Question: What does the Bible say about water baptism? Does infant baptism have any value? I’m ...

Question [composite of several]: What does the Bible say about water baptism? Does infant baptism have any value? I’m very confused on this subject, and there seem to be many different opinions of why we should or shouldn’t be baptized. Is water baptism still applicable to the church today?

Response: Water baptism was commanded by Jesus and is for believers, who are to be baptized as an act of obedience. Christ commanded His original disciples to go into the entire world and preach the gospel (Mk 16:15). He told them to “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Mt 28:19). These new believers were then told to also go and preach the gospel everywhere and to baptize those who believed (v. 20).

Baptism in the early church was by immersion: “They went down into the water….[W]hen they were come up out of the water…” (Acts:8:38-39 [38] 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. [39] And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
See All...), etc. Why immersion? Because baptism symbolizes the believer’s identity with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection: “We are buried with him by baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead…we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom:6:4Therefore 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.
See All...).

Unfortunately, various innovations and heresies were gradually introduced regarding baptism: e.g., the false teaching that one must be baptized to be saved, and that baptism saves the soul when administered to infants. These heresies became known as the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. On the contrary, the Bible is clear that baptism was only for those who had believed the gospel: “What doth hinder me to be baptized?...If thou believest [in Christ] with all thine heart, thou mayest” (Acts:8:35-37 [35] Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. [36] 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? [37] And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
See All...). Since infants are unable to understand and believe the gospel there is no reason for them to be baptized (Acts:10:33Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
See All...,44,46-48).

(Adapted from the tract Baptismal Regeneration? www.reachingcatholics.org/baptism.html)