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Water baptism is an act of obedience that follows conversion to portray symbolically the washing away of our sins. Water baptism calls for immersion instead of sprinkling. Many groups that have only sprinkled in times past are now seeing that the Scriptural method is total immersion in water. In fact, the Greek word "baptism" means to immerse, submerse and emerge.
The baptism itself does not bring salvation; salvation inspires the water baptism. It should be the first thing we do after we are "born again." Those who have received Jesus in their hearts should desire to follow Him in this ordinance. Jesus Himself came to John the Baptist to receive His water baptism because He was to take the sins of the world at His death. These sins would be washed away by God for those who put their trust in Him.
John 1:29-31 - 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 "This is He on behalf of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.' 31 "I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water."
The Refiner's Fire's Colorado affiliate, Rabbi Rick, adds:
There are many groups that view baptism as essential BEFORE someone is saved opposed to something that is done as an outward expression of faith AFTER someone is saved. Many scriptures can go back and forth, but the one that I adhere to is from 1 Corinthians where Paul says:
1 Cor 1:14-17 - 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one would say you were baptized in my name. 16 Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.
Notice that Paul, in verse 17, does not place "baptize" with the "gospel" that Messiah sent him to preach. If baptism was essential for salvation, then surely that would have been a part of the gospel and Paul would have taken great pleasure in baptizing everyone he shared the truth of Jesus with.
As far as John 3:5 is concerned, there are several ways that this verse can be interpreted based on one's belief about baptism, the Holy Spirit, salvation, etc. It is next to impossible to use this verse as a foundation verse. The foundation of belief needs to be built on other verses.
The Refiner's Fire
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