intended to contradict

this statement by what he said in the fourteenth to sixteenth
verses? That is, “I know, Nicodemus, that I did say that a
man must be born of water and of the Spirit, or into the
kingdom of God he should not go; but I was wrong in that,
for he that believeth on Me has everlasting life, whether
born of water or not.” Jesus had fully explained the new
birth to Nicodemus, and he did not believe the testimony—
”you receive not our witness;” hence Jesus appeals to an
incident in Jewish history with which, as a teacher of Israel,
Nicodemus was bound to be familiar, to confirm the fact
that He was the promised Messiah, through Whom alone
the world could hope for eternal life…Were the bitten
Israelites cured by faith alone? They might have believed
that the brazen serpent was on the pole, and they might
have believed in the power of God to heal them, yet had
they regarded the look as non-essential, and acted
accordingly, they would have died without remedy. They
had to do the thing commanded or die.24
We see the washing and cleansing power of baptism in Titus 3:5-

7, Ephesians 5:26, and 1 Corinthians 6:11. In fact, the apostles John
and Peter use the new birth concept frequently in their writing
(1 Peter 1:3, 1:23, 1 John 2:29, 3:9, 4:7, 5:1, 5:4, 5:18). Consider the
following scripture (as Beasley-Murray concluded about Titus 3:5)
that “No statement of the New Testament, not even John 3:5, more
unambiguously represents the power of baptism to lie in the operation
of the Holy Spirit.”25
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have

done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the
washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ
our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be
made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:5-7).
24
25
One theological view of this regeneration suggests that God has

bestowed this power in the act of baptism or in the water itself. This
view, holding that faith is not needed, is held in Catholic-Lutheran
dogma and is called baptismal regeneration. Protestants typically
maintain a faith-only view, where just belief or confession is enough
for regeneration. Both views are overreactions. What the Bible really
says is that both are promote regeneration by God. This concept
should be termed baptismal repentant regeneration26, indicating that
the person, a repentant adult who can confess “Jesus is Lord”
(Romans 10:9), is regenerated by God at the time of his baptism. This
need for faith at baptism agrees with what Paul states in Colossians
2:10-12, “having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were
also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God.”
Please also notice the similarities in the following scriptures.
He who has believed and has been baptized shall be

saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned
(Mark 16:16).
But when they believed Philip preaching the good

news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus
Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.
And even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized,
he continued on with Philip (Acts 8:12-13)...
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one

is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God (John 3:5).”
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have

done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the
washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit
(Titus 3:5)…
26
Baptismal repentant regeneration was a term coined by Steve
Staten, teacher in the Chicago Church of Christ. Steve is currently working
on a book titled The Sinner’s Prayer that will be the first historical
investigation into the origins of the modern “Born Again” movement.
46 BORN OF WATER
The spiritual rebirth, being born again, must occur for a person
to start his or her life living with and for God. Douglas Jacoby notes
this theme throughout 1 Peter in his commentary Life to the Full:
“Rebirth” (1:23): We were not reborn through

perishable seed (human sperm), but through the seed, the
word of God (Luke 8:11), which is imperishable. This
happens at baptism. There is no other way to be reborn. The
modern doctrine of “pray Jesus into your heart” originated
in the last century in the United States; there is not a shred
of evidence in the Bible to support it! Don’t be sentimental...
We need to interpret Scripture carefully, especially when it
concerns crucial issues like how to be saved.
Compare these three passages: 1 Peter 1:3, 1:23, and

3:21. What do you see? Rebirth through the resurrection,
rebirth through [obeying] the word of God, and salvation
by baptism through the resurrection. The three passages are
complementary, not contradictory. There is only one way to
be saved: the way the Bible says!
Since the Word preached to us is eternal, we are born

again and receive eternal life in the waters of baptism (John
3:5; Titus 3:5).27
Into My Life
• How much have I honestly wrestled with the Scriptures about
doctrinal issues?
• Am I open to being wrong about my current views or learning
new things about anything in the Bible?
• Am I open to being wrong about my current views or learning
new things about baptism?
• How do I respond when challenged by a spiritual person to
consider another possibility?
• Who or what holds me back from accepting what the Bible
teaches?
27
Douglas Jacoby, Life to the Full (Woburn, MA: Discipleship
Publications International, 1995), 71-72.
• When did I start my life all over to live every moment for Jesus
Christ?
• How was I born from above and from the spirit?
• Can I have the best of both worlds, where I accept what the Bible
teaches and still praise God for all the people who he has placed
into my life and helped me grow spiritually?
^^ ]] 5
‘What Prevents Me from
Being Baptized?’
And the eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell
me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of
someone else?” And Philip opened his mouth, and
beginning from this scripture he preached Jesus to him.
And as they went along the road they came to some water;
and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from
being baptized?” 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 (Acts 8:34-36, 38).
The eunuch showed a strong desire to be baptized. This was not

just an act of obedience. Philip told him solely the good news or
gospel of Jesus in v. 35. The eunuch himself brought up baptism, v.
36. Now where could he have learned that? There is only one
possibility. Baptism was included in the good news about Jesus that
Philip explained. You just cannot separate baptism from the good
news (in Greek “evangelion”). Philip the evangelist did not separate
baptism from the good news or gospel message.
Since they were on the desert road, the court official of the
Queen probably had not only a chariot, a driver, and a copy of the
Scriptures, but also would have needed a supply of water to survive
physically. If baptism only meant sprinkling or pouring, why would
Phillip have not sprinkled the eunuch with canteen water? The reality
is that the eunuch was excited about the water they had come upon to
survive spiritually. Or if baptism meant sprinkling, why not scoop up
a handful of water at the edge? The bottom line is that the scripture
says Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and came up out
of the water. Also notice that in the New Testament, baptisms were
performed spontaneously and were not reserved for a particular time
of the day, week, religious holiday (Easter, Christmas), other people
to be present, or location. Even into the thirteenth and fourteenth
centuries A.D. when “Holy Water” became popular, the Catholic
‘What Prevents Me from Being Baptized’ 49
church immersed infants. For example, in the Piza Baptistry (next to
the Leaning Tower of Piza in Italy) and others they collected rain
water until there was enough captured in order to immerse infants by
dipping them upside down three times.
Into My Life
• No matter what my physical or spiritual age is, am I humble
enough to learn more about Jesus’ teachings?
• Do I accept spiritual teaching from the Bible or do I rationalize
my life?
• Was I baptized when I first started following Jesus?
• If not, why did I wait?
• If I was previously baptized, did I really understand baptism’s
importance in the good news of Jesus’ message?
Wash Your Sins Away
“For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what

you have seen and heard. And now why do you delay?
Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on
His name (Acts 22:15-16).”
Saul/Paul surely had faith in Jesus before he was baptized and

had his sins washed away. Note that Saul saw the resurrected Christ
himself. The glory of God himself blinded Saul’s sight. Saul called
Jesus “lord” in Acts 22 verses 8 and 10 yet he was still not forgiven at
that point according to Ananias. Saul was so impacted by the
experience that he decided to pray continually. Saul also fasted from
both food and water for three days. After viewing the resurrected
Christ, being blinded, calling Jesus “Lord” multiple times, praying
continually, and fasting for three days, how could Saul not be
forgiven and have his sins washed away yet?
According to the office of Dr. Richard Wexler M.D., the three
day fast from food and water (whether a complete seventy-two hours
or forty-eight hours plus a few, similar to Jesus’ entombment)
50 BORN OF WATER
combined with hot weather or sickness could have put Saul near
physical death. An average adult in stable circumstances can survive
without food and water for only about seven days. Ananias tells Saul
to focus on his spiritual life by telling him how to get his sins
forgiven, stating, “And now why do you delay? Arise, and be
baptized, and wash away your sins.”
If a “sinner’s prayer” or just “accepting the Lord” or “receiving
Christ” were enough to become a Christian, one would think that after
three days of constantly seeing the resurrected Christ replayed in his
mind’s eye, of prayer, and of fasting, the apostle Paul’s sins would
have been forgiven. Yet, Luke shows that Paul did not wait until after
eating and drinking the physical life-saving food and water (Acts
9:18-19). Instead, Ananias tells Saul to be baptized and to have his
sins washed away. Ananias implies that Saul needs to make a
response to the love of Jesus and do something to show his
acceptance of the grace of God. Notice that Jesus told Saul to go to
Damascus and that Ananias would tell him “what he must do” (Acts
9:6 emphasis mine).
This coincides with what Paul taught the Corinthians about the
incredible spiritual power of Christian baptism to wash away an
individual’s sins. Note the Trinitarian emphasis as stated in Matthew
28:19, “in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,”
similar to the following scripture: “in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ, and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11).
Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not

inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate,
nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revelers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the
kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but you were
washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our
God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal

life to which you were called, and you made the good
confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you
in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of
Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before
Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without
stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus
Christ (1 Timothy 6:12-14)…
Confession at the time of baptism is also another great Bible

study. This shows how the confession ties to baptism in baptismal
repentant regeneration (Titus 3:5-7). Douglas Jacoby makes another
great point to be considered when he states in Life to the Full:
The confession “Jesus is Lord” is made (Romans 10:9).

No further questions are needed.
The baptismal verse Acts 8:37 (“Philip said, ‘If you

believe with all your heart, you may.’ The Eunuch
answered, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’”) is
an insertion into the Greek text appearing in no manuscript
before the sixth century and is not present in the best
translations for that reason. Yet since it appears in the KJV
and other versions, several groups have unwittingly been
influenced by it in their pre-baptismal confession: “Do you
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? What is your
good confession?” (the “two questions”). But do we really
have a right to make such creedal requirements when there
is no biblical precedent? The only biblical prerequisites for
baptism are faith, repentance and the classic Christian
confession, “Jesus is Lord” (Romans 10:9; 1 Timothy 6:12).
No other questions, no matter how well intended, are
binding.28
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without

wavering, for He who promised is faithful; (Hebrews 10:23)
Although Acts 8:37 did not appear in the biblical manuscripts

before the sixth century, Irenaeus (180 A.D.) quoted the story with
this verse present in his Against Heresies, showing that this was
indeed a very early Western addition to the original text from Luke.
Beasley-Murray points out about Timothy:
…the setting by the author of ‘You made the good

confession’ in parallelism with ‘the eternal life to which you
28
Publications International, 1995), 152.
52 BORN OF WATER
were called’ shows fairly conclusively that the confession

was made by Timothy at the beginning of his Christian life,
when he responded to the call of God made through the
gospel. Consequently there is fairly general agreement that
the context of the ‘glorious confession’ made by Timothy is
that of his baptism.
The making of the baptismal confession ‘before many

witnesses’ calls attention to the publicity of baptism, which
ensures a fulfillment of the demand of Jesus that would-be
disciples of His must not fear to confess Him before men
(Mt. 10.32). Michel points out two further aspects of the
baptismal confession: its binding obligation, since the
confession involves a vow of obedience that must not be
broken; and its finality, for confession of the Son of Man
before men will be acknowledged by the Son of Man’s
confession of the disciple before God in judgment (Mk.
8.38). Both these aspects appear in our passage. The
eschatological element is alluded to in the appeal to
Timothy to lay hold of the life eternal to which he was
called. The binding nature of the obligation undertaken in
the baptismal confession is presumed in the call to fight the
good fight of faith begun at that time…29
Notice also that Paul quotes the reference to Jesus’ confession

before Pontius Pilate (1 Timothy 6:12-14) which acknowledged the
divine kingship of Christ. Supporting the idea of Jesus’ disciples not
being afraid to acknowledge him is John 12:42-43: “Nevertheless
many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees
they were not confessing Him, lest they should be put out of the
synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the
approval of God.” This concept of acknowledgment of Jesus before
men is also seen in Luke 9:26, “For whoever is ashamed of Me and
My words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in
His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” The
confession scriptures of conversion coincide with repentance and
baptism in Romans 10:9, 2 Timothy 2:11-12, 1 Timothy 6:12-14,
John 12:42-43, Luke 9:26 and Acts 22:14-16.
29
Into My Life
• Why would Paul teach converts differently from the way he

became a Christian?
• What did Ananias’ state to Paul specifically to get rid of his sins?
^^ ]] 6
Baptism Now Saves You
For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the
unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been
put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in
which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits
now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the
patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during
the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight
persons, were brought safely through the water. And
corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the
removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a
good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven,
after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected
to Him (1 Peter 3:18-22).
1 Peter was written in 64 A.D.30 At this time, Peter says “baptism

now saves you.” This statement is very explicit and straightforward.
Just as the old time gospel preacher says, water is in the plan. But
there is more to see in this picture.
Theologians refer to the ark of Noah as a type of Christ (a
divinely ordained illustration based on an Old Testament subject that
foreshadows a future idea in the New Testament). While a sinful
world was covered and destroyed in water, God saved Noah’s family
through the flood by the ark. While a person’s sinful nature is covered
and destroyed in water, God saves him or her through the flood of
baptism by Jesus’ death and resurrection. While the ark lifted the
followers of God out of the water, the person who desires to follow
God today is also lifted out of the water. Peter does not say baptism
symbolizes or resembles what has happened in the past. Instead, Peter
says, “baptism now saves you.” In baptism, people appeal to God for
a clean start. The flood or deluge of Noah’s ark destroyed all the
wickedness in the world. In a similar way, baptism destroys the
30
Baptism Now Saves You 55
wickedness and sin in a person’s life. The deluge of Noah started the
world all over again. The flood of baptism gives the baptized person a
new start on life (“born again” in John 3:3). Just like the resurrected
Christ, Paul says in Romans 6:1-4 that those baptized “too might walk
in newness of life.”
The imagery and allusions of Noah’s Ark, the Noahic flood, and
the baptismal flood is amazing. There was one door to enter Noah’s
Ark (Genesis 6:16) and be saved from destruction. In the same way,
there is one door to God through Jesus as he says, “I am the gate;
whoever enters through me will be saved” (John 10:7). Jesus also
said: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the
father except through me” (John 14:6). The ark bore the brunt of the
flood waters while Jesus bore the sins of mankind. As the eight were
saved by entering and staying in Noah’s ark, so we also are saved by
entering into (being baptized into Christ) and trusting in Jesus’ blood.
Another allusion to judgement and the Genesis account of the Noahic
flood and those who perished is located in Matthew 24:37-40. A
person can only imagine the fear of those knocking on the door of the
ark while the floodwaters rose as in Luke 13:23-28 below.
And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there

{just} a few who are being saved?” And He said to
them, “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I
tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. “Once
the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and
you begin to stand outside and knock on the door,
saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer
and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’
“Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in
Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and
He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are
from; depart from Me, all you evildoers.’ “There will
be weeping and gnashing of teeth there when you
see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the
prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves
being cast out.
Douglas Jacoby discusses 1 Peter 3:18-22 as follows:
Some of us are so used to plucking a few words out of

verse 21 to talk about baptism that we totally miss Peter’s
56 BORN OF WATER
imagery: The water in the days of Noah was that which

lifted the ark and separated it from the sinful world. In the
same way baptism lifts us upwards through the
resurrection of Christ and separates us from the filth of the
world. The Flood destroys the world, but brings the faithful
few into a whole new world. Baptism, similarly, destroys
the old sinful nature and brings us upward into a new life.
About the “conscience” (1 Peter 3:21), we read “…as an

appeal to God for a good conscience” (NRSV, emphasis
added). Some translations read “pledge of a good
conscience” (NIV), but that is hardly the meaning of the
original word (eperotema). Possible meanings in the Greek
are “request” and “appeal.” The only reason to translate it
“pledge” is to obscure the connection of baptism with
forgiveness of sins. You can’t pledge to God something you
don’t yet have, but you can appeal to God for a good
conscience, which God provides when your sins are washed
away.
Finally, Peter speaks bluntly: “baptism saves you.”

That is what Peter explicitly says. Let theologians quibble,
the truth speaks for itself. Certainly baptism without faith
doesn’t save you, and baptism without repentance doesn’t
save you. But when baptism is into Christ and done with
faith and repentance, it saves you! So one can no more be
saved without it than Noah and his family could have been
brought into a clean new world without a flood and an ark.
Baptism is no source of boasting for us. It is of Christ. It

connects us to Christ. It saves because of Christ and his
death and resurrection. But precisely because it is of Christ,
baptism saves us!31
Some scholars believe that the whole book of 1 Peter may have
been a baptismal treatise for new converts. Reading through the text
gives the impression that the readers were new converts. There is a
wide variety of basics in the book that support this conjecture.32 Some
31
Ibid., 89.
32
Baptism Now Saves You 57
topics include being born anew (1:3, 1:23), brotherly love (1:22-25),
darkness to light (2:9-10), attitude toward rulers (2:13-17), husbands
(3:1-6), wives (3:7), fellow Christians (3:8-12), baptism (3:18), and
persecution (3:13-17).
Saved by Faith in the Blood of Jesus

But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off
have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Ephesians
2:13).
Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter

the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living
way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is,
His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of
God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance
of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil
conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us
hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for
He who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:19-23);
The last two scriptures show the incredible life-giving and life-
saving sacrifice that Jesus made for mankind. His blood covers over
our sins because of the cross. Please remember that the point of this
book is not to undermine in any way the debt owed to Jesus for his
sacrifice, which should always be at the forefront of our faith. The
point is to remember and follow what Jesus taught. Romans 6:1-7
identifies Jesus’ death with baptism, that at that time people come
into contact with Jesus’ blood since they are “baptized [into Christ
Jesus’] death.”
And while they were eating, Jesus took some bread,

and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples,
and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And when He had
taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying,
“Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the
covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of
sins (Matthew 26:26-28).”
This is another place in the New Testament where the phrase

“for the forgiveness of sins” occurs just like in Acts 2:38. If a person
58 BORN OF WATER
takes the false view that “eis” means “because of,” Jesus would be
saying that he does not have to die on the cross. Jesus would be
testifying that his blood of the covenant had already been poured out
even before his death.
And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he

who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one
who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the
water only, but with the water and with the blood. And it is
the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth.
For there are three that bear witness, the Spirit and the
water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. If we
receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for
the witness of God is this, that He has borne witness
concerning His Son. The one who believes in the Son of God
has the witness in himself; the one who does not believe
God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in
the witness that God has borne concerning His Son. And
the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and
this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he
who does not have the Son of God does not have the life
(1 John 5:5-12).
In his letter, John the apostle is trying to counter the Gnostic

claim that Jesus did not come in the flesh (1 John 4:1-3). God
revealed Jesus as the Messiah to the Jews through the water (baptism
of John). The writer is referring to the two major events in Jesus’ life,
his physical baptism in water and his physical death on the cross.
Beasley-Murray concurs, noting this description, “John insists that
Jesus Christ did not appear as a meteorite from heaven to Jordan, to
disappear into heaven again without any true contact with flesh and
blood; Jesus Christ was baptized as flesh and blood and died as flesh
and blood.”33 Douglas Jacoby also points out that Jesus’ body gushed
blood and water when the Roman soldier pierced it (John 19:34).34
33
Ibid., 236.
34
^^ ]] 7
Clothe Yourselves with
Christ
But before faith came, we were kept in custody under
the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be
revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us
to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. But now that
faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are
all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you
who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves
with Christ (Galatians 3:23-27).
A person becomes a son or daughter of God when faith in Jesus

leads them to be baptized. How awesome is the thought of actually
becoming the offspring of God Almighty!! The heirs of God will
reign with glory in heaven. At baptism, God clothes a person’s
spiritual body with Christ. Baptism is also a person’s marriage with
God, where “they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2). In baptism,
God the Father places the protective cloak of Jesus around people to
cover over all the sin of this life.
Revelation 3:5 says that those who overcome will be dressed in
white garments. Being clothed with Christ has an interesting parallel
in Jesus’ parable of the wedding banquet (Matthew 22:1-14). In this
parable, the king notices a man who came to the banquet without
wearing wedding clothes.
“But when the king came in to look over the dinner

guests, he saw there a man not dressed in wedding clothes,
and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here
without wedding clothes?’ And he was speechless. Then the
king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and cast
him into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but
few are chosen (Matthew 22:11-14).”
60 BORN OF WATER
It is difficult to think about the distressing examples of this when

it is applied to the judgment day. As Galatians 3:26-27 shows, when
God looks at each human, he notices whether or not people are
covered or dressed with Christ, not whether they are morally good.
On judgment day, God will see an individual’s spiritual clothing of
Christ and say “You’re with me, let’s go home!” Galatians 3:26-27 is
another scripture in the Bible that shows people how to get “into
Christ Jesus.”
Verses 26-27 also show that faith is not in opposition to baptism.
Faith and baptism go hand in hand. If a person really believes, he or
she will immediately be baptized. If a person has not known what to
believe, how can he really believe? As Beasley-Murray puts it: “The
significance of baptism is the objective facts to which it witnesses, the
historic event of redemption and the present gift that it makes
possible, embraced through faith in that God who acted and yet acts.
Through such an alliance of faith and baptism, Christianity is
prevented from evaporating into an ethereal subjectivism on the one
hand and from hardening into a fossilized objectivism on the other.
The two aspects of Apostolic Christianity are preserved in faith-
baptism.”35
The purpose of the sacrificial death of Christ is stated in
Ephesians 5:25-27 as the consecration, cleansing and perfection of the
church.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved

the church and gave Himself up for her; that He might
sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water
with the word, that He might present to Himself the church
in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such
thing; but that she should be holy and blameless. So
husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own
bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one
ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just
as Christ also does the church, because we are members of
his body. FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS
FATHER AND MOTHER, AND SHALL CLEAVE TO HIS
WIFE; AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.
35
Clothe Yourselves with Christ 61
This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to
Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:25-32).
Ephesus Baptistry with Steps Leading Down to Water
This cleansing takes place in the marriage of Christ to the

church, as shown by the phrase “by the washing of water with the
word” (Ephesians 5:26). Beasley-Murray indicates that Paul may
62 BORN OF WATER
have been observing: “the custom: obtaining (sic) among both Jews
and Greeks, of a bride taking a ceremonial bath as part of the
marriage preparations. If such a ‘washing’ is in mind, there can be
little doubt that the readers are expected to recognize its counterpart
for the Bride of Christ in baptism; indeed, the twofold addition of ‘the
water’ and ‘the word’ makes the baptismal reference in the term
‘washing’ even more clear than the conjectured reference to the bridal
bath.”36 An amazing picture is that of a husband baptizing his wife
“into Christ Jesus.” This picture can easily bring tears to a reader’s
eyes as it is one of the most beautiful sights in creation.
For even as the body is one and yet has many

members, and all the members of the body, though they are
many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we
were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks,
whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of
one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:12-13).
According to Colossians 1:15-18, the body of Christ is the

church. People initiate their walk in Christ Jesus through baptism.
“By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” is the same idea
as “baptized into Christ Jesus.” Baptism is the entrance into
membership in Jesus’ body, the church. No matter how sincere one is
in saying a prayer, responding to an altar call, having faith alone,
being voted in by a local church, passing a catechism class, speaking
in tongues or being extended the right hand of Christian fellowship, it
does not begin one’s membership in Christ’s church. Sometimes
people want to be close to Jesus but not be a part of a church. True
conversion to Jesus’ teachings involves becoming a member of Jesus’
church.
As Beasley-Murray states so eloquently:
Baptism to Christ is baptism to the Church; it cannot

be otherwise, for the Church is the Body of Christ. One
gains the impression from Paul’s writings that this thought
must have been much more fundamental to him that it is to
us…
True though it be that the Church through its

representatives baptizes the converts made, and thus that
36
Ibid., 201.
Clothe Yourselves with Christ 63
baptism is properly a Church act: the power of baptism
does not derive from the Church. Baptism is what it is
through the operation of Christ by His Spirit…
On the one hand this indicates that the Spirit is given

to all and is not reserved for a privileged elite in the
Church; on the other hand it clearly rules out any
interpretation of baptism which requires it to be
complemented by a later rite for the impartation of the
Spirit.
Baptism into the one Body by the one Spirit overcomes

the deepest religious and social divisions of mankind: in the
Body there is no room for maintaining the distinctions
between Jew and Gentile, and slaves and free; in Christ they
are ‘one man’ (Gal. 3:28), and the one Spirit divides his gifts
to all. The unity of the Body thus does not consist in
uniformity of character and function, on the contrary Paul is
about to explain how the very idea of a body presumes the
necessity of members with different functions; but these
differentiated functions are possible because the Body is a
unity, informed by one life and inspired by one Spirit. As
with the Supper, baptism obliterates the disunities of man
and harmonizes them in the unity of Christ’s Body in the
one Spirit.37
Into My Life
• What does it mean to wear Christ’s name?
• Did I realize that when I was baptized I became a member of
Jesus’ church?
• Is the representation of different races in my church close to that
of the city I live in (John 17:20-23)?
37
Ibid., 279-284.
^^ ]] 8
One Lord, One Faith,
One Baptism
There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were
called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one
baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and
through all and in all (Ephesians 4:4-6).
Beasley-Murray shows that it is amazing that Paul lifted up

baptism with the rest of these great parts of Christianity. He writes,
“The first thought that leaps to the mind when reading Ephesians 4:4-
6 from the point of view of our interest in the doctrine of baptism, is
the dignity and importance accorded to baptism in virtue of its
inclusion in this enumeration of the great ‘unities’ of our Faith.”38 To
list baptism with the Lord Jesus Christ, faith of the saints, the church
of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father is truly uplifting to the
holy flood of baptism.
The New Testament speaks of several different baptisms. This is
natural since the word baptize simply means immerse, dip, or wash.
These baptisms include John’s baptism (Acts 19:1-5), baptism with
fire (Matthew 3), baptism with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1-2), and the
Israelites’ baptism into the Red Sea (1 Corinthians 10). The letter to
the Ephesians was written by Paul about 60 A.D. Paul says that
around 60 A.D. there is only one baptism. There is a need to
determine which baptism is the one baptism that Paul was writing
about. In 64 A.D., the apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 3:21 that
“baptism now saves you.” Because Peter’s scripture is written later,
the one baptism, which Paul is talking about, logically has to be Great
Commission immersion in water for the forgiveness of sins to receive
the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).
Notice that Paul must be talking about Christian baptism for
salvation in Ephesians because Acts 19:1-5 teaches that Christian
38
One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism 65
baptism supersedes John’s baptism. John’s baptism was for
repentance. In John’s baptism, the baptized did not receive the Holy
Spirit, which only came after Christ’s glory in his resurrection and
ascension to heaven (John 7:39).
Baptism with the Holy Spirit was prophesied by John the Baptist
and by Jesus (Matthew 3:11, Acts 1:5, 10:1-11:15). Baptism with the
Holy Spirit occurred on Pentecost day and was preached about by
Peter in the first church sermon. Just prior to Peter’s sermon, Acts
2:1ff, the twelve apostles were immersed by tongues of fire and by
the Holy Spirit, which introduced the church, or kingdom of God, to
the earth. (For more detail on these events including baptism of the
Holy Spirit and the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit see Douglas
Jacoby’s The Spirit.) Baptism with the Holy Spirit was not prayed for
and it is not commanded anywhere in the New Testament that every
disciple must receive this baptism. Once the purpose for baptism with
the Holy Spirit was accomplished, that is, the beginning of the
church, the need for it could logically end. Miraculous gifts of the
Holy Spirit were normally given at the laying on of the apostles’
hands. This is seen in seen in several scriptures such as Acts 19:1-6
and 8:18-19 which reads, “Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was
bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered
them money, saying, ‘Give this authority to me as well, so that
everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’”
Often doctrinal debates originate when people forget the purpose
of God’s activities, such as: baptism with the Holy Spirit with the
purpose of a visible manifestation revealing God’s power to introduce
the Lord’s Church to the Earth; miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit to
“confirm” the word of God being preached when there was no written
word of God (Mark 16:15ff, Hebrews 2:1-4); or water baptism for the
forgiveness of sins and for receiving the Holy Spirit. Notice that
baptism with the Holy Spirit was involuntary. It was not prayed for
and not durational, whereas baptism with water is the final command
of Jesus for all nations (Matthew 28:18-20) and the first command of
the kingdom of God, the Church (Acts 2:38), remaining in effect for
eternity, until the end of the age. The one baptism of Ephesians 4:1-4
is therefore shown to be water baptism in the name of Jesus for the
forgiveness of sins and for receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. This
is also the baptism scripture, which most closely resembles the
trinitarian formula of the Great Commission.
Notice also that the “one baptism” goes along with the one-
body/church concept. The lack of unity on how to become a Christian
66 BORN OF WATER
explains why there are hundreds of denominations in the world today.

