I have worked in the trades for 46 years and I know that whenever water shows up where it is not supposed to be, people automatically assume it is a plumbing leak. Of course we go to check it out and it often is plumbing but almost as often, it is not.

There are other sources of water in buildings. Condensation can occur in ductwork and on pipe that has not been properly insulated. Condensate pans in HVAC units can overflow if not properly maintained. The roof and fire sprinkler piping can leak. None of these water problems are fixed by the plumber, but we always get the first call.

There is a parallel in Scripture. Whenever baptism is mentioned people automatically think – water! But believe it or not there are other baptisms in Scripture. There is Spirit baptism which is how a believer is placed into the body of Christ (I Cor 12:13 ). There is baptism by fire, referring to the fires of judgment. There is a baptism of deliverance to which Peter refers concerning the waters of judgment that raised the ark thus saving Noah and his family from destruction. There is the baptism of repentance called for by John the Baptist. And there is the baptism that identifies.

The Lord Jesus Himself was baptized by John the Baptist and identified by God the Father (voice from heaven), and the Holy Spirit (alighting on Jesus as a dove from heaven).

Christians follow the Lord in believer’s baptism by immersion, thus identifying themselves with His death, burial, and resurrection (buried in the likeness of His death, raised to walk in newness of life).

So, when you see baptism in Scripture, your first thought should not be water (call the plumber)! Your first thought should be context! What is happening in the context of the baptism at hand?

Baptism is like a wedding ring. It does not make you married. It simply identifies you as one married to Christ. That is why in the context of Scripture, baptism always follows the exercise of faith – believing.

Acts 8:26-38

And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

The place of the scripture which he read was this, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth”. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

...let the word of Christ (Messiah) dwell (take up its life) in you richly…