"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19, NKJV

John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Mark 1:4, NKJV

"Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?" Romans 6:3, NKJV

And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized? So they said, "Into John's baptism." Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Acts 19:3-5, NKJV

One of the reasons that we not only read the Bible, but that we study it as well, is because of teachings like we find in the four passages above. Just reading from Matthew 28:19 to Mark 1:4, encompasses only six verses of Scripture so, if we are not careful, we might miss something very important. In this instance, the important thing to remember is that Jesus' command in Matthew 28:19 is made after the cross and after His resurrection. The events recorded in Mark 1:4, on the other hand, are written several years before the cross.

So, what's the difference? It is clear that both baptisms were baptisms of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and both baptisms were a full immersion in water (The very word "baptism" refers to an immersion, a submergence, and an emergence). However, this is where the similarities end, for Christ's baptism was a baptism into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and it was a baptism into Jesus' death. Why is that so important? We don't have to speculate, for we are told in Romans the following:

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 shall walk in 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."

Romans 6:4-5, NKJV

That is why the 12 men that we read about above in Acts 19 had to be baptized again. Even though they had received John's baptism (a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins) they had not been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus and, therefore, they had not been baptized into His death. And we are told in Romans 6 that all who have been baptized into His death will also take part in His resurrection.  

One other thing: Many people argue that baptism is not needed because "the thief on the cross wasn't baptized, and He was saved". Hopefully these few verses looked at today will reveal to you the fallacy of that argument, for the thief on the cross could not have been baptized into Christ's death at that time for Jesus had not yet died, and the commandment to be baptized into His death had not yet been given. Further, as to whether or not the thief had ever been baptized into John's baptism, we simply are not told.

Do you see, now, how important it is to not only read the Word, but to also study the Word and think about what it says?

Today's reading is from Mark chapter 1. I pray that God will richly bless your studies!