1. Jesus became a pattern for all believers and He was baptized in water and in the Spirit.
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29(NKJV)
“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “ I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:13-17 (NKJV)

2. Jesus commanded us to be baptized in water.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” Matthew 28:19 (NKJV)
“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:16 (NKJV)

3. The Doctrine of Baptisms is part of our foundation in Christ.
“Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection

1. Water Baptism means to be totally immersed in water.
“Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.” Acts 2:41 (NKJV)
Strong’s Greek #907: “baptizo”: “to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk)”

2. Water Baptism is a public act announcing your faith to the world.
“Let your light shine before all men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
Water baptism is a public announcing and declaring of three very important things:
i. You are a follower of Jesus Christ. “Those who accepted his message were baptized.” Acts 2:41
ii. You are beginning a changed life in Christ. “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.” Romans 6:4
iii. You are part of a new family.
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Galatians 3:26–27

1. We bury our old life and are resurrected to new life in Christ.
“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 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. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,” Romans 6:3-5 (NKJV)

2. Our old nature is crucified.
“…knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” Romans 6:6 (NKJV)

3. Our hearts are circumcised.
“In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” Colossians 2:11-12 (NKJV)

Where some Christian denominations practice baby baptism or sprinkling, there is no New Testament reference or teaching for this. All examples of people being Water Baptized in the New Testament were adults. Water Baptism is an obedient act subsequent to making a conscious decision to follow Jesus Christ. Where there is no clear age given for when someone can be Water Baptized, it should be at a time when a person has the ability to make an educated conscious decision on their own to understand what they are doing by giving their life to Christ and being Water Baptized.

1. 3000 people after Peter’s first message - Acts 2:38,41
2. People of Samaria - Acts 8:12,13
3. The Ethiopian Eunuch - Acts 8:36-38
4. The Apostle Paul - Acts 9:17,18
5. The Gentiles - Acts 10:44-48
6. Lydia and her family - Acts 16:15
7. The Philippian Jailer and his family - Acts 16:33
8. Many Corinthians - Acts 18:8
9. The Ephesian Disciples - Acts 19:3-5

1. The Apostles did not baptize in their own name.
“…were you baptized in the name of Paul?” 1 Corinthians 1:13 (NKJV)

2. Jesus commanded us to be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” Matthew 28:19 (NKJV)
What is that Name? “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 (NKJV)
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11 (NKJV)

3. In the Early Church they baptized in:
The Name of the Lord “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” Acts 10:48 (NKJV) The Name of Jesus Christ
“Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ…” Acts 2:38 (NKJV) The Name of the Lord Jesus “They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 8:16 (NKJV)
“When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 19:5 (NKJV)
The Name of Christ Jesus “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into
His death?” Romans 6:3 (NKJV)
“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Galatians 3:27 (NKJV) From the Apostle’s doctrine and practice in the early church, it appears that they interpreted the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit to be the “Lord Jesus Christ.”

4. Therefore, the declaration of faith we make over people being baptized in water is this:
“Because of your confession of faith, that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Saviour, we now baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in the authority of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.”