The doctrine of baptisms is a foundational and fundamental teaching and belief of the church of God. Although it is a physical ceremony, the lessons and effects of baptism are spiritual. By it, we demonstrate to God our sincere decision and determination to live His way of life, and show our belief in and acceptance of His Son's work on our behalf. By it, God purges us of our sin and then gives us the power by His Spirit to live righteously before Him. Baptism is a springboard that enables His children to go on to perfection. Baptism is a commanded ordinance for those who would be saved. Though it is strictly a physical ritual, our participation in it shows the sincerity of our repentance, our belief of His Word, our desire to obey God, and our acceptance of what Jesus Christ did on our behalf. It is such an important beginning to our Christian lives that Jesus says that unless one is born of water baptism and the Spirit by a laying on of hands, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Jesus, though He had never sinned, went through the rite of baptism to fulfill all righteousness. He did everything a truly righteous man should do, setting an example for us to learn from Him. As our perfect example in all things, He came to John to be baptized to show us the steps we must take to reach the same destination He did, the Kingdom of God. The original method of baptism was by immersion. John needed an abundance of water to cover his followers completely. Jesus' example shows that He came up from the water because He had been in it. Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch went down into the water. The Greek word for baptize means to immerse or plunge into, distinct from words used for pouring or sprinkling. The prerequisites for baptism are repentance and belief in the gospel of the Kingdom of God. The people showed by their reaction that they believed what was preached, and thus they needed only to repent of their sins and their human nature before they were baptized. One need not be a Bible scholar or be living perfectly to be baptized; these things are part of growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ after baptism. A candidate for baptism must be able to discern the terms of God's offer for salvation before making such a monumental decision. He must be mature enough to understand what God desires of him, to repent, and to believe the gospel. A new believer should be baptized as soon as possible after he has come to this point in his calling. The apostles baptized only adults who had met the qualifications of baptism, ruling out children and the dead. Symbolically, our baptism imitates what our Savior did for us, and by our participation in it, we show our desire to be united at one with Him in both His death and resurrection. Being put into the water represents the death of the old man with his sinful way of life. Being completely covered by water symbolizes burial, and being raised from the water pictures a resurrection to newness of life. After baptism, we consider ourselves dead to sin, having completely divorced ourselves from living a sinful way of life. Once baptized, we are to give our lives to God and use our time to become instruments of righteousness to Him. Baptism also serves to induct us into God's church and Family. We are literally baptized into the name of God. It becomes our Family name, and we have a great responsibility to uphold it. Afterwards, when a minister lays his hands on us, God gives us of His Spirit, and we truly become Christians, members of the body of Christ. Because we have God's Spirit in us, we become God's children and heirs with Christ of all things.

There is much confusion in the world over baptism, with variations such as sprinkling or partial immersion often done for convenience. Baptism is a vital condition for salvation, symbolizing being baptized into Christ Jesus and into His death, leading to walking in newness of life. This newness of life is a practice of eternal life, which only God inherently possesses and gives through Christ to us. In the Old Testament, events like Noah's ark and the Israelites' crossing of the Red Sea serve as types of baptism. The flood waters surrounding the ark and the walls of water at the Red Sea picture immersion, symbolizing a departure from an old way of life and entry into a new one by God's grace. The Israelites' passage through the sea represented a watery grave for their former ways, emerging to a promised life, much like Christians are called to crucify the old self and rise to a better way through baptism. John the Baptizer introduced baptism before the Christian era, drawing from Old Testament teachings and preparing people for the Messiah's message. Baptism was not seen as a new practice, as even before John, Jews used similar ordinances for proselytes. Repentant sinners needed an outward sign of repentance, mirroring Israel's actions under Moses. Baptism requires repentance and faith as preconditions. Repentance involves a deep change, a commitment to stop sinning and live by God's commandments, bearing fruits of genuine transformation. Faith is directed toward Christ, and together, these conditions must be met before baptism. The ordinance symbolizes faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and upon fulfilling these conditions, God promises to impart His Spirit to the believer. Water baptism is a required step for those called by God to begin conversion and salvation. It is a once-in-a-lifetime act, ordained by God with deep significance, and must be performed by the right ministers with proper understanding and attitude to be recognized by Him. During the ceremony, the minister asks if the person has repented of their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. An affirmative answer forms an irrevocable contract with God, promising total forgiveness and the gift of His Spirit in exchange for total commitment to follow Him. Jesus Christ set the example by being baptized, immersed in water, not sprinkled or poured upon, demonstrating the proper method. He came up out of the water, symbolizing the washing away of sins, though He had none, doing so to show the way for us. His disciples baptized under His authority, and such acts are considered as if done by Him. Baptism must be performed by His authority, as He holds all power in heaven and earth. The true meaning of baptism lies in immersion, as the Greek word "baptizo" means to plunge into, not to sprinkle or pour. It requires much water, as seen in examples where individuals went down into and came up out of the water. Baptism is a burial in a watery grave, symbolizing death to the old self and resurrection to a new, righteous life in Christ Jesus. It also represents purification, preparing a person for the receipt of the Holy Spirit. Water baptism is a commanded ordinance essential for salvation, though it is symbolic of Christ's death, which remits sins, and His resurrection, by which we are ultimately saved. Noncompliance with this command is disobedience and risks loss of salvation. A person should be baptized as soon as possible after repentance and faith, without unnecessary delay, though God makes allowance for necessity when a minister is not immediately available. Baptism, along with receiving the Holy Spirit, empowers believers to overcome sin and establish a right relationship with God.