This disharmony also shows a disregard for the unity that Jesus and
Paul spoke about (John 17:1-17, 1 Corinthians 1:10-17). These
scriptures teach that God’s will is that Christianity should have one
faith, one baptism, and one church instead of differing church beliefs.
Bruce Shelley, in Church History in Plain Language, discusses the
origins of the denominational theory of the church. His words (pp.
306-308) merit serious consideration:
Denominationalism, as originally designed, is the

opposite of sectarianism. A sect claims the authority of
Christ for itself alone. It believes that it is the true body of
Christ; all truth belongs to it and to no other religion. So by
definition a sect is exclusive.
The word denomination by contrast was an inclusive

term. It implied that the Christian group called or
denominated by a particular name was but one member of
a larger group—the church—to which all denominations
belong.
The denominational theory of the church, then, insists

that the true church cannot be identified with any single
ecclesiastical structure. No denomination claims to
represent the whole church of Christ. Each simply
constitutes a different form—in worship and organization—
of the larger life of the church.
... The real architects of the denominational theory of

the church were the seventeenth-century Independents
(Congregationalists) who represented the minority voice at
the Westminster Assembly (1642-1649). The majority at the
Assembly held to Presbyterian principles and expressed
these convictions classically in the Westminster Confession
of Faith and in the Westminster Larger and Shorter
Catechisms.
The Independents, however, who held to

congregational principles, were keenly aware of the
dangers of "dividing the godly Protestant party" in England
so they looked for some way to express Christian unity
even when Christians did not agree.
One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism 67
These dissenting Brethren of Westminster articulated
the denominational theory of the church in several
fundamental truths:
First, considering man's inability to always see the

truth clearly, differences of opinion about the outward form
of the church are inevitable.
Second, even though these differences do not involve

fundamentals of the faith, they are not matters of
indifference. Every Christian is obligated to practice what
he believes the Bible teaches.
Third, since no church has a final and full grasp of

divine truth, the true Church of Christ can never be fully
represented by any single ecclesiastical institution.
Finally, the mere fact of separation does not of itself

constitute schism. It is possible to be divided at many points
and still be united in Christ.
Thus, the denominational theory of the church looked

for Christian unity in some inward religious experience—
and allowed diversity in the outward expressions of that
personal faith.
This tolerant attitude was not born of doctrinal

indifference. The Independent had no intention of
extending Christian unity to all religious professions. The
identity of the "one true church" was restricted to those who
shared a common understanding of the core of the
Christian faith.
... Few advocates of the denominational view of the

church in the seventeenth century envisioned the hundreds
of Christian groups included under the umbrella today.
They had no intention of reducing the basic beliefs of
Christianity to a general feeling of religious sincerity. But
they could not control the future. They simply knew that
the traditional bigotry and bloodshed in the name of Christ
was not the way forward.
68 BORN OF WATER
In the end, then, the denominational form of the

church has marked the recent centuries of Christian history,
not because it is ideal, but because it is better than any
alternative the years have offered.
And John Engler follows up on this discussion:
Denominationalism may not be perfect. But it allows

those having honest differences to treat each other with
respect and love, not unwarranted judgment (ref. Romans
14:13). It gives everybody Christian freedom to follow God
as they understand Him and His words, with a clear
conscience. It allows Christians in a congregation to focus
on God and not on items that may divide them from others,
while simultaneously treating others with respect and
giving them the freedom to do likewise. It allows Christians
to respect Jesus' prayer for unity in John 17 by recognizing
and loving other Christians. The spirit of distinguishing and
distancing oneself from other Christians, or claiming to be
superior to them, is not found in John 17.
Indeed, many of the differences between congregations

allow for the body of Christ to meet needs in various ways,
just as individual members of a local congregation also
allow for those members to meet the needs of that local
congregation (ref. 1 Corinthians 12:12ff). However, this also
requires that individual congregations make efforts to treat
each other in ways that honor Christ.
^^ ]] 9
‘Into What Then Were You
Baptized?’
And it came about that while Apollos was at Corinth,
Paul having passed through the upper country came to
Ephesus, and found some disciples, and he said to them,
“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And
they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether
there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were
you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” And
Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance,
telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after
him, that is, in Jesus.” And when they heard this, they were
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:1-5).
The clear distinction between John’s baptism of repentance for

the forgiveness of sins and that of Great Commission baptism for the
forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit is shown in this
scripture. Notice the urgency and sincerity of Paul for the disciples to
be baptized in the name of Jesus. By his question, “into what then
were you baptized?” Paul indicates an immense difference between
John’s baptism and Jesus’ baptism.
This scripture combined with the preceding section about
Apollos (Acts 18:24-28) indicates that Apollos was teaching, like
John the Baptist, that people must be baptized for repentance. Once
Priscilla and Aquila “took him aside and explained to him the way of
God more adequately,” Apollos changed and started teaching Great
Commission baptism in the name of Jesus to receive the Holy Spirit.
Since Apollos was teaching in Ephesus and the twelve disciples that
Paul met were from Ephesus, they may have been taught incorrectly
(really, out-datedly) by Apollos. Notice their humility and lack of
defensiveness in submitting to their rebaptism, their one and only
Great Commission baptism. The twelve Ephesian disciples set a great
precedent for those who have experienced incomplete biblical
70 BORN OF WATER
teaching in the past to humbly submit themselves to the word of God

and a “new teaching” (Acts 17:19).
Notice also what Paul says to the disciples when he finds out
they have not heard of the Holy Spirit. He asks them directly what
baptism they received. Paul does this because he knows and teaches
that the Holy Spirit is given from God in Great Commission baptism.
However, one should be careful to not place too much emphasis on
his or her baptism. God’s grace covers our lack of understanding
complete theological teaching on this subject. A person should not
think that he should get re-baptized every time they learn a new
insight about baptism. Some background information can be found in
Acts 18:24-28 although there is no proof that Apollos was
“rebaptized.”39
The seal of the Holy Spirit is another important theme of the
New Testament. Consider the following scriptures.
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of

truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed,
you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to
the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His
glory (Ephesians 1:13-14).
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom

you were sealed for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).
Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and

anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the
Spirit in our hearts as a pledge (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).
The seal shows the authority that a person is under when

baptized. W. Heitmüller (who wrote a major work on baptism)
believed that the sealed object was the property of another.40 Sealed
Christians would therefore be the property of Jesus Christ (the
39
It is an interesting but inconclusive study to consider whether or not
Apollos, the twelve apostles, or those baptized before Pentecost by John’s or
Jesus’ disciples were “rebaptized” and when they received the indwelling
Holy Spirit. Douglas Jacoby sets up some of the possible scenarios in his
book, The Spirit.
40
W. Heitmüller, Im Namen Jesu (Göttingen, Germany: herausg von
W. Bousset und H. Gunkel, 1903), 334.
‘Into What Then Were You Baptized?’ 71
primitive church would have understood this well). The seal or
trademark would become effective when a person was baptized “in
the name of Jesus Christ.” Baptism stamps the new convert as Jesus’
property. The seal of the Spirit is seen as an inward sign of possession
which none but God can see. This can be contrasted with the outward
sign of the Jewish covenant—the seal of Abraham on the flesh in
circumcision. The inward mark is an identification similar to being
clothed with Christ (Galatians 3:26-27).
There are a couple of great biblical stories in regard to being
marked. The characteristic of having the mark of Christ is primarily
for the eschatological view (judgment day). Consider the vision of
Ezekiel.
Then He cried out in my hearing with a loud voice

saying, “Draw near, O executioners of the city, each with
his destroying weapon in his hand.” And behold, six men
came from the direction of the upper gate which faces
north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand; and
among them was a certain man clothed in linen with a
writing case at his loins. And they went in and stood beside
the bronze altar. Then the glory of the God of Israel went up
from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of
the temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen at
whose loins was the writing case. And the LORD said to
him, “Go through the midst of the city, even through the
midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the
men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which
are being committed in its midst.” But to the others He said
in my hearing, “Go through the city after him and strike; do
not let your eye have pity, and do not spare. “Utterly slay
old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women,
but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you
shall start from My sanctuary.” So they started with the
elders who were before the temple. And He said to them,
“Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go
out!” Thus they went out and struck down the people in the
city. Then it came about as they were striking and I alone
was left, that I fell on my face and cried out saying, “Alas,
Lord GOD! Art Thou destroying the whole remnant of
Israel by pouring out Thy wrath on Jerusalem?” Then He
said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is
72 BORN OF WATER
very, very great, and the land is filled with blood, and the
city is full of perversion; for they say, ‘The LORD has
forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see!’ “But as for
Me, My eye will have no pity nor shall I spare, but I shall
bring their conduct upon their heads.” Then behold, the
man clothed in linen at whose loins was the writing case
reported, saying, “I have done just as Thou hast
commanded me (Ezekiel 9:1-11).”
Still more to the point is Revelation 7, which describes how the

angels are told not to harm the earth until the servants of God receive
the seal. Gordon Ferguson, in his book Mine Eyes Have Seen the
Glory, states, “Satan’s servants were likewise sealed (‘marked’) by
God (Revelation 13:16-17, 14:9, 16:2, etc.).”41 These are great
examples showing the use of the sealing by the Holy Spirit which a
person receives when he or she becomes a Christian. Then the sealed
servants of God attain to his Kingdom.
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners

of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so
that no wind should blow on the earth or on the sea or on
any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the rising
of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried
out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was
granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, “Do not harm
the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the
bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.” After these
things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no
one could count, from every nation and all tribes and
peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before
the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were
in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying,
“Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the
Lamb.” And all the angels were standing around the throne
and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they
fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
saying, “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and
thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our
God forever and ever. Amen.” And one of the elders
41
Gordon Ferguson, Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory (Woburn, MA:
Discipleship Publications International, 1996), 75.
‘Into What Then Were You Baptized?’ 73
answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the
white robes, who are they, and from where have they
come?” And I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he
said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great
tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made
them white in the blood of the Lamb. “For this reason, they
are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and
night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne shall
spread His tabernacle over them. They shall hunger no
more, neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun beat
down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of
the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them to
springs of the water of life; and God shall wipe every tear
from their eyes (Revelation 7:1-3, 9-17).”
Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and

anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the
Spirit in our hearts as a pledge (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).
The seal of the Holy Spirit can be compared to the anointing of

the Holy Spirit. God typically gives the anointed person a mission.
For instance, Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit at his baptism
(Acts 10:37-38). The anointing of Jesus occurred when the heavens
opened, God the Father spoke, and the Holy Spirit landed on Jesus in
the form of a dove (Mark 1:9-13). Jesus went immediately on a
mission to the desert to be tempted by Satan for forty days and then
Christ began his formal ministry. In the same way, after the flood of
Noah, the dove returned, indicating that it was safe to go out into the
world that had been destroyed. Just as God shut or sealed Noah in the
ark (Genesis 7:15), God seals us with the Holy Spirit. Notice that just
as with Noah and the ark, the Lord had to seal it himself and in the
same way, we cannot save ourselves by our own effort or ingenuity.
Thus we see how baptism relates to the seal or anointing of the Holy
Spirit.
^^ 10]]
Observations on Baptism
Scriptures
This book is about the importance of Great Commission baptism.
The point is never to diminish the cross or sacrifice of Jesus Christ,
faith in God, or repentance from sins, but rather to show that the
Scriptures include baptism as a significant part of the salvation
process. God’s word shows how all the scriptures work together, with
baptism coming as the conclusion of a person’s conversion to Jesus.
The Bible clearly teaches and preaches baptism as being the
beginning or marriage ceremony in our relationship with God.
Scripture also shows that baptism gives the essential spiritual
gifts of the forgiveness of sins and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
It is interesting to note that non-religious people who are taught about
baptism and true Bible doctrine usually have no problem accepting
what the Bible says about it. It is only people like myself who have
been taught erroneously in the past who have a problem with what the
Bible teaches about baptism.
It is important to remember that most of the New Testament
books were letters written to churches and individual Christians, not
evangelistic epistles to non-Christians. The New Testament scholar
should therefore not be surprised to find less discussion and emphasis
on the initial conversion topic of baptism. On the other hand, baptism
is very noticeable when studying the church-history-oriented book of
Acts which records the spread of Christianity throughout the
Mediterranean world. The would-be disciple of Christ also needs to
be careful that conversion is not made into a ritual. This process
should never be reduced to simply the “steps of conversion” as in the
Four Spiritual Laws of Campus Crusade or even the Five Steps to
Salvation of the church of Christ: 1) Hear 2) Believe 3) Repent 4)
Confess and 5) Be Baptized. There are fundamental truths in both, but
a person should not just memorize and perform a formula. Jesus
Christ changes our lives forever and he should properly be our focus.
But people must live out changed lives and make a decision to start
one’s life over when being born again.
Observations on Baptism Scriptures 75
When a person reads the Bible about any topic, he or she needs
to study the subject thoroughly. They must read and understand the
whole text, especially if it involves salvation. Any serious disciple of
Jesus takes the “complete New Covenant” view, putting all the truths
together to make both common and logical sense. The danger of
taking a couple verses out of context can be readily seen from “he
went away and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:3) and Jesus saying
“Go and do the same” (Luke 10:37). This type of faulty exegesis
results in a justification for suicide. People should read the whole
Bible with as little prejudice or bias as possible. Then it may be seen
from the New Testament what God expects from disciples of Jesus.
This heart of obeying Christ is what true disciples of Jesus are all
about. Followers of Jesus should search through the Bible to find
what God wants of his one church, his body, if men and women are to
continue to restore biblical church aspects in this century to the
commitment, love, prayer, devotion, fellowship, and the Apostolic
doctrine of the first century church (Acts 2:42-47). This restoration
spirit makes common and biblical sense!
Jesus said that if a blind man leads a blind man, both would fall
into a pit. Subjective testimony from a priest, minister, friend or
family member is not a criterion for truth. Even though people will
always cherish the memory of deceased loved ones and spiritual
guides that helped them grow, they must trust God’s word. But today,
since people should know better, each person needs to take personal
responsibility and find out for themselves, from the Bible, what
becoming a Christian or “in Christ Jesus” really means and how God
says to be saved. People will be judged by the Bible—therefore they
should know it (John 12:46-48)!
βαπτιζω
baptizo = dip, plunge, immerse, drown
Translation = immerse
Transliteration = baptidzo
Notice that in the original language baptize meant to immerse or

plunge or dip. Baptize was used in examples of a ship sinking
completely or a garment being dyed a new color. Baptize never meant
sprinkling or pouring. The New Testament Greek word for baptism is
“baptizo.” To Jesus, the apostles, and the New Testament church,
baptism meant to immerse, plunge, or dunk. It also meant that a
76 BORN OF WATER
person was changing his or her life to live for God.

The preceding scriptures have shown that the object people are
commanded today to be immersed in is water, not the Holy Spirit,
fire, or belief. Although other baptisms were used in the New
Testament, it has been shown that the Great Commission baptism is
the “one baptism” that Ephesians 4:1-5 speaks about.
Where did the English word, baptism, come from? In other
words, why is the translation baptism and not immersion? The answer
is seen in the transliteration of Greek to English. Occasionally, a word
in the Greek or Hebrew Bible does not have a direct translation. In
that case, a word may be created in the English language that never
existed previously. Many of the early Protestant Reformation Bibles,
including the King James Version (1605-1611 A.D.), were translated
from Jerome’s Latin Vulgate. See the appendix on Refuting False
Conversion Doctrines for more detail.
Notice also that even if the direct translation were “to sprinkle,”
substituting that word for “to baptize” would make no sense in the
Bible passages. A person should consider the difference between
sprinkling water on a person and sprinkling the body of a person.
Acts 2:38 would result in, “Repent, and let each of you be sprinkled.”
The only way a person could be sprinkled is to have their body
cremated and then have someone else sprinkle their physical body’s
ashes. This absurd illustration is not what Jesus or the apostles had in
mind!! In fact, John went where there was much water (John 3:23).
The practice of transliterating “baptizo” continued to grow as
more denominations grew out of the Catholic church in the Protestant
Reformation. Those churches that sprinkled infants persecuted those
that immersed adults. The Anabaptists were some of the first people
to immerse adults during the Protestant Reformation time period. The
Anabaptists provoked the authorities so much that the state authorities
in Switzerland decided to murder anyone who was immersed as an
adult. The state church killed the “heretics” by drowning them. The
thinking was that if it was water that the Anabaptists wanted, water
they would get. The stiff-necked reaction to changing back to actual
Bible doctrine is unfortunately not very different today as many
excuses are made to not accept the Word of God. As Apollos had a
heart to change, perhaps the spirit of God is challenging many
believers to learn and teach the word of God in a more adequate
manner.
Hot Tub Baptism
Yet many believers in Christ and entire church denominations

today say that the mode of the “sacrament” does not matter. Baptism
is not just a matter of semantics. Baptism is a part of the salvation
process. If people place their eternal life and others’ destiny on Jesus’
words, they should want to know the truth. A truth seeker should
want to know the actual meaning, not the evolution of a word for the
past two thousand years. Many denominations admit that sprinkling
or pouring is not what baptism meant during the New Testament
church, so why do they still persist in it today? Even one of the
greatest founders of the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther,
stated: “First, baptism is a Greek word. In Latin it can be translated
immersion, as when something is plunged into water that it may be
completely covered with water.”42 Does not James 4:17 say that the
good they know they should do, but don’t do, is sin? But Luther dealt
with that scripture as he did the whole book of James: He wanted to
disassociate it from the rest of his Bible because it was too works
focused. John Calvin (another Reformation movement leader)
maintained the same refusal to accept what the Bible states about
42
L.G. Tomlinson, Churches of Today in the Light of Scripture
(Nashville, TN: Gospel Advocate Company, 1955), 39.
78 BORN OF WATER
baptism: “It is of no consequence at all whether the person baptized is

totally immersed, or whether he is merely sprinkled by an affusion of
water. This should be a matter of choice to the churches in different
regions, although the word baptize signifies to immerse, and the rite
of immersion was practiced by the ancient church.”43
Some religious people overreact to the Catholic Church by
saying that baptism should be done, but that it is only a symbol of
what has already happened or that it is only a public display of faith
and thus should just be considered a ritual. Even though it has been
shown that baptism is a beautiful symbol of the gospel itself (Romans
6:1-5), nowhere in the Bible does any writer consider baptism simply
ceremonial. Circumcision, the way a man started his Jewish
existence, surely was not ceremonial to the individual. The writers are
sincere when they talk about the importance of baptism and they
should be believed. None of the New Testament writers considered
baptism as purely symbolic.
Some religious people try to claim that the Greek word in Acts
2:38 means to be baptized “because” of the forgiveness of a person’s
sins rather than “for” the forgiveness of a person’s sins. This false
doctrine teaches a believer’s baptism is for the person that has already
been saved. Another appendix shows the true meaning of the Greek in
Acts 2:38 from many denominational scholars’ translations.
In another appendix is a table showing the different steps for
biblical salvation in the book of Acts. Notice that when a person is
baptized in the Bible, the verb is always in passive voice, indicating
that God is acting on the person being baptized. This also shows that
the person is just accepting God’s grace. Even more convincing is the
fact that there is not one single example in the Bible where a person
just “prayed Jesus into his heart” via a so-called “sinner’s prayer,”
“accepting Jesus,” or by “receiving Christ.” Obviously faith is the
first step and critically important, but it’s not the only step on the way
to being “in Christ Jesus.”
It should never be forgotten that if Jesus had not died on the
cross for sins, no one could get to heaven. Jesus has thus given a
narrow road for people to follow (Matthew 7:13-14, 21-23), requiring
them to put their faith in him, to repent of their sins, and to be
baptized as the way that God has determined a person may get into a
right, personal relationship with him. The Jews taught that men could
43
Guardian of Truth Foundation, 1987), 310.
get to heaven by one’s good works and the sacrifice system. God gave
help through his Son. So remember that the key is not being good
enough to get to heaven, but rather letting a person’s belief lead them
to be “in Christ Jesus,” who is the only path to eternal life.
The false doctrine of just “accepting Christ” came from the
Protestant Reformation denominations. The denominations led by
Martin Luther and other Protestants overcompensated for the Catholic
church, which was based on a works theology (overcompensating
similar to falling asleep driving a car, hitting the gravel on the right
and then yanking the wheel back to the left and going into the other
ditch). Remember also that baptism pales in comparison to repentance
of sins in the convert’s life. James 2:14-24 says that faith works and
that, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is
dead.” Our faith is shown through deeds. Christianity is not a works
religion but rather the Bible says people will live by faith and are
“created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10). If
individuals are in Christ Jesus, they have nothing to worry about. The
Bible teaches that people get to be immersed in water for the
forgiveness of their sins, not that people have got to be baptized.
The doctrine of baptism for the forgiveness of sins is very clear
in the Bible. When confronted with biblical truth that contradicts the
teachings that they have held so close to for so much of their lives,
will a person submit to the will of God’s word or will they remain
mired in their stubborn, selfish sin? Many religious people have seen
dramatic changes for the Lord and the fruit of the Spirit in their lives,
and that’s wonderful! But like the learned man Apollos (Acts
18:24-26) who had a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures, people
need to be willing to accept help and learn the scriptural way of God
more adequately. Look at what Apollos did (Acts 18:24-26) and what
the twelve disciples in Ephesus did (Acts 19:1-5). Do we have the
same heart as Apollos to simply accept the word of God and to
change our doctrine overnight?
What if a person was watching a court having a trial, and there
was an endless procession of three thousand witnesses. The court’s
purpose was to decide how the three thousand people became
Christians on the day of Pentecost. The first one came forward and
said that he called on the name of the Lord Jesus, repented of his sins,
believed in his heart that Peter’s message was from God, and was
immersed for the forgiveness of his sins and the gift of God’s Holy
Spirit. The next new Christian came forward and said the same exact
thing. Repeating the same pattern, the third person, the thirtieth
80 BORN OF WATER
person, the three hundredth person, and the three thousandth person
walked to the witness stand and gave the exact same testimony. By
the thirtieth person, the jury would be asleep with boredom because
of the overwhelming number and consistency of the witnesses. After
the three thousandth person gives his testimony, the leaders of the
movement and the Son of God come forward. They admit this is their
teaching “for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall
call to Himself.” At that point, it is beyond all doubt how to become a
Christian. In the end, Jesus’ words are going to judge people (John
12:46-48). Will a person believe his or her priest, minister, family,
friends, or the word of God?
Just as marriage is the start of a new relationship with a spouse,
baptism is the start of a new relationship with God. The similarities
between physical marriage and one’s spiritual wedding ceremony to
God are striking. This will help an individual understand baptism and
conversion much better. Paul says that he promised the church to one
husband, that is Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2-6). F. Lagard Smith gives
some great illustrations about marriage and baptism in his book
Baptism: The Believer’s Wedding Ceremony.44 Ezekiel 23:40 talks
about the Jewish custom where the bride cleans herself in an act of
ceremonial cleansing before donning her wedding dress.
What if a person was married but did not have a physical
relationship? What if a person was married but did not communicate
with their spouse? Dating is like studying the Bible or hearing the
Word. Engagement is making the decision to get married to God. A
person’s spiritual wedding is his baptism. Living in sin would be a
false relationship with God without the divine ordinances of the
wedding ceremony. A pre-arranged marriage would be infant
baptism. Vows of confession as in Acts 22:16, Hebrews 10:23 and
1 Peter 3:18-21 are exchanged in the wedding ceremony. Acts 2:38
talks about gifts that are received at the wedding, forgiveness of sins
and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Luke 15:21-24 talks about celebrating
at the wedding as the Ethiopian eunuch did in Acts 8. 2 Corinthians
1:21-22 shows the rings of the wedding ceremony, the seal of
ownership in the Holy Spirit. A new name is received, the name of
Christ, at the spiritual wedding. Hebrews 9:13-14 and Romans 6
detail the joining of unequals, Christ and the church. Divorce from a
person’s relationship with God is falling away from him. Remember
44
F. LaGard Smith, Baptism: The Believer’s Wedding Ceremony
(Nashville, TN: Gospel Advocate Company, 1993), 1-217.
also the parable of the Wedding Banquet that was discussed earlier in
connection with Galatians 3:24-27, and the person with no wedding
clothes who is thrown out by the master (Matthew 22:1-15).
My purpose is to call people back to the Bible and to show how
to become a Christian from the word of God alone. Hebrews 2:3
states: “…how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?”
The question appears to come down to: “Who are people going to
follow, men or God?” Contradictions between the traditions of men
and the word of God are the same things Jesus condemned the
Pharisees for (Matthew 15:1-9). When it comes to biblical topics,
conversion is of utmost importance. Therefore, people must make
sure that in regard to conversion, they are solid in the Bible and not
just going along with the traditions of their church, family or leaders.
If a person will keep their focus on God, who is the author of one’s
conversion, regeneration and rebirth, his or her theology must stay
pure in regard to conversion. Peter emphasized it best when he said:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living
hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter
1:3).
I have gained these convictions because after 21 years of church
services and Bible camps I realized that I was not living for Jesus
because I did not even know the word of God. My friend, “Shu,”
showed me that I had nowhere to turn except to Jesus and the Bible. I
had been baptized at the ripe old age of ten on Easter Sunday with
seven other kids in my parents’ church. I was immersed, but I had no
clue what Jesus as the Lord of my life meant or how Christ could
change my life. I was emotional, crying for a full day, even though I
did not know why. I even had a class for three or four weeks before
my baptism to explain its importance. Yet, I went right back to my
old life, lusting constantly for sports, good grades, and a girlfriend;
my life was not any different as I was not truly born again. At the age
of 21, Shu asked me to study the Bible with him. He showed me the
love of Jesus, taught me the word of God and helped me work
through and overcome my stubbornness and pride. I put my trust in
God, accepted his word, and obeyed it. I started my life over, was
“born again…born of water and the Spirit” on July 27, 1986. I made
the decision to trust in Christ’ blood and follow Jesus. My friends,
Harold and Carol Shumaker, and I drove ten miles from Carthage,
Illinois through a Midwest lightning and thunderstorm at 10:30 PM to
the Burnside Christian Church. Shu then baptized me into Christ. I
82 BORN OF WATER
was a new person, forgiven by God thanks to Jesus’ blood, and

