The word for ‘baptize’ in Greek is “baptizo” meaning “to immerse; cause to be dipped; to submerge; to overwhelm.”  The historical background of water baptism as seen in the Scriptures carries with it the significance of Initiation (e.g. being accepted in, or joining, as through a rite of admission) and Identification (e.g. as in choosing a rabbi or rabbinical school to follow).  So then when we are immersed in water in the name of Jesus we are testifying that we have been admitted into the followership of Jesus and that we belong to Him.  I Corinthians 12:13   “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves or free, we were all made to drink of the one Spirit.”

The Scripture references for Water Baptism are below

• Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 28:20 teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you  always, to the end of the age.”
• Mark 16  “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16:16 The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned.

Water Baptism is a requirement of disciples of Jesus.  Belief in Jesus is a requirement for salvation, while water baptism is a requirement of belief in Jesus.  In other words if we trust Him for salvation we will follow His instructions to be baptized.  Faith in Jesus saves us.  Being baptized in water is an initial and physical demonstration that you have trusted Jesus and are following Him. 

• Matthew 3:6  … and he was baptizing them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.  3:11 “I baptize you with water, for repentance, but the one coming after me is more powerful than I am – I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
• Mark 1:4, 5 In the wilderness 1  John the baptizer 2  began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  People 1  from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem 2  were going out to him, and he was baptizing them 3  in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.

           
Christian baptism physically means being publicly immersed into water.  Additionally, water baptism involves confession of sins, repentance, and forgiveness of sins.  Repentance simply means ‘turning’, so the picture is a turning away from a sinful life of not living for God, to a life of purity and living for God. 

• Romans 6:3 Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 6:4 Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life.  6:5 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection. 6:6 We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 6:7 (For someone who has died has been freed from sin.)   6:8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 6:9 We know that since Christ has been raised from the dead, he is never going to die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 6:10 For the death he died, he died to sin once for all, but the life he lives, he lives to God. 6:11 So you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.  6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires, 6:13 and do not present your members to sin as instruments to be used for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead and your members to God as instruments to be used for righteousness. 6:14 For sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law but under grace.
• Colossians  2:12 Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your  faith in the power of God who raised him from the dead. 2:13 And even though you were dead in your  transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he nevertheless made you alive with him, having forgiven all your transgressions. 2:14 He has destroyed 29  what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. 2:15 Disarming the rulers and authorities, he has made a public disgrace of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

 
The powerful symbolism of water baptism is of dying and being buried to a sinful life without God to being made alive and rising again to a righteous life with God.  Water Baptism is identifying with Jesus’ death and resurrection.

• Matthew 3:13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John to be baptized by him in the Jordan River. 3:14 But John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?” 3:15 So Jesus replied to him, “Let it happen now, for it is right for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John yielded to him.
• Luke 23:40 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. " 43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

 
Even Jesus was baptized, and John the Baptizer affirmed his own need to be baptized, therefore, water baptism is necessary and right for everyone.  Also, importantly, Jesus did not need to be baptized to save Him from His sins.  He had no sins.  So then, baptism does not save you from your sins, but shows that you are obedient to the One who does – Jesus.  It is not to earn your place in heaven with the Lord, but is an act of grateful obedience to your Lord who has secured for you that place.  The criminal, who was crucified beside Jesus, went to heaven because of his repentance and faith in Jesus without water baptism.

• Matthew 3:16 After Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming on him.
• Acts 1:4 While he was with them, he declared, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait there for what my Father promised, which you heard about from me.   1:5 For  John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

 
When we obey the Lord to be baptized he affirms our belief and obedience by filling us with, and speaking to us by, His Holy Spirit.

• Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were acutely distressed  and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “What should we do, brothers?” 2:38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each one of you be baptized  in the name of Jesus Christ  for  the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  2:39 For the promise  is for you and your children, and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.” 2:40 With many other words he testified  and exhorted them saying, “Save yourselves from this perverse  generation!” 2:41 So those who accepted  his message  were baptized, and that day about three thousand people  were added.

 
Though, infant baptism, practiced by many, is often a decision of parents to turn a child toward God and salvation, the plain teaching of the Bible as we understand it, is that the decision to be baptized in water is one that needs to be made by each person subsequent to personal belief and repentance.

