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What Is the Importance of Christian Baptism?

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Answered by True Bible Teachings AI on 5/5/2026

1) Direct Answer
Christian baptism is a command of the Lord and the Bible way of identifying with Jesus Christ. It is for the remission of sins, it publicly buries the old life and raises the believer to walk in newness of life, and it brings the believer under the promise of the Holy Ghost. It must be by immersion in water in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

2) Scriptural Explanation
- Command and salvation: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16).
- The Name to use: Jesus said baptize “in the name” (singular) of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19). The Scripture shows that Name to be Jesus Christ: “repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38); “they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 8:16); “he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord” (Acts 10:48); “they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:5); “arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). There is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
- Identification with His death, burial, resurrection: “As many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death… buried with him by baptism… raised… to walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3–5). “As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27). “Buried with him in baptism” (Colossians 2:12).
- The meaning, not mere ritual: “Baptism doth also now save us—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God” (1 Peter 3:21).
- Mode is immersion: Jesus came “up out of the water” (Mark 1:10). John baptized where there was “much water” (John 3:23). The eunuch “went down both into the water” and “came up out of the water” (Acts 8:38–39).
- Unity of the ordinance: “One Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5).

3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- Now notice, the Bible uses one Name. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are titles of the one God; the revealed Name that carries all that God is to us is the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostles understood the Lord’s command and always baptized in that Name. You see, if the Scripture never shows anyone baptized in titles, why should we?
- It’s not three Gods, and it’s not three baptisms. One God revealed Himself as Father above us, Son with us, and Holy Spirit in us—and the one saving Name that declares that revelation is Jesus Christ.
- Baptism does not work as a bare ceremony. The water itself cannot cleanse the soul. But faith obeys the Word, and obedience brings us under the Blood’s promise: “Repent, and be baptized… and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). That’s the Bible order.
- Because baptism is burial, it must be immersion. You don’t sprinkle a burial. You go under and come up, testifying that the old life is gone and the life of Jesus is your new walk.
- If someone was baptized without the revelation of the Name, the Scripture pattern shows that when truth comes, you can be baptized correctly (see Acts 19:1–6).

4) Reinforcing Statement
Do it God’s Bible way: repent, be baptized by immersion in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and expect the promise of the Holy Ghost. That’s the straight path of Scripture and the testimony of a clear conscience before God.

What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?

Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.

SermonRelevance 38

Questions and Answers, part 1

Sunday morning, the 3rd of January 1954 at the Branham Tabernacle in Jeffersonville, Indiana, U.S.A.

54-0103M §19

Now, on this, it's... But just saying that you were baptized in Christian baptism at the age of thirteen, and you've lived a Christian life all the way along, or if you've backslid a few times... I don't know whether they got on backsliding; I thought, Wish somebody was going to have to ask me that. But on backsliding, remember: You backslide every day. There's no way at all for you to keep out of it. All right. But when you backslide, to the people in the church, but not before God, see. You backslide on Christ, b...

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SermonRelevance 38

But from the beginning it was not so

Thursday, the 2nd of October 1958

58-1002 §60

Now you here that has been sprinkled, poured, or baptized other ways than Christian baptism, let this be known unto you: "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on them which heard the word. And they that of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because on the Gentile was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can a man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which has receiv...

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SermonRelevance 38Broader match

Questions and Answers

Saturday, the 15th of May 1954

54-0515 §132

All right. I believe now, this is just about one more after this one. QUESTION: "Brother Bill, please tell me how to obtain the baptism of the Holy Ghost? Is it by prayer, surrendered life, accepting it as we do healing? I know what it is to have faith for healing when you prayed for me here. Do you pray and lay hands on for the baptism of the Holy Ghost? I was baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Please tell me if I should be rebaptized in the name of Jesus, as you spoke recently." Now, my dear...

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SermonRelevance 38Broader match

Adoption, part 3: Position in Christ

Sunday morning, the 22nd of May 1960 at the Branham Tabernacle in Jeffersonville, Indiana, U.S.A.

60-0522M §111

Now I want to see how well you know your Scripture. Tell me when I get off the line. And He said unto them, "Go ye into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned. These signs shall follow them that believe. In my name they shall cast out devils [Is that all true?], speak with new tongues, take up serpents." Now I'm going to quote to you, Matthew... Now listen. I ask any historian. Now this is on tape, so this goes to a...

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SermonRelevance 36

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever

Friday, the 3rd of June 1955

55-0603 §12

Now, we would have to go back then to the beginning of the New Testament. For they were called saints in the New Testament. And the first opening of the New Testament was John the Baptist. And he preached the message saying only this: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." So repentance would be part of the faith that was delivered to the saints. But John spoke, saying that there's coming One who will be the instructor. And when Jesus came to John after His baptism, then the disciples and all began to foll...

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