The Bible clearly teaches that baptism is a burial in water, not a pouring of water. Our English
word "baptism" is from the Greek word "baptisma" and means "immersion, submersion and
emergence" (Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, p. 96), "to dip, immerse,
submerge" (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon, p. 94).
Consider the act of baptism as suggested by the baptism of Jesus. Mark writes, "In those days
Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came
up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him
like a dove." (Mark 1:9-10). Furthermore, examine the manner in which the eunuch of Ethiopia
was baptized. "And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water,
Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of
the Lord caught up Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more and went on his way rejoicing." (Acts
8:38-39).
The apostle Paul said, "And you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised
with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead." (Col. 2:12). In
Rom. 6:4, Paul said, "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ
was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."
Consequently, it is abundantly clear that the baptism which God ordained is a burial or immersion
in water.
The Following Catholic officials freely admit that immersion was the common practice for many
years.
"Baptism took place by immersion in ancient times." (New Interpretation of the Mass, p. 120).
"Catholics admit that immersion brings out more fully the meaning of the sacrament, and that for twelve centuries it was the common practice." (Question Box, p. 240).
"Baptism used to be given by placing the person to be baptized completely in the water: it was done in this way in the Catholic Church for 1200 years." (Adult Catechism, pp. 56-57).
"The church at one time practiced immersion. This was up to the thirteenth century. The Council of Ravenna, in 1311, changed the form from immersion to pouring." (Our Faith and the Facts, p. 399).
We raise a simple question here, "Who gave the Catholic Church the authority to change what the
Lord ordained?" We are taught in God's holy word that we must follow the laws of the Lord
without change or variation (Gal. 1:6-9; Rev. 22:18-19). When we follow the traditions and
doctrines of men, our religion becomes vain (Matt. 15:9; Col. 2:8; Titus 1:13-14). The Bible
plainly reveals that there would come a great "falling away" (2 Thess. 2:1-12) or "departing from
the faith" (1 Tim. 4:1-5). In the last day many sincere religious people will be rejected because
they have worked iniquity or acted without law (Matt. 7:22-23).
Consider the ridiculousness of the following "official" claims:
"Has the Catholic Church ever changed its teaching? No, for 2000 years the Church has taught the same things which Jesus taught." (Catholic Catechism for Adults, p. 57).
"It is a historical fact the Catholic Church, from the twentieth century back to the first, has not once ceased to teach a doctrine on faith or morals previously held, and with the same interpretation; the church has proved itself infallible." (My Catholic Church, p. 145).
The following Catholic official openly acknowledges that the Catholic Church changed from immersion to pouring simply because it was more convenient. "The present mode of pouring arose from the many inconveniences connected with immersion, frequent mention of which are made in the writings of the early Church Fathers." (Question Box, p. 366). The wicked king Jeroboam made things convenient for the people by setting up idols and saying, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." (See I Kings 12:28-33). Two of the priests under the Mosiacal system thought they would do what was convenient and "offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not" (Lev. 10:1). The very next verse says, "And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord" (Lev. 10:2). To please God we must do exactly as He commanded and not that which might be more suitable to us. No one man or group of men have a right to change the law of God. God commanded a burial in water, and this is what must be done.