Baptism: Immersed in Christ
- James Collazo
- Jul 28, 2022
- 7 min read
Updated: Nov 11
Introduction
We often open discussions about baptism with the Acts of the Apostles—but the real story begins with Jesus plunging into the Jordan River. He did not seek baptism for himself; he stepped into the waters to fulfill God's will. Too often, we build our theology and rites around our own need for baptism. Instead, we must confront two questions: 1) "Why did Jesus demand to be baptized?" and 2) "Why did he shock John the Baptist with his insistence?" In that river, we glimpse baptism as death and resurrection—the old life sinking, the new life rising. The familiar phrase, "Baptism is an outward sign of inward grace," does not appear in Scripture. Many repeat it blindly, unaware of the raw, biblical power behind the church's call to immerse, to die to self, and to rise with Christ.
Jesus' baptism launched his earthly ministry, immediately followed by the devil's temptation in the desert. This ministry climaxed in both the crucifixion and resurrection. In this act, John baptized Jesus not only into death but also into new life. All three persons of the Trinity revealed themselves: the Father declaring Jesus' faithfulness, the Son submitting fully, and the Holy Spirit descending to guide him (Matt. 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–23). The apostle Paul echoes this truth, describing baptism as a participation in both death and resurrection in his letter to the Romans:
Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 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. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his (Rom. 6:3–5).
Streams of Living Water
Water symbolizes the grave into which we are buried with Christ. The Didachē, a first-century summary of apostolic teaching authored by Jewish Christians from Syria, declares:
Now, about baptism, this is how to baptize: Give public instruction on all these points, and then baptize in running water, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. If you do not have running water, baptize in another source of water. If you cannot baptize in cold water, do so in warm water. If you have neither, pour water on the head three times in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Before the baptism, moreover, the one who baptizes and the one being baptized must fast, as well as any others who can. Also, you must tell the one being baptized to fast for one or two days beforehand (Did. 7).
The Didachē resolves debates about baptismal methods left open by the New Testament. First-century Christians favored complete immersion in cold, running water during the baptism of new believers. Yet they avoided rigidity or legalism, allowing alternatives if immersion or running water proved unavailable. Early Christians even considered the Didachē for inclusion in the New Testament, but it lacked widespread circulation across the Roman Empire. Still, its early date and geographic origin grant the Didachē authority as a liturgical guide. Its writers understood the verb baptizō (G907) to mean "to immerse," which explains their preference for complete immersion.
When the Didachē refers to "living water" (hudōr zōn, G5204 / G2198), it means running water found in natural sources such as rivers, streams, lakes, and oceans. By contrast, Jewish ritual bathing often used the still waters of the mikveh (H4723), particularly at the temple. Even before the germ theory of disease, people knew that stagnant water in wells or cisterns carried contaminants that required boiling to make it safe. The community that produced the Didachē lived in mountainous regions with frequent access to flowing water, which they preferred for ritual cleansing. The Mishnah also notes varying levels of purity for water used in the mikveh (Mikvaot 1–8). Interestingly, the Hebrew noun mikveh also means "hope," reflecting Jeremiah's words:
LORD, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the LORD, the spring of living water (Jer. 17:13).
The term "living water" also points directly to Jesus himself. When he spoke with the Samaritan woman, he said, "If you recognized God's gift and who is saying to you, 'Give me some water to drink,' you would be asking him, and he would give you living water" (John 4:10). In his gospel, John clarifies that "living water" ultimately signifies the Holy Spirit (John 7:39), especially when Jesus declared, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them" (John 7:37–38).
Feast of Tabernacles & Baptism
Jesus spoke of "living water" at the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles (Hebrew: Sukkot, H5523; cf. John 7:2). This Jewish festival commemorated Israel's exodus from Egypt, when they dwelled in makeshift booths (Hebrew: sukkah, H5521) throughout the desert (Lev. 23:42–43). Both baptism and Sukkot employ water as a symbol. In baptism, water cleanses and purifies the believer spiritually. At the Feast of Tabernacles, water plays a vital role in agriculture, symbolizing life and sustenance during the harvest. Whereas we now take running water for granted, in the ancient Near East, it was precious and revered. Jews intentionally built their sukkot with gaps in the roof to allow rainwater to fall inside. Likewise, baptism signifies the washing away of sin and the beginning of a new life in Christ.
Similarly, the Feast of Tabernacles calls for spiritual renewal, recalling the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land and reflecting on God's continual provision. When Jesus proclaimed himself the giver of living water at the temple, he spoke with the authority of God. How, then, does baptism connect to this? When Jesus told the Pharisee Nicodemus that God saves only those who are "born from above" or "born again" (Greek: gennēthē anōthen, G1080 / G509), he likely alluded to the prophet Ezekiel:
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. . . . you will be my people, and I will be your God (Ezek. 36:25–28).
Baptism begins the process of being "born from above." The apostle Peter writes, "This water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 3:21). Baptism does not depend on the quantity of water but on the measure of righteousness. Being dunked or sprinkled does nothing for salvation without faith that produces good works (James 2:24). Yet baptism serves a real purpose, just as it did for Jesus. In baptism, we leave our past in the watery grave and rise anew with hearts aligned to God's will. Jesus' resurrection saves us through water, not by it (cf. 1 Pet. 3:20), and it operates within sanctification rather than justification (see "Salvation: The Romans Road"). The doctrine of baptismal regeneration—the Holy Spirit initiating salvation as a means of grace—does not contradict the teaching that faith alone justifies us before God.
Conclusion
Baptism plunges us into the living water of Christ's victory. When Jesus stepped into the Jordan, he launched his ministry, embraced our flesh, and obeyed the Father with unwavering resolve. The Spirit descended, proclaiming God's presence and power in the world. Paul declares in Romans that baptism unites us with Christ in his death and resurrection, washing away sin and raising us into new life. The Holy Spirit ignites our hearts, driving sanctification and forming us into witnesses of God's kingdom. Baptism is no mere ritual; it marks the moment our faith takes hold, launching a relentless journey of union with Christ, participation in his resurrection, and the living hope that surges from the Spirit. It is our pledge, our rebellion against sin, and our declaration that we belong to the risen Lord.
Prayer
Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of heaven and earth. You are holy, showing mercy to all. In baptism, we die with Christ and rise to new life, born from above by your Spirit. Help us live as your children, dying to sin and walking in your love. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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