Why Most Christians Have Never Been Water Baptized

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There is new evidence that Christians have never been water baptized; at least not according to how the Bible presents it.

Sometime ago, I produced a video in response to the Oneness Pentecostal false belief, as well as others, that salvation is predicated, not only on belief in Jesus Christ, but other actions that we must take (John 3:15-17, Eph. 2:8-9, Rom. 3:28, et al).

Chief among these is being water baptized which completes the salvation process (Acts 2:38). This stands in stark contrast to the Bible’s view of Jesus’s completed work on the cross (John 19:30, Heb. 10:10, Col. 2:14, Rom. 5:8, et al).

This article is not going to address the issue of works salvation for several reasons, but chief among them is, if there was any action we could take to assist God in saving ourselves, Jesus would not have need to come at all (John 1:1-14, Eph. 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, Rom. 11:6).

Now back to the big idea.

We don’t even need to approach the topic of water baptism, itself, and argue scripture for scripture on whether this is necessary for salvation for one simple reason: we must first understand what ‘biblical’ baptism is to begin with. 

For a millennia, Protestant Christians have criticized the Catholic church for many things but with respect to baptism, two things in particular. First is baptizing babies and second is non-submersion (sprinkling) baptism.

While I support criticizing the former, Protestants who point fingers for the latter are hypocrites (Rom. 1:1-3). There is no need to argue why infant baptism is doing no one any good, especially the child.

It is impossible for them to make a confession of faith verbally, or in spirit, much less understand what it means so the baptismal sacrament is mute (Matt. 10:32, Rom. 10:9, 1 John 4:15).

The hypocrisy of criticizing Catholics for undoctrinal baptism is crazy because most Protetant do not practice biblical submersion either (Matt. 3:6, Matt. 3:16, John 3:22, Acts 8:38, Acts 9:18, Acts 16:15, et al).

Now, if we desire to discuss the 'spirit of the command' verus the 'letter,' that is another conversation. However, denominational demons hold people to the letter of baptism, such as Acts 2:38, and never mention the spirit.

It stands to reason that if any professor, preacher or teacher of God‘s word is instructing someone to do something that’s theologically sound, they themselves must model that behavior (Matt. 23:3, Rom. 2:21, Titus 1:16).

More plainly, one cannot preach the necessity of communal church and fellowship attendance when they themselves are slack in that area (Matt. 18:20, Acts 2:46, Heb. 10:25).

The Bible says: “oh you man of God do you judge another and do us the same thing, how should you escape the damnation of God” (Rom. 2:1-3)?

The Bible also cautions against being 'many' teachers of the Word, as we will face greater scrutiny (Jam. 3:1). Many speak on matters they cannot defend, especially black preachers who most often, speak more philosophically than theologically.

More plainly, they simply make things up that sound biblical but cannot be supported with any text, at least rightly divided (2 Tim. 2:15).

For these purposes, I am declaring that no Christian has been ‘biblically’ baptized if they did so in sanitized, potable water, from a well as opposed to non-potable, un- santized water of a river, stream, lake, or ocean.

There is not one iota of biblical evidence anyone is allowed to be baptized in well water and there exists no command for modern Christians to deviate from the practice established in the Holy Bible.

This matters because salvation is not about human effort but God’s grace. Only God can declare someone clean in natural “dirty,” water. Potable water reflects human effort, not divine grace.

What is more insane about the clean water requirement and the rejecting of pond or river water is when black folk see a little dirt in sanitized pool water, they go ape and whine like children!

In many places throughout His Holy Word, God says; “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you” (Deut. 4:2, Prov. 30:5-6, 2 Pet. 3:16, et. al).

These teachers condemn others for not following their exact salvation model while failing to adhere to it themselves. It’s like condemning theft while stealing from the very people one is warning not to steal.

A dear brother and I debated a group of Oneness Pentecostals who insisted baptism must be in Jesus’ name only (Acts 2:38). I countered that Jesus was baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:16-17), and not His own name.

This stunned them, revealing their lack of theological rigor yet I went further to challenge their flawed argument with this: “Either Jesus was baptized in His own name, for the remission of sins or Godhead baptized (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)."

The answer is Godhead baptism because that is the only baptism for which there is biblical evidence of (Matt. 3:13-17, Matt. 28:19, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22).

Furthermore, if Jesus received the baptism of remission of sins, how could He be the sinless Lamb of God (John 1:29, 1 Pt. 1:18-19).

