The Greek word βαπτίζω entered English through transliteration. Thus, baptize is a Greek word using English letters. Baptizō (βαπτίζω) accutally means “to immerse” in English. It is the verb form of baptō, which is rendered “to dye.”
Because of the Western practice of infant baptism and the varying modes of administering baptism—including pouring and sprinkling—translating baptizō (βαπτίζω) according to its actual meaning would directly challenge the established practices of the Church in England. Under the commission of King James I, the translators of the KJV were strictly instructed to maintain the established Church of England and its episcopal structure. Modern translations continue this erroneous translation by supporting their choices based on lexical institutionalization, ecumenical consensus, and translation economy rather than the meaning of the Greek word. In other words, most readers would not have accepted these new translations if they had expressed the word’s proper meaning rather than the rendering used by tradition.
We are first introduced to baptizō (βαπτίζω) through John the Baptizer. He came to Israel proclaiming the coming of the Kingdom of the Heavens (Matthew 3:1–6). This immersion declared their change of mind about the coming of the Messiah and purified them in preparation for his coming (Matthew 3:6). Although John immersed with water, he foretold of the one who would immerse with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11).
Since baptizō (βαπτίζω) means “to immerse” and comes from the root “to dye,” this type of immersion is intended to affect the item or person being immersed permanently. Along with a garment being dyed, it was also used in the practice of immersing a sword in blood or venom before a battle (Nicander, Theriaca 852).
Immersion may also express an experience. All of Israel was immersed into Moses in the cloud and in the sea (1 Corinthians 10:2). They ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink (1 Corinthians 10:3–4). Experience is not equivalent to salvation. Although they were immersed into the cloud and sea, God was not pleased with many of them because of their unbelief (1 Corinthians 10:5).
Understanding how immersion affects the one immersed is important. The immersion of the Holy Spirit relates to the believer being submerged into the Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12–13; 2 Corinthians 5:17). He is taken out of Adam and immersed into the Christ, permanently changing his position before God.
The Church has only one immersion. This is the immersion into the Christ (Ephesians 4:4–6). Water baptism is for a good conscience, not the washing away of the filth of the flesh. Thus, it is not the means for salvation; rather, it is the result of salvation on the conscience (1 Peter 3:21). Paul did not come to immerse in his name, nor was he sent to immerse in water. His duty was to preach the gospel (1 Corinthians 1:13, 17). After His resurrection, Christ instructed the disciples to immerse in every nation. As they were made to go, they were to make disciples of every nation, immerse them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). This passage is often taken out of context and used to justify missions and water baptism as a means of, or requirement for, salvation. However, Jesus is speaking to the disciples, not the Church, and the imperative is not “go” but “make”. The command to immerse was not repeated to the Church. The Church’s purpose is to bring the saints into unity in the faith so they are no longer tossed around by every wind of teaching by the trickery of men; it is not to immerse—salvation by water baptism is one such erroneous teaching (Ephesians 4:11–16).
The immersion into the Christ by the Holy Spirit imputes Christ’s death and resurrection to the believer (Romans 6:3–4). This position renders the sin nature ineffective when the saint is yielding his members to righteousness (Romans 6:6, 11, 13). Those who are immersed into the Christ are then to put on Christ as an outer garment (Galatians 3:27).
