Church History on Water BaptismIntroductionBaptism can be traced back to the Old Testament era during the time when they wanted to identify with the Israelites and become Jews. The word “baptize” comes from the Greek word “Bapto” which basically means to immerse yourself in water and then take it out. Christians have practiced water baptism since time immemorial as a way to cleanse themselves from sin and draw closer to Jesus Christ. Some churches require a person to have specific qualifications before they can perform a baptism. However, in the Old Testament the act was not actually practiced as a way of repentance but rather Judaists saw it as a purification ritual. For example, when someone was sick they were immersed in water to cure them. Christians have different beliefs when it comes to water baptism. Some see it simply as a symbolic rite of passage into the Christian religion and there is no meaning behind it. Others, however, see it as a way to purify a person and therefore give him the right to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Baptism is a practice that has always existed since the beginning of Christianity as a way for Christians to seek repentance for their sins and be cleansed. After baptism, the Christian is expected to try to lead a righteous life. The Church of the New TestamentBaptism is first introduced in the New Testament through John the Baptist. During his baptism, John the Baptist is completely immersed underwater in the Jordan River as a way to repent and ask God for forgiveness for his sins. This then becomes one of the main reasons for the practice of baptism in Christianity, but not the sole purpose behind it. The... middle of paper... For example, when it comes to immersing, some churches will immerse the Christian three times in the water while others will only do it once some churches will immerse the Christian in the water forward others will do it all 'backwards. Some churches will perform extra ceremonies after baptism such as breathing on the Christian or putting salt in their mouth while others will not. The ideology of what the true ritual of baptism should be is being corrupted every day, and every day more and more new churches emerge with their own beliefs and ways of doing things. And while there are no standard rules regarding how to perform the act, the Bible should serve as a guide for Christians as to what the right way to perform the practice would be. Additionally, Christians should not limit themselves to church beliefs about infant baptism and follow their own faith on the matter.