Literally “to immerse” or “to wash.” Refers to the Christian practice of immersing a new believer in water as an outward sign of the inward reality of regeneration. This regeneration is the work of the Holy Spirit (see John 3:5, 8; Titus 3:5) and may be received only by grace through faith (see Eph. 2:8). Considerable disagreement exists as to the method of baptism (e.g., sprinkling vs. immersion) and who may be baptized (e.g., believers only vs. believers and their infant children).
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