Baptism is often misunderstood within the Christian community. We can see that John
the Baptist presented his baptism as a token of repentance of sin as well as a turning
back to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as well as an identification with the
coming “Kingdom of God”. We see in Acts 18-19 that John’s baptism was not
completely adequate. John stressed that there was one coming who was greater and
that He would baptize (immerse and saturate) with the Holy Spirit. Baptism in the Holy
Spirit (saturation) is simultaneous with belief. Water baptism is not necessary for
salvation but is an act of obedience to Christ’s admonition. Water baptism is a symbolic
identification with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus