The Christian sacrament of initiation — washing with water in the name of the Trinity, marking the believer's entry into the church.
Baptism is commanded by Christ himself in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) — 'Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.' Jesus himself was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River (Matthew 3:13-17). The first Christian baptisms occurred at Pentecost when 3,000 responded to Peter's sermon and were baptized that day (Acts 2:38-41). The book of Acts records multiple baptisms — the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8), Cornelius and his household (Acts 10), Lydia (Acts 16), the Philippian jailer (Acts 16), and many others. Romans 6:3-4 and Colossians 2:12 connect baptism with union with Christ in his death and resurrection.
Baptism is the Christian sacrament of initiation. Across nearly all Christian traditions — Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Reformed, Baptist, Pentecostal — baptism marks the believer's entry into the church and union with Christ. The sacrament involves three elements: (1) Water — applied by immersion (the original New Testament practice, preserved by Orthodox, Baptists, and many evangelicals), by pouring, or by sprinkling. (2) The trinitarian formula — 'in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit' (Matthew 28:19). (3) A minister — traditionally a priest, deacon, or pastor; in emergencies anyone can baptize. The theology of baptism is profound. Romans 6:3-4 connects baptism with Christ's death and resurrection: 'we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.' The believer 'dies' to the old life (going under the water or being marked with it) and 'rises' to new life (coming up from the water or being marked as belonging to Christ). 1 Peter 3:21 calls baptism 'the answer of a good conscience toward God.' Acts 22:16 — Ananias to Saul — 'arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.' Baptism is thus connected to forgiveness, new birth, the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), and incorporation into Christ's body. Christian traditions divide over key questions: (1) Who is to be baptized — adult believers only (Baptist position) or also infants of believing parents (Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican)? (2) What baptism accomplishes — does it convey grace ex opere operato (Catholic), or symbolize what God has already done (most Protestant)? (3) Mode — immersion (Orthodox, Baptist), affusion (Catholic, Anglican), or aspersion (Reformed)? Despite these differences, virtually all Christians agree baptism is essential to Christian initiation and ought to be received.
In Catholic teaching, baptism is the first of the seven sacraments and is necessary for salvation. It removes original sin and any actual sins committed before baptism, imparts the Holy Spirit, confers the indelible character of belonging to Christ, and incorporates the baptized into the Catholic Church. Infants are baptized to remove original sin and place them in a state of grace. The matter is water; the form is the trinitarian formula. The ordinary minister is a bishop, priest, or deacon. In emergencies, anyone can baptize — including a non-Christian — as long as they use water and the trinitarian formula with the intent to do what the Church does.
Eastern Orthodox practice triple immersion — fully submerging the baptized three times, once for each Person of the Trinity. Orthodox baptism is immediately followed by Chrismation (anointing with chrism oil, equivalent to Confirmation in the West) and First Communion — making the newly baptized a full participant in the sacramental life of the church immediately. Infants are baptized. The Orthodox tradition emphasizes baptism as the believer's death and resurrection with Christ — the triple immersion enacts the three days Christ was in the tomb.
Protestant traditions differ widely on baptism. Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Reformed churches practice infant baptism, viewing it as the New Covenant equivalent of circumcision. Baptist and most evangelical/Pentecostal churches practice 'believer's baptism' only — baptizing those who have personally professed faith. Quaker and Salvation Army traditions do not practice water baptism. Among those who baptize, modes vary: immersion (most Baptists), pouring (most Methodists, Anglicans), sprinkling (most Presbyterians). Underlying theology also varies: sacramentalists (Lutheran, Anglican) see baptism as conveying grace; symbolic views (most Baptists, Reformed) see baptism as a public profession of faith already received.
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
The Great Commission
“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
Peter at Pentecost
“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?”
Baptism and union with Christ
“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us.”
Baptism is the Christian sacrament of initiation — a washing with water in the name of the Trinity that marks the believer's entry into the church. Romans 6:3-4 connects baptism with Christ's death and resurrection: the believer 'dies' to the old life and 'rises' to new life in Christ. Baptism is also associated with the forgiveness of sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and incorporation into the body of Christ. Nearly all Christian traditions consider baptism essential to Christian initiation.
Christian traditions practice baptism in three modes: immersion (fully submerging the baptized — Orthodox, Baptist, many evangelical), affusion (pouring water on the head — Catholic, Anglican, most Methodist), and aspersion (sprinkling water — most Reformed). All use the trinitarian formula: 'in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit' (Matthew 28:19). The New Testament word baptizo originally meant 'to dip' or 'to immerse,' but the early church practiced multiple modes, and Christians have differed on which is required ever since. Most traditions consider baptism by any mode valid if water and the trinitarian formula are used.
Different traditions answer this differently. Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, and most mainline Protestant traditions consider infant baptism valid and do not re-baptize — instead they offer Confirmation as the moment of personal profession. Baptist and most evangelical/Pentecostal traditions do not consider infant baptism valid and re-baptize converts who were baptized as infants. The pastoral question often comes up: if you were baptized as an infant and have come to faith as an adult, what should you do? Catholic/Orthodox/Anglican counsel: be confirmed. Baptist counsel: be baptized as a believer.
Christian traditions differ. Catholic teaching: baptism is normally necessary for salvation, though God can save without it in cases of impossibility (the 'baptism of desire' or 'baptism of blood'). Most Protestant teaching: faith alone saves; baptism is the public sign of the faith but not what saves. The thief on the cross is often cited (Luke 23:43) — Jesus assured him 'today shalt thou be with me in paradise' without baptism. What all traditions agree on: baptism is commanded by Christ and ought to be received by every believer who is able.