WHAT IS WATER BAPTISM?
The word “baptism” is in Greek “baptisma” while “to baptise” is in Greek “baptizo”. It is obvious that this word has not really been translated but simply copied into the English language. In Greek “baptizo” means “to immerse, cause to be dipped, to submerge, to overwhelm”. To baptise something in water means to put it under the water. Therefore in the Biblical sense, to baptise a person in water literally means to put that person wholly under the water. Water baptism for the Christian symbolises and appropriates our death, burial and resurrection with Christ. It means identification with Christ. “Therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4). It is clear then that the tradition of sprinkling people or pouring water on them is true neither to the clearly understood meaning of the Greek Word, nor to the symbolism of burial. Only immersion
