Both Washing and Sprinkling

Some people look on baptism as a sprinkling, whereas in the New Testament baptism is a “washing.” The New Testament does use “sprinkling” in relation to salvation, but it always refers to the blood of Jesus, not baptism.

I. Washing

“Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins” (Acts 22:16). “[H]aving…our body washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22). “[B]aptism…now saves you, not the removal of dirt from your body” (1 Peter 3:21). “[H]aving cleansed her [the church] by the washing of water” (Ephesians 5:25-26). “[Y]ou were washed” (1 Corinthians 6:11). “He saved us…by the washing of the new birth” (Titus 3:5).

II. Sprinkling

“[O]bey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood” (1 Peter 1:2). “[H]aving…our hearts sprinkled” (Hebrews 10:22). “[Y]ou have come…to Jesus…and to the blood of sprinkling” (Hebrews 12:22,24).