If You are NOT Baptized, You Might want to Read This.

The King James Version (KJV) of the Bible teaches that baptism is an essential part of a believer’s faith and obedience to God. Here are some key teachings about baptism that should be considered:

1. Baptism as a Commandment

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 commands His disciples to baptize believers as part of the Great Commission.

2. Baptism for the Remission of Sins

Acts 2:38 – “Then Peter said unto them, 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 links baptism to repentance and receiving the Holy Spirit.

3. Baptism by Full Immersion

Mark 1:9-10 – “And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him.”

Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, and He “came up out of the water,” implying full immersion.

4. Baptism as Identification with Christ’s Death and Resurrection

Romans 6:3-4 – “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore 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.”

Baptism symbolizes dying to sin and rising to new life in Christ.

5. Baptism as an Act of Faith and Obedience

Mark 16:16 – “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

Faith and baptism are connected to salvation, emphasizing its importance.

6. Baptism Does Not Save by Itself

1 Peter 3:21 – “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Baptism is a sign of a good conscience toward God, but it is faith in Christ’s resurrection that ultimately saves.

7. Only for Those Who Believe

Acts 8:36-37 – “And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.”

Baptism is for those who believe with all their heart.

So, we have established that followers of Jesus Christ must be baptized. But can anyone perform the baptism? Do they need authority to perform a baptism? Let’s go back to the scriptures.

Authority to Baptize

According to the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, the authority to baptize comes from God and is given to specific individuals. Here are key biblical principles regarding who has the authority to baptize:

1. Jesus Gave Authority to His Disciples

Matthew 28:18-19 – Jesus commissions His disciples to baptize:

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 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, having all power, delegated the authority to baptize to His apostles.

John 20:21-23 – Jesus gives authority to His disciples:

“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.”

This suggests that authority is given through divine commission.

2. John the Baptist Was Given Authority to Baptize

John 1:6, 33 – John was sent from God to baptize:

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.”

“He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.”

John’s baptism was divinely authorized.

3. The Apostles and Their Successors Baptized

Acts 2:37-38 – Peter, an apostle, calls people to baptism:

“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, having received authority from Jesus, baptized others.

Acts 8:12-13, 36-38 – Philip, a deacon, baptizes:

“When they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”

“And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.”

Philip was authorized by the apostles to baptize.

4. Unauthorized Baptisms Were Corrected

Acts 19:2-6 – Paul rebaptizes those who had received an improper baptism:

“He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.”

“When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

This suggests that not all baptisms were considered valid, reinforcing the need for proper authority.

5. Biblical Pattern: Authority Comes from God and Is Passed Down

1 Timothy 4:14 – Authority given through laying on of hands:

“Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”

Authority in the early church was conferred through ordination.

Hebrews 5:4 – Authority is a divine calling:

“And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.”

Just as Aaron was divinely appointed, so too must religious authority be granted.

The Bible teaches that we all must be baptized by full immersion by those who have the proper authority to do so. That authority comes from God and is given to specific individuals. Jesus gave His apostles authority, who in turn passed it to others. Baptism performed without proper authority was sometimes corrected. The pattern in the New Testament suggests that baptism is not just an individual act but requires God-given authority.

So, who has the proper authority to baptize?

From a biblical perspective, the proper authority to baptize comes from Jesus Christ, who commanded His disciples to go and baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). The question of who has the proper authority today depends on one’s theological beliefs:

Catholic and Orthodox View – They believe that apostolic succession grants authority to bishops and priests, ensuring the legitimacy of baptisms within their churches.

Protestant View – Many Protestant denominations believe any believer can baptize, as long as it is done in obedience to Christ. Some denominations, like Baptists, emphasize that baptism should be performed by a pastor or elder within the church.

Latter-day Saint (LDS) View – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that baptism requires priesthood authority restored through Joseph Smith and passed down through church leadership.

Non-Denominational and Evangelical View – Many believe baptism is valid as long as it is done in faith, regardless of who performs it. Some emphasize the importance of a local church body recognizing the baptism.

For those seeking the truth, there must be consideration to the scripture above: Acts 19:2-6. Paul had rebaptized those who he felt were improperly baptized. Three things done incorrectly that would make a baptism “improper” would be:

• • Baptism by Immersion.
  • Done in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
  • Performed by someone having the proper authority.

For those of you who have not been baptized, I would suggest that you consider these three things in selecting who you should select to baptize you.

Ultimately, the answer depends on what you believe about how God grants authority. If you’re seeking to understand it from a biblical perspective, the most important thing is that baptism is done in faith, as a commitment to Jesus Christ, and in accordance with His command.

One thing that will assist you is to involve your Heavenly Father with this process. Kneel before Him and ask to be led to the proper authority to baptize you. He will guide you as you study and search the topic of baptism. This is the same process in finding ALL truth in spiritual matters.

The time for you to be baptized is coming to an end. This is something that you should consider as a priority in your life. Start with your prayer right now. Ask to be guided to a person or organization that can baptize you…and then…get it done.

There is peace in this process. There is peace in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and there is defiantly peace in knowing that you are prepared to take a step towards living with God for all of eternity. I too will join you in prayer, in finding your next step.