In a prayer to the Heavenly Father, the Lord Jesus Christ said, "Thy word is truth" (John 17:17). The Bible is God's word, and is therefore the absolute truth. In John 8:31-32 Jesus said, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." We invite you to freedom. Look up the Bible verses referenced after the following statements, to see that the statements are true.

1. Baptism does not save the soul (Rom. 1:16 compared to 1 Cor. 1:13-24); what baptism does do is make one a church member (1 Cor. 12:13).
2. The qualifications that must be met before baptism are repentance toward God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Mat. 3:1-12; Acts 8:36-37; 19:4).
3. Because baptism does not save the soul, and because infants can neither repent nor believe, therefore infants should not be baptized (No example of babies being baptized are found in the Bible).
4. Babies that die unbaptized will go to Heaven, as they are safe in Christ until they become old enough to know the difference between good and evil (2 Sam. 12:1-23).
5. The word "baptism" is a transliteration of the Greek word "baptizo," and means "immersion" (John 3:23).
6. All examples of baptism in the Bible are by immersion; therefore sprinkling and pouring are not Scriptural modes of baptism (Mat. 3:13-17; Acts 8:38-39).
7. Scriptural baptism pictures the death of Christ for our sins, His burial, and His resurrection; only total immersion can picture these things (Rom. 6:3-6).

Conclusion: Not just anyone can administer baptism; only churches succeeding from the church Jesus started from disciples baptized by John the Baptist have that authority (Luke 20:1-8; Mat. 28:18-20). Churches which teach that baptism saves are damning souls to Hell by teaching them to trust for salvation in something besides Christ; such churches have no authority to baptize. Churches which baptize by sprinkling or pouring are symbolizing a dead Christ which did not rise from the dead---that is soul-damning heresy; therefore such churches have no authority to baptize. Churches which were not founded by Jesus Christ in Israel before Christ's crucifixions are not genuine churches, and have no authority to baptize. Thus, only true Baptist churches have the authority to baptize. The first thing you should do after accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is submit yourself as a candidate for baptism in a genuine Baptist church (Acts 2:41).

A Baptist baptism in a river in Texas before the automobile.