Full Immersion Baptism

Baptism is one of the most important rites in many religions, but the preferred method varies from one denomination to another. The Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodoxy, Armenian Apostolic Church, the Anglican Communion, Assyrian Church of the East Lutherans, Presbyterians, Methodists, the Reformed Church in America, the United Church of Canada, the United Church of Christ, and the Continental Reformed among others practice infant baptism, which is done more often than not by means of aspersion (sprinkling with holy water) or affusion (pouring water on the head). Bible baptists however, favor a type known as believer&;s baptism or credobaptism, especially because are unable to repent and do not have faith, as opposed to an adult making a conscious decision to embrace a particular religion.

Credobaptism is usually performed via full immersion baptism, a method that finds basis in semantics and in the scriptures. The Greek word baptizo actually means &;dip&; or &;immerse rather than &;sprinkle&;. Furthermore, the new testament implies that people were led to water to be submerged. Jesus himself was baptized in the Jordan River which allows for full immersion baptism, and is spoken of as &;coming out of the water&;. The 1689 baptists catechism states that this ritual is appropriately carried out by full immersion baptism in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit. Along with the lord&;s supper, it is different from other sacraments because they were the only two ordinances specifically inducted by Christ.

Full immersion baptism in water after a person professes Jesus Christ to be savior is considered an act of compliance to the example and command of Jesus given in the Great Commission. It is an external display symbolizing the inward cleansing or remission of sins that has already occurred. It is also a public identification of that person with that particular church. A closely related concept to this doctrine is that of &;age of accountability&; when god decides that a mentally able person is responsible for their sins and suitable for this ordinance. This age is not specified, but is based on whether a person is mentally capable to tell right from wrong. In consequence, a person with severe mental retardation may never reach this stage, and therefore not be held accountable for sins.

During full immersion baptism, the person is lowered in water backwards while the baptizer invokes the Trinitarian phrase found in Matthew 28:19 (go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost) or other words regarding a profession of faith. Full immersion baptism is a representation of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. The Bible Baptist church only recognizes full immersion baptism as being valid. Baptists are not strangers to re-baptizing converts to their faith who were previously subjected to the rite as infants. However, most Baptist churches will not accept prior rituals by any means other than immersion, baptisms performed as a child too young to make a personal decision to accept Christ, and procedures conducted by any means, including immersion, if given by a church not considered to be of &;like faith and order&;.