Baptism+in+the+New+Testament

==The ritual of baptism is mentioned throughout the New Testament in various contexts. It appears in the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the writings of Paul and other books. == Matthew 28:19 is the only recorded direct command of Jesus regarding baptism, and its authenticity has been disputed by some scholars. Mark 16:16 belongs to the spurious appendix of the Gospel and is itself dependent upon Matthew 28:19. However, Christians have clearly practiced baptism since a very early date, which strongly suggests that they believed it to be the will of their Lord. An explicit reference to baptism "in the name of the Father, the son and the Holy Spirit" is occurs only in Matthew 28:19, and outside of the New Testament only in //Didache// (7.1) and Justin's //Apology// (1.61). Elsewhere in the Bible and early Christian writings, baptism is in the name of Jesus only. This is in part the basis for doubting Matthew 28:19. In the writings of Paul, baptism secures purification from sins, the putting off of the sinful body of the flesh, mortification of sin, renewal of life, regeneration, the power of the Holy Spirit, communion with the life of Christ, incorporation into the mystical body of Christ, the Church. Throughout the New Testament, baptism appears to be represented as the means for obtaining real objective effects, with God as their cause, not just as a symbolic act. Baptism was usually performed immediately after the recognition of the Messiahship of Jesus and the decision to join the Messianic congregation without further preparation. New Testament references to baptism occur in the following verses: Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:8; John 3:5, 13:10; Acts 1:5, 2:38, 8:16, 19:5; Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27; Eph. 4:5; I Cor. 1:13-15; I Pet. 3:21; Heb. 10:22; 6:2.