What Is Water Baptism? A Biblical Guide to Baptism by Immersion
If you have spent any time around church, you have probably heard about water baptism. For some people, it brings back memories of a family gathering when they were baptized as an infant. For others, it may feel unfamiliar or even confusing.
At Abundant Life Church in Wilmington, Massachusetts, we often receive questions about water baptism. Many people in the Wilmington area and surrounding communities, like Tewksbury, Billerica, Woburn, and Reading, ask us what the Bible says about baptism and why churches practice baptism by immersion
What does the Bible say about it?
Why do some churches baptize infants while others baptize believers?
Why do some churches practice full immersion in water?
If you live in New England, these questions are especially common because many grew up in traditions that practiced infant baptism. Understanding what the Bible teaches about baptism can help clarify why many churches today practice believer’s baptism through full immersion.
What is Water Baptism?
Water baptism is a public declaration of faith in Jesus Christ. It is an outward expression of an inward transformation.
When someone places their faith in Jesus, the Bible teaches that their sins are forgiven and they begin a new life in Christ. Baptism does not create that salvation. If you are exploring faith and wondering what it means to place your trust in Jesus, you can read more about what it means to be saved and begin a relationship with Christ. Instead, it celebrates and declares what God has already done in a person’s heart.
The Bible consistently teaches that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8–9 reminds us, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Baptism is not what saves us. It is the step of obedience that follows salvation.
Throughout the New Testament, baptism follows a person’s decision to trust in Jesus.
For example, Acts 2:41 says, “Those who accepted his message were baptized.” Again and again in the book of Acts, belief in Christ comes first, followed by baptism as a public declaration of that faith. It is an act of obedience and a step of faith that tells the world, “I belong to Jesus.”
Why Baptism Matters
Although baptism is not what saves us, it is something Jesus clearly instructed His followers to practice.
In Matthew 28:19, Jesus gave this instruction to His disciples:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
We see this pattern continue throughout the early church. In Acts 10:47–48, after people believed in Jesus and received the Holy Spirit, Peter said, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water.”
Baptism became one of the first steps of obedience for new believers in the early church. When people placed their faith in Christ, they were baptized as a way of identifying with Him and publicly declaring their new life.
It is similar to a wedding ring. A ring does not make someone married, but it is a visible symbol of a real commitment. Baptism functions in a similar way for followers of Jesus.
Why We Baptize By Full Immersion
One of the most common questions we hear in New England is why many churches practice baptism by full immersion rather than sprinkling.
There are several biblical reasons.
First, the original Greek word used in the New Testament for baptism is baptizo, which literally means “to immerse,” “to dip,” or “to submerge.” The language itself points toward being fully placed under water. This word appears throughout the New Testament in passages describing baptism (for example: Matthew 3:6, Mark 1:5, John 3:23, Acts 8:38)
Second, Jesus Himself modeled baptism through immersion.
When Jesus was baptized, the Bible describes Him coming up out of the water.
Matthew 3:16 says, “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.”
This description strongly suggests that Jesus was immersed and then came up from the water.
Third, Scripture often highlights that baptism involves entering and coming out of the water.
In Acts 8:38–39, when Philip baptized the Ethiopian official, it says, “Both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away.”
John the Baptist also baptized in locations where there was plenty of water available, which further supports the idea of immersion.
John 3:23 says, “Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, becausethere was plenty of water.”
Finally, immersion clearly reflects the spiritual meaning of baptism.
Romans 6:4 explains the symbolism this way:
“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
Colossians 2:12 describes the same picture: “Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God.”
When someone is lowered into the water, it represents the burial of their old life of sin. When they rise from the water, it symbolizes being raised to new life through Jesus Christ.
Baptism visually tells the story of the gospel: death, burial, and resurrection.
What About Infant Baptism?
Because New England has a strong Catholic and historic church presence, many people were baptized as infants. Families often did this as a way of dedicating their child to God and expressing their desire for the child to grow up in faith.
While we deeply respect the heart behind that tradition, the New Testament pattern consistently shows people being baptized after they personally believe in Jesus.
This pattern appears repeatedly throughout the book of Acts. People hear the gospel, believe in Jesus, and are then baptized. For example, Acts 16:31–33 describes a jailer who believed in Jesus and was baptized soon afterward, along with his household.
For this reason, many churches today practice believer’s baptism, meaning baptism follows a personal decision to trust Christ.
If you were baptized as an infant, that moment may have been important to your family and their desire to raise you in faith. In many churches, families choose to celebrate that same heart and commitment through child dedication, where parents publicly commit to raising their children to know and follow Jesus. You can read more about child dedications.
Many Christians also later choose to be baptized again after personally placing their faith in Jesus as a way of declaring their own commitment.
A Public Declaration of Faith
Baptism is powerful because it is both personal and public.
It is personal because it marks a step of obedience in a believer’s relationship with Christ. It is public because it declares that faith to the community around them.
In the early church, baptism was often the first moment when someone openly identified themselves as a follower of Jesus. Even today, it remains a powerful way of saying, “My life belongs to Christ.”
For many people, baptism becomes a defining moment in their spiritual journey.
Who Should Be Baptized?
Baptism is for anyone who has personally placed their faith in Jesus Christ. It is not reserved for people who feel spiritually perfect or who have everything figured out. Baptism is a step of obedience for believers who want to publicly identify with Jesus and the new life He has given them.
Taking Your Next Step
If you have placed your faith in Jesus but have never been baptized, baptism may be your next step.
It is not about perfection. It is about obedience. It is about celebrating the new life Jesus has given you and declaring that faith publicly.
At Abundant Life Church in Wilmington, MA, we regularly celebrate baptisms and love helping people take this important step in their faith journey.
If you would like to learn more about water baptism or sign up for our next baptism service, we would love to talk with you.
Your story is not finished, and your next step of faith may begin with the waters of baptism.
At Abundant Life Church in Wilmington, MA, we regularly celebrate baptisms and love helping people take this important step in their faith journey. If you live in Wilmington, Tewksbury, Billerica, Woburn, or the surrounding Middlesex County communities and would like to learn more about water baptism or following Jesus, we would love to meet you.
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