The practice of being baptized for those who have died is based on a misunderstanding of I Corinthians 15:29. Baptism is for the living, serving as a symbol whereby they acknowledge their sins, figuratively die with Christ in a watery grave, and rise to live a new, righteous life through Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It also symbolizes the resurrection, as rising from the watery grave reflects belief in the resurrection of the dead. Without the hope of resurrection, surrendering one's life to Christ and being baptized would be meaningless. In I Corinthians 15:29, Paul addresses the resurrection, using the example of baptism to underscore the hope of rising again. The Greek word "huper," often translated as "for," should be understood as "for the hope of" in this context. Thus, the verse questions, why are they baptized for the hope of the dead if the dead do not rise at all? Baptism illustrates the hope of the resurrection, and Paul emphasizes that without this hope, baptism would be futile. He affirms that because Christ died and rose again, we have the true hope of resurrection to anticipate.

Before Jesus Christ's ministry began, John the Baptist preached in the wilderness about repentance from sin and baptism. He spoke of three distinct baptisms, declaring that while he baptized with water unto repentance, the One coming after him, mightier than he, would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. All four gospels mention baptism by water and the Holy Spirit, though only Matthew and Luke reference the baptism of fire. Baptism by full immersion in water serves as a public expression of repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior. Emerging from this watery grave, a new Christian, forgiven of sin, is cleansed and prepared to receive God's Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. The baptism of the Holy Spirit places a Christian into the spiritual body of Jesus Christ, the church, uniting all into one body and regenerating them as sons or daughters of God the Father. The baptism of fire, as John explained, represents a punishing fire of God's eternal judgment, likened to a lake of fire where the chaff is burned with unquenchable flame, a fate no Christian desires. Scripture reveals baptism as a recurring theme in God's creative and redemptive work. The children of Israel were symbolically baptized in the Red Sea, emerging cleansed and free from their oppressors as God destroyed those who enslaved them. Earlier, Noah and his family were saved through water, an event mirrored in Christian baptism as a cleansing from sin. Even at Creation, the earth was covered in water, rising cleansed and prepared for new life, suggesting God's pattern of initiating new creation with a baptism. Baptism holds profound significance to God, marking the essential early step in His work with humanity, a cleansing in water for the remission of sins, leading to new life and fellowship with Him.

God requires a person to have faith in order to be justified, followed by repentance of sins. Upon baptism, an individual is born from above by the power of the Holy Spirit, becoming part of the Body of Christ through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. Justification is more than a simple human decision; it is God's recognition and acceptance of an individual's repentance and decision to be baptized.

Under the New Covenant, baptism plays a significant role in the spiritual journey of believers, opening the way for both Jews and Gentiles to enter the church through repentance. Gentiles, though not physical descendants of Abraham, become His spiritual progeny through faith in the sacrifice of Christ and receipt of the Holy Spirit. Baptism symbolizes the burial of the old man of sin in a watery grave, and after being raised from the water in newness of life, the repentant sinner stands before God perfect, holy, and sinless. This process fulfills the spiritual symbolism of circumcision, rendering physical circumcision unnecessary. The act of baptism, coupled with repentance and faith in Christ, justifies believers and grants them the gift of the Holy Spirit, marking their spiritual circumcision of heart and mind. Unlike the temporary act of deleavening homes during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which must be repeated annually to remind us of the ongoing struggle against sin, baptism represents a singular, transformative event that aligns with the New Covenant's focus on spiritual renewal over physical rituals.