starting over. God changed my life through the help of Christ, the
Bible, and two disciples who helped me begin again.
Won’t you do the same? Perhaps you have a gnawing feeling
deep down that you’ve never really become a Christian the way the
Bible instructs. Or perhaps you are born of water and the Spirit but
you haven’t had the conviction to go out and fulfill the Great
Commission by teaching your friends the truth about Jesus in the way
you should. I pray that you will take this message personally. God
will bless your decision as he has mine and all the other saints
throughout history. And drop me a line so that we can celebrate
together!
^^ Appendix A ]]
A Study of Conversion
in the Book of Acts
Scripture Faith Repent- Baptism Forgive- Holy Church
ance Spirit
ness
Implied Stated Stated
Acts Stated Stated Implied
vv. 37,41 v. 38 v. 38
2:14-47 v. 38 v. 38 vv. 8-47
Stated
Acts Stated Implied
vv. 12,13
8:9-13 vv. 12,13
vv. 8-13
Implied Implied
Acts Stated Implied
v. 36 v. 39
8:26-39 v. 38 v. 39
Implied Implied
Acts Implied Stated Stated
vv. 5,17 vv. 17-18
9:1-19 v. 9 v. 18 v. 17
Implied
10:1- 10:1-8
11:18 10:48 1
11:18
1:17-18
Implied
Acts Stated Stated
vv. 8,14-
22:5-16 v. 16 v. 16
15
Stated
Acts Stated Implied
vv. 14,
16:13-15 v. 15
15 v.15
Stated
vv. 31,34
16:25-34 v. 33 v. 31
vv. 31-
33
Additional John Matt. Mark Isaiah Rom. 1 Cor.
References 3:16 18:1-3 16:15-16 59:1-2 8:9-11 12:12-13
Heb. Luke John 3:3,5 Romans Eph. Matt.
11:16 13:3,5 Gal. 3:26 6:23 1:13-14 28:18-20
Acts Col. 2:12 Ephesians Gal. Mark
17:30 1 Peter 1:7 5:22-23 16:15-16
3:21 John 3:1-
7
84 BORN OF WATER
Into My Life
* For each conversion, ask these questions:
1. What was the person taught?

2. What was the person’s response to the message?
3. How long did it take the person to make a
decision?
4. What was the person’s response after his or her
baptism?
* Draw a timeline for the following events in your life:
Birth Today
Å—————————————————————————Æ
Came to faith Forgiven of sins

Converted Immersed
Believed Born again
Received Christ Repented/Lordship
Prayed Jesus into heart Joined church
Infant baptized Holy Spirit baptized
Received Spirit Saved
* Does my life match what the Bible teaches in the graph

on the previous page?
^^ Appendix B ]]
Translations of the Greek Word
“eis” in Acts 2:38
Denomination Translation Title Author
Baptist unto, for, in order Shepherd’s Handbook Axtell
to
Baptist unto, to Shepherd’s Handbook Dill
Baptist in order to Shepherd’s Handbook Harkness
Baptist in order to Baptist Quarterly, Willmar
1878
Baptist unto, in order to Shepherd’s Handbook Harper
receive
Baptist Unto Commentary on John Hovey
Church of for the putting Commentary on Acts Abbott
England away
Congregational purpose Shepherd’s Handbook Goodwin
Congregational into, toward Greek-English Thayer
Lexicon
Lutheran denotes object Commentary on Acts Meyer
Methodist with a view to McLintock & Strong McLintock
Ency.
Methodist unto Commentary on Acts Rice
Methodist in order to Shepherd’s Handbook Strong
Methodist unto, to the end Shepherd’s Handbook Summers
Methodist for, unto Commentary on Bible Benson
Methodist is always Wilkes-Ditzler Debate Ditzler
prospective
Methodist the object to be Shepherd’s Handbook Harmon
obtained
NIV Translation so that 1973 NIV initial Committee
translation
Presbyterian end toward which Shepherd’s Handbook Butcher
Presbyterian for, to, or toward Commentary on Acts Alexander
Presbyterian unto, to this end Commentary on Acts Jacobus
Presbyterian might receive Shepherd’s Handbook Schaff
Presbyterian aim, purpose Shepherd’s Handbook Godet
^^ Appendix C ]]
The Greek Text of

Matthew 28:18-20
___________________________________________________
Introduction45
There have been questions concerning the meaning of Matthew
28:18-20 and its impact upon the qualifications of candidates for
baptism. This paper will briefly discuss the critical features of the text
in question and draw conclusions in accordance with these facts.
The Text
Let us consider the translation of this passage in the New
International Version (NIV) and the New American Standard Version
(NASV), along with the Greek text from the International Bible
Society (IBS).
NIV
[18] Then Jesus came to them and said, “All
authority in heaven and on earth has been given to
me. [19] 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, [20] and teaching
them to obey everything I have commanded you. And
45
© By John Engler Highlands Ranch, CO June 1998
The Greek Text of Matthew 28:18-20 87
surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age.”
NAS
[18] And Jesus came up and spoke to them,
saying, “All authority has been given to Me in
heaven and on earth. [19] “Go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
[20] teaching them to observe all that I commanded
you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of
the age.”
Transliterated IBS Text (v. 19a only)

[19] poreuthentes ouv mathēteusate panta ta
ethnē, baptizontes autous eis to onoma…
The Translation of the Passage

Observations about this passage and translation of v. 19:
1- The Greek verb (imperative mode) “mathēteusate” is translated

“make disciples” in the English versions.
2- In English the word “disciple” is a noun only; it has no defined
verb meanings46 (in fact, Greek-English dictionaries define
“mathēteuō” as “make a disciple of, teach”47). This limitation of
the English language is central to the difficulty of understanding
this passage correctly, as it forces the translator concerned about
proper English to translate a Greek verb into an English verb-
noun combination. Yet, it is helpful to translate the Greek
“mathēteusate” as a verb in English, “disciple.”
46
Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam &
Company, Springfield, Massachusetts, 1977, p. 325.
47
Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and
Other Early Christian Literature, Translated by William F. Arndt and F.
Wilbur Gingrich, 2nd edition revised and augmented by F. Wilbur Gingrich
and Frederick W. Danker from Walter Bauer’s fifth edition (Chicago,
Illinois: University of Chicago Press, 1979), p. 485.
88 BORN OF WATER
3- A correct English translation of the text is “make disciples of all

nations.” “Make disciples” is a verb, “nations” is a noun. There
are no “disciples” (noun) in the sentence.48
4- “Baptizing” and “teaching to obey” are participles identified as
steps in the “discipling” of the nations. This statement is a
summary of Jesus’ ministry to the apostles and is not intended to
be a comprehensive statement concerning conversion or
discipling. “The force of the command is to make Jesus’ disciples
responsible for making disciples of others, a task characterized by
baptism and instruction.”49
5- Those who are being “baptized” and “taught to obey” are thus
“discipled” (verb). “The response of discipleship is baptism and
instruction.”50
Pre-Requisites for Baptism

This passage does not explicitly discuss pre-requisites for one to
be baptized. Baptism and teaching to obey are expressed as the major
aspects of the "discipling" of the nations.
A critical question is, "Do you have to be a 'disciple' to be

baptized?" Before answering such a question, we need to define some
terminology and concepts more precisely.
Anyone seeking to be baptized and to be taught to obey all that

Jesus has commanded has been "discipled" (instructed) to seek these
things. This is exactly what this text has in mind.
Some have suggested that certain passages "define what a

disciple" is-- these might include Luke 14:25-33, John 13:34, John
15:8, and others. Working from this, some think that these passages
mean one must "deny himself", "love one another," "bear fruit that
will last" and the like prior to baptism.
48
The “them” (as in “baptizing them” etc.) is the Greek pronoun
“autous,” which is masculine. Since “ta ethne” (the nations) is neuter, we
understand this text to mean that it is not the “nations” per se that are to be
baptized, but rather the individuals of the nations are the ones to be baptized.
49
D.A. Carson “Matthew,” The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, ed.
Frank E. Gaebelein, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1984, Volume 8,
p. 597.
50
ibid.
The Greek Text of Matthew 28:18-20 89
However, such an understanding is at odds with examples of
New Testament conversion seen in the book of Acts, the balance of
the New Testament (where such concepts are never presented as
prerequisites for baptism), and man's sinful nature as well. Further,
taking such concepts from the Messianic ministry of Jesus and
bringing them into church age conversion requires ripping them out
of their contexts. This isn't to say love, fruit-bearing or other "marks"
of a disciple aren't good things, but it is incorrect to suggest that some
arbitrary level of performance in these areas is somehow a
prerequisite for baptism based upon Matthew 28:19. Sinners come to
Christ upon hearing the gospel possessing only their need for
salvation and their faith in Christ.
Similarly, some have taken the text from Luke 14:25 and taught
that one must somehow "count the cost" before baptism. Again, this is
taking the passage in Luke out of context-- Jesus was talking about
people following him during his earthly ministry, not responding to
the gospel in the church age. His point was that people expected an
earthly kingdom and they needed to know that the cross rather than
the throne of Israel was in Jesus’ immediate future. To the question at
hand, there are no examples of anyone "counting the cost" prior to
baptism in the church age. This is not to say one should not be sober
minded about the implications of faith in Christ. But such concerns
can obscure the gospel and make those implications greater than God
and his working in our lives.
Conclusions
The intent of this article has been to first correctly understand v.
19, and then to briefly consider its impact upon the entire conversion
process.
Because of the limitations of the English language, translations

of this passage can lead to misleading meanings. However, for the
purposes of understanding this passage, a verb sense to the English
“disciple” could be implemented. This would facilitate a more
straightforward translation of the passage, “Disciple the nations.”
The object of making disciples, baptizing and teaching to obey is

“the nations.” The individual members of “the nations” are the ones
to be made disciples of, baptized and taught to obey everything Jesus
commanded.
90 BORN OF WATER
Concerning the broader questions of conversion and discipleship,

the teachings of other biblical passages have been briefly considered
and harmonized with the text in question. Examining the entire
conversion process is clearly a separate task that should be
undertaken as a separate study.
^^ Appendix D ]]
False Conversion Doctrines

___________________________________________________
1. “Pray Jesus into Your Heart,” “Accept

the Lord,” “Receive Christ,” “Altar Calls”
The phrase “pray Jesus into your heart” is not in the Bible. This
teaching began 1,800 years after Jesus Christ died for our sins during
the revivals of the “Second Great Awakening” in rural America. Dr.
Bruce L. Shelley51 in his book Church History in Plain Language52
describes the inflammatory James McGready, the first of many flame-
throwing preachers. People would come out from the villages and
cities to hear traveling revival preachers in large “camp meetings” or
“tent meetings.” Many times the preaching would get very emotional
with moving descriptions of a tantalizing heaven and painful hell. The
preacher would invite the emotionally moved crowd to respond by
coming forward for an “altar call,” prayers, and to “accept Jesus as
your personal savior.” Today, the “camp meeting” has moved indoors
and into the city, utilizing auditoriums for all sorts of crusades, sports
stadiums, and the airwaves for TV and radio evangelists (such as the
Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) and the Bible Answer Man
supported by the Christian Research Institute (CRI)).
Sometimes sincere religious people quote the Bible as the reason
to “receive Christ through faith alone,” saying that there are more
scriptures on faith than there are on baptism. In this way, they pit
scripture against itself. Some people believe the scriptures that they
have obeyed in the past, and disbelieve the scriptures they have not
obeyed. The false doctrine of “praying Jesus into one’s heart” has
been propagated through many denominational churches and through
the evangelical Campus Crusade, Billy Graham, PromiseKeepers, and
51
Bruce L. Shelley is Senior Professor of Church History and
Historical Theology at Denver Theological Seminary. Dr. Shelley holds the
M.Div. degree from Fuller Theological Seminary and the Ph.D. from the
University of Iowa.
52
Bruce L. Shelley, Church History in Plain Language (Dallas, TX:
Word Publishing, 1995), 386-387.
92 BORN OF WATER
other campus groups. While these groups have tremendous heart that
promote Christ around the world, there are a few things that they
should mature in, just like for Apollos when Priscilla and Aquila
“took him aside and explained to him the way of God more
adequately.” Campus Crusade has printed over one billion Four
Spiritual Laws53 pamphlets and now distributes other similar
pamphlets such as Would You Like to Belong to God’s Family?54 The
pamphlets teach a different response to the gospel of Christ than what
the Bible teaches by telling people that they can have their sins
forgiven simply by “praying Jesus into your heart.”55
Unfortunately, note that there is not one example of an “altar
call” or “pray Jesus into your heart” in the New Testament. Many
Protestants and Evangelicals, including entire church denominations,
unwittingly stake their spiritual marriage on this false doctrine.
Religious people may try to use Revelation 3:20 which talks about
Jesus knocking on the door of a person’s heart. However, a person
must examine each scripture in context. As is often said, “a proof-text
out of context is a pre-text.” This scripture does not tell a person how
to become a Christian. Revelation 3:20 is written to Christians who
have become lukewarm in their hearts. It is addressed to Christians
who have already responded to Christ in faith, repentance, confession,
and baptism many years earlier. Campus Crusade’s Four Spiritual
Laws and the Bible Answer Man/Christian Research Institute’s Does
your relationship with God make sure you will go to heaven when you
die? pamphlets both quote this scripture out of context just before
telling people to pray the “sinner’s prayer.”56 57 It is a spiritual and
doctrinal shame that neither pamphlet says one word about baptism.
In his book How to be Born Again, Billy Graham also takes
Revelation 3:20 out of context.58 Not only does he use scriptures out
53
Bill Bright, Have You Heard of the Four Spiritual Laws? (San
Bernardino, CA: Campus Crusade for Christ), 16.
54
Bill Bright, Would You Like to Belong to God’s Family? (Orlando,
FL: New Life Publications), 1-20.
55
Bill Bright, Have You Heard of the Four Spiritual Laws? (San
Bernardino, CA: Campus Crusade for Christ), 10-11.
56
Ibid., 9.
57
Hendrik “Hank” Hanegraaff, Does Your Relationship with God Make
Sure You Will Go to Heaven when You Die? (San Juan Capistrano, CA:
Memory Dynamics, Inc.), 14-16.
58
Billy Graham, The Collected Works of Billy Graham (New York,
NY: Inspiration Press), 214.
Refuting False Conversion Doctrines 93
of context to support his position, he also avoids Jesus’ explanation
about how to be born again in John 3:1-7. Graham quotes verses 3, 4,
7, and 16 about belief and changing one’s life (Graham’s version is
“trust Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior”) but he completely
ignores Jesus going out baptizing at the end of the chapter and leaves
out the water in verse 5 where Jesus states, “Truly, truly, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God.” Graham makes a big point that one must be born
again but ignores that a person must be born of water. He also
continually quotes faith and repentance scriptures while ignoring
other salvation scriptures and does not even use Acts 2:37-42 (the
first day of Jesus’ church where at least 3,000 people were saved).
This gives a biblically educated person the impression that Graham
does not want to deal with scriptures that may change people’s mind
from what he and most other denominations teach about salvation.
From the numerous examples of people in his book at his crusades,
one almost gets the impression that Graham wants to use people’s
experiences of “receiving Christ” as the standard to be born again
rather than using the word of God as the standard to be born again. He
accuses many churches of not preaching the “whole gospel” and that
people “hear a gospel which is incomplete, and consequently not
good news at all.”59 It is a real shame that the same accusation of an
incomplete gospel response could be stated of Billy Graham’s
teaching in regard to the bible’s teaching on conversion.
In interpreting the Scriptures, one must consider not only the
immediate context of the particular book of the Bible but also the
historical context. The immediate context takes into view the
sentences or paragraph preceding and following the verse in question.
The historical context recognizes prior historical events beyond the
scope of the immediate writing of the letter. Consider the following:
* The gospels do not discuss every aspect of contemporary
Judaism and the Law of Moses. The Old Testament books focus on
these matters.
* Acts doesn’t focus on the fine points of discipleship to Jesus,
especially since the Christ was no longer present in bodily form.
Instead, it shows how the church grew and spread throughout various
parts of the world as the gospel touched the lives of numerous
individuals and groups. Luke recognizes that the reader is already
59
Ibid, 258.
94 BORN OF WATER
somewhat familiar with “all that Jesus began to do and teach” (Acts
1:1) from the gospels, at least Luke’s gospel.
* The epistles presuppose the historical establishment of the
churches that are being addressed. The historical background for most
of the epistles is seen in Acts.
This consideration of historical context is especially important
in discussing how people became Christians in the first century. The
epistles are addressed to people who are already Christians,
presupposing the establishment of the churches after the pattern seen
in Acts. The epistles only discuss conversion with a view towards
understanding some doctrinal or ethical ramification of it. For
instance, 1 Corinthians doesn’t discuss how the Corinthians became
Christians—Acts 17 covers that event. 1 Corinthians discusses their
conversion to Christianity, but only for the purpose of explaining
further points of significance.
For instance, sometimes a person will quote a scripture from a
Pauline epistle or the book of John in order to justify their salvation.
The person will quote it without being able to justify their way of
being saved by comparing it to events throughout the church history
book, the Acts of the Apostles, which spans the time period between
about 28A.D. to 65A.D. Every book in the New Testament after the
book of Acts is like a snapshot photograph or glimpse of a particular
church, person or group of Christians and their needs at one point in
time. To get the proper context for salvation in the New Testament, it
is essential that one should focus on understanding faith principles
from the gospels of Jesus and the spread of the church to the
Mediterranean world from the book of Acts. Then a person can
properly interpret the epistles, which are based on the books in the
Old Testament, the gospels and the church history book of Acts. This
is a popular way many people go the wrong direction in their
understanding of conversion.
Some people also say that this false doctrine is based on Romans
10:9. You must look at this scripture in its context as well. Paul is
addressing the problem of the Israelite people. He writes the whole
chapter of Romans 10 about the Jews. What is the Israelites’
problem? The Jews’ problem was that they did not believe that Jesus
was the resurrected Messiah, the Son of God.
The Jews did not care about how to become a Christian because
they did not believe in Jesus. This argument must be taken in context
as one should read on to Romans 10:13. When did the people call on
the name of the Lord? People normally confessed that Jesus was the
Son of God at the time of their conversion and baptism. Paul called
on the name of Jesus and made the good confession of 1 Timothy
6:12 and Hebrews 10:23 in Acts 22:14-16. Paul called on the name of
the Lord Jesus at his baptism. Why would Paul the apostle travel all
over the Mediterranean world teaching people differently from the
way he was converted? Paul had already talked about other parts of
conversion in the book of Romans. He talked about repentance in
Romans 1-2 and about baptism in Romans 6:1-5.
Douglas Jacoby conveys the following when he states in Life to
the Full:
“Rebirth” (1:23): We were not reborn through

perishable seed (human sperm), but through the seed, the
word of God (Luke 8:11), which is imperishable. This
happens at baptism. There is no other way to be reborn. The
modern doctrine of “pray Jesus into your heart” originated
in the last century in the United States; there is not a shred
of evidence in the Bible to support it! Don’t be sentimental...
We need to interpret Scripture carefully, especially when it
concerns crucial issues like how to be saved.
Compare these three passages: 1 Peter 1:3, 1:23, and

3:21. What do you see? Rebirth through the resurrection,
rebirth through [obeying] the word of God, and salvation
by baptism through the resurrection. The three passages are
complementary, not contradictory. There is only one way to
be saved: the way the Bible says!
Since the Word preached to us is eternal, we are born

again and receive eternal life in the waters of baptism (John
3:5; Titus 3:5).60
One other scripture that is widely used out of context is John

5:24. The first problem with using this scripture to promote “praying
Jesus into your heart” is that the gospels are written before the
ushering in of the New Covenant of Jesus’ blood in his death. Any
scripture in the gospels showing salvation should agree with the
teaching after the New Covenant was instituted, i.e. during the church
age. The second problem with using this scripture to promote
60
96 BORN OF WATER
“praying Jesus into your heart” is that it contradicts Jesus’ own words
two chapters earlier in John 3:5. The third problem is that it
contradicts the apostles’ teaching that membership in the church was
based upon belief, repentance, and baptism in Acts 2:36-42 and
throughout the rest of the book of Acts, the history document of the
New Testament church. The fourth problem is that even though the
scripture is not vague, they read something into it and add a new
meaning which is not stated (“pray Jesus into your heart”). Again,
there is not one example of a person “praying Jesus into his or her
heart” in the New Testament. The last problem with this interpretation
is that after Jesus makes this statement (John 5:24), he continues to
make statements which are contradictory to those people’s views such
as John 8:31-32: “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If
you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will
know the truth and the truth will set you free.’”
Even the evangelical world today is reconsidering these
questions about the birth of a Christian compared with the life
decision of a disciple of Christ as Baptist Distinguished University
Professor of Christian Ethics at Mercer University’s McAfee School
of Theology David P. Gushee discussed in Christianity Today
(August 19, 2007):
Is it permissible to reopen the question of salvation? If

we do, how will Jesus’ teachings stand up to our inherited
traditions?
In reading through Luke, I had discovered that twice
(10:25, 18:18) Jesus is asked, "What must I do to inherit
eternal life?"
…Trying to be an honest expositor of the texts in front
of me, I told the chapel students that morning that on the
two occasions in Luke when Jesus was asked about the
criteria for admission to eternity, he offered a fourfold
answer: love God with all that you are, love your neighbor
(like the Samaritan loved his neighbor), do God's will by
obeying his moral commands, and be willing, if he asks, to
drop everything and leave it behind in order to follow him.
I concluded by suggesting that the contrast between
how Jesus answers this question and how we usually do is
stark and awfully inconvenient.
In my Baptist tradition, especially, we direct people to
“invite Jesus into your heart as your personal Savior,” an
act undertaken using a formula called the “sinner’s prayer.”
Or we simply say, “Believe in Jesus, and you will be
saved.”
But Jesus never taught easy believism. Whether he was
telling the rich young ruler to sell all and follow him or
telling a miracle-hungry crowd near Capernaum that to do
the work of God was, yes, to believe on him (John 6:28-29),
he called people to abandon their own agenda and trust
him radically. Radical trust calls for both belief and action.
I suggest that we tend to confuse the beginning of the
faith journey with its entirety. Yes, believe in Jesus—that’s
the first step… Then, empowered by God’s grace, embark
on the journey of discipleship, in which you seek to love
God with every fiber of your being, to love your neighbor
as yourself, to live out God’s moral will, and to follow Jesus
where he leads you, whatever the cost.
If Jesus is to be believed, inheriting eternal life involves
a comprehensive divine assessment at every step along our
journey, not just at its inception.
Mediocrity and hypocrisy characterize the lives of
many avowed Christians, at least in part because of our
default answer to the salvation question. Anyone can, and
most Americans do, “believe” in Jesus rather than some
alternative savior. Anyone can, and many Americans
sometimes do, say a prayer asking Jesus to save them. But
not many embark on a life fully devoted to the love of God,
the love of neighbor, the moral practice of God’s will, and
radical, costly discipleship.
If it comes down to a choice between our habitual,
ingrained ways of talking about salvation and what Jesus
himself said when asked the question, I know what I must
choose.
98 BORN OF WATER
2. “Baptism Does Not Save You—We Are

