House Church Talk - Baptising with water

[Ted B. Harris]

Brother Bruce, I am a little puzzled by your comment:
That Christians meet in homes is certainly never commanded, but neither is 
water as the medium for baptism of believers! But there are more scriptural 
examples of the former than the latter!
I will have to agree that nowhere in the new testiment have I read "Thou must use water for baptising believers", however there are several instances where water was the medium used, and I have noted no other medium being used such as wine or olive oil.  Although the Greek word baptizo means to dip, plunge, submerge or immerse, it does not specify water.  However in my limited studies, all instances of baptism that I have noted in the New Testiment involved a body of water large enough to submerge a human body.
Mat thew 3:
13. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 
14  But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 
15  And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [it to be so] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 
16  And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 
Acts 10
47  Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 
Mark 1
8  I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. 
John:1
26  John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 
John 1:
33  And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 
Acts 8:
36  And as they went on [their] way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, [here is] water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 
37  And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 
38  And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 
I appears that the frequent use of the word water, and no reference (to my knowledge) to the use of any other fluid medium for baptism, leaves little doubt in my mind that the Lord intended for us to use water. I humbly yeild to your greater knowledge of the scriptures.  Please enlighten me a little more for the basis of your statement so that I might have a better understanding.
Ted