Question 24 :: What is baptism?

Answer: 

Baptism is the immersion of a believer underwater uniting us with Jesus as an expression of faith in obedience to God. 

Children: 

Baptism is a believer going underwater to unite them with Jesus. 

Acts 8:38b-39 

Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 

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Commentary: 

The word ‘baptism’ in the Greek (baptizo) means to ‘dip, dunk, or immerse.’ There are other Greek words meaning to ‘pour and sprinkle’ which were not used. 

Baptism can be seen as immersion most clearly in the account recorded in Acts 8. An early church leader, named Phillip, shared the Gospel with an Ethiopian man.  As they passed water, the Ethiopian asked, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” 

Scripture describes Phillip and the man going “down into the water” and coming “up out of the water,” giving us a clear picture of the mode of baptism.   

Only centuries later would sprinkling or pouring water be substituted for baptism by immersion. 

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Further Study: 

Matthew 3:13-17; Acts 8:26-40; Romans 6:1-10