Saved by Faith Alone”
The phrase “baptism does not save you” is not in the Bible. The
phrase “baptism now saves you” is in the Bible. In 1 Peter 3:21, the
apostle Peter says “baptism now saves you…through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ.” Acts 2:38 teaches that sin is forgiven and the Holy
Spirit given at baptism. Paul’s sins were forgiven at his baptism in
Acts 22:16.
The phrase “we are saved by faith alone” is not in the Bible. The
phrase “man is justified by works, and not by faith alone” is in the
Bible (James 2:24) but is not the focus of this discussion. Ephesians
2:8 states “for by grace you have been saved through faith.” Again,
the book of James shows that “faith without works is useless” (James
2:20). Martin Luther added the word “alone” in Ephesians 2:8 in
order to justify his own man-made doctrines. Martin Luther also did
not consider the book of James as equal with the other scriptures
because of its emphasis on faith and works. Luther states his
comparison between the book of James and the rest of the New
Testament, “Therefore St. James’ Epistle is really an epistle of straw,
compared to them; for it has nothing of the nature of the Gospel about
it.”61 T.W. Brents expounds on this erroneous practice by religious
people who added to the Bible to justify their own doctrine:
But Paul says: “Therefore being justified by faith we

have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Rom.
v:1. By supplying the word only or alone after the word faith,
this passage has been made to negative (sic) the doctrine of
baptism for remission of sins by setting up the doctrine of
justification by faith alone. If this be the correct
interpretation of the passage, then the word alone may be
supplied in the reading; thus: “Being justified by faith alone
we have peace with God.” Then how are we to reconcile
this statement with others made by Paul himself? If we are
justified by faith alone, we are justified by faith to the
exclusion of every thing else; yet, in the same chapter from
which the above quotation is made, he says: “Much more,
61
Scroll Publishing, 1989), 112.
then, being justified by his blood, we shall be saved from
wrath through him.” Ver. 9. Does Paul thus flatly contradict
himself in the same chapter? Again he says: “Being justified
freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus.” Rom. iii:24. Once more: “Ye are justified in the name
of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Cor.
Vi:11. Now, how can we be justified by ALL these things
and justified by any one of them alone? We may be justified
by grace, but not by grace alone; by Christ, but not by
Christ alone; by blood, but not by blood alone; by the Spirit,
but not by the Spirit alone; in the name of the Lord Jesus,
but not by His name alone; by faith, but not by faith alone;
by works, but not by works alone. We live by breathing, but
not by breathing alone; we live by eating but not by eating
alone; we live by sleeping, but not by sleeping alone; we live
by exercise, but not by exercise alone. A place for every
thing, and every thing in its place, is God’s order every-
where.
But if we may supply the word alone after the word

faith, in Rom. v:1, why may we not do the same thing
elsewhere? If the phrase “by faith” means by faith alone, then
we may supply the word alone and make sense wherever
this form of expression occurs. Shall we try a few passages,
to see whether or not the phrase “by faith” means by faith
alone? “By faith alone Abel offered unto God a more
excellent sacrifice than Cain.” Heb. Xi:4. “By faith alone
Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet,
moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his
house.” Ver. 7. “By faith alone Abraham, when he was
called to go out into a place which he should after receive
for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing
whither he went.” Ver. 8. That is, he sat perfectly still, went
nowhere, nor did anything only by faith! “By faith alone
Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac.” Ver. 17.
That is, by faith alone he went three days’ journey to a
mountain shown him by the Lord; by faith alone he built an
altar; by faith alone he bound his son upon the altar; and by
faith alone he raised his knife and would have slain him had
not the Lord interposed!! And thus we might go through
the whole list of examples given in this chapter, but these
are sufficient to show the absurdity of supplying the word
100 BORN OF WATER
alone or only after faith.62
Colossians 2:12 teaches that people are saved through faith in the
working of God by the blood of Jesus at the time of baptism. One
should also remember that the story of the Ethiopian eunuch’s
conversion illustrated baptism was the response to the gospel which
Philip had preached to him (Acts 8).
After seeing the resurrection of Jesus and being blinded,
Saul/Paul surely had faith. Saul was so impacted by the experience
that he decided to pray continually. Saul also fasted from both food
and water for three days. According to the office of Dr. Richard
Wexler M.D., the three day fast from food and water (whether a
complete seventy-two hours or forty-eight hours plus a few hours
similar to Jesus’ entombment) combined with hot weather or sickness
could have put Saul near physical death. An average adult in stable
circumstances can survive without food and water for only up to
seven days. Ananias tells Saul to focus on his spiritual life by telling
him how to get his sins forgiven, stating: “And now why do you
delay? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins…”
If a “sinner’s prayer” or just “accepting the Lord” or “receiving
Christ” were the biblical precedence, a person would think that after
three days of constantly seeing the resurrected Christ replayed in his
mind’s eye, of prayer, and of fasting, Paul’s sins would have been
forgiven? Luke shows that Paul did not wait until after eating and
drinking the physical life-saving food and water (Acts 9:18-19).
Instead, Ananias tells Saul to be baptized and to wash his sins away.
The servant of Jesus implies that Saul needs to make a response to the
love of Jesus and do something to show his acceptance of the grace of
God. Notice that Jesus told Saul to go to Damascus and that Ananias
would tell him “what he must do” (Acts 9:6 emphasis mine).
Fred Morgan, in a class he teaches on Galatians, adds another
biblical proof to show that salvation by “faith only” is false doctrine:
The concept of becoming a Christian by “faith only” is

shown to be flawed from Galatians 3:1-29. The key to this
passage is understanding who can be justified by faith. Paul
writes that justification by faith is promised to Abraham
and to his Seed, not seeds (as in many), but Seed, as in
62
Christ (vv. 6-9,16). This presents a serious problem. We
cannot be justified by law (vv. 10-12) but God never
promised justification by faith to us, only to Abraham and
to Christ. The purpose of baptism (vv. 26-29) is to get us
into Christ so that we can be justified by faith. Notice verse
29, “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s
offspring, heirs according to the promise.” So by being
baptized into Christ, we have clothed ourselves with Christ,
making it possible to be justified by faith. Until you are in
Christ, you are still under the covenant of justification by
law, no matter how great your faith. To get in the new
covenant of justification by faith, you have to be baptized
into Christ.63
If someone still insists on saying that baptism is a “work,” how

then is a person’s confession with their mouth not a “work?” How can
saying a prayer not be a “work?” How can even the firing of neurons
in a person’s brain while making a decision to follow Jesus not also
be a “work?” They are all physical works but not the works of the
Jewish law. It is also worth noting that even Billy Graham’s states in
his Four Steps to Peace with God, “Fourth, you must confess Christ
publicly.”64 If salvation is by “faith alone” as he asserts elsewhere,
why “must” a person do a physical act to ensure salvation?
David Berçot, in his book Will the Real Heretics Please Stand
Up?, gives some great insight into salvation by grace.
Like Schaeffer, most evangelical writers give the

impression that the belief that our own merits and works
affect our salvation was something that gradually crept into
the church after the time of Constantine and the fall of
Rome. But that’s not really the case.
The early Christians universally believed that works or

obedience play an essential role in our salvation. This is
probably quite a shocking revelation to most evangelicals.
But that there’s no room for doubt concerning this matter, I
63
Fred Morgan teaches this proof in a class on Galatians. Fred and his
wife, Amy (an excellent editor), are disciples of Christ in the Buffalo, NY
area.
64
Billy Graham, The Collected Works of Billy Graham (New York,
NY: Inspiration Press), 287.
102 BORN OF WATER
have quoted below (in approximate chronological order)

from early Christian writers of virtually every generation-—
from the time of the Apostle John to the inauguration of
Constantine…
In fact, every early Christian writer who discussed the

subject of salvation presented this same view…
Does This Mean That Christians Earn Their

Salvation By Works?
No, the early Christians did not teach that we earn

salvation by an accumulation of good works. They
recognized and emphasized the fact that faith is absolutely
essential for salvation, and that without God’s grace
nobody can be saved…You may be saying to yourself, “I’m
confused”…Our problem is that Augustine, Luther, and
other Western theologians have convinced us that there’s an
irreconcilable conflict between salvation based on grace and
salvation conditioned on works or obedience. They have
used a fallacious form of argumentation known as the ‘false
dilemma,’ by asserting that there are only two possibilities
regarding salvation: it’s either (1) a gift from God or (2) it’s
something we earn by our works.
The early Christians would have replied that a gift is

no less a gift simply because it’s conditioned on obedience.
Suppose a king asked his son to go to the royal orchard and
bring back a basket full of the king’s favorite apples. After
the son had complied, suppose the king gave his son half of
his kingdom. Was the reward a gift, or was it something the
son had earned? The answer is that it was a gift. The son
obviously didn’t earn half of his father’s kingdom by
performing such a small task. The fact that the gift was
conditioned on the son’s obedience doesn’t change the fact
that it was still a gift.
The early Christians believed that salvation is a gift

from God but that God gives His gift to whomever He
chooses. And He chooses to give it to those who love and obey
him.
Is their understanding really that strange? I so often
hear evangelical Christians say that welfare should only be
given to those persons who are truly deserving. When they
say that certain poor persons are “deserving,” do they mean
that welfare constitutes wages earned by such persons? Of
course not. They still consider welfare to be a gift. Simply
because a person is selective in his giving, it doesn’t change
the gift into a wage…
As surprising as all of this may be to you, what I’m

about to tell you is even more bizarre. There was a religious
group, labeled as heretics by the early Christians, who
strongly disputed the church’s stance on salvation and
works. Instead, they taught that man is totally depraved.
That we are saved solely by grace. That works play no role
in our salvation. And that we cannot lose our salvation once
we obtain it.
I know what you’re thinking: This group of “heretics”

were the real Christians and the “orthodox” Christians were
really heretics. But such a conclusion is impossible. I say it’s
impossible because the group I’m referring to are the
gnostics.65
Today, most evangelicals are not Gnostics in the complete sense.

But evangelicals do follow false doctrines such as “we are saved by
faith alone” which the early church did not follow. Former Southern
Baptist minister Rick Mark explains:
I shared the “sinner’s prayer” or “plan of salvation”

with at least two thousand people in my fifteen years in the
Baptist ministry. It was devastating to realize that I was
teaching false doctrine with regard to a sinner’s response to
the gospel. I preached the gospel correctly (the death, burial
and resurrection of Jesus Christ), but preached the response
to the gospel incorrectly. I know that I may never see the
vast majority of the people that I “led to Christ,” but it is my
determination to now spend the rest of my earthly life
sharing the complete gospel message. I am excited that God
65
Scroll Publishing, 1989), 57, 60-62, 66.
104 BORN OF WATER
has enlightened me about baptism through his Word. By

seeking to imitate the humility of Apollos, I now truly
understand how to become a biblical Christian and am
determined to seek out other Apolloses who are willing to
listen to the truth.
In his discussion of 1 Peter 3 in Life to the Full Douglas Jacoby

states this concept of salvation and the error of simply focusing on a
few words:
Some of us are so used to plucking a few words out of

verse 21 to talk about baptism that we totally miss Peter’s
imagery: The water in the days of Noah was that which
lifted the ark and separated it from the sinful world. In the
same way baptism lifts us upwards through the
resurrection of Christ and separates us from the filth of the
world. The Flood destroys the world, but brings the faithful
few into a whole new world. Baptism, similarly, destroys
the old sinful nature and brings us upward into a new life.
About the “conscience” (1 Peter 3:21), we read “…as an

appeal to God for a good conscience” (NRSV, emphasis
added). Some translations read “pledge of a good
conscience” (NIV), but that is hardly the meaning of the
original word (eperotema). Possible meanings in the Greek
are “request” and “appeal.” The only reason to translate it
“pledge” is to obscure the connection of baptism with
forgiveness of sins. You can’t pledge to God something you
don’t yet have, but you can appeal to God for a good
conscience, which God provides when your sins are washed
away.
Finally, Peter speaks bluntly: “baptism saves you.”

That is what Peter explicitly says. Let theologians quibble,
the truth speaks for itself. Certainly baptism without faith
doesn’t save you, and baptism without repentance doesn’t
save you. But when baptism is into Christ and done with
faith and repentance, it saves you! So one can no more be
saved without it than Noah and his family could have been
brought into a clean new world without a flood and an ark.
Baptism is no source of boasting for us. It is of Christ. It
connects us to Christ. It saves because of Christ and his
death and resurrection. But precisely because it is of Christ,
baptism saves us!66
1 Peter, written in 64 A.D., illustrates the preaching of the old

time gospel preacher who says that truly water is in the plan. Noah’s
family was saved by God through the flood by the ark. We are saved
by God through the flood of baptism by Jesus’ death and resurrection.
The flood or deluge of Noah’s ark destroyed all the wickedness in the
world. The deluge of Noah started the world over again. The flood of
baptism gives the baptized convert a new start to life (“born again”
John 3:3). Just like the resurrected Christ, Paul says in Romans 6:1-5
that the baptized “too walk in newness of life.”
G. R. Beasley-Murray, the Professor Emeritus of New Testament
Interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, concluded
his four hundred page study of baptism with the following words: “In
the light of the foregoing exposition of the New Testament
representations of baptism, the idea that baptism is a purely symbolic
rite must be pronounced not alone unsatisfactory but out of harmony
with the New Testament itself. Admittedly, such a judgment runs
counter to the popular tradition of the Denomination to which the
writer belongs, as it does to some of the significant contributions to
the study of baptism that have appeared from theologians of other
Churches in recent years. But the New Testament belongs to us all
and we all stand judged by it.”67
66
67
106 BORN OF WATER
3. “Infant Baptism”
The phrase “infant baptism” is not in the Bible. Some people

think that “infant baptism” originated in the latter part of the second
century. “Infant baptism” (baptism of children at a young age) met
with strong resistance from the church. Tertullian opposed it as he
said it would be safer and more profitable to wait until faith had
formed in the child. In his book on church history, F. W. Mattox
traces the development of this doctrine. “First, Irenaeus (early third
century) taught that Adam’s sin took away man’s divine likeness.
Then, Tertullian (160-220) developed the doctrine into more of its
present form; and slightly later, Cyprian made a connection with the
need to baptize infants.”68
Steve Staten explains one of the biggest reasons this confusion
arose:
As soon as we have Latin texts such as the case with

Tertullian’s works, a theological difficulty arises. This
language is more pragmatic than Greek, it allows for no
coinciding realities, but mostly cause/effect relations. Put
into the hands of a lawyer like Tertullian, we find
formulations that had not existed in earlier Greek texts. For
instance, the relation between Adam’s sin and our sin
sounds like the original sin that Augustine understood.
To make matters worse, the Latin text from Jerome for

Romans 5:12 also sounded like we received Adam’s sin, not
just his nature and consequences. Again, there was a great
deal of difficulty in translating Greek into Latin, causing
Augustine to be predisposed by a sincere difficulty in
understanding.
Augustine’s teaching in the fourth century of the doctrine of

“Original Sin” (which should be called “Original Guilt”) led to a
wholesale acceptance of this false doctrine in the fifth century.
Augustine, often considered the “Father of the (Catholic) Church,”
stated that because of Adam, each baby was born with sin. Since,
according to this false doctrine, each baby was born with sin, if the
68
Gordon Ferguson, Prepared to Answer (Woburn, MA: Discipleship
baby died, the baby’s soul would be lost. To ensure that babies would
not be lost, “infant baptism” was propagated. Staten further states:
Infant baptism arose in part due to sentimentality.

Many writers from the early third century indicate that
people were baptizing their young children just before their
death, say at age four, before a universal theologian came
along to justify it. Since the death rate among children was
high, Christian parents probably kept moving the proper
baptism period earlier and earlier so their near-death
children could have the honor and distinction of baptism.
Original Guilt had not yet developed at this time.
The acceptance of “infant baptism” as church doctrine also

shows one of the points in time where the church started moving
away from the Bible and toward the written tradition of church
leaders. “Original Guilt” became official “Catholic doctrine” in A.D.
549. The sister doctrine of “infant baptism,” “confirmation,” does not
have a scriptural basis either. In fact, Martin Luther stated in his
treatise On Rebaptism, “It cannot be proved by the sacred Scriptures
that infant baptism was instituted by Christ, or begun by the first
Christians after the apostles.”
Gordon Ferguson, in commenting about how proponents of
infant baptism often cite the circumcision aspect of Colossians 2:9-
14, states:
…personal faith is tied inseparably to the act of

baptism in the passage.
However, aside from that text, a number of compelling

facts demonstrate the invalidity of the attempted parallel:
Circumcision was for the Jews, but baptism is for all

nations (Matthew 28:19).
Circumcision was for Jews eight days old, but baptism

is for those old enough to believe and repent.
Circumcision was for males only, but baptism is for

males and females.
Circumcision was for those already born into the

108 BORN OF WATER
covenant, but baptism puts us into the covenant under

Christ (Galatians 3:26-29).
Circumcision placed the one circumcised under the

obligation of the Law, but baptism frees us from the Law
(Galatians 3:24-29).
Circumcision bore no relationship to the cross, but

baptism is into the death, burial and resurrection of Christ
(Romans 6:3-4).
Circumcision had no connection to forgiveness of sin,

but baptism is expressly for the forgiveness of sin (Acts
2:38; 22:16).
Circumcision was not connected to the reception of the

Holy Spirit, but baptism is followed by our reception of the
Spirit (Acts 2:38).
Circumcision caused those circumcised to go on their

way weeping, but baptism causes those baptized to go on
their way rejoicing! (Acts 8:36-39).
The timing of teaching and entering the covenant is

altogether different in the NT and OT…In summary, in the
OT, people were born and then taught; in the NT, they are taught
and then born. Therefore, attempting to justify infant baptism
by trying to compare it to circumcision falls very far short!69
Ezekiel 18:20 clearly teaches that “the soul who sins is the one
who will die.” Each person is responsible for his actions and will be
judged accordingly. The saving power of baptism is only activated by
a firm faith in Jesus Christ. A baby cannot have faith. Since people
are baptized through faith in the power of God (Colossians 2:12),
babies should not be baptized. Baptism is also connected with
repentance of sins and Lordship of Christ. There is no way that a baby
or even a young child could make the decision to repent of his future
sins, be a disciple of Christ, or even confess “Jesus is Lord” before
being baptized.
69
Ibid., 106-107.
Some religious people claim that in the several household
conversions of the Bible children must have been in the family.
Although it may be true that some of the families may have had
children, it is also clear by looking at each situation that those present
heard the message, understood the message, and responded to the
message. Those situations include Cornelius’ household (Acts 10), in
which the angel told him Peter would declare a message by which
Cornelius would be saved; Lydia at Philippi, who was baptized with
her household (Acts 11); those who believed in the Philippian Jailor’s
house and were baptized (Acts 16); Paul’s baptism of the house of
Stephanas who was powerful in the ministry (1 Corinthians 1); and
possibly the house of Onesiphorus (2 Timothy 1, 4).
One of the first groups to move away from “infant baptism” was
the Anabaptists. Bruce L. Shelley explains in his book Church
History in Plain Language that Anabaptists were the radicals of the
sixteenth century. Shelley notes, “They had come to their convictions
like most other Protestants—through the Scriptures.” Elsewhere
Shelley says:
Even the name “Anabaptist” was pinned on them by

their enemies. It meant “rebaptizer” and was intended to
associate the radicals with heretics in the early church and
subject them to severe persecution. The move succeeded
famously.
Actually, the Anabaptists rejected all thoughts of

“rebaptism” because they never considered the ceremonial
sprinkling of infant baptism as valid baptism…
They discovered a different world in the pages of the

New Testament. They found no state-church alliance, no
Christendom. Instead the Anabaptists discovered that the
apostolic churches were companies of committed believers,
communities of men and women who had freely and
personally chosen to follow Jesus…
The apostolic churches knew nothing of the practice of

baptizing infants. That tradition was simply a convenient
device for perpetuating Christendom in a nominal but
spiritually impotent society.
110 BORN OF WATER
The true church, the radicals insisted, is always the

community of saints, dedicated disciples, in a wicked
world. Like the missionary monks of the Middle ages, the
Anabaptists would shape their society by their example of
radical discipleship—if necessary, even by death.
Philippi Stream where Lydia was baptized into Christ

The Anabaptists followed the Apostolic tradition of
personal faith and confession before baptism...
Finally, the Zurich council lost all patience. On 7

March 1526, it decided that anyone found rebaptizing
would be put to death by drowning. Apparently their idea
was, “If the heretics want water, let them have it.” Within a
year, on 5 January 1527, Felix Manz became the first
Anabaptist martyr. The Zurich authorities drowned him in
the Limmat, which flows through the city. Within four
years the radical movement in and around Zurich was
practically put to death…
In 1529 the imperial Diet of Speyer proclaimed

Anabaptism a heresy and every court in Christendom was
obliged to condemn the heretics to death. During the
Reformation years, between four and five thousand
Anabaptists were executed by fire, water, and sword…
In the sixteenth century the heretics seemed to be

destroying the very fabric of society. That is why the voice
of conscience was so often silenced by martyrdom.
We hear that voice in a moving letter written by a

young mother in 1573, to her daughter only a few days old.
The father had already been executed as an Anabaptist. The
mother, in an Antwerp jail, had been reprieved only long
enough to give birth to her child, “…Oh, that it had pleased
the Lord that I might have brought you up, but it seems that
it is not the Lord’s will…Be not ashamed of us; it is the way
which the prophets and the apostles went. Your dear father
demonstrated with his blood that it is the genuine faith, and
I also hope to attest the same with my blood, though flesh
and blood must remain on the posts and on the stake, well
knowing that we shall meet hereafter.”70
Beasley-Murray concurs that “infant baptism” is unscriptural:
70
Word Publishing, 1995), 247-251.
112 BORN OF WATER
Here then are the data. The New Testament gives no

evidence that infant baptism was practiced in the primitive
Church; its theology of baptism is lofty, with no taint of
magical conceptions, and it does not allow of application to
the baptism of infants…
John Murray, a Presbyterian, stated, “If it is proper to

administer baptism to infants, then the import of baptism
must be the same for infants as for adults. It cannot have
one meaning for infants and another for adults.”
Cremer, a Lutheran, expressed himself more strongly.

He asked, “Is our baptism also, which we received as new
born children, the appropriation of the grace of God,
forgiveness of all sins, a bath of regeneration? If this
question is answered with a ‘No’ then our baptism, or the
baptism as it is now practiced within Christianity, is not the
baptism commanded by the Lord Christ. If it is not that,
then it is no baptism at all: no washing of sins, no burial
with Christ, no resurrection with him—it is nothing…no less
than nothing! For then it hinders the real baptism which the
Lord Christ has commanded, and therefore it hinders the
attainment of grace and the fulfillment of redemption in
us…If this baptism were in vain, then the Holy Spirit would
be given to nobody; nobody would be saved; in short there
would be no church.”71
Babies are born sinless and innocent as Gordon Ferguson shows

from his book Prepared to Answer:
Ecclesiastes 7:29 states: “This only have I found: God

made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of
many schemes.” Paul said of himself, “Once I was alive
apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin
sprang to life and I died” (Romans 7:9). When Paul was old
enough to really understand and respond to the commands
of God, then sin became a reality for him, and at that point
he died spiritually. That seems plain enough, does it not?
Jesus told us to become like little children, and talked of
71
Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdman’s Publishing, 1962), 358, 360.
them in a way which made it clear that they are right with
God (Matthew 18:1-4, 10). Keep in mind that the children of
which he spoke were not baptized, for the doctrine of infant
baptism had not yet been invented!
Babies cannot biblically be baptized, nor do they need

to be. They do not need forgiveness, for they have nothing
for which to be forgiven. They do not need to be saved,
because they are already safe.72
72
114 BORN OF WATER
4. “The Greek ‘eis’ in Acts 2:38 Means

‘Because of’ Not ‘for’”
Some religious people will argue that the Greek word “eis”,
which is translated “for” in “let each of you be baptized in the name
of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins,” should really be
translated “in order to show.” “Eis” would then mean that baptism
was just an “outward sign of an inward grace,” a grace which had
taken place earlier when faith began. Besides the other scriptures
cited previously that contradict this perspective, this book includes an
appendix of denominational translators with their translations of the
Greek word “eis” for this passage. It is true that the translation of
“eis” can mean different things in different contexts in the Greek.
Even though some may debate the meaning of “eis,” there is no
translation debate among Greek scholars about its translation in this
scripture, Acts 2:38.
Jack Cottrell (Professor of Theology at Cincinnati Bible
Seminary) explains the possible translations of “eis.”
The preferred terminology is a matter of considerable

controversy since exegetes often try to make the word
conform to a preconceived view of baptism. Three main
approaches may be identified. The first is that eis here
retains its most common meaning of direction or motion
toward something, which includes the concepts of purpose
and goal. On this understanding the purpose or goal of
baptism is to bring about forgiveness of sins. This view is
consistent with the idea of baptism as a condition for
salvation and for entrance into the kingdom of God. A
second approach is that eis here means because of, the idea
being that a person is baptized because his sins have
already been forgiven. The third view is that eis here means
the same thing as the preposition en (“in”), which does not
mean motion toward but simply location in. This view posits
only a very general connection between baptism and
forgiveness, viz., “be baptized in relation to forgiveness of
sins.” The last two views are preferred by those who reject
the conditional relation between baptism and salvation.
Of these three views, the first is clearly the meaning in
Acts 2:38 on both lexicographical and contextual grounds.
Regarding its actual meaning, a study of the lexicons shows
that the primary meaning and the overwhelmingly most
common use of eis is “motion toward” in any one of a
number of senses, the explanation of which takes two full
pages in the Arndt and Gingrich lexicon. In this general
category the two most common meanings are “moving
from one physical place to another” (88 lines in the lexicon)
and “goal or purpose” (127 lines—one full page). By
contrast only five lines are devoted to the alleged causal use
of eis. Arndt and Gingrich call this use “controversial”
because there is reason to doubt that it ever has this
meaning in Greek usage…
The meaning “because of” is highly debatable simply

because it has no solid basis in the Greek language as such.
The meaning “with reference to” is possible but not likely
given its relatively infrequent use. Thus if eis has one of
these last two meanings in Acts 2:38, that meaning would
have to be contextually clear.
In the final analysis the meaning of eis in this passage

will be determined by the context…We must remember that
Peter’s statement is part of his answer to the Jews’ question
of crucifying Christ. They specifically asked, “What shall
we do?” to get rid of this guilt? Any instruction Peter gave
them would have been understood by them in this light,
and must be so understood by us today. When he told them
to repent and be baptized “eis the forgiveness” of their sins,
the only honest reading is that baptism is for the purpose or
goal of receiving forgiveness. This meaning is not just
warranted but is actually demanded by the context.
The fact that baptism is paralleled here with

repentance confirms this meaning. Surely no one questions
that Peter is telling his audience to repent for the purpose of
bringing about forgiveness of sins…If repentance is for the
purpose of bringing about forgiveness, so also is baptism.
Even if the so-called “causal” meaning of eis were not

in doubt on lexicographical grounds, it would surely be
116 BORN OF WATER
excluded in Acts 2:38 by the context itself. “Be baptized

because your sins have been forgiven” is the exact opposite
of what would be expected and required in their situation.
The whole point is that the Jews’ sins are not forgiven, and
they are asking what to do to receive such forgiveness.73
Dana & Mantey’s definitive work on Greek in the New

