In the Bible to baptise someone was to totally immerse that person in water. In Jesus's day it was already a common Jewish practice and Jerusalem had many dedicated baths called mikvah's in which to perform this act of ritual cleansing. John the Baptist was using this custom as a way of responding to his call to repent of sin.
John came baptising in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all … went out to him and were all baptised by him in the Jordan River confessing their sins. [Mar 1:4-5]
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptised of him. But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptised of thee, and come thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer (permit) it to be so now: for thus it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptised, went up straight-way out of the water: [Mat 3:13-16]
Jesus actually had nothing to repent of but as a man He considered it a righteous thing that He should comply with this act of public declaration and dedication. John initially resisted baptising Jesus because he knew that it was Jesus who would give the long awaited promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit. John said to his followers:
I indeed have baptised you with water but He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit. [Mar 1:8]
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law … that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. [Gal 3:13-14]
Jesus confirmed this:
If you then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” [Luk 11:13]
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. [Joh 16:7]
… for John truly baptised with water but you shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit. [Act 1:5]
The reason it is important that we get baptised in water is because Jesus told us to. He is the King of Kings so it makes sense to obey Him.
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; ... they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
[Mar 16:15-18]
All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations baptising them in my name. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even to the end of the age.
[Mat 28:18-20] {Author’s translation}
The verse above in most Bible translations reads “baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” In the letters of early church fathers they quoted this scripture using only in the name of Jesus. This implies the triple name was not the original text. Also it actually does not make sense. The Father’s name is Yehovah and the Holy Spirit does not have a name. It appears to be a “religious” edit to reinforce the concept of the trinity which has ample scriptural support anyway. So why make this weird edit?
To baptise someone in the name of Jesus means that Jesus is actually the one doing the baptising. As He is not their in bodily form the person who baptises you takes His place physically and does it in His name. That is why occasionally at a water baptism amazing things can happen. Whatever happens Jesus is still there adoring you for being obedient. Just like a parent feels when a child puts their toys away without being asked.
When the gospel was preached for the first time by Peter he said be baptised in the name of Jesus.
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [Act 2:38]
In the book of Acts new disciples were always immediately baptised and when the name the baptism was carried out in was mentioned, it was always in the name of Jesus.
They had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. [Acts 8:16]
And he commanded them to be baptised in the name of the Lord. [Acts 10:48]
… they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. [Act 19:5]
Clearly it is good to follow the scriptural pattern but if you have been baptised using the triple name it is not a problem. God saw your obedience and dedication. I am confident being word perfect concerning this is really not a major issue.
When the first believers experienced this it was called being filled with the Holy Spirit and there were accompanying signs.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. [Act 2:4]
After this Peter then had the honour of preaching the first gospel message that led to three thousand Jews responding and getting baptised. He also preached the gospel to the first gentiles [non-Jews] who believed.
God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ [Act 11:17]
Much later Paul on meeting the early Ephesian believers said:
“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said to them “Into what then were you baptised?” So they said “Into John’s baptism.” Then Paul said “John indeed baptised with a baptism of repentance saying to the people that they should believe on Him, that is on Jesus Christ.” When they heard this they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul laid hands on them the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
[Act 19:4-6]
Sadly many say the signs that accompany being filled with the Spirit no longer occur today. They do. Jesus said:
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; ... they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. [Mar 16:17-18]
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. [Mat 24:35, Mar 13:31, Luk 21:33]
Water baptism is also a picture of the washing away of our sinful nature by the blood of Jesus
Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, [Rev 1:5]
When Saul turned to follow Jesus, Ananias when ministering to him said:
Arise and be baptised and wash away your sins ...
[Act 22:16]
Baptism also speaks of the living water that will flow from your heart.
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. [But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.] [Joh 7:37-39]
Also baptism speaks of being born from above [often translated as being born again]
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God. [Joh 3:3]
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. [Joh 3:5]
When the Spirit of God enters your heart you are then born from above or born again. It is not a separate event to the Baptism in the Spirit as many claim.
Paul when explaining the gospel in detail introduces the Baptism into Jesus. Sadly there are many opinions here but this has to refer to the same thing as the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. When studied in scripture the results of both are the same.
Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this that our old man was crucified with Him that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. Now if we died with Christ we believe that we shall also live with Him. [Rom 6:3-8]
Paul teaches that there is only one baptism:
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. [Eph 4:4-6]
This has some implications that cause so many to get confused. Let us take a fun but scary walk through the gloriously confusing mystery that is called the Trinity. Jesus said:
If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but ye know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. [Joh 14:15-18]
So the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the event where God the Holy Spirit comes upon you and takes up residence in you. And Jesus comes in too hallelujah!
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. [Rev 3:20]
Jesus also said that when He comes He will come with the Father too.
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. [Joh 14:23]
Woe, can you see all those religious fuses blowing. From the concept of the Trinity we see that baptism into any one person of the Trinity means we are baptised into all the other persons. I think it was the early Quakers who referred to this as being Goded with God.
In the Old Testament the baptism or anointing of the Holy Spirit is pictured by the practice of anointing with oil, where oil was poured onto the head of someone to dedicate them to a particular role, such as king or priest.
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes and in Him Amen to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a deposit. [2Co 1:20-22]
But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you … [1Jo 2:27]
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power … [Act 10:38]
There were several roles you could be anointed with oil for in the Old Testament. In the New Testament only one anointing is mentioned and this is where the oil of the Holy Spirit is poured out into our hearts. There is a sketchy practice going around where people want to impart a fresh anointing or blessing by laying hands on you. Indeed when Paul laid his hands on the unfilled Ephesians they received the Holy Spirit. However we do not see multiple anointings in the New Testament. That is why I called it sketchy as occultists do the same thing to impart demons to their followers. Heed Paul’s warning:
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, … For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. [2Co 11:3-4, 13-15]