• Matthew 21 21:23 Now after Jesus entered the temple courts, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 21:24 Jesus answered them, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 21:25 Where did John’s baptism come from? From heaven or from people?”  They discussed this among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 21:26 But if we say, [not] ‘From people,’ we fear the crowd, for they all consider John to be a prophet.” 21:27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

                   
Water Baptism is of divine origin.  In other words, water baptism is God’s idea and not ours’, and it is in submission to His authority that we are baptized in water.

• Luke 3:7 So John  said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 3:8 Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance, and don’t begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones!  3:9 Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”  3:10 So the crowds were asking him, “What then should we do?” 3:11 John answered them, “The person who has two tunics must share with the person who has none, and the person who has food must do likewise.” 3:12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 3:13 He told them, “Collect no more than you are required to.”  3:14 Then some soldiers also asked him, “And as for us – what should we do?” He told them, “Take money from no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your pay.” 3:15 While the people were filled with anticipation  and they all wondered whether perhaps John could be the Christ,  3:16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water, but one more powerful than I am is coming – I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  3:17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clean out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire.” 3:18 And in this way, with many other exhortations, John proclaimed good news to the people.

 
Baptism must be accompanied by a desire to truly repent and be changed along with an eagerness to be taught and learn all that God wants from us.  Baptism anticipates greater experiences with God to come.  For instance we may begin with water baptism, and then expect Spirit baptism.

• Luke 7:24 When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?   7:25 What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? Look, those who wear fancy clothes and live in luxury  are in kings’ courts!  7:26 What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 7:27 This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ 7:28 I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater  than John.  Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he is.” 7:29 (Now all the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged  God’s justice, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. 7:30 However, the Pharisees and the experts in religious law  rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. )  

 
Water Baptism is in fulfillment of ancient Bible prophecies.  When one is obedient to be baptized he or she is acknowledging the ways and wisdom of God.

• John 1:31 “… but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel.”  John 1:32 Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and it remained on him.  1:33 And I did not recognize him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining – this is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 1:34 I have both seen and testified that this man is the Chosen One of God.”

 
We repent, confess, believe, and are baptized in anticipation of the revelation of the King of kings and His eternal kingdom. 
 
Numerous additional Scripture passages are included below to demonstrate that the practice of all those believers in Christ in Scripture was to be baptized in water and in the Spirit.  These are listed here as further admonition for us to do the same.

• John 3:5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  For Old Testament background see, Isaiah 44:3-5 and Ezek 37:9-10
• Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip as he was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they began to be baptized, both men and women. 8:14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 8:15 These two went down and prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. 8:16 (For the Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)  8:17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on the Samaritans, and they received the Holy Spirit.
• Acts 8  8:37 and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water! What is to stop me from being baptized?” 8:38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
• Acts 9:18  He (the Apostle Paul) got up and was baptized.
• Acts 10  You know the message  he sent to the people  of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all) – 10:37 you know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 10:38 with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, that God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him.  10:39 We are witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem.  They  killed him by hanging him on a tree,  10:40 but God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen, 10:41 not by all the people, but by us, the witnesses God had already chosen, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 10:42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to warn them that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. 10:43 About him all the prophets testify, that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” 10:46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising  God. Then Peter said, 10:47 “No one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” 10:48 So he gave orders to have them baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for several days.
• Acts 16:14 A woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, a God-fearing woman, listened to us. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. 16:15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me to be a believer in the Lord, come and stay in my house.” And she persuaded us.
  
• Acts 16:29 Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell down  trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas. 16:30 Then he brought them outside  and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 16:31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.” 16:32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him, along with all those who were in his house. 16:33 At that hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and all his family were baptized right away. 16:34 The jailer brought them into his house and set food before them, and he rejoiced greatly that he had come to believe in God, together with his entire household.
  
• Acts 18:8 Crispus, the president of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard about it believed and were baptized.
  
• Acts 22:12 A man named Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who live there,  22:13 came to me and stood beside me and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ And at that very moment I looked up and saw him.  22:14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors has already chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear a command from his mouth, 22:15 because you will be his witness to all people  of what you have seen and heard. 22:16

And now what are you waiting for?  Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.