Testament includes the following quotation that recognizes baptism
was strictly administered for the forgiveness of sins:
When one considers in Ac. 2:38 repentance as self-

renunciation and baptism as a public expression of self-
surrender and self-dedication to Christ, which significance
it certainly had in the first century, the expression eis ajesin
twn amartvn umvn may mean for the purpose of the
remission of sins. But if one stresses baptism, without its
early Christian import, as a ceremonial means of salvation,
he does violence to Christianity as a whole...74
Another place in the New Testament where the same phrase “for
the forgiveness of sins” occurs in the Greek is in Matthew 26:28.
And while they were eating, Jesus took some bread,

and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples,
and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And when He had
taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying,
“Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the
covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of
sins (Matthew 26:26-28).”
If a person takes the false view of “eis,” meaning “because of,”

Jesus would be saying that he does not have to die on the cross. Jesus
would be testifying that his blood of the covenant had already been
poured out even before his death. This contradicts the rest of the New
73
Jack Cottrell, Baptism: A Biblical Study ( Joplin, MO: College Press
Publishing Co., 1994), 57-60.
74
H.E. Dana, Th.D., Professor of New Testament Interpretation at the
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas and Julius
R. Mantey, Th.D., D.D., Professor of New Testament Interpretation in the
Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois, A Manual
Grammar of the Greek New Testament (London: “Unusual Meanings for
Prepositions in the Greek New Testament”, 1923), 104.
Testament teaching on baptism and on how to become a Christian.
This view also contradicts the Protestant belief that Jesus’ blood of
the covenant was on the cross at the time Jesus took the punishment
for our sins.
Other places in the New Testament where this arrangement of
the Greek is found in regard to conversion are Mark 1:1-22 and Luke
3:3-22. These scriptures describe John’s baptism, which also was “for
the forgiveness of sins.” There is no doubt about what Peter said on
Pentecost day. There is no doubt what Matthew, Mark, and Luke
meant to say in the Greek. Any attempt to distort this biblical doctrine
is either a sincere attempt to follow false traditions created by men or
a smoke screen used in order to not obey the biblical way to become a
Christian. Therefore one should not be intimidated by a academically
lofty question like “Do you know the Greek in Acts 2:38?”
118 BORN OF WATER
5. “Baptism Is Only an Outward Sign of

an Inward Grace”
The phrase “baptism is only an outward sign of an inward grace”

is not in the Bible. However, Romans 6:1-5 does state that baptism is
the actual participation in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Although baptism does symbolize many important aspects of the
gospel, it is not merely a ritualistic sign, seal, or symbol. The
necessity of baptism is an important subject. As Beasley-Murray
writes:
Who would have wished to raise the question? It

would have sounded as strange to a first generation
Christian as many other queries of our time such as, “Is it
necessary for a Christian to join the church? Is it necessary
to pray? Is corporate worship necessary? Is preaching
necessary? Is the Lord’s Supper necessary? Is the Bible
necessary? Such matters are self-evident, for they belong to
the very structure of the Christian life…”
For Paul, circumcision stood for Judaism and baptism

stood for the Gospel; for a Gentile to be circumcised
entailed a committal to obedience to the Law of Moses in its
entirety (Gal. 5.3), and after baptism to Christ that would
mean a virtual cancellation of the believer’s professed
dependence on Christ (Gal. 5.2); baptism, however, meant
committal to obedience to Christ. The assertion, “Unless
you become baptized you cannot be saved” would have
sounded to a first generation Christian like saying “Unless
you believe and are Christ’s you cannot be a Christian,” and
no controversy could have arisen on that basis.75
75
Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdman’s Publishing, 1962), 297-298.
6. “Baptism Is Not Important: Look at

What Paul Said to the Corinthians”
The phrases “baptism is not important” and “baptism is not
essential for salvation” are not in the Bible. In 1 Corinthians 1:10-17,
Paul does not diminish the importance of baptism; Paul himself was
baptized to have his sins forgiven (Acts 22:16). In context, the apostle
makes the point that he does not want people solely following men.
This occurred because the people were bragging about leaders they
were close to and about which leaders baptized them. This destructive
practice of dividing the body of Christ in a broad sense is called
denominationalism. Denomination means of a name or a group.
Paul mentions baptism several times in this passage and Paul
himself baptized several people including the entire household of
Stephanas. Paul merely implies that preaching is a more important
function than baptizing because anyone can immerse a person in
water. How difficult is it to immerse a person in water? Children dunk
each other in pools all the time. How easy is it to preach a sermon?
How easy is it to help a person make the Bible and Jesus Christ their
standard for living? Preaching must come first in order for a person to
come to faith (Romans 10:14-15). After a person has come to faith,
then he is baptized.
In regard to the structure of Paul’s language in 1 Corinthians
1:17, it is an excellent example of an ellipsis, a figure of speech where
certain words not directly expressed are understood. Other scriptural
examples include 1 Peter 3:3-4 and John 6:27 where Peter and Jesus
are not prohibiting things but are rather emphasizing another issue
that needs to be discussed. Speaking of the tendency of some people
to minimize baptism, Beasley-Murray writes:
…it is generally recognized that so to read this

utterance is to abuse it and to misunderstand Paul’s
sacramental teaching. It may be affirmed with confidence
that the man who formulated the baptismal theology in
Rom. 6:1f, Gal. 3:26f, and Col. 2:11f did not think lightly of
baptism and would not have wished to give the impression
that he did. If vv. 14 and 17 are interpreted in the light of
the whole paragraph they do not yield a contrary meaning
without injustice. The immediate intention of Paul is to
express relief that he had baptized few in Corinth “lest any
120 BORN OF WATER
should say that you were baptized in my name”…
Most scholars regard v. 17 as implying a conviction on

Paul’s part that his appointed task was to preach the gospel
and that the administration of baptism belonged to the
office or charisma of others.76
76
Ibid., 178-179.
7. “Thief on the Cross Was Not Baptized”

Whether or not he (the thief) was baptized no one
knows. Since huge numbers of people had been baptized by
John (Matthew 3:5-6), he might well have been. However,
this is not the main consideration. This issue is a covenant
issue. Jesus himself lived and died under the Judaic
covenant. The Great Commission baptism of Matthew 28:18-
20 was not required nor preached until the day of Pentecost
as described in Acts 2. No one could have experienced this
baptism before then because it was a baptism into the
death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. It was not possible
before Jesus accomplished these things, nor could it have
been required until the new covenant went into effect. Read
Hebrews 9:15-17 with this principle in mind.
And for this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, in

order that since a death has taken place for the redemption of the
transgressions that were {committed} under the first covenant,
those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal
inheritance. For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be
the death of the one who made it. For a covenant is valid {only}
when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made
it lives. (Hebrews 9:15-17)
Therefore, what the thief did or did not do has little to

do with us.77
During Jesus’ earthly ministry, he had the power to forgive sins

(Matthew 9:2-6, Mark 2:5, Luke 5:20, 7:50). Also, the New Covenant
was not yet in effect because Jesus had not yet died under the Old
Covenant (Hebrews 9:17). This is similar to a person arguing that
they should not pay a parking meter since in the past their grandfather
did not have to pay for parking. And since according to Romans 6:2-4
baptism is the actual participation in Jesus’ death, burial, and
resurrection, the thief could not have been baptized into Jesus’ death,
burial, or resurrection.
77
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8. “Believer’s Baptism”
In today’s religious world “believer’s baptism” refers to an adult
who has faith in Christ and is baptized but already considers himself
or herself previously forgiven by God or in Christ Jesus. The phrase
“Believer’s Baptism” is not in the Bible although technically every
biblical baptism is of a believer. As previously discussed, a person
should not be baptized without belief because baptism without belief
is not biblical and makes no difference to the person. However,
“Believer’s Baptism” is adult baptism that is done with the
understanding that God is not giving the person any spiritual gifts at
that point in time. In this view, baptism is simply obedience to the
command of Jesus as a way to follow Christ’s example, as a sign to
prove that a person believes in Jesus, or to go public as a witness to
others who actually view the baptism.
In contrast to this view, Peter talks about the one baptism that
Paul mentions (Ephesians 4:1-4) as the one that saves a person
(1 Peter 3:21). Over the first centuries of Christianity, there was no
such thing a non-baptized Christian (John 3:5, Acts 2:38). Although it
is not the same issue, one other thing to consider is that the Ephesian
disciples in Acts 19:1-5 who were originally baptized under John's
baptism and then rebaptized under the New Covenant appear to have
a similar understanding to “Believer’s Baptism” (even though they
not originally baptized during the same covenant). Leaders should
especially consider what the Bible actually states about baptism and
base what they teach on the word of God rather than on what people
taught them or what their church members may believe. Many
Christian leaders fear that if they were to mention or emphasize
baptism as one of the primary responses to the good news of Jesus
along with faith and repentance, baptism might cheapen the grace of
God through Christ in some fashion. That is a valid concern. The
blood of Christ and the grace of God should never be minimized. Yet,
when a person focuses upon personal responses, whether it is through
faith, repentance, or baptism, it is easy to focus on ourselves and
forget God’s love through Jesus’ death on the cross.
Although it is obvious from the Bible scriptures discussed
previously that God actually does confer grace and spiritual gifts to
the believer at the time of baptism, who has the right to restrict God's
freedom and power to also extend grace whenever or wherever he
chooses? As the New Testament restorationist attempts to
systematically document the Bible doctrines and organize the church,
could it be that God can actually also work outside of His own New
Covenant prescriptions recorded in God’s Word? This is a really
scary concept to many of us! When we define our systems, we feel
very comfortable with them. They make sense, they are logical and
objective, and we can easily define where the kingdom of God’s
borders are located. But what if God might also work outside of our
limited expectations for those who exhibit the fruit of the Spirit,
potentially similar to the way that Jesus told the thief on the cross he
would be with him in paradise? One may leave judgment to God
while taking God’s imperatives seriously. One may respect and love
the pious non-immersed while insisting that God has set forth faith
and repentance and baptism as instrumentally effective in bringing
about the forgiveness of sins.
This concept of God’s working outside of the Bible scares many
of us for obvious reasons. What about the people who claim the Holy
Spirit led them to do x, y, or z? What about the charismatic preacher
who leads a group in a direction that may be unhealthy in the long
run? All of these concerns are reduced when we stay and teach within
the boundaries and confines of the New Testament scriptures. But this
view does seem to limit how the Holy Spirit can work in our lives.
And it scares the Restorationist because it makes one wonder if the
written Word might not be sufficient in some fashion while scriptures
like John 12:47-48 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17 declare the importance of
the Scriptures.
While the judgment of one’s salvation should be left up to God,
every Bible believer along with each minister has a responsibility to
teach what the Bible teaches. It must be noted that those who teach
others will be judged more strictly (James 3:1). In general, it must be
admitted that the Restoration Movement churches (especially
churches of Christ) have overemphasized baptism while
underemphasizing the good news of Jesus Christ, the beauty of the
wretched cross, and faith in general. The proper baptism has become
the primary issue. In the New Testament church, baptism was NOT
the primary issue and we should resist the temptation to respond to
today’s doctrinal weaknesses in order to overemphasize baptize. This
is easy to do when a church or a leader tries to distinguish their
differences between themselves and another. However, biblical
baptism is far more than just a command to obey. It is a beautiful
wedding ceremony for the believer and participation in the death,
burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. What a privilege for
124 BORN OF WATER
a believer to be baptized and identified with our Savior as we are

baptized into Christ Jesus!
9. “Baptism Through Pouring or

Sprinkling”
The phrase “baptism through pouring or sprinkling” is not in the
Bible. It probably originated in the second century for those who were
physically unable to be immersed. “Baptism through pouring or
sprinkling” met with strong resistance from some in the church. The
first significant challenge to immersion came in the third century A.D.
While near death in 251 A.D., a man named Novatian asked for
baptism to save his soul. Because it was thought he could not have
survived the movement involved in full immersion, water was poured
all around his body while he lay on the bed. By the fifth or sixth
century, pouring and sprinkling had widespread acceptance as it was
easier than immersion, and because of the false doctrines of “infant
baptism” and “original guilt.” Northern countries tended to accept it
more quickly because of their colder climates. Brents notes that the
official church laws for sprinkling came centuries after the apostles
were dead:
The first general law for sprinkling was obtained in the

following manner: Pope Stephen II, being driven from
Rome by Adolphus, king of the Lombards, in 753, fled to
Pepin, who a short time before had usurped the crown of
France. Whilst he remained there, the monks of Cressy, in
Brittany, consulted him whether, in case of necessity,
baptism poured on the head of the infant would be lawful.
Stephen replied that it would. But though the truth of this
fact be allowed—which, however, some Catholics deny—
yet pouring or sprinkling was admitted only in cases of
necessity. It was not till the year 1311 that the legislature, in
a council held in Ravenna, declared immersion or
sprinkling to be indifferent.78
According to teacher and evangelist Douglas Jacoby these are

the popular Greek words for the modes of administering water in the
New Testament: the Greek word, “cheo,” meaning “pour,” is never
used in the New Testament in connection with baptism; the Greek
78
Guardian of Truth Foundation, 1987), 226, 227, 230, 231.
126 BORN OF WATER
word, “hrantidzo,” meaning “sprinkle,” is never used in the New

Testament in connection with baptism; the Greek word, “hydraino,”
meaning “apply water,” is never used in the New Testament in
connection with water baptism; the Greek word, “baptidzo,” meaning
“immerse,” is the one word always used in the New Testament for
baptism.79 Translation takes an equivalent word from one language
into another language. Transliteration creates a new word in the target
language which allows a more subjective interpretation.
Jacoby later records:
Often it is said that the King James translators chose to

transliterate the word baptidzo instead of to translate it, in
order to avoid embarrassing the king. In fact, transliteration
of the word dates back at least as early as the 5th century.
The Latin Vulgate translation (completed in 405 A.D.) of
Acts 2:38 reads:
Petrus vero ad illos: Paenitentiam, inquit, agite, et

baptizetur unusquisque vestrum in nomine Iesu Christi…[Peter
replied to them, “Do penance, and let every one of you be
baptised in the name of Jesus Christ…]
The Catholic church adopted baptidzo into their

language (Latin) as baptizo. Why? Infant baptism appears
to have been first practised in the 2nd century, although it
was rare until the 3rd century. By the 5th century infant
baptism was widespread. In light of this it is hardly
surprising that the Latin church chose to create a new word,
baptizo, instead of using the normal Latin verb immergere [to
immerse].80
Although New Testament Greek is not typically spoken today,

twentieth century Greek is derived from it. This results in the Greek
Orthodox church knowing what baptism meant in the early “Koine”
Greek. The Greek Orthodox church immerses infants. Dr. Moses
Stewart proves this point as he states that these “sprinklings” became
at length quite common in the Western church, but “the mode of
79
Douglas Jacoby, Shining Like Stars (London, England: London
Church of Christ, 1990), 193.
80
Ibid., 194.
baptism by immersion in the Oriental church [Greek Orthodox] has
always continued to be preserved even down to the present time.”81
Remember Acts 8 where Philip goes down into the water to
baptize the Ethiopian eunuch and comes back up out of the water.
John also went to an area of the Jordan where there was much water
to baptize. In both Romans 6:3-5 and Colossians 2:12, baptism is
equated with physical burial. At death, most bodies are buried under
several feet of soil. Imagine trying to bury a person’s body by
sprinkling a handful of dirt on it.
T.W. Brents, in his book The Gospel Plan of Salvation shows
several examples of the actual Greek uses of “baptism”:
Polybius, born 205 years before Christ, History, book I,

chap. 51, 6. In his account of the sea fight at Drepanum,
between the Romans and Carthagenians, describing the
advantages of the latter in their choice of a position, and in
the superior structure and more skillful management of
their vessels, he says:
“For, if any were hard pressed by the enemy, they

retreated safely, on account of their fast sailing, into the
open space; and then with reversed course, now sailing
round and now attacking in flank the more advanced of the
pursuers, while turning and embarrassed on account of the
weight of the ships and the unskillfulness of the crews, they
made continued assaults and submerged (BAPTIZED)
many of the vessels.”
The same work, book iii, ch 72, 4. Speaking of the

passage of the Roman army, under the consul Tiberius,
through the river Tebia, which had been swollen by heavy
rains, he says:
“They passed through with difficulty, the foot soldiers

immersed (baptized) as far as to the breast.”
Josephus, born A.D. 37, Jewish Antiquities, book xv, ch.

3,3. Describing the murder of the boy Aristobulus, who (by
81
Guardian of Truth Foundation, 1987), 309.
128 BORN OF WATER
Herod’s command) was drowned by his companions in a

swimming-bath, says:
“Continually pressing down and immersing

(baptizing) him while swimming, as if in sport, they did not
desist till they had entirely suffocated him.”
The same writer, Life of Himself, sec. 3, says:
“For our vessel having been submerged (baptized) in

the midst of the Adriatic, being about six hundred in
number, we swam through the whole night.”82
It would be hilarious to see the competing ships trying to get

close enough to the enemy ships to sprinkle or pour water onboard so
that the opposing navy would be shipwrecked and destroyed! Can you
visualize that scene?
Even in the Roman Catholic Church in recent years, there has
been renewed recognition of the significance of baptism by
immersion, arising from the work of the Second Vatican Council.
Immersion is now encouraged as a fuller sign of baptism, as it
pictures Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. Even still, immersion
has seen little progress in the local parish church, mainly because the
buildings have baptismal fonts and do not have baptisteries. One of
the most modern translations, The English Version for the Deaf83,
translates the word as “baptism” but places the following footnote at
every occurrence of “baptism” or “baptize”: “A Greek word meaning
to be immersed, dipped or buried briefly under water.”
L. G. Tomlinson writes about being born of water (John 3:5),
“To be born means to come out. No one ever heard of a child being
born of a mother smaller than itself. Likewise to be born of the water
requires a larger body of water than the one baptized.”84
Dr. H. F. York also comments on the problem with substituting
pouring or sprinkling for immersing, as he states:
82
Ibid., 226, 227, 230, 231.
83
The English Version for the Deaf (Arlington, TX: World Bible
Translation Center, Inc.)
84
L. G. Tomlinson, Churches of Today in the Light of Scripture,
What do the words, sprinkle, pour and immerse mean?
Webster’s New International Dictionary defines them as
follows: Sprinkle; To scatter in drops or particles, as water,
seed, etc.; Pour; To cause or allow to flow in a stream;
Immerse; To plunge; to dip; sink; bury. May we read: “In
those days, the Jews of Jerusalem and Judea went out to
John, and were sprinkled by him in the Jordan, confessing
their sins.” Now then, let us try the definition: “In those
days, the Jews of Jerusalem and Judea went out to John and
were scattered in drops or particles, as water, seed, etc. by
him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.” What an
absurdity! What an impossibility! The only way a person
could be sprinkled is to have their body cremated and then
have someone else sprinkle their physical body’s ashes.85
Sprinkling a person’s body parts into the water is obviously not

what Jesus did or meant! In fact, Jesus and John went where there
was much water (John 3:23). York continues: “There is not a single
instance in the whole Divine Record, where water unmixed with any
other substance was ever sprinkled upon a man, woman or child, as a
religious rite, or ceremony, by the authority of God, but who were
already with the Jewish commonwealth, in or under the old covenant.
Therefore, it was never for an initiatory rite, for the way into the
Jewish Commonwealth, or Covenant was by a birth—natural birth—
just as the way into the church of Christ is by a birth.”86
Some refer to Ezekiel 36:22-25 as the reason for Great
Commission baptism by sprinkling. This “clean water” that Ezekiel is
referring to was defined by God to Moses as running water mixed
with the ashes from a red heifer (without spot, blemish and which
never had a yoke on it) burnt together with cedar wood, hyssop, and
scarlet (Numbers 19:1-19). L. G. Tomlinson concludes a study on
sprinkling from the whole Bible with the following summary:
1. Ashes, blood, oil, scarlet wool, hyssop, ashes of a red

heifer, ashes of cedar wood, dust and clean water are said to
be sprinkled.
85
Publishing Company, 1948), 59-60.
86
Ibid., 46.
130 BORN OF WATER
2. Nowhere in the Old or New Testament is water

alone (nothing but water) ever said to be sprinkled upon
any one or anything.
3. Baptism is done in the name of the Father and of the

Son and of the Holy Spirit, but sprinkling was done in no
name.
4. No reference on sprinkling even hints at baptism.
5. The great Scriptural commands of obedience to the

Gospel are faith, repentance and baptism. Paul said: “Let us
draw near with a true heart (faith) in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience
(repentance), and our bodies washed with pure water
(baptism)” (Heb. 10:22).
Note: Baptism is a washing (Acts 22:16; Titus 3:5).87
87
L. G. Tomlinson, Churches of Today in the Light of Scripture,
10. “Baptism for the Dead”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon
church) teaches an alluring doctrine that those who have died outside
of Christ have another chance for salvation in the hereafter. The
Mormon doctrine of salvation for the dead eliminates the false
dilemma that God would be unfair if he did not offer the gospel to
those in the spirit world who had never heard it during their mortal
lives. Those in the spirit world would need the knowledge of Jesus’
atoning sacrifice and the ordinance of water baptism.88 Thus, the
Mormon church holds to proxy baptisms for people who have already
died but were not baptized. My wife grew up in the LDS church as a
Temple Mormon and was immersed for fifteen dead people who had
the last name beginning with ‘M’ in the Washington DC Temple.
The baptism for the dead can only be performed in a Mormon
temple and is one of the primary functions of the Mormon temple
system. Baptism for the dead is a Latter-day Saint’s solemn duty.
Joseph Smith, the misguided founder of Mormonism (killed in a
shoot-out in the old jail in Carthage, Illinois―three blocks from the
house where I grew up), claimed 1 Corinthians 15:29 as his only text
for this doctrine. It should be noted that the Book of Mormon is silent
about salvation of the dead and baptism for the dead even though it
claims to be the “fullness of the everlasting gospel.” The Mormon
scriptures outside the Book of Mormon that do mention these subjects
are distorted interpretations of 1 Peter 3:18-20, 4:6, and 1 Corinthians
15:29. On the contrary, the Bible teaches that man’s eternal destiny is
fixed at death, as 2 Corinthians 5:10, 6:2, Luke 16:9-31 and Hebrews
9:27 state. Even the Encyclopedia of Mormonism acknowledges that
there is no extra-biblical mention of baptism for the dead, “a practice
for which we have no other evidence in the Pauline or other New
Testament or early Christian writings.”89
In dealing with 1 Corinthians 15:29, clearly this subject is
merely mentioned, not taught. The context of the entire chapter is the
resurrection of the dead, which we take for granted but which was
88
“The Mormon Doctrine of Salvation for the Dead,” Christian
Research Journal, Volume 20:2 November-December 1997 (Rancho Santa
Margarita, CA: Christian Research Institute), 22-27.
89
“Baptism for the Dead-Ancient Sources,” in Encyclopedia of
Mormonism, 4 vols. (New York: Macmillan, 1992), 1:97.
132 BORN OF WATER
considered foolishness in ancient Greek culture (Corinth was a Greek

city and note the Greek reaction to Paul in Acts 17:18-34).
There have been many interpretations of this scripture over the
years. Beasley-Murray mentions that British scholars Robertson and
Plummer favored the idea of people being baptized “out of affection
or respect of the dead.”90 Beasley-Murray concluded, “In my
judgment we have to admit with Bultmann that baptism for the dead
represents an unethical, sub-Christian sacramentalism.”91
The idea of a fringe group of the church that changed the biblical
doctrine of baptism is supported by 1 Corinthians 15:29. Paul had
been using “us” and “we” for the first part of the scripture. Paul then
changes abruptly to the pronouns “they” and “them.” Immediately
afterward, he reverts back to using “us” and “we.” Note that he
consistently addressed his readers as “you” (vv. 1, 2, 3, 11, 12, 14, 17,
31, 34, 36, 51, 58) or (including himself) “we” or “us” (vv. 3, 15, 19,
30, 32, 49, 51, 52). Paul is talking about a group of people not
following the apostles’ doctrine. The only reason he even brings them
up is in an argument to prove that even “they” believe in the
resurrection.
Other considerations include the following. Since Paul was
painfully aware that many of his own Jewish kinsmen were outside of
Christ (Romans 9:1-3, 10:1-4), why would he exclude himself from
being baptized for them? Although it is a weaker argument, history
has also pronounced the apostle’s judgement as the practice of
baptism for the dead never became widespread. Also, Paul elsewhere
used examples that he disagreed with to make a theological point (1
Corinthians 8:10 v. 10:23-ff). Lastly, a possible over emphasis on
baptism alone in Corinth could have promoted the baptism for the
dead (1 Corinthians 1:17).
As with other distortions in the biblical view of baptism, the
Later-day Saints’ baptism for the dead unfortunately promotes the
controversy and mistrust of baptism and the biblical salvation
process.
90
91
Ibid., 358, 360.
11. “Baptism of Blood – Salvation

