[Sidenote: Buried in water.]
[Sidenote: Eph. 4: 5.]
[Sidenote: Rom. 6: 4, 5.]
[Sidenote: Mark 1: 10.]
[Sidenote: Col. 2: 12.]
[Sidenote: John 3: 23.]
The mode of baptism was also designated by the Lord, and His
instructions were strictly obeyed by His servants. Paul testifies that
there is "one Lord, one faith, one baptism," and describes the manner
in which the ordinance was performed: "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. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his
death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." As the
Lord had been buried in the watery element in the river Jordan, "coming
up out of the water," so also were the Saints "buried with him in
baptism;" they received the ordinance by immersion in the same element,
according to the prescribed method. John baptized "in Aenon near to
Salim, because there was much water there."
[Sidenote: Born again.]
[Sidenote: Matt. 3: 13-17.]
[Sidenote: Acts 8: 17-19.]
[Sidenote: Acts 19: 5, 6.]
Jesus insisted on receiving baptism "to fulfill all righteousness."
When he had been "born of water," and had come up out of that element,
the Spirit of God came upon Him, and the voice of God was heard: "This
is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." This is the pattern. So
likewise the repentant believer goes down into the water, with the one
sent of God to baptize, and is buried therein and raised up again in
the likeness of Christ's resurrection; he is thus born of the water,
receiving the baptism appointed by the Lord; the remission of his sins
comes from God through His Son Jesus Christ, and is given in baptism;
he is cleansed and purified, his past sins are blotted out; he is like
a newborn babe before his God, and is then prepared to receive the
Holy Ghost, which "dwelleth not in unclean tabernacles," and which is
imparted to the baptized believer by the laying on of hands by those
having authority to officiate in this ordinance. As his body was
enveloped in the waters of baptism, so his soul is enveloped in the
Holy Ghost, and he is baptized with divine fire; he is "born of water
and of the Spirit," and made a citizen of the kingdom of God.