Bible Truth FAQs

WHAT BAPTISO MEANS

The English words "baptize" and "baptism" have many meanings not intended in their root words of the Greek language. This is due to the traditions and customs of men.

When King James I ordered his scholars to produce an English version of the Bible from Greek manuscripts end Latin translations, they had no English word for the Greek "baptiso". If they had used its literal meaning, they would have translated "to dip" or "immerse". Such translation would have destroyed the practices of "sprinkling" and "pouring" which had already been introduced by men as substitutes for doing what the original Greek language demanded, so they decided to anglicize the words "baptize" and "baptism" so that the new English words could mean anything they wanted them to mean.

The original Greek "baptiso" is what inspiration gave us. When men want to obey divine instruction in the matter of baptism, they will use the mode conveyed in "baptiso", and that mode is immersion. Obedience demands that a command be carried out by doing what is commanded, in the way it is commended, and for the purpose for which it is commanded. Anything else is not obedience.

 [ Home Page ]  [ FAQ Index ] [ SEE ALSO ]

20051022.ch