Few knowingly teach false baptismal doctrine; they’ve been misled by unprepared teachers, as I was a few decades ago. But when confronted with truth, the same reject it choosing to remain entrenched in positions that have been properly challenged, effectively deconstructed and proven false.

This is just one practice creative theologians and preacher have changed without Holy Ghost guidance.

Consider communion as well: where does Scripture instruct us to use grape juice and crackers instead of the biblical unleavened bread and wine (Luke 22:19-20, 1 Cor. 11:24-26). Who authorized this change? Not Jesus.

Or take worship: the Bible establishes the Sabbath as Saturday, the last day of the week, yet many worship on Sunday, the first day (Luke 4: 16, Act 13:14-15). Who permitted this shift?

We’ve altered the practice and then condemn others, saying, “You’ll go to hell if you don’t attend church.” But if we’re not worshiping on the Sabbath, how can we judge others for the same?

When was the Sabbath abolished?

Scripture, through Paul, advises against judging others for the day they worship, and we can discuss that (Rom. 14:5-6). But the issue is clear: we often condemn people for practices we ourselves don’t follow biblically.

These are three instances—communion, worship days, and baptism—where we assign souls to hell for failing to adhere to standards we’ve altered. The hypocrisy is striking.

With respect to baptism, our ancestors baptized in natural waters, but we’ve shifted to man-made settings and then judge others for not following our version of the practice.

The deeper truth about baptism lies in its connection to God’s transformative power. Scripture shows God using dirt to create and redeem—forming Adam from dust (Gen. 2:7) and healing a blind man with mud (Gen. 2:7, John 9:6-7).

Baptism in living water, often unfiltered and “dirty,” symbolizes this: only God can take a sinner, immerse them in water with natural contaminants, and declare them clean through grace.

Sanitized water reflects human effort, not divine power.

When someone claims you’re hell-bound for not being baptized in their pool, challenge them with: “Were you baptized in living water, as Jesus and the apostles practiced?” Most haven’t been, undermining their own argument.

These teachers often lack biblical grounding, yet they persist in condemning others.

We must re-examine these practices—communion, worship days, baptism—against Scripture’s full context, not isolated verses.

The Holy Spirit calls us to question traditions we’ve accepted without scrutiny (Mark 7:7-8, Col. 2:8). We’re not to burden others with rules we’ve altered or judge them by standards we don’t uphold.

Baptism, at its core, is about God’s grace, not our perfection. It’s a “dirt thing”—a reminder that only God cleanses us, not our works. So, ask the right questions, seek biblical truth, and let the Spirit guide you away from hypocrisy and toward the simplicity of Christ’s grace.

Dirty, non-potable water baptism traces back is a “dirt thing.” Baptism’s significance and practice center on Jesus Christ, who was in the beginning. But its roots trace back beyond the temple’s purity rituals to Adam.

Scripture’s use of “dirt” is profound—every detail fits together perfectly, revealing God’s design as the Holy Spirit illuminates it.

Dirt matters. Only God can create a spiritually and physically perfect person from it, as He did with Adam (Gen. 2:7). In the New Testament, only Jesus, God in the flesh, used dirt—a mud pack—to heal a blind man, a condition tied to sin’s contamination (John 9:6-7).

He instructed the man to wash in the Pool of Siloam, and he saw. Only God can heal imperfections with dirt (John 9:1-8).

So why baptize in “living water”—unfiltered rivers, lakes, or ponds with natural contaminants, as Jesus and the apostles did in Acts?

Because only God can take a sinner, immerse them in “dirty,” non-potable water, and

declare them clean. In the Old Testament, a leper entered contaminated water and emerged clean (2 Kings 5:14).

Similarly, baptism symbolizes burial and resurrection—God takes us down into the grave and brings us up cleansed by His grace, not our efforts.

Contrast this with those who condemn others to hell for not being baptized in sanitized church pools or tubs.

Many of these teachers haven’t been biblically baptized themselves, ignoring the living water model of Scripture.

This hypocrisy extends further.

These teachers assign souls to hell for failing to follow their version of baptism, communion, or worship—none of which align with Scripture’s model. Baptism is about

God’s transformative power, not our sanitized rituals. It’s a “dirt thing,” showing that only God cleanses through grace, not human effort.

When confronted with such claims, ask: “Where does the Bible support your practice over Jesus’ example?”

Their answers often falter, revealing the absurdity of their position. As Scripture guides us, let’s laugh at the folly to keep from weeping and hold fast to the truth of God’s Word.