First, what is baptism in the name of Jesus Christ? Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ is immersion in water for the remission of sins for the one who has heard and believes the gospel, has repented of his sins and has confessed Jesus as Lord and Christ (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Romans 10:9-10).
Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ is not sprinkling or pouring. There is no divine command, approved example, or necessary inference in the New Testament that sprinkling or pouring is baptism. To the contrary, New Testament baptism in the name of Jesus is a burial (Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12).
Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ is not a “church ordinance” for one to get into a church. That is the idea that one is saved, and then he can be baptized in order to be part of a church. There is no divine command, approved example, or necessary inference in the New Testament for the concept. To the contrary, the New Testament teaches that when one is baptized in the name of Jesus Christ then he is baptized into one body (1 Corinthians 12:13), which is the church (Colossians 1:18), which is the saved. Before that, then, he is not saved.
Baptism in the name of Jesus is not an outward sign of an inward grace. There is no divine command, apostolic approved example, or necessary inference in the New Testament for this concept that has one saved before he is baptized. To the contrary, the Bible teaches that baptism precedes salvation (Mark 16:16).
Finally, baptism in the name of Jesus is not optional for salvation. There is no divine command, apostolic example, or necessary inference in the New Testament that baptism is optional. To the contrary, the New Testament teaches that until one is baptized in the name of Jesus, he is still in his sins (Acts 22:16). Until one is baptized, he is not in Christ, “for as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27).
There are different baptisms preached and practiced
among religions today. Have you
submitted to the baptism taught by men or to the baptism taught by the gospel
of Christ? When you submit to the
baptism in the name of Jesus, taught in the gospel, then and only then will you
be saved. -Larry Jones