If three preachers were to stand before an audience and preacher A  were to say, “Baptism is by immersion only,” and preacher B said, “Baptism is by sprinkling or pouring only,” and preacher C replied, “It doesn’t matter whether baptism is by sprinkling, pouring or immersion,” you would have to determine which of the three were preaching the truth. Since the Bible teaches only one thing on any one doctrinal subject, all three could not be right. Therefore, two of the three would be presenting false views of the truth!
     One of the best methods of clearing up the question, “Is baptism sprinkling, pouring or immersion?” is to define the word. The word baptism is from the Greek word baptidzo.
     In Liddell-Scott’s A Greek-English Lexicon (pp. 305-306) the references to this word in classical Greek are listed. This standard dictionary for classical Greek says the word is used in reference to a person being drowned, of a ship sinking, of soaking something in wine, of a person getting over his head and ears in debt, and of a young man getting into deep water (in an argument).
     Joseph Henry Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (p. 94) defines the word as follows: “to dip repeatedly, to immerse, submerge, to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water.”
     W. F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich’s A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (p. 131) has the basic meaning of the word simply as “dip, immerse.”
     The Greek word translated “sprinkle” in the New Testament is rantizo, the word for “pouring” is cheo. At every place where the word “baptism” appears it is baptidzo, never rantizo or cheo.
     Perhaps you are thinking, “If baptism is a burial in water, where and when did sprinkling or pouring originate? In 1311, the Council at Ravenna officially adopted sprinkling as baptism. One thing is for sure, and that is, it did not come from God.
     Beloved, innovations of man cannot possibly fulfill God’s plan of salvation! According to the Bible baptism requires:
    * MUCH water (John 3:23).
    * A GOING TO the water (Acts 8:36).
    * A COMING UP OUT of the water (Matthew 3:16).
    * Baptism is a BURIAL in water (Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12).
    * Baptism is to be administered in the NAME of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20).
    * Baptism is FOR the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).
    * Baptism puts one into the body of Christ (Galatians 3:27).
    * Baptism STANDS BETWEEN the alien sinner and salvation (Acts 22:16).
     Have you been scripturally baptized? If not, then do as they were told to do on the day of Pentecost, “...Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall received the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Having done that the Bible says, “...And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47). As Ananias told Saul of Tarsus, “And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” Acts 22:16).—111 S. Curry St. West Plains, MO 65775