Biblical Believer's Baptism

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

As Jesus gives His final set of instructions, one of the commands that He issues pertains to the practice of baptism.  As we survey the entirety of the New Testament, we discover that baptism is mentioned nearly 100 times.  Over the course of church history there have been some beliefs and confusion that have entered into this important command of Jesus to His apostles and church. 

Attempting a more thorough treatment of the subject of baptism
I want to survey a larger selection of texts, and trace as closely as possible the entire testimony of scripture - aiming to present the whole counsel of God on the subject of baptism. 

In order to handle the large number of scriptures and directions one could take in studying this issue of believer's baptism, I will propose four headings in answering this simple question: What is the significance of Believer's Baptism?

Believer's Baptism's significance is discovered under the following four headings:

1. It was Mandated by Jesus Christ.  That is, it was modeled and commanded by Christ. We will discover what is meant by the term "ordinance", as well as who is scripturally qualified to administer baptism.

2. It has a Method to follow.  As we will survey the Gospels, Acts and Epistles, we will discover that baptism was a practice done following one's commitment of faith to Christ.  When done biblically, faith is first, followed by believer's baptism. 

3. It has a Meaningful Mode.  The mode or manner in which baptism is done is closely linked to communicating its meaning. 
This writer will contend that immersion is the only proper mode that fits both the original meaning of the words for "baptize" and "baptism".

4. It is a Must for believers.  Baptism is not optional, but essential for obedience.   Since only Christian's were baptized in the New Testament, we will advocate the idea of calling baptism "believer's baptism".  All Christians need to be baptized.  We will explore the blessings that come to both the participant and to those witnessing the ordinance. 

My prayer is that those reading this blog will find this survey helpful.  I would also encourge the reader to search this blog and explore the past treatments written on this subject.  If anything, if any clarity is achieved as a result of this blog - all glory goes to God alone.