Through Martyrdom”
Another doctrine that was added to the set of practices of the
early church during the time of Tertullian is the “Baptism of Blood,”
the martyrdom of candidates for baptism. Since extensive
requirements prior to baptism came into being, it became possible for
one studying to become a Christian (a “catechumen”) to fall victim to
persecution prior to being baptized. In these cases, the church
considered that the person would be saved due to the “baptism of
blood.” Early catholics took baptism to be essential, and were faced
with the dilemma of how a martyred catechumen might be saved,
hence the baptism of blood. Consider Tertullian:
We have indeed, likewise, a second font, (itself one

with the former,) of blood, to wit; concerning which the
Lord said, “I have to be baptized with a baptism,” when He
had been baptized already. For He had come “by means of
water and blood,” just as John has written; that He might be
baptized by the water, glorified by the blood; to make us, in
like manner, called by water, chosen by blood. These two
baptisms He sent out from the wound in His pierced side,
in order that they who believed in His blood might be
bathed with the water; they who had been bathed in the
water might likewise drink the blood. This is the baptism
which both stands in lieu of the fontal bathing when that
has not been received, and restores it when lost. (Tertullian,
On Baptism 16)
While God always has the final authority, there are two
primary concerns with the “baptism of blood.” The first is that it
misunderstands Jesus’ own reference to a figurative baptism of
suffering (Mark 10:38-39, Luke 12:50). It assumes that one baptism is
substituted for the other based upon a dubious symbolic interpretation
of a particular passage. John also spoke of a baptism with fire
(Matthew 3:11, Luke 3:16) to be given by Jesus. This baptism of fire
was one of change and destruction and hardly substituted for baptism
with water. Again, baptism of the Holy Spirit existed at one time in
the church and those who received it still needed baptism with water
(Acts 1:15, 10:47-48, 11:16-17). And later in the church, Paul could
134 BORN OF WATER
say there was one baptism (Ephesians 4:5). The other problem with
this “baptism of blood” is that it was not known in the apostolic
church. Since water baptism was practiced immediately upon one’s
faith and decision to surrender one’s life to Jesus, normally there was
no period of time that would make such a doctrine necessary.
This doctrine probably originated after some people planned
to be baptized but, prior to their baptism, they were in fact martyred.
The church struggled to find a way that these could be regarded as
saved, and baptism of blood served this purpose. God is sovereign
and the judgment day is his alone and this could be an excellent
example of how one false doctrine (delay of baptism or associating
too many requirements with it) ballooned into another false doctrine
(baptism of blood).92
92
John Engler, Keeping the Faith (Long Beach, CA: Great
Commission Illustrated, 1997), 211-212.
12. “If Baptism Is for Forgiveness of Sins,

Do I Need to be Baptized Every Time I
Sin?”
Some may ask, “Do I need to be baptized every time I sin in
order to be forgiven again?” No, baptism is a one-time act. It is the
one baptism of Ephesians 4:1-5.
There is no evidence of “rebaptism” in the Bible except in the
case of people who did not know about Great Commission baptism
(Acts 19:1-5). Baptism is for future sins as well as past sins. To
remain in the light after baptism, people should remember that we
simply need to stay repentant and confess our sins to God, “If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Douglas Jacoby, in his commentary on 1 John 1:7-10, has some
great words of encouragement in regard to remaining in a right
relationship with God after one’s baptism:
Some Christians falsely imagine that when they sin

they go back to the darkness, and when they confess they
are forgiven again and come back into the light. What
agony! What insecurity! What false doctrine! What a
misunderstanding of grace, a lapse into Galatians 3:3
theology!
1 John 1:7-9 says that we are purified from sin even

while we are sinning, because (in our attitude) we are
walking in the light. Christians never go back and forth
from darkness to light unless they leave the fellowship and
at some later time are restored. We have crossed from death
to life; that’s settled. Once the bill is paid, we don’t go back
to the waitress and “settle up” again! It’s paid!
Confession is most important. It needs to be a part of

our lifestyle. It is part of walking in the light. However, a
Christian who fails to confess every sin is not going to be
condemned. Imagine the scene at Judgment Day:
God: “Smith, you almost made it. In fact you were one
of the more faithful ones. But if you recall that day in
136 BORN OF WATER
August 1988, the 9th to be precise, you lapsed into laziness

in the late afternoon, and you never confessed it!”
Smith: “Oh no, I though I’d confessed everything!

[Now sweating] What about my faith and all my deeds? All
the church services? No! Not outer darkness!!!”
God: “I’m sorry, Smith, salvation depends on perfect

confession. [To angels] Bind him and throw him out!”
Smith: “Aaaaaahhh!”
It’s sad that in their hearts many disciples fear this is

God’s way of dealing with people. They need to know the
Savior—as he truly is, not as they imagine him!
Then how are Christians forgiven when they sin? Baptism and
subsequent confession has been described as “a bath and a shower in
the blood of Jesus.” We as Christians don’t need the bath again, but it
sure feels good to shower off the unrighteousness in the presence of
God. Granted forgiveness is automatic, so why pray for forgiveness
when our relationship with God is secure? Take marriage, for
example. When we sin against our spouse, we need to ask for
forgiveness. Forgiveness for what purpose? To become married
again, or to mend the relationship? Christians ask for God’s
forgiveness not that they might be spared from going to hell (that was
taken care of in the waters of baptism), but that their personal
relationships with God might be healed. A son or daughter of God
confesses sin not to be forgiven of sins already borne by Jesus on the
cross, but for forgiveness and healing in the relationship. Salvation is
no excuse for not asking for forgiveness when we have hurt God.93
Lastly, the Corinthian church was in poor shape spiritually
according to Paul (1 Corinthians 1:10-17, 3:1-9, 16-ff, 4:14-6:1, 6:7-
11, 11:17-12:1, 15:12), yet amidst Paul’s corrections he never
mentioned that they needed to get “rebaptized.” Also, even though
Simon sinned immediately after getting baptized, Peter did not tell
him to get “rebaptized” (Acts 8:9-24).
93
13. “Jesus Wasn’t Baptized for the

Forgiveness of Sins and We are to Follow His
Example”
A person is to follow the example of Christ (1 John 2:6; 1
Corinthians 11:1). Although it is true that Jesus was not baptized for
the forgiveness of his sins, Jesus did not sin (Hebrews 4:15).
However, the fact that he did not sin should indicate that a difference
between his baptism and every other person’s baptism. Jesus had no
guilt and no need to be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. Every
person other than Jesus has guilt and needs to be baptized for the
forgiveness of sins. Note also that the Holy Spirit in a form of a dove
came down on Jesus when he was baptized, while we receive the gift
of the Holy Spirit when we are baptized into Christ.
So why was Jesus baptized? Do those who make this argument
against baptism carry it out to its logical conclusion and submit to
baptism for the same reason Jesus did? John the Baptist stated why he
baptized Jesus:
The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and

said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the
sin of the world! This is He on behalf of whom I said,
‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I,
for He existed before me.’ “And I did not recognize
Him, but in order that He might be manifested to
Israel, I came baptizing in water.” And John bore
witness saying, “I have beheld the Spirit descending
as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.
And I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to
baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see
the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this
is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ And I
have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son
of God.” Again the next day John was standing with
two of his disciples, and he looked upon Jesus as He
walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” And
the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed
Jesus (John 1:29-37).
The reason that John baptized Jesus was not for the forgiveness of his
138 BORN OF WATER
sins, but to enable God to show John the Baptist that Jesus was the
Messiah who was prophesied in the Old Testament! The Spirit of God
descended on the Messiah in the form of a dove.
Is there anyone today who ought to be baptized for the same
reason Jesus was? Of course not.
14. “Why Does It Take a Person Longer

Than a Few Hours to be Baptized?”
If a person studies New Testament conversions in the Bible,
they will probably notice that biblical baptisms occurred immediately
and spontaneously when the person decided to repent and believe the
good new about Jesus Christ. So in this day and age, baptism does not
need to take longer but it might be wise to consider some reasons why
it might take longer?
The first reason is that today there are so many different
teachings about salvation and baptism within the worldwide Christian
religion. All too often a person is taught that they became a Christian
at birth, at their sprinkling as a child, at their initial faith in Jesus
during childhood, at catechism, at the time of a special sinner’s prayer
or alter call, etc. That person needs to exercise humility to admit that
they were taught incorrectly and that they should follow the biblical
response rather than simply trust the way their trusted teacher or
family member or friend taught them. Often, it takes some scriptural
study and prayer and reflection before a person will accept that a
trusted advisor accidentally taught them wrong. As well, the radical
concept of accepting Jesus as Lord for their life is a challenge to the
heart that needs to be worked through.
Another reason that it takes people longer is that today’s society
is a non-biblical society compared with the Jewish and Gentile God-
worshipers of the first century. In their day, the Jews were more
prepared to make a decision to follow the Messiah. They were
looking forward to the savior coming into the world. They saw the
temple of God in all its glory. Most of them were personally related
descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Today, we are not brought
up with that type of historical context, background, and family life
and so are not as prepared to make the decision to let Jesus Christ be
the Lord of our lives. Also, notice that according to the book of Acts,
teaching over some period of time seems to have been necessary in
the “gentile” churches—Berea, Corinth, Thessalonica, and Ephesus.
As well, some churches have special baptism services, which
institutionalize the procedure of baptism. While it may be helpful to
show baptisms in front of the congregation, there is no reason to wait
for a special service or for it to be in front of the congregation. There
are many pools and hot tubs open for baptisms anytime and with
digital photography, churches can easily show the baptisms publicly.
140 BORN OF WATER
15. “What About Rebaptism?”

Is there ever a need to be “rebaptized” or to denunciate a former
baptism and be baptized in the scriptural manner? There is only one
case of “rebaptism” in the New Testament (Acts 19:1-5). Some
background information can be found in Acts 18:24-28 although it
does not specifically state that Apollos was “rebaptized.”94 In Acts
19:1-5, the baptisms of the twelve Ephesian disciples are found
lacking in some way although they had been previously immersed for
the forgiveness of sins. Because Paul found their baptism lacking,
they were “rebaptized.”
There are four basic parts of a proper New Covenant or Great
Commission baptism listed in the chart below.
SUBJECT A repentant believer Acts 2:38, 8:37, Col.

2:12
MODE A burial (immersion) in Rom. 6:3-5, Col.
water 2:12
AUTHORITY In the name of Jesus Christ Acts 2:38, 19:1-5,
or in the name of the Father, Matthew 28:18-20
Son, and Holy Spirit
PURPOSE The forgiveness of sins, the Acts 2:38, 19:1-5,
gift of the Holy Spirit, and 22:16, Gal. 3:25-26
in Christ Jesus
In Acts 19:1-5, the proper Subject and Mode were present but
the scriptural Authority and Purpose were not. Therefore, the twelve
Ephesian disciples were “rebaptized.” A Great Commission baptism
should contain these four parts.
Although this concept has been referred to as “rebaptism,” it is
not technically “rebaptism” since the person is being “baptized into
Christ” for the first time (the one saving baptism of Ephesians 4:4-6
and 1 Peter3:21). The only “rebaptisms” occurred to those in the New
Testament days that were baptized by John the Baptist or by the
movement that he began and then were later “rebaptized” in the name
94
It is an interesting but inconclusive study to consider whether or not
Apollos, the twelve apostles, or those baptized before Pentecost by John’s or
Jesus’ disciples were “rebaptized” and when they received the indwelling
Holy Spirit. Douglas Jacoby sets up some of the possible scenarios in his
book, The Spirit.
of Jesus Christ to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.95 The twelve
Ephesian disciples were thus true “rebaptisms” since they were
baptized under God’s authority twice, once under John’s baptism and
once in regard to Great Commission baptism.
Many times, when people attach special significance to an act
that they have decided to perform, they eventually reconsider whether
that act was valid. This occurs when people accept the Lord multiple
times through prayer, question their baptism, or even reconsider their
marriage. Most often, this is a result of placing way too much
emphasis on the initiation rights, human works, or the “proper
understanding” rather than the grace of God. After I was baptized into
Christ and was “born from above,” I became involved in a group of
people who emphasized that I had to understand baptism perfectly
and exhibit repentance completely in their terminology before being
baptized. Because of this emphasis on the response with the works-
oriented/graceless desire to “make sure” that I was right with God, I
was baptized again. However, when I really took time to think about
this without the relational influence and poor doctrines associated
with it, I realized that by doing this I was trying to please man and
was too influenced by man rather than responding to the gospel of
Christ through God’s word alone. It would be best to not add
requirements to a person coming in faith to be baptized.
95
Outside the New Testament, Naaman was also “rebaptized” since he
was dipped in the Jordan River seven times to remove his leprosy although
he baptized himself (2 Kings 5:13-14).
^^ Appendix E ]]
What the Early Christians Really

Said About Baptism
The next best witnesses after the New Testament documents to
the doctrines of the early church were the early Christian writers.96
They lived much closer to the actual setting of the New Testament in
several ways: chronologically 50-350 years from the NT versus our
1950 years from the NT; geographically living in the Mediterranean
region in a similar setting to first century Israel (other then not having
the Temple); and perhaps most importantly, they acquired teachings
directly from the apostles and from the disciples of the apostles by
word of mouth.
Despite these facts, looking back from the twentieth century
perspective, the weaknesses of the early Christian writers can be seen.
To begin with, even though they were closer in time to the apostolic
teaching than we are, there are very few early church writings before
160 A.D., let alone on conversion/baptism. It must be remembered that
over 100 years had elapsed from the time of most of the NT letters
being written and 130 years from the actual events recorded in the
gospels, which is not an inconsequential amount of time (many of us
don’t remember what clothes we wore yesterday). From 197 to 390
one easily sees the additions of more false doctrines.
The early Christians rely too much on allegory. They tend to see
allegory where others cannot and where it probably should not be.
They also tended to include some issues about the “orthodox” church
96
Dr. Peter Gorham originally wrote this section but it has been
updated extensively by Rex Geissler using the patristic quotes from David
Berçot’s A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs (Peabody, MA:
Hendrickson Publishers, 1998), 51-62. Berçot lists the author, time period,
Eastern or Western writer or influence, volume of the Ante-Nicene Fathers
and page. Peter Gorham received his Ph.D. in Physics in 1986 from the
University of Hawaii and has authored and published over 40 scientific
articles and has a passion for early church writings.
What the Early Christians Really Said About Baptism 143
and baptizer (strict requirements for baptism, etc.) in order to deal
with heretical sects and to keep the “orthodox” church pure rather
than simply obeying the Scriptures without preconditions. They
believed some of the myths of the time common to the lands where
they lived. Some false doctrines about conversion were propagated in
the early church as well. Some of these include: the notion that one
should be baptized in running water (perhaps symbolizing living
water or the Jordan river); that a person should be baptized three
times (once in the name of the Father, once in the name of the Son,
and once in the name of the Holy Spirit); rebaptism of those baptized
by anyone outside the “orthodox” church; requirements added before
baptism was allowed; and even that the convert should be naked when
baptized (this has a parallel outside Christianity in the paintings of
Mithraism initiates at Santa Maria Capua Vetere).
Even still, the early Christians’ faith and love of God are
something that people can only hope to attain in their lifetime. Thus
one can use with care the writings of these disciples, tempered by an
understanding of the weaknesses of their time and the constant
realization that once outside the Scriptures, a person can quickly go
off track. The early Christian writers help to understand the early
church’s view of the New Testament standard of the salvation
process. People certainly need to be humble in judging anything that
these great men contributed to the cause of Christ. These men often
paid for their faith with their own blood and that of their families as
well.
Modern Protestants often assume that the Catholic church began
to corrupt the practices of the New Testament church soon after the
end of the first century, and that the Christians of the second through
fourth centuries are unreliable witnesses to the “true” early church.
However, during the entire range of the violent persecution of the
church that went on from around 40 A.D. up to the time of Constantine
in the early fourth century, the church was repeatedly purified by the
trials to which it was subjected. Even after these persecutions ended,
the zeal and faith of those in the first generations that followed were
strong and clear-minded.
What Protestants think of as the Catholic church did not exist in
any form that would be recognized at least until the 4th century. The
faults that Martin Luther fought against would not begin until 1500
A.D. The Greek word “katholike” literally means “universal” or
144 BORN OF WATER
“whole” or “united.” The word’s use by early church writers was

intended not to create a name for an institution, but to express the
defining characteristic of unity that signified the early Christians.
The early Christians often used John 3:3-5 as a proof text for
baptism. Protestants often claim that Jesus was not referring to
baptism in John 3:5. They assume that the “water” mentioned in this
passage must refer to the fluid of the birth sac which is released at
physical birth. They understand “Spirit” to refer to the spiritual rebirth
which Jesus was trying to help Nicodemus understand. Thus Jesus
would be saying, “Unless you are first born physically, and then born
spiritually, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.” The
justification for understanding the passage this way then comes from
the duality of “flesh” and “spirit” in the sentence that follows.
Jesus’ statement seems trivial when taken in this way, since there
is not much point in stressing the necessity of physical birth before
spiritual rebirth. Modern commentators reject the “birth-water”
interpretation and admit that John 3:5 is most likely referring to
baptism. As illustrated by Brents, the early Christians universally
accepted that a person must be born again through baptism, of water
and the spirit (John 3:3-5), in order to go to Heaven.
Speaking of the primitive fathers, Dr. Wall, the great

Pedo-baptist historian, says: “They understood that rule of
our Saviour, ‘Except one be regenerated (or born again) of
water and of the Spirit, he can not enter into the kingdom of God,’
of water baptism, and concluded from it that without such
baptism, no person could come to heaven—and so did all
the writers of these four hundred years, not one man
excepted.” Wall’s History of Infant Bap., vol. I, pp. 69, 70.
Thus we have Dr. Wall’s testimony that every writer of

the first four hundred years, without a single exception,
understood the Saviour to refer to water baptism, and that
no man could be saved without it.
Again: on page 147, of the same volume, Dr. Wall says:

“There is not any one Christian writer of any antiquity in
any language, but what understands it of baptism; and if it
be not so understood, it is difficult to give an account how a
person is born of water any more than born of wood.” This
is strong language, but no writer has ventured to dispute it.
If it were not true, and any writer understood it otherwise,
his writings would have been produced in refutation of the
statement.
But what is the testimony of modern writers on this

subject? Mr. Wesley says: “Except a man be born of water
and of the Spirit—except he experience that great inward
change by the Spirit and be baptized (wherever baptism can
be had) as the outward sign and means of it.” Wesley’s
Notes on John iii:5.
George Whitfield: “Born of water and of the Spirit: Does

not this verse urge the absolute necessity of baptism?”97
Since there is so much controversy over interpretations of the

New Testament on this issue, it is worth asking the question: What
evidence is there outside of the New Testament for the practices of
the early church with regard to baptism? How did the disciples of
Jesus in the early church who carried on the teaching in succeeding
generations after the apostles treat the issue of baptism?
Clement of Rome, c. 95 A.D.

Clement’s “Letter of the Romans to the Corinthians” is among
the earliest documents of the Christian church. It was composed some
time in the nineties. Clement, who may be mentioned in the New
Testament (Phil. 4:3), was a leader in the church at Rome and may
well have been a companion of both Peter and Paul. He wrote a long
and eloquent appeal to the Corinthians for unity in the church there.
He obliquely refers to John 3:3-5 by comparison to Noah in regard to
being born a second time.
Noah, being found faithful, proclaimed a second birth

to the world by his ministry, and through him the Master
97
Guardian of Truth Foundation, 1987), 390-391, 393.
146 BORN OF WATER
saved the living creatures that entered into the ark in

harmony.
Clement also recalls the apostle Peter’s words in 1 Peter.
For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the
unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been
put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in
which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits
now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the
patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during
the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight
persons, were brought safely through the water. And
corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the
removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a
good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven,
after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected
to Him (1 Peter 3:18-22).
Second Letter of Clement, c. 100-150 A.D.

Although this document was at one time attributed to Clement of
Rome, it is still held in high regard as one of the authentic writings of
the early church. It is viewed by many as an anonymous second
century sermon that was preserved along with Clement’s first letter.
The sermon urges men to stay faithful to God and to have a faith that
produces the works of righteousness. The writer makes an oblique
reference to John 3:5 when speaking of the saints of the Old
Testament. The saints could only ensure their own salvation, not that
of their children.
But if even such righteous men as these cannot by their

righteous deeds deliver their children, with what
confidence shall we enter into the kingdom of God, if we do
not keep our baptism pure and undefiled? Or who shall be
our advocate, unless we be found having holy and
righteous works (Second Letter 6:9)?
The Epistle of Barnabas, c. 70-100 A.D.
This anonymous document which was traditionally attributed to

Barnabas, was widely circulated among the early Christians. The
document is dated near the end of the first century. Some writers,
such as Clement of Alexandria, even considered it to be Scripture.
The author mentions baptism when discussing the condition of the
Jews who had rejected Jesus.
Concerning the water, indeed, it is written, in reference

to the Israelites, that they should not receive that baptism
which leads to the remission of sins, but should procure
another for themselves. Barnabas (c. 70-130, E), 1.144.
Blessed are they who, placing their trust in the cross,

have gone down into the water…We indeed descend into
the water full of sins and defilement. However, we come
up, bearing fruit in our heart, having the fear [of God] and
the trust in Jesus in our spirit. Barnabas (c. 70-130, E), 1.144.
Ignatius of Antioch, c. 35-107 A.D.

Ignatius was known as a disciple of John the apostle and
possibly other apostles. He was third in succession from Peter as the
overseer of Antioch (Greek “episkopos,” from epi=over and
skopos=seer). Overseer is also translated “bishop” or “elder.” He was
arrested and taken to Rome and thrown to the wild beasts in the first
decade of the second century. During this trip he wrote seven letters
that have survived—six to churches in the region, and one to his
friend Polycarp. His letters show a man who was a true disciple by
New Testament standards.
He was born and baptized so that by His passion he

could purify the water. Ignatius (c. 105, E), 1.57.
Wherever the overseer remains, let the people also be;

even as where Jesus may be, there is the universal Church.
It is not permitted apart from the overseer either to baptize
148 BORN OF WATER
or to hold a love-feast; but whatever he shall approve, this

is well-pleasing also to God; that everything which you do
may be sure and valid (To the Smyrnaeans 8:2).
Please the Captain in whose army you serve, from

whom also you will receive your pay. Let none of you be
found a deserter. Let your baptism remain with you as your
shield; your faith as your helmet; your love as your spear;
your perseverance as your body armor. Let your works be
your deposits, that you may receive your assets due to you.
Be therefore patient one with another in gentleness, as God
is with you. May I have joy in you always (To Polycarp 6:2).
Hermas, c. 70-130 A.D.

The author wrote a popular work called The Shepherd. Pilgrim’s
Progress is perhaps the best modern comparison to Hermas’ work,
since “The Shepherd” is a kind of allegorical journey made by the
narrator through the process of becoming a disciple and dealing with
the trials that Christians face. The work was often attached to copies
of the New Testament by early scribes and was regarded by some as
part of the New Testament up until the third or fourth century. Origen
believed that the author was the Hermas referred to by Paul in
Romans 16:14.
I hear, sir, some teachers maintain that there is no

other repentance than that which takes place, when we
descended into the water and received remission of our
former sins. Hermas (c. 150, W), 2.22.
Before a man bears the name of the Son of God, he is

dead. But when he receives the seal, he lays aside his
deadness and obtains life. The seal, then, is the water. They
descend into the water dead, and they arise alive. Hermas (c.
150, W), 2.49.
The apostles themselves also gave them the seal of the

preaching [i.e., baptism]. Accordingly, they descended with
them into the water and ascended again. Hermas (c. 150, W),
2.49.
Didache, c. 80-140 A.D.

This anonymous document, with the full title of “The Teaching
of the Twelve Apostles” has been difficult to date with certainty. The
document may well be a first century compilation of some early oral
teachings. There are some brief references to baptism which indicate
that immersion was preferred. It also says that baptism was taken
seriously enough that fasting should be done in preparation for it.
Concerning baptism, baptize in this manner. Having

first said all these things, baptize into the name of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—in living water. But if
you have no living water, baptize into other water. If you
cannot baptize in cold water, baptize in warm. But if you do
not have either, pour out water three times upon the
person’s head in the name of the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit. However, before the baptism, let the baptizer
fast, and the one to be baptized, together with whoever else
can. But you will instruct the one to be baptized to fast one
or two days before (the baptism). Didache (c. 80-140, E),
1.379.
A second passage warns that the communion meal should be

denied anyone who has not been baptized (though this is not
explicitly directed in the New Testament):
But let no one eat or drink of this eucharistic

thanksgiving except those that have been baptized into the
name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said:
Do not give that which is holy to the dogs. Didache 9:5
In this passage, baptism is taken as the defining characteristic of

a Christian. It is the test for those who were allowed to be considered
part of the fellowship (whether or not such exclusion was really
intended by Jesus).
150 BORN OF WATER
Justin Martyr, c. 100-165 A.D.

