Sprinkling Is Not The Same As Baptism, And Baptism In The Bible Has One Person Baptizing Another, Not Someone Dunking Their Own Self

Originally Written: 2020-06-26

There is no example of "sprinklings" being done in place of full body immersions in the Bible, so as far as we know, you should definitely be doing a full body immersion. The Greek word for Baptized is linked to Strong’s # G907 Baptizo. The Greek word for Baptism is linked to Strong’s # G908 Baptisma. In the Greek "Old Testament" as many would call it, the Septuagint, Strong’s # G907 (the word for Baptized) is in 2 Kings 5:14. This helps us link the word Baptism to the Hebrew word Tabal linked to Strong’s # H2881. In 2 Kings 5:14 this is written as טְבֹּ֤ל which in English letters is "Tebol" or "Tebbol".

So the Hebrew word "Tabal" is the Hebrew word that helps us understand that Biblical "baptism" was a full immersion under water. Full immersion under water is what we see done in 2 Kings 5:14. The words "Mikveh" and "Mikvah" are not "Baptism". "Tabal" is the more correct Hebrew word related to Baptism. We will discuss "Mikveh" and "Mikvah" at the end of this study. One difference between Baptism in the Name of Yahushua and what the man did in 2 Kings 5:14 is that Biblical baptism in the Name of Yahushua is something one person does to another - not something you do by yourself.

Acts 8:38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philippos and the eunuch went down into the water, and he immersed him.

"He immersed him" means Philippos (the man most people refer to as Philip) baptized the eunuch. It doesn’t say the eunuch went into the water and dunked himself or dipped himself, it says "he" meaning Philippos, "immersed him" the eunuch. So baptism is not something you do to yourself or by yourself, it is something someone does to you. You cannot baptize yourself. To "baptize" means to "immerse" in the water. Baptizing doesn’t mean standing there watching. There are people who teach you can baptize yourself by going down in the water and coming back up on your own. I do not see any Scriptural support for their view, so I would advise that you let someone else baptize you by taking you backwards into the water instead. This is also a picture of our death, burial, and resurrection. Just like a person is laying on their back normally when buried, this is similar to the posture when someone is baptized by another person in the Name of Yahushua. Baptism in the Name of Yahushua is different from other things involving water because baptism in the Bible in the Name of Yahushua always involves one person baptizing another. There are no examples in the Bible where someone goes down on their own for this special baptism "in the Name of Yahushua".

As you go down into the water, you are buried in baptism, and raised out of the water to a new life (Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12). You are a new creature in the Anointed (in Messiah). The old man has been buried, you died, and it is no longer you who live, but Yahushua who lives in you (Galatians 2:20). Because of what Yahushua has done for us, the debt for all your sins is fully paid for; and all your sins and the punishment and penalty for all sin you have done is atoned for through the shed blood of Yahushua. This is salvation - the free gift of eternal life - given to all who believe in Yahushua, repent, and are baptized/immersed (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38).