12 Popular Bible Verses for Baptism and Salvation

Bible verses for baptism will help you understand what it means to be baptized, and the importance of being born again. 

Baptism is an integral part of the Christian faith but do we truly understand it and what it means? The early church practiced baptism widely in those days, but some Bible scholars claim that Jews practiced baptism for hundreds of years before the coming of the Messiah. Whatever the case is, we can see that baptism is a crucial and holy religious practice so let us dive deeper into what it is, what it means, and why we do it.

Importance of Bible Verses for Baptism

Baptism is a practice that has been performed for as long as two millennia, at the least. More often than not, when a tradition or a ritual has been around for this long, people start to forget what they originally meant, or the origins of the practice become fuzzy.

Bible verses for baptism remind us what baptism is, what it means, and the purpose of why we do it. It connects us to God, each other, and all the early Christians who have gone on before us. Thousands of years melt away as we study the origins and the purpose of baptism and discover why Jesus mandated Himself to His disciples.

Baptism in the Bible

What is baptism?

Baptism came from the Greek word “baptizma”, meaning to dip or immerse, and this is why traditional baptism involves submerging a person in the water. It is commonly used to refer to the dyeing of fabrics and ships that sunk in the ocean. Baptism, from its roots, pertains to an event that would irreversibly change a person and their life. If we also look through the Gospel, Jesus Himself was baptized, and He commanded the disciples to do it for new believers.

To sum it up, baptism means identification. When we get baptized, we identify ourselves as part of the faith and, thus, part of the body of Christ. Baptism is also a way to tell others or even the world that we are entering the family of God, declaring publicly that from then on, we pledge our faith and life to God.

So, baptism involves the inward and the outward self. It means that we have let Jesus rule over our hearts, and we are telling everyone about it. Baptism is not a simple matter involving the heart and the soul. We must be prepared for it physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Like the Holy Communion, baptism is a ritual that helps us connect to God.

What does baptism mean?

In the early days of the church, there was much persecution for the Christians because of their faith. Hence, a public declaration of their identification with Christianity is an act of bravery and loyalty to Jesus. They proclaim that in life and death, they are in Christ. It was a powerful act performed by the faithful.

Today, baptism still holds as much power and significance as it did in the early church days. So, what does it mean to be baptized? We can sum it up in three truths.

We leave our old life behind and welcome the new life with Christ.

People are submerged during baptism because it is symbolic of how they were cleansed and made new. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

We are publicly identifying with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:3-4)

This is a vital aspect of baptism. First, we are declaring that we believe that Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and on the third day, was risen from the dead. Second, we proclaim that our old life, our old self, died with Him, was buried, and our new life has now risen with Him.

We are publicly announcing that we are entering the family of God. (Acts 2:38-41)

Testimonies are essential in the lives of Christians because it is our way of announcing how God has worked in our lives. More often than not, it causes other people to believe, or at least our experiences give comfort and assurance to those undergoing hard times. 

Baptism also serves as a testimony. It tells the world that God has touched our lives and hearts, that we believe in Him, and that we are ready to live our whole lives with Him without even using words. 

Best Bible Verses for Baptism

Bible verses for infant baptism

John 3:5

“Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.”

Baptism introduces a person to the Christian faith, and what better time to start teaching a person about God and the faith than from infancy?

1 Peter 3:21

“And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Baptism has a significant role in a Christian’s life, including pledging a life with the Lord, and it is good to commit one’s life to God from infancy in hopes that they would never stray from the Lord’s path or if they do, that they always find their way back to Him.

Matthew 19:14

“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

It is no secret that Jesus adores children, and the fact is, He got mad when His disciples forbade the children to come to Him. Infant baptism brings children to God as early as possible.

Bible verses for water baptism

1 Corinthians 12:13

“For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”

Baptism, in some ways, is the mark of our faith, and it unites us with other believers and strengthens the body of Christ.

Acts 16:31

“They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

Believing in Jesus is a prerequisite of baptism as someone who does not believe or does not have faith cannot do it, but once they do, salvation will come to them and their household, and then the family of believers can welcome them through baptism.

Acts 8:36-38

“As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.”

Philip proclaimed the Gospel to a Gentile eunuch, and this stature has made him seem unworthy of the Gospel in the eyes of some people. But God guided Philip, and through him, the eunuch was saved and baptized showing that baptism is for all who believe.

Bible verses for the baptism of the Holy Spirit

Luke 3:16

“John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

God uses people to baptize new believers, and we do it using water. But only God can baptize us, initiate us, with the fire of the Holy Spirit that will burn in our hearts and help our faith grow deeper and stronger.

Acts 2:3-4

“They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit.”

On the day of the Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended to the disciples. They were given the ability to speak foreign languages, which enabled them to proclaim the Gospel to everyone in many languages. All the people, regardless of their race and language, heard the Word of God.

Acts 1:8

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The Holy Spirit empowers us, gives us words when we do not know what to say or how to testify, and gives us strength and courage to do the work of the Lord.

In Summary

Baptism may feel like a foreign concept at times, and we might even see it as irrelevant at other times. We have to keep in mind that this is something that Jesus decided was important enough that He underwent it Himself. If we look at the Gospel, we will see that Jesus got baptized right before His temptation in the wilderness. He also thought it essential in the faith that He instructed His disciples that each new believer should be baptized.

Baptism has a rich history and an even richer significance. There is power in publicly acknowledging something and telling the world that God has irreversibly changed us and that we are ready to pledge our life to do His work and will is a powerful gesture. 

It is also a public declaration that we are now part of God’s family and that everyone included in it is now our brother and sister. Every time we feel like giving up on our faith or our brothers and sisters, may our baptism be our encouragement and motivation to keep holding on and fighting the good fight.