The first of the Christian apologists (defenders of the historical
Christian religion), this philosopher, Syrian Greek disciple and
tireless evangelist wrote a long defense to the Roman Caesar around
150 A.D. before being martyred in 165 A.D. in Rome. Justin wrote to
the Caesar in order to refute the false claims of the enemies of the
church.
I will also relate the manner in which we dedicated

ourselves to God when we had been made new through
Christ…. As many as are persuaded and believe that what
we teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live
accordingly, are instructed to pray and to entreat God with
fasting, for the remission of their past sins. The rest of us
pray and fast with them. They are brought by us where
there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in
which we were regenerated ourselves. They there receive
the washing with water in the name of God (the Father and
Lord of the universe), of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the
Holy Spirit. For Christ also said, “Unless you are born
again, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
Justin Martyr (c. 160, E), 1.183.
At our birth, we were born without our own

knowledge or choice, but by our parents coming together…
In order that we may not remain the children of necessity
and of ignorance, but may become the children of choice
and knowledge, and may obtain in the water the remission
of sins formerly committed, there is pronounced over him
who chooses to be born again, and has repented of his sins,
the name of God the Father and Lord of the universe….
And in the name of Jesus Christ…and in the name of the
Holy Spirit. Justin Martyr (c. 160, E), 1.183.
This washing of repentance and knowledge of God has

been ordained on account of the transgression of God’s
people, as Isaiah cries. Accordingly, we have believed and
testify that the very baptism which he announced is alone
able to purify those who have repented. And this is the
water of life.… For what is the use of that baptism which
cleanses only the flesh and body? Baptize the soul from
wrath and from covetousness, from envy and from hatred.
Justin Martyr (c. 160, E), 1.201.
We who have approached God through Him have

received, not carnal, but spiritual circumcision, which
Enoch and those like him observed. And we have received
it through baptism by God’s mercy, since we were sinners.
And all men alike may obtain it. Justin Martyr (c. 160, E),
1.216.
But there is no other [way] than this: to become

acquainted with this Christ; to be washed in the fountain
spoken of by Isaiah for the remission of sins; and for the
rest, to live sinless lives. Justin Martyr (c. 160, E), 1.217.
Christ has redeemed us by being crucified on the tree

and purifying us with water. Justin Martyr (c. 160, E), 1.242.
[Addressed to Jews:] We Christians do not receive that

useless baptism of cisterns, for it has nothing to do with our
baptism of life. Justin Martyr (c. 160, E), 1.203.
We represent our Lord’s suffering by baptism in a

pool. Adkins, p. 12798
Theophilus, c. 180 A.D.

The things proceeding from the waters were blessed by
God, that this also could be a sign of men being destined to
receive repentance and remission for sins, through the
water and bath of regeneration—as many as come to the
truth and are born again. Theophilus (c. 180, E), 2.101.
Irenaeus of Lyons, c. 130-200 A.D.

98
Ibid., 259.
152 BORN OF WATER
Irenaeus, the overseer of Lyons, was one of the most respected

disciples and church leaders of the second century. He was eventually
killed for his faith. When he was a boy, Irenaeus heard Polycarp
teach. Irenaeus writes clearly and authoritatively as a writer who had
listened to those who knew the apostles personally.
When we come to refute them [the Gnostics], we will

show in its proper place that this class of men have been
instigated by Satan to a denial of that baptism which is
regeneration to God. Thus, they have renounced the whole
faith…. For the baptism institute by the visible Jesus was for
the remission of sins. Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.346.
But there are some of them [Gnostics] who assert that

it is unnecessary to bring persons to the water. Rather, they
mix oil and water together, and they play this mixture on
the heads of those who are to be initiated…. This they
maintain to be the redemption…. Other [heretics], however,
reject all these practices and maintain that the mystery of
the unspeakable and invisible power should not to be
performed by visible and corruptible creatures…. These
claim that the knowledge of the unspeakable Greatness is
itself perfect redemption. Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.346.
When [do we bear] the image of the heavenly?

Doubtless when he says, “You have been washed,”
believing in the name of the Lord, and receiving His Spirit.
Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.537.
Man, with respect to that formation which was after

Adam, having fallen into transgression, needed the bath of
regeneration. Therefore, the Lord said to [the blind man]
after He had smeared his eyes with the clay, “Go to Siloam
and wash.” By this means, He restored to him both
confirmation and regeneration that takes place by means of
the bath. Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.543.
[Scripture] says, “And he dipped himself seven times
in the Jordan.” It was not for nothing that Naaman of old,
when suffering from leprosy, was purified upon his being
baptized. Rather, this was a symbol for us. For as we are
lepers in sin, we are made clean form our old transgressions
by means of the sacred water and the invocation of the
Lord. We are spiritually regenerated as new-born babes,
just as the Lord has declared: “Unless a man is born again
through water and the Spirit, he will not enter into the
kingdom of heaven.” Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.574.
He came to save all persons by means of Himself—all,

I say, who through Him are born again to God—infants,
children, boys, youth, and old men. Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W),
1.391.
Clement of Alexandria, c. 150-215 A.D.

Clement of Alexandria was a learned teacher in Egypt who was
in charge of a catechetical school. Origen was one of his pupils.
Clement left a wonderful book entitled Christ the Educator around
180 A.D. which has numerous references to baptism. He notes that
baptism had a number of synonyms in the church at that time. One of
these synonyms of baptism was based on the Greek word “photizo”—
to be enlightened or to come into the light.
Being baptized, we are illuminated. Illuminated, we

become sons…. This work is variously called grace,
illumination, perfection, and washing. Washing, by which
we cleanse away our sins. Grace, by which the penalties
accruing to transgressions are remitted. Illumination, by
which that holy light of salvation is beheld, that is, by
which we see God clearly. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E),
2.215.
If He was perfect, why was He, the perfect one,

baptized? It was necessary, they say, to fulfill the profession
that pertained to humanity. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E),
2.215.
154 BORN OF WATER
Straightway, on our regeneration, we attained that

perfection after which we aspired. For we were illuminated
which is to know God. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E),
2.215.
And he who has just been regenerated-as the name

necessarily indicates—and has been enlightened, is
immediately delivered from darkness, and instantly
receives the light…. Thus also, we who are baptized, having
wiped off the sins that obscure the light of the Divine Spirit,
have the eye of the spirit free, unimpeded, and full of light,
by which alone we contemplate the Divine, the Holy Spirit
flowing down to us from above. Clement of Alexandria (c.
195, E), 2.216.
Our transgressions were taken away by one Poeonian

medicine, the baptism of the Word. We are washed from all
our sins, and are no longer entangled in evil. This is the one
grace of illumination, that our characters are not the same
as before our washing. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E),
2.216, 217.
He adds, “For so will you pass through the water of

another,” reckoning heretical baptism not proper and true
water. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E), 2.322.
In the same way, therefore, we also repent of our sins,

renounce our iniquities, and are purified by baptism.
Thereby, we speed back to the eternal light as children of
the Father. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E), 2.217.
The union of the Logos with baptism is like the

agreement of milk with water. For, of all liquids, milk alone
receives water. I allows itself to be mixed with water for the
purpose of cleansing—just as baptism does for the
remission of sins. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E), 2.222.
John prophesied up until the baptism of salvation.

Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E), 2.331.
This is what was said, “unless you are converted and
become as children” [Matt. 28:3]. That is, unless you become
pure in flesh and holy in soul by refraining from evil deeds.
This shows that He would have us to be such, as also He
generated us from our mother—the water. Clement of
Alexandria (c. 195, E), 2.439.
The three days may represent the mystery of the seal

[i.e., baptism], in which God is really believed. Clement of
Alexandria (c. 195, E), 2.462.
The sins committed before faith are accordingly

forgiven by the Lord—not that they may be undone, but as
if they had not been done. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E),
2.437.
Tertullian of Carthage, c. 160-230 A.D.

Tertullian was another leader who commanded great respect and
wrote many works in Latin. He defended the Christian faith to the
Roman senate. David Berçot writes about him: “Tertullian was born
around A.D. 150 in the city of Carthage in North Africa. Both of his
parents were pagan, and his father was a centurion. Tertullian
received a thorough education in the knowledge of the Romans and
the Greeks, and he apparently practiced law before his conversion.
His writings indicate that he did not become a Christian until he was
in his thirties or forties…he used his vast learning in the cause of
Christ. At the risk of his life, he wrote several works to the Romans,
defending Christianity and attempting to persuade the authorities to
halt their senseless persecution. Tertullian apparently served as an
elder or presbyter in Carthage…The most famous of his newly coined
terms was the word ‘Trinity’…Tertullian’s style was to attack, rather
than to gently persuade.”99 Around 211, he seems to have left the
church and joined the Montanist sect which differed primarily in the
matters of discipline and the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit.
99
Tertullian, Glimpse at Early Christian Church Life (Tyler, TX: Scroll
Publishing, 1991), 2-3.
156 BORN OF WATER
We were drawn out from the calamities of this world

in which we were tarrying, perishing with thirst. We were
revived by “drinking”…of the baptismal water. Tertullian (c.
197, W), 3.170.
I will turn to that highest authority of our “seal” itself.

When entering the water, we make profession of the
Christian faith in the words of its rule. We then bear public
testimony that we have renounced the devil, his pomp,
angels. Tertullian (c. 197, W), 3.81.
Do we not renounce and rescind that baptismal

pledge, when we cease to bear its testimony? Tertullian (c.
197, W), 3.89.
With great simplicity, without pomp, without any

considerable novelty of preparation, and without expense, a
man is dipped in water. Amid the utterance of some few
words, he is moistened, and then rises again, not much the
[physically] cleaner. Because of that, the consequent
attainment of eternity is esteemed the more incredible.
Tertullian (c. 198, W), 3.669.
Heretics, however, have no fellowship in our

discipline…. I am not bound to recognize in them a thing
that is commanded to me, because they do not have the
same God as we do. Nor do they have the same Christ.
Therefore, their baptism is not one with ours, either, for it is
not the same. Tertullian (c. 198, W), 3.676.
It makes no difference whether a man is washed in a

sea or a pool, a stream or a fountain, a lake or a trough….
All waters…attain the sacramental power of sanctification.
For the Spirit immediately supervenes from the heavens
and rests over the waters, sanctifying them through
Himself. And being thus sanctified, they acquire at the
same time the power of sanctifying. Tertullian (c. 198, W),
3.670,671.
When we have come from the font, we are thoroughly
anointed with a blessed unction [i.e., oil]. This practice
comes from the old discipline, where on entering the
priesthood, men used to be anointed with oil from a horn….
In our case, the oil runs physically, but it profits us
spiritually. It is similar to the act of baptism itself, which is
also physical—in that we are plunged in water. Yet, its
effect is spiritual, in that we are freed from sins…. Next, the
hand is laid on us, invoking and inviting the Holy Spirit
through a benediction…. This is derived from the old
sacramental rite in which Jacob blessed hi grandsons who
were born of Joseph—Ephraim and Manasseh—with his
hands laid on them and crossed…. Then that most Holy
Spirit willingly descends from the Father over our cleansed
and blessed bodies. Tertullian (c. 198, W), 3.672, 673.
Those who are about to enter baptism should pray

with repeated prayers, fasts, and bendings of the knee—
with all-night vigils and with the confession of all past sins.
This way they may express the meaning even of the
baptism of John. The Scripture says, ‘They were baptized,
confessing their own sins.” Tertullian (c. 198, W), 3.678, 679.
Happy is our sacrament of water, in that, by washing

away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and
admitted into eternal life…. We, like little fishes, after the
example of our ichthus, Jesus Christ, are born in water.
And so, according to the circumstances, disposition,

and even the age of each individual, the delay of baptism is
preferable. This is particularly true in the case of little
children. For why is it necessary—if baptism itself is not so
necessary—that the sponsors likewise should be thrust into
danger?… Let the children come, then, while they are
growing up. Let them come while they are learning—while
they are learning where to come. Let them become
Christians when they have become able to know Christ.
Why does the innocent period of life hasten to the remission
of sins?… If anyone understands the weighty importance of
158 BORN OF WATER
baptism, he will fear its reception more than its delay.

Sound faith is secure of salvation. Tertullian (c. 198, W),
3.678.
Oh, miserable unbelief that denies to God His own

properties, simplicity, and power! What then? Is it not
wonderful, too, that death should be washed away by
washing? Tertullian (c. 198, W), 3.669.
We nevertheless proceed to address this question,

“How foolish and impossible it is to be formed anew by
water! Pray tell, in what respect has this material substance
merited a position of such high dignity?”… [Tertullians’s
Answer:] Water was the first to produce life, so that it
would be no wonder in baptism if waters know how to give
life. Tertullian (c. 198, W), 3.670.
Therefore, after the waters have been (in a manner)

endowed with medicinal virtue through the intervention of
the angel, the spirit is physically washed in the waters, and
the flesh is spiritually cleansed in the same water. Tertullian
(c. 198, W), 3.671.
[The waters] that used to remedy bodily defects, now

heal the spirit. The waters that used to bring temporal
health, now renew eternal health. The waters that set free
but once in the year, now daily save people en masse, death
being done away through washing of sin. Once the guilt is
removed, the penalty is, of course, removed as well…. It is
not that in the waters we obtain the Holy Spirit. Rather, in
the water under the angel, we are cleansed and prepared
for the Holy Spirit…. Thus, too, does the angel, the witness
of baptism, “make the paths straight” for the Holy Spirit.
For he is about to come upon us. The “paths are made
straight” by the washing away of sins, which faith obtains,
sealed in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Tertullian
(c. 198, W), 3.672.
Now, the teaching is laid down that “without baptism,
salvation is attainable by no one.” This is based primarily
on the ground of that declaration of the Lord, who says,
“Unless one is born of water he has not life.” However,
when this is laid down, there immediately arise scrupulous
(or rather, audacious) doubts on the part of some. Tertullian
(c. 198, W), 3.674, 675.
“Unless a man has been born again of water and Spirit,

he will not enter into the kingdom of the heavens.” These
words have tied faith to the necessity of baptism.
Accordingly, all thereafter who became believers were
baptized. So it was, too, that Paul, when he believed, was
baptized. Tertullian (c. 198, W), 3.676.
We, then, enter the font once. Our sins are washed
away once, for they should never be repeated. Tertullian (c.
198, W), 3.676.
Know that baptism is not rashly to be administered….

“Give not the holy thing to the dogs, nor cast your pearls
before swine.” Tertullian (c. 198, W), 3.678.
Easter [Gr. pascha] provides a more than usually

solemn day for baptism—when the Lord’s passion, in
which we are baptized, was completed. Nor will it be
incongruous to interpret figuratively the fact that, when the
Lord was about to celebrate the last Passover, He said to the
disciples who were sent to make preparation, “You will
meet a man bearing water.”…After that, Pentecost is a most
joyous time for conferring baptisms…. However, every day
is the Lord’s. Every hour, every time, is appropriate for
baptism. If there is a difference in the solemnity, there is no
distinction in the grace. Tertullian (c. 198, W), 3.678.
Therefore, blessed ones, whom the grace of God

awaits, when you ascend from that most sacred bath of
your new birth and spread your hands for the first time in
the house of your mother, together with your brethren, ask
from the Father, ask from the Lord, that His own specialties
160 BORN OF WATER
of grace and distributions of gifts may be supplied to you.

Let not the fact that Jesus Himself did not baptized
trouble anyone. For into what would He have baptized?
Into repentance/ of what use, then, was His forerunner?
Into remission of sins? But he gave this by a word. Into
Himself, whom by humility He was concealing? Into the
Holy Spirit, who had not yet descended from the Father?
Into the church, which His apostles had not yet founded?
Of giving [baptism], the chief priest (who is the bishop)

has the right. In the next place, the presbyters and
deacons—yet, not without the bishop’s authority, on
account of the honor of the church. For when it is
preserved, peace is preserved. In addition to these, laymen
have the right. For what is equally received can be equally
given. So, unless bishops, presbyters, or deacons are present
at that location, other disciple’s are called to the work….
But how much more is the rule of reverence and modesty
necessary to laymen—seeing that they powers belong to
their superiors…. The most holy apostle has said, “all
things are lawful, but not all expedient.” Tertullian (c. 198,
W), 3.677.
But the woman of audacity, who has usurped the

power to teach, will surely not give birth for herself
likewise to a right of baptizing! Tertullian (c. 198, W), 3.677.
The Jewish Israel bathes daily, because it is daily being

defiled. Tertullian (c. 198, W), 3.676.
From our sacrament itself, we should draw our

interpretation that practices of that kind are opposed to the
faith. For how have we renounced the devil and his angels,
if we make [idols to] them? Tertullian (c. 200, W), 3.64.
I do not deny that the divine benefit (that is, the
putting away of sins) is in every way certain to those who
are about to enter the [baptismal] water. But what we have
to labor for is, that it may be granted us to attain that
blessing. For who will grant to you—a man of such faithless
repentance—one single sprinkling of any water
whatever?… However, some think that God is under a
necessity of bestowing what He has promised [to give] even
on the unworthy. So they turn his liberality into His
slavery!… For do not many afterwards fall out of [grace]? Is
not this gift taken away from many? Tertullian (c. 203, W),
3.661
This baptismal washing is a sealing of faith, which

faith is begun and is commended by the faith of repentance.
We are not washed in order that we may cease sinning, but
because we have ceased, since in heart we have been bathed
already. For the first baptism of a hearer is this: a perfect
fear…. If it is only after the baptismal waters that we cease
sinning, it is out of necessity, not of free will. Tertullian (c.
203, W), 3.662.
Marcion washes a man who had never been defiled so

far as [his God] was concerned. And into the sacrament of
salvation, he wholly plunges that flesh which is beyond the
pale of salvation [according to him]! Tertullian (c. 207, W),
3.293.
According to Marcion, the flesh is not immersed in the

water of the sacrament, unless it is in the state of virginity,
widowhood, or celibacy. Tertullian (c. 207, W), 3.293.
I see no coherence and consistency [in Marcion]. No,

not even in the very sacrament of his faith! For what end
does baptism serve, according to him? If it is the remission
of sins, how will he demonstrate that he remits sins, when
[his God] afford no evidence that He retains them?…
Marcion therefore seals a man who had never been
unsealed in respect of [his God]. He washes a man who had
never been defiled so far as [his God] was concerned. And
162 BORN OF WATER
into the sacrament of salvation, he wholly plunges that flesh

which is beyond the pale of salvation [according to
Marcion]! No farmer will irrigate ground that will yield him
no fruit in return—unless he is as silly as Marcion’s God!
The cleansing of the Syrian [i.e., Naaman] rather

portrayed to the nations of the world their own cleansing in
Christ their Light…. For the virtue and fullness of the one
baptism was thus solemnly imputed to Christ. For He alone
was one day to establish on earth—not only revelation—but
also a baptism endowed with bountiful power. Tertullian (c.
207, W), 3.356.
Now the covenant you have made respecting [the

devil] is to renounce him, his pomp, and his angels. Such is
your agreement in this matter. Now…you must never think
of getting back any of the things that you have renounced
and have given back to him. Otherwise, he may summon
you before God the Judge as a fraudulent man, and a
transgressor of your agreement. Tertullian (c. 210, W), 3.216.
“Unless a man if born of water and of the Spirit, he

cannot enter into the kingdom of God”—in other words, he
cannot be holy. Every soul, then, by reason of its birth, has
its nature in Adam until it is born again in Christ.
Moreover, it is unclean all the time that it remains without
this regeneration. And because it is unclean, it is actively
sinful. Tertullian (c. 210, W), 3.220.
When we are going to enter the water, but a littler

before—in the presence of the congregation and under the
hand of the president—we solemnly profess that we disown
the devil, his pomp and his angels. Upon that, we are
immersed [Latin: mergo, to dip, to immerse] three times,
making a somewhat ampler pledge than the Lord has
appointed in the Gospel. Then, when we are taken up, we
taste first of all a mixture of milk and honey. Then, from
that day, we refrain from the daily bath for a whole week.
[The practice of parting of milk and honey and refraining
from bathing were apparently a local custom, as no other
writers make mention of this practice.] Tertullian (c. 211, W),
3.94.
He commands them to baptize into the Father, the Son,

and the Holy Spirit—not into a unipersonal God. And,
indeed, it is not once only—but three times—that we are
immersed into the three Persons, at the mention of each
individual name. Tertullian (c. 213, W), 3.623.
The flesh is the clothing of the soul. The uncleanness,

indeed, is washed away by baptism. Tertullian (c. 213, W),
3.646.
Origen, c. 185-255 A.D.

Origen was a pupil of Clement of Alexandria and wrote during
the span of 202-254 A.D. Bruce Shelley in his book Church History in
Plain Language calls Origen the most influential and sophisticated
scholar that could defend the Christian claim to the Old Testament
through the use of allegory. Origen taught in Alexandria and
according to Berçot “always considered the exposition of Scripture
his primary task. The persistent tendency of erroneous response to the
gospel, whether ancient or contemporary, is to lay hold upon a few
impressive texts and to wrench some rigid and erroneous
interpretations from these. This Origen would not allow. He wanted
the whole Bible to speak, because he knew that what the Bible taught
in its entirety are the central Christian truths of catholic [universal]
Christianity. Origen saved the Scriptures for the church and thus
protected the historical foundation of the Christian faith.”100
Matthew alone adds the words, “to repentance,”

teaching us that the benefit of baptism is connected with the
intention of the baptized person. To him who repents, it is
saving. However, to him who comes to it without
100
Word Publishing, 1995), 52, 80, 82, 85.
164 BORN OF WATER
repentance, it will produce greater condemnation. Origen (c.

228, E), 9.367.
Regeneration did not take place with John [the

Baptist]. However, with Jesus, through His disciples, it does
occur. What is called the bath of regeneration takes place
with renewal of the Spirit. For the Spirit, as well, now
comes. It comes from God and is over and above the water.
Yet, it does not come to all after the water. Origen (c. 228, E),
9.367.
“By the bath of regeneration,” they were born as

newborn babes. Origen (c. 245, E), 9.491.
Hippolytus, c. 200 A.D.

The ropes that stretch around her [the ship of the
church] are the love of Christ, which binds the church. The
net that she bears with here is the bath of the regeneration
that renews the believing, from which too are these glories.
Just like the wind, the Spirit from heaven is present, by
whom those who believe are sealed. Hippolytus (c. 200, W),
5.217.
Novation, c. 235 A.D.

It is the Holy Spirit who effects with water the second
birth, as a certain seed of diving generation. It is a
consecration of a heavenly birth and the pledge of a
promised inheritance. Novation (c. 235, W), 5.641.
Commodianus, c. 240 A.D.

In baptism, the coarse garment of your birth is
washed…. You have once been washed. Shall you be able to
be immersed again? Commodianus (c. 240, W), 4.212.
Cyprian, c. 250 A.D.

Cyprian (bishop of the church in Carthage, North Africa during
fierce persecutions) wrote some impressive doctrinal and practical
works. He emphasizes that there is only one baptism (as in Ephesians
4:4), as he talks about those who are baptized by splinter groups.
Some of these splinter groups denied the basic doctrines of the one
church. Cyprian says that these false baptisms are not baptisms at all.
By the help of the water of new birth, the stain of

former years had been washed away, and a light from
above—serene and pure—had been infused into my
reconciled heart. Then, by the agency of the Spirit breathed
from heaven, a second birth had restored me to a new man.
Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.276.
…from that death which once the blood of Christ

extinguished and from which the saving grace of baptism
and of our Redeemer has delivered us. Cyprian (c. 250, W),
5.332.
In respect of the case of the infants, you say that they

should not be baptized within the second or third day after
their birth—that the law of ancient circumcision should be
regarded. So you think that one who has just been born
should not be baptized and sanctified with the eighth day.
However, we all thought very differently in our council….
Rather, we all believe that the mercy and grace of God is
not to be refused to anyone born of man…. As far as we
can, we must strive that no should be lost, if at all possible.
For what is lacking to him has once been formed in the
womb by the hand of God? Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.353, 354.
166 BORN OF WATER
Moreover, belief in divine Scripture declares to us that

among all-whether infants or those who are older—there is
the same equality of the divine gift…. Otherwise, it would
seem that the very grace which is given to the baptized is
given either more, or less, depending on the age of the
receivers. However, the Holy Spirit is not given with
measure. Rather, it is given alike to all, by the love and
mercy of the Father…. For although the infant is still fresh
from its birth, yet it is not such that anyone should shudder
at kissing it in giving grace and in making peace. Cyprian (c.
250, W), 5.354.
Even to the greatest sinners and to those who have

sinned much against God, when they subsequently believe,
remission of sins is granted. Nobody is hindered from
baptism and from grace. How much more should we shrink
from hindering an infant. For he, being lately born, has not
sinned—other than, in being born after the flesh according
to Adam, he has contracted the contagion of the ancient
death at its earliest birth. For this reason, he more easily
approaches the reception of the forgiveness of sins. For to
him are remitted—not his own sins—but the sins of
another. Therefore, dearest brother, this was our opinion in
council that no one should be hindered by us from baptism
and from the grace of God. Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.354.
By baptism, the Holy Spirit is received…. The Lord

speaks to the Samaritan woman, saying, “Whoever drinks
of this water will thirst again. But whoever drinks of the
water that I will give him will not thirst forever.” By this, he
signified the very baptism of saving water, which indeed is
once received and is not again repeated…. The Lord, when
He came, manifested the truth of baptism…in commanding
that this faithful water—the water of life eternal—should be
given to believers n baptism. Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.360.
From [baptism] springs the whole origin of faith, the

saving access to the hope of life eternal and the diving
condescension for purifying and quickening the servants of
God. For if anyone could be [truly] baptized by heretics, he
certainly could also obtain remission of sins. Cyprian (c. 250,
W), 5.382.
He who has been sanctified, his sins being put away in

baptism, and has been spiritually reformed into a new man,
has become fitted for receiving the Holy Spirit. Cyprian (c.
250, W), 5.387.
The blessed apostle sets forth and proves that baptism

is that by which the old man dies and the new man is born,
saying, “He saved us by the washing of regeneration.”
Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.388.
One is not born by the imposition of hands when he

receives the Holy Spirit. Rather, it is in baptism. Thereafter,
being already born, he may receive the Holy Spirit. Cyprian
(c. 250, W), 5.388.
Since in baptism, every person has his own sins

remitted, the Lord proves and declares in His Gospel that
sins can only be put away by those who have the Holy
Spirit. Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.400.
It is clear that the devil is driven out in baptism by the

faith of the believer. And if that faith should fail afterwards,
he returns. Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.402.
They who still are of the earth by their first birth can
begin to be of heaven by being born of water and of the
Spirit. Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.452.
In the bath of saving water, the fire of Gehenna is

extinguished. Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.476.
In the baptism of water, there is received the remission

of sins. Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.497.
The old baptism should cease and a new one should

begin…. Also, according to John: “Unless a man is born of
168 BORN OF WATER
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of

