Meaning of Water Baptism

In water baptism a person is united with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. (Romans 6:1-10 see below)

• Death – We are crucified with Christ and die to sin and to our old sinful self.
• Burial – When we are fully immersed under the water our old sinful self is buried.
• Resurrection – When we are pulled up out of the water we are raised to walk in newness of life with Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.

After a person has been united with Jesus Christ through water baptism their sins have been forgiven and washed away.  (Acts 2:28, Acts 22:16 see below)

When a person is baptized into Christ they are born-again.  This is the new birth that Jesus referred to when He said that we must be born again of water and the Spirit.  (John 3:3, 5 see below)

*The physical act of Water baptism by itself does not result in the forgiveness of sins or salvation.  It must accompanied by faith in Jesus Christ and repentance.  (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19, Acts 8:9-23, 1 Peter 3:20-21, see below)

Awesome Video of Water Baptism (Slow Motion)

(Special thanks to Matt Johnson for this video)

Another Great Video of a Water Baptism Event

(Special thanks to Matt Johnson and Woodland Church for this video)

— Scripture References —

Romans 6:1-10 ESV 

6  1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self  was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 

8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

John 3:3, 5 ESV

3  3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.“

Acts 2:38 ESV

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent 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.

Acts 22:16 ESV

16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

1 Peter 3:20-21 NIV

20 …when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, ²¹ and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.  It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ…

Acts 3:19

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord…

Acts 8:9-23 NIV

⁹ Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, ¹⁰ and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” ¹¹ They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery.

¹² But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. ¹³ Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

¹⁴ When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.¹⁵ When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, ¹⁶ because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money ¹⁹ and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

²⁰ Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!²¹ You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. ²² Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. ²³ For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”