Baptism holds a significant place in our spiritual journey, marking a profound transition in our lives. It is a memorable experience, whether conducted in a simple trough, a river, a lake, or an ocean, each setting unique yet united in purpose. The act of baptism, often witnessed by others, remains etched in memory due to its circumstances, like the chill of cold water in a mid-December lake. In the scriptures, three notable baptisms stand out. First, the baptism of Jesus Christ in Matthew 3, where John, despite his humility, baptized Him, and the heavens opened with the Spirit of God descending as a dove, accompanied by a voice from heaven affirming His mission. Second, the mass baptisms on Pentecost in Acts 2, where thousands were baptized in a single day following Peter's powerful message, showcasing remarkable growth in the early church. Third, in I Corinthians 10, the baptism of Israel through the Red Sea, a type of baptism into Moses on the last day of Unleavened Bread, symbolizing a collective commitment of nearly two million people. The term "baptize" derives from the Greek "baptizo," meaning to immerse or submerge, as clarified in resources like Thayer's Lexicon, indicating a full immersion in water as a sign of sin's removal and entry into the Messiah's kingdom. Scriptural accounts, such as Jesus coming up from the water in Matthew 3, John choosing a place with much water in John 3, and Philip immersing the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8, confirm that baptism requires complete submersion, not mere sprinkling. Baptism is reserved for mature adults who can grasp its gravity, as seen in Acts 8 where only men and women, not children, are mentioned. Young children lack the understanding of sin and repentance necessary for such a commitment, which requires a deep, personal calling from God and a mature perception of the doctrines and Christ's sacrifice. John the Baptist's ministry centered on a baptism of repentance, emphasizing a one-time transition from an old life of sin to a new life of bearing fruit, as highlighted in Luke 3. This act is not a repeatable cleansing but a lifelong commitment with eternal consequences, initiating a period of judgment where one must bear good fruit or face dire consequences. Christian baptism, unlike John's, includes the Holy Spirit, which became available after Christ's ascension, as seen in Acts 8 with the Samaritans receiving the Spirit through the laying on of hands post-baptism. Romans 6 outlines baptism's deep symbolism: it unites us with Christ, signifies the death of our old self, buries our past sins in water as a grave, resurrects us to a new life, represents redemption from sin's grip, foreshadows our ultimate resurrection to eternal life, commits us to a sinless, righteous life of service, and marks us as under grace, pardoned and equipped for growth toward God's Kingdom. In Hebrews 6, baptism is a pivotal doctrine among the fundamental steps of conversion, following repentance and faith toward God, leading to the reception of the Holy Spirit, and opening the path to resurrection and eternal judgment. On the last day of Unleavened Bread, the Israelites' passage through the Red Sea, as described in Exodus 14 and I Corinthians 10, typifies baptism into Moses, symbolizing commitment under the cloud and sea, yet many failed to reach the Promised Land due to sin, serving as a warning to us. Paul uses this in I Corinthians 10 to caution against complacency and worldly indulgence, reminding us that despite baptism and God's provisions, failure to adhere to our commitment can lead to spiritual death before reaching God's Kingdom. Baptism is our pledge to follow the path to completion, to hold fast to Christ, and to grow as God's children, ensuring that once sin is put away, it is not allowed back in.

Water baptism symbolizes our redemption, in which our guilt is washed away, and we arise to newness of life. Under the New Covenant, guilt is addressed by having sin cleansed through this act, reflecting the transformative power of faith. This cleansing is required for salvation, marking a profound change as we commit to a renewed way of living.

God's use of the laying on of hands, as a symbolic act of setting a person apart for holy use, includes the practice of baptism. The church, following biblical precedent, employs this rite to request the Holy Spirit after baptism. Usually, the Holy Spirit is given through the laying on of an elder's hands, confirming baptism. However, there are instances where God makes exceptions to work out His own will and plan, as seen in cases where the Holy Spirit was received either before or after baptism.