God.” Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.511.
Unless a man has been baptized and born again, he

cannot attain unto the kingdom of God. In the Gospel
according to John: “Unless a man is born again of water and
the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
Cyprian (c. 250, W) 5.542.
All sins are put away in baptism. In the first Epistle of

Paul to the Corinthians: … “And these things indeed you
were. But you are washed; but you are sanctified in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.551.
It is required, then, that the water should first be

cleansed and sanctified by the priest, so that it may wash
away by its baptism the sins of the man who is baptized.
For the Lord says by Ezekiel the prophet: “Then I will
sprinkle clean water upon you, and you will be cleansed
from all your filthiness.”… The very question that is asked
in baptism is a witness of the truth. For when we say, “Do
you believe in eternal life and remission of sins through the
holy church?” we are saying that remission of sins is not
granted except in the church. Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.376.
There is no ground for anyone…to oppose us in the

name of Christ and to say, “All who are baptized
everywhere, and in any manner, in the name of Jesus
Christ, have obtained the grace of baptism.”… The Son
alone, without the Father (or against the Father) cannot be
of advantage to anybody. It is the same as with the Jews.
They boasted as to their having the Father. Yet, the Father
would profit them nothing unless they believed on the Son
whom He had sent…. There cannot be a hope of salvation
except by knowing the two together. How, when God the
Father is not known—nay, is even blasphemed—can they
who among the heretics are said to be baptized in the name
of Christ be judged to have obtained the remission of
sins?… Christ Himself commands the pagans to be baptized
in the full and united Trinity. Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.383.
Someone may object, saying that Novatian…baptizes

with the same symbol with which we baptize, knows the
same God and Father, the same Christ the Son, the same
Holy Spirit, and that for this reason he may claim the power
of baptizing—namely, that he does not seem to differ from
us as to the baptismal questions. Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.399.
You have also asked, dearest son, what I though of

those who obtain God’s grace in sickness and weakness.
Are they to be considered legitimate Christians, for they
have not been bathed with the saving water, but only
sprinkled? On this point, my shyness and modesty prejudges
no one. I prevent no one from feeling what he thinks right
and from doing what he feels to be right. As far as my
limited understanding conceives it, I think that the divine
benefits can in no respect be mutilated and weakened.
Nothing less can occur in that case where, with full and
entire faith both of the giver and the receiver, what is drawn
from the divine gift is accepted…. In the sacraments of
salvation, when necessity compels, and God bestows his
mercy, the divine methods confer the whole benefit on
believers. Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.400, 401.
When we were together in council, dearest brethren,

we read your letter that you wrote to us concerning those
who seem to be baptized by heretics and schismatics,
asking whether—when they come to the catholic church,
which is one—they should be baptized…. We put forward
our opinion, but not as a new one. Rather, we join with you
in equal agreement in an opinion long since decreed by our
predecessors and observed by us. This opinion is
namely…that no one can be baptized outside the church,
for there is one baptism appointed in the holy church….
How can the person who baptizes give remission of sins to
another when he himself—being outside the church—
cannot put away his own sins? Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.375,
376.
170 BORN OF WATER
I know not by what presumption some of our

colleagues are led to think that those who have been dipped
by heretics should not be baptized when they come to us.
The reason they give is that there is “one baptism.”… He
who of his own authority grants this advantage to the
heretics yields and consents to them that the enemies and
adversaries of Christ have the power of washing, purifying,
and sanctifying a man. However, we say that those who
come from them are not re-baptized by us, but are baptized.
For, indeed, they did not receive anything there, where
there is nothing. Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.377.
Christ Himself commands the pagan to be baptized in

the full and untied Trinity. Are we to believe that someone
who denies Christ is denied by Christ, but that he who
denies he Father…is not denied? Are we to believe that he
who blasphemes against Him whom Christ called His Lord
and His God is rewarded by Christ? Are we to believe he
obtains remission of sins and the sanctification of baptism?
Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.383, 384.
Someone might say, “What, then, becomes of those

who were received from heresy into the church without
baptism, in times past?” The Lord is able by His mercy to
make allowances and not to separate from the gifts of His
church those who through ignorance were admitted into
the church and have since fallen asleep [in death] in the
church. However, just because there was error at one time,
it does not mean that there must always be error. Cyprian (c.
250, W), 5.385.
On the reading of [the letter from Stephen, the bishop

of Rome], you will more and more observe his error in
endeavoring to maintain the cause of heretics against
Christians…. For he judged the baptism of all heretics to be
just and lawful…. If, therefore, it is either commanded in
the Gospel, or contained in the Epistles or Acts of the
apostles, that those who come from any heresy should not
be baptized, but only have hands laid upon them to
repentance, let this divine and holy tradition be observed.
But if everywhere heretics are called nothing else than
adversaries and antichrists,…no one should defame the
apostles as if they had approved of the baptisms of heretics.
Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.386.
It is practiced and held by us that all who are

converted from any heresy whatever to the church must be
baptized by the only and lawful baptism of the church—
with the exception of those who had previously been
baptized in the church (and from there had passed over to
the heretics). Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.389, 390.
Firmilian, c. 256 A.D.

Just as a heretic may not lawfully ordain or lay on
hands, so neither may he baptize…. What kind of thing is it
that when we see that Paul, after John’s baptism, baptized
those disciples again, we are hesitating to baptize those who
come to the church from heresy, after their unhallowed and
profane dipping. Firmilian (c. 256, E), 5.392.
Who in the church is perfect and wise and can either

defend or believe that the bare invocation of names [of the
Trinity] is sufficient for the remission of sins and the
sanctification of baptism? For these things are only of
advantage when he who baptizes has the Holy Spirit.
Firmilian (c. 256, E), 5.392.
If the baptism of heretics can have the regeneration of

the second birth, those who are baptized among them must
be considered to be children of God—not heretics. For the
second birth, which occurs in baptism, begets sons of God.
Firmilian (c. 256, E), 5.393.
[Stephen, bishop of Rome] says, “the name of Christ is

of great advantage to faith and the sanctification of baptism.
So whoever is anywhere baptized in the name of Christ, he
immediately obtains the grace of Christ.”… However, we
172 BORN OF WATER
join custom to truth. And we resist the Romans’ customer

with custom—the customer of truth…. It has always been
observed here that we knew none but the one church of
God. And we have deemed no baptism holy except that of
the holy church. Firmilian (c. 256, E), 5.395.
The second birth, which occurs in baptism, begets sons

of God. Firmilian (c. 256, E), 5.393.
Various Councils, c. 256-260 A.D.

Cyprian said: “We have determined over and over
again that heretics who come to the church must be
baptized and sanctified by the baptism of the church.”
Seventh Council of Carthage (c. 256, W), 5.565.
Primus of Misgirpa said: “I decide that every man who

comes to us from heresy must be baptized. For in vain does
he think that he has been baptized there…. Whatever is
done outside the church has no effect towards salvation.”
Crescens of Cirta said: “I judge that all heretics and

schismatics who wish to come to the catholic church will
not be allowed to enter without their having first been
exorcised and baptized.” Seventh Council of Carthage (c. 256,
W), 5.567.
Pomponius of Dionysiana said: “It is evident that

heretics cannot baptize and give remission of sins, seeing
that they do not have power to be able to bind or loose
anything on earth.” Seventh Council of Carthage (c. 256, W),
5.570.
A divine and sacred provincial synod, gathered

together at Rome by Stephen, the blessed martyr and father,
excommunicated those who (in an African synod) had
without reason concluded that those who cam to the
catholic church from any heresy should be re-baptized.
Roman council of Stephen (c. 256, W), 5.653.
Those who are called antichrists cannot administer the

grace of saving baptism…. Water sanctified in the church
by the prayer of the priest washes away sins…. By the
regeneration of baptism, they may then come to the
promise of Christ…. Sins are not remitted except in the
baptism of the church…. If there is anyone who says that
the grace of baptism is with heretics, he must first show and
prove that the church is among them. Seventh Council of
Carthage (c. 256, W), 5.567.
Nemesianus of Thubane said: “The baptism that

heretics and schismatics bestow is not the true one…. In the
Gospel our Lord Jesus Christ spoke with His divine voice,
saying, “Unless a man is born again of water and the Spirit,
he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” … Therefore, unless
they receive saving baptism in the catholic church, which is
one, they cannot be saved. Rather, they will be condemned
with the carnal in the Judgment of the Lord Christ. Seventh
Council of Carthage (c. 256, W), 5.566.
Munnulus of Girba said: “Brethren, the truth of our

mother, the catholic church, has always remained and still
remains with us—especially in the Trinity of baptism.”
…immediately they have descended into the water.

Treatise on Re-Baptism (c.257, W), 5.676.
Our salvation is founded in the baptism of the Spirit,

which for the most part is associated with the baptism of
water. Treatise on Re-Baptism (c. 257, W), 5.673.
Thus, cleaving to the baptism of men, the Holy Spirit

either goes before or follows it. Or failing the baptism of
water, it falls upon those who believe. Treatise on Re-Baptism
(c. 257, W), 5.676.
174 BORN OF WATER
According to the most ancient custom and

ecclesiastical tradition, it would suffice that—after that
baptism that they have received outside [the church]
indeed, but still in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord—that
only hands should be laid upon them by the bishop for
their reception of the Holy Spirit. And this imposition of
hands affords them the renewed and perfected seal of faith.
Treatise on Re-Baptism (c. 257, W) 5.667.
Not without reason, we also in the present day may

believe that men who are amended from their former error
may be baptized in the Holy Spirit, who, although they
were baptized with water in the name of the Lord, might
had a faith somewhat imperfect. Treatise on Re-Baptism (c.
257, W), 5.671.
As far as concerns the disciples themselves [prior to

Pentecost], they are found to have had a faith that was
neither sound nor perfect—as to the matters we have
referred to. And what is much more serious, they baptized
others, as it is written in the Gospel according to John.
Besides, what will you say of those who are in many cases
baptized by bishops of very bad character, who…are
deprived of their office itself, or barred from communion?
Or what will you say of those who may have been baptized
by bishops whose opinions are unsound, or who are very
ignorant? Treatise on Re-Baptism (c. 257, W), 5.673.
Outside the church, there is no Holy Spirit. Therefore,

sound faith cannot exist—not just among heretics, but even
among those who are established in schism. For that reason
those who repent and are amended by the doctrine of the
truth…should be aided only by spiritual baptism—that is,
by the imposition of the bishop’s hands. Treatise on Re-
Baptism (c. 257, W), 5.673.
What will you determine against the person who hears

the Word…and has at once confessed and then been
martyred before there was an opportunity for him to be
baptized with water?… If you say that he has [eternally]
perished, you will be opposed by the statement of the Lord,
who says, “Whoever will confess me before men, I will
confess him also before my Father who is in heaven.”… All
of this is not meant to be taken too liberally—as if it could
be stretched to such a point that any heretic whatever can
confess the name of Christ even though he denies Christ
Himself. Nor does it apply to the person who believes on
another Christ. Treatise on Re-Batpism (c. 257, W), 5.673.
Heretics who are already baptized in water in the

name of Jesus Christ must only be baptized with the Holy
Spirit…. This is so even though, if they continue as the are,
they cannot be saved, for they have not sought the Lord
after the invocation of His name upon them. Treatise on Re-
Baptism (c. 257, W), 5.674
In the most considerable councils of the bishops, I hear

it has been decreed that those who come from heresy
should first be trained in [orthodox] doctrine and then
should be cleaned by baptism. Dionysius of Alexandria (c.
262, E), 6.102.
Methodius, c. 290 A.D.

Christ willingly suffered death for her, that He might
present the church to Himself glorious and blameless—
having cleansed her by the bath…. For in this way, too, the
command, “Be fruitful and multiply,” is duly fulfilled….
For in no other way could the church conceived believers
and give them the new birth through the bath of
regeneration, except by Christ emptying Himself for their
sake, so that He might be contained by them. Methodius (c.
290, E), 6.319, 320.
Those who are born again by the bath receive… of His

holiness and of His glory…. The illuminated receive the
Comforter, the Spirit of truth, and they are appropriately
born again to incorruption. Methodius (c. 290, E), 6.320.
176 BORN OF WATER
This denotes the faith of those who are cleansed from

corruption in the bath [i.e., baptism]. Methodius (c. 290, E),
6.336.
Otherwise, we would not do wrong after baptism, for

we would be entirely and absolutely free from sin.
However, even after believing and after the time of being
touched by the water of sanctification, we are oftentimes
found in sin. Methodius (c. 290, E), 6.365.
Cyril of Jerusalem, c. 350 A.D.

Cyril of Jerusalem gave a series of lectures which were recorded
by someone in shorthand and later transcribed. These lectures gave
instructions to those studying the Bible with the intent of joining the
church. Such a lecture series was termed a “katechesis,” from a Greek
word meaning to be an auditor, or hearer, of the Word. The term
survives today in the modern catechism of the Catholic church. This
is done before the confirmation of church members who may have
been baptized as infants. However, in the fourth century, completion
of this type of first principles lecture series was a necessary
prerequisite for anyone to be baptized, and thus only adults could be
admitted. He writes, with explicit reference to John 3:5:
For since man’s nature is twofold, compounded of soul

and body, the purification is also twofold, spiritual for the
spiritual part, and physical for the body. For as the water
purifies the body, so the Spirit seals the soul, that having
our hearts sprinkled, and our bodies washed with clean
water, we may draw near to God. Therefore, when about to
enter the water, regard it not as mere water, but look for its
saving power by the action of the Holy Spirit, for without
both you cannot be made perfect.
It is not I who say this, but the Lord Jesus, who has the
power in this matter, says: “Unless a man be born again, of
water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God.” Neither does he who is baptized, but has not been
deemed worthy of the Spirit, possess perfect grace; nor will
a man who acts virtuously, but does not receive the seal by
water, enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore, prepare the vessel of your soul, that you

may become a son of God, and joint heir, indeed, of God,
and joint heir with Christ. That is, if you are preparing
actually to receive; if in faith you are coming forward to be
established in faith; if with clear purpose you are putting off
the old man. For all your sins will be forgiven, whether
sexual immorality or adultery or any other ungodliness.
What sin could be greater than crucifying Christ? But

baptism can forgive even this, as Peter told the three
thousand who had crucified Christ, when they came to him
and asked him, saying, “Brothers, what shall we do?” For
great is our wound. You advised us of our fall, O Peter,
when you said: “the author of life you killed.” What
medicine is there for so great a wound? What purification
for such foulness? What salvation for such ungodliness?
“Repent,” he says, “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.” O the depth
of the love of God! They despair of salvation but are yet
found worthy by the Holy Spirit. There you see the power
of baptism...
Catechesis III: On Baptism (4-7)
Apostolic Constitutions, compiled c. 390 A.D.

When they wish to repent, we receive the pagans into
the church to hear the Word. However, we do not admit
them to communion until they have received the seal of
baptism and are made complete Christians. Apostolic
Constitutions (compiled c. 390, E), 7.414.
He who out of contempt will not be baptized will be

condemned as an unbeliever. He will be reproached as
ungrateful and foolish. For the Lord says, “Unless a man is
178 BORN OF WATER
baptized of water and of the Spirit, he will by no means

enter into the kingdom of heaven.” And again: “He who
believes and is baptized will be saved. But he who does not
believe will be condemned.” However, he may say, “When
I am dying, I will be baptized, lest I should afterwards sin
and defile my baptism.” Such a person is ignorant of God,
and he forgets his own mortal nature. For it is written, “Do
not delay to turn unto the Lord, for you do not know what
the next day will bring forth.” Apostolic Constitutions
(compiled c. 390, E), 7.457; see also 3.580; extended discussion:
3.669-3.679.
[The bishop]…will anoint the head of those who are to

be baptized (whether they are men or women) with the
holy oil, as a representation of the spiritual baptism. After
that, either you, the bishop, or a presbyter that is under you,
will in the solemn form pronounce over them the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and will dip them in the water.
And let a deacon receive the man and a deaconess the
woman…. After that, let the bishop anoint with ointment
those who are baptized. Apostolic constitutions (compiled c.
390, E), 7.431.
You should anoint the person beforehand with the

holy oil and then baptize him with the water. Finally, you
should seal him with the ointment. This is so that the
anointing with oil may be the participation of the Holy
Spirit, that the water may be the symbol of death, and that
the ointment may be the seal of the covenants. However, if
there is neither oil nor ointment, water is sufficient bot for
the anointing and for the seal, as well as for the confession
of Him who is dead, or in fact is dying together [with
Christ]. However, before baptism, let the candidate fast. For
even the Lord, when He was first baptized by John and live
in the wilderness, afterward fasted forty days and forty
nights. Now, He fasted after baptism, because He Himself
had no need of cleansing, fasting, or purgation. For He was
by nature pure and holy…. But he who is to be initiated into
His death should first fast, and then be baptized. Apostolic
When the catechumen is to be baptized, let him learn

what is involved in the renunciation of the devil and the
joinder of himself to Christ. For it is appropriate that he
should first abstain from things contrary and then be
admitted to the mysteries. He must beforehand purify his
heart from all wickedness…. For even our Lord exhorted us
in this manner, saying first, “make disciples of all nations.”
But then he adds: “and baptized them into the name of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Therefore, let the
candidate for baptism declare his renunciation in this
manner: “I renounce Satan, his works, his pomps, his
worship, his angels, his falsehoods, and all things that are
under him.” And after his renunciation, let him make his
public association, saying: “I associate myself to Christ and
believe, and am baptized into one Unbegotten Being, the
only true God Almighty…” [here follows the creed].
And after this vow, he comes next to the anointing

with oil. Now, this is blessed by the high priest [i.e., bishop]
for the remission of sins. It is the first preparation for
baptism. For he calls upon the Unbegotten God, the Father
of Christ,…that He will sanctify the oil in the name of the
Lord Jesus and impart to it spiritual grace and efficacious
strength…. After this, he comes to the water and blesses
and glorifies the Lord God Almighty…. After this, let him
stand up and pray the prayer that the Lord taught us. Of
necessity, he who is risen again should stand up and pray,
for he that has been raised up stands upright. Therefore, let
him who has been dead with Christ, and is raised up with
Him, stand up. But let him pray towards the east. Apostolic
If any bishop or presbyter does not perform the three

immersions of the one initiation—but performs only one
immersion into the death of Christ—let him be deprived.
For the Lord id not say, “Baptize into my death.” Rather, He
said, “God and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
180 BORN OF WATER
them into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit.” Therefore, O bishops, baptize three times into one
Father and Son, and Holy Sprit, according to the will of
Christ. Apostolic Constitutions (compiled c. 390, E), 7.503.
Baptize your infants also and bring them up in the

nurture and admonition of God. For He says, “Allow the
little children to come unto me and do not forbid them.”
Apostolic Constitutions (compiled c. 390, E), 7.457.
[The bishop] has begotten you again to the adoption of

sons by water and the Spirit. Apostolic Constitutions (compiled
c. 390, E), 7.410.
[The bishops are] the ambassadors of God, who have

regenerated you by water and endowed you with the
fullness of the Holy Spirit. Apostolic Constitutions (compiled c.
390, E), 7.412.
[The bishop]… will anoint the head of those who are to

be baptized (whether they are men or women) with the
holy oil, as a representation of the spiritual baptism. After
that, either you, the bishop or a presbyter that is under you,
will in the solemn form pronounce over them the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and will dip them in the water.
Apostolic Constitutions (compiled c. 390, E), 7.431.
Those who have been baptized by heretics are not

initiated. Rather, they are polluted. They do not received
the remission of sins—but the bond of impiety. Apostolic
If a bishop or presbyter rebaptized someone who has

had true baptism—or does not baptize one who has been
polluted by the ungodly [baptism]—let him be deprived.
Apostolic Constitutions (compiled c. 390, E), 7.503; extended
discussion 5.375-5.402, 5.565-5.572.
Even the Jewish nation had wicked heresies…. The

Hemerobaptists do not eat unless daily they wash. And
unless they cleanse their bed, tables, platters, cups, and
seats, they do not use any of those things. Apostolic
Do not seek after Jewish separations or perpetual

washings. Apostolic Constitutions (compiled c. 390, E), 7.464.
Conclusions of the Early Christians’ Convictions on

Baptism
Even in the Creed of the Council of Nicaea in the fourth century,
conversion was still shown to be “one baptism for the remission of
sins.” It should be clear from the writings of the early Christians that
they regarded John 3:5 as explicitly referring to water baptism. To the
primitive church, baptism was considered to be the moment of
regeneration, and thus the use of water in conversion. In no early
church literature does one find the interpretation of John 3:3-5 as
being physical birth. “Water and the Spirit” is always interpreted as
spiritual rebirth.
In Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up? David Berçot writes:
“Since this washing was completely independent of any merit on the
baptized person’s part, baptism was frequently referred to as ‘grace.’ I
was surprised to find that the early Christians used the term ‘grace’ to
refer to a specific act such as baptism.”101
It is also evident that these early Christian writers considered
water baptism to be the moment when the candidate was “sealed”
with the Holy Spirit, which contradicts some modern views. One of
the modern views proposes a separate “baptism of the Spirit” for
individuals. On the other hand, the early Christians took Peter’s
statement in Acts 2:38 (as quoted above by Cyril) to be the literal
fulfillment of Jesus’ words in John 3:5, the water and the Spirit. Paul
also says in Titus 3:5: “He saved us by the washing of rebirth, and
renewal by the Holy Spirit...” The early church regarded those who
taught that baptism was not the beginning of salvation as false
teachers and put them in the category of the Gnostics who taught that
101
Scroll Publishing, 1989), 78.
182 BORN OF WATER
humans cannot be reborn or regenerated by God at the point of water

baptism.
It should be evident from these writings that the early Christians
viewed baptism with utmost importance. However, as time went on,
one can see the development of false doctrines and unbiblical
extensions to the original conversion doctrine beginning to take place.
Baptism was taken far more seriously by the primitive church
than it is by many churches today. The question each person needs to
ask is do churches and individuals today take baptism as seriously as
did the early followers of Jesus? Each person will stand before God
and give an account of his life and his doctrine (1 Timothy 4:16).
Jesus’ words will judge each person so we must make sure that one’s
convictions are the same as the New Testament.
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John Oakes, Ph.D., 284 pages
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The first John Oakes book Is There A God? answers many

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religion. Some of the topics that Dr. Oakes discusses include
evolution, creation, the age of the earth, Genesis and atheism. This is
a must read for anyone interested in science and religion.
Daniel
Prophet to the Nations
No book in the Old Testament provides a stronger link to the

New Testament than Daniel. The John Oakes book Daniel is an
objective attempt to unlock the prophetic message of Daniel, putting
it in its proper historical context and includes appendices on the
Apocrypha, angels, and the premillenial doctrine.
184 BORN OF WATER
Keeping The Faith

The Early Church and the Apostolic Pattern
By John Engler, 292 pages
With a detailed look at ancient primary sources, Keeping The

Faith examines the history of the Christian church through the first
three centuries. It identifies how and why the simple discipleship of
the first century church evolved into the highly structured institutional
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operate in the lives of Christians today.
The Grass Really Isn’t Greener

Unfaithfulness & Restoration
By Bud Price, 98 pages
The Grass Really Isn't Greener discusses the aspects of
unfaithfulness to God and restoration to God and the body of
believers. Bud Prices tells his vivid story of how he left God, returned
and how The Grass Really Isn't Greener on the other side of the
spiritual fence. It includes a bible-based section by John Engler on
restoration.
The Explorers Of Ararat

And the Historic Search for Noah’s Ark
Edited by B.J. Corbin and Rex Geissler with 21 Co-authors
482 pages, 265 photographs
Available at www.noahsarksearch.com
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compilation of ark resources including historical and contemporary
accounts and 265 photographs.

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BORN

What the Bible Really Says

Great Commission Illustrated

NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright

What the Bible Really Says

All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be duplicated,

Published by Great Commission Illustrated.

Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publications Data

Front and back cover graphic design by William To

Photograph of the author baptizing

To my spiritual parents, Harold “Shu” and Carol Shumaker,

To my incredible wife, Michele, who daily encourages and

To my friends, Peter Smith, Dan Rice, and an all generations

To my God, who has given me the wellspring of life and

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless

~ Jesus Christ from the third chapter

Those who study seriously the subject of baptism know that,

Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my

And as the apostle Peter states:

But even if you should suffer for the sake of

In a world where thousands of churches with different

Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which

Biblical conversion is important not only to a person’s own

fresh look at the Scriptures. This is another reason to read the

Introduction to the Second Edition (1998)

Introduction to the Third Edition (2003)

According to this scripture, there is no option in regard to

Qumran Mikvah for Ceremonial Cleansing Immersions

The tradition of washing to clean the inner soul is prevalent in

A subject fraught with so much meaning should

At the time of Jesus’ baptism, God showed Jesus to be the

“One might ask where the ‘counting the cost’

The key to becoming a follower of Jesus is starting a person’s

baptized one is beginning a relationship with Jesus. Christ is the one

Yam Suf “Sea of Reeds” Possible Location Near Goshen, Egypt

Believe and Be Baptized

It should be noted that Mark 16:9-ff is not included in the earliest

Some people attempt to twist Mark 16:15-16 into a pretzel by

Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain

Temple Mount Southern Wall Mikvah for ceremonial washings

paralytic by Jesus (John 9) show some of the pools on the grounds of

Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem

In regard to the actual number of people baptized teacher

love through Jesus? Biblically, a person responds through his belief in

Came to faith Forgiven of sins

Many people are also very confused between “works for

baptized even though he has no faith.”18 Likewise, Catholic Sources

Like Schaeffer, most evangelical writers give the

The early Christians universally believed that works or

In fact, every early Christian writer who discussed the

Does This Mean That Christians Earn Their

No, the early Christians did not teach that we earn

You may be saying to yourself, “I’m confused”…

Our problem is that Augustine, Luther, and other

The early Christians would have replied that a gift is

The early Christians believed that salvation is a gift

Is their understanding really that strange? I so often

As surprising as all of this may be to you, what I’m