Water. It’s in nearly every book of the Bible! The world was made from water and was flooded by it. People were both killed and saved by it. Life requires water. It was in Eden and will be in the New Jerusalem. Moses, David, and most of the Old Testament prophets spoke about it, as did Jesus, Peter, and John. So why has no one yet figured out what all this water talk is about? God is revealing something exciting using water as his means of communication. In this book nearly all the uses of water throughout the Bible have been examined and organized into common categories. The mentions of water have ramifications for other major biblical teachings such as on the work of the Holy Spirit, salvation, and baptism. This work unveils something that has remained hidden to most until now: a biblical theology of water.

This is the one book on baptism that you must read. It was seven years in the making. The author believes that until a new approach is taken, separations over the meaning, mode, and recipients of baptism will never be bridged. This new approach traces the roots of baptism deep into the OT Scriptures. When understood properly, we discover that baptism is always the sign that God has used to initiate his people into a new creation. Baptism in the NT is not "new." Rather, it derives its origin from OT predecessors. When we understand that baptism comes from baptism, especially in its sacramental expression in the priestly covenant, reasons for the NT practice begin to make perfect sense. Now Baptists have an argument that infant Baptists can finally understand, because we are beginning our argument in the same place. Yet, we continue to have very baptistic conclusions as to the mode and recipients of baptism, because we root baptism in baptism rather than circumcision.

The saving mission of Jesus constitutes the foundation for Christian mission, and the Christian gospel is its message. This second edition of a classic NSBT volume emphasizes how the Bible presents a continuing narrative of God's mission, providing a robust historical and chronological backbone to the unfolding of the early Christian mission.

Numerous “water related terms” are utilized in Genesis 1-2 such as, “the deep, “the waters,” “water,” “sea,” seas,” “stream,” “river,” “flow,” “flows,” and “rain.” Arguably similar, Revelation 21-22 uses the terms “water of life,” “river of the water of life,” “thirsty,” “spring, ” and “lake.” That the traditional Protestant canon is bookended with such similar terminology appears to create an inclusio that demands further inquiry within the canon to seek supplemental, complementary, and even potentially contrasting and conflicting evidence supporting a biblical theology of water. While commentary on every canonical water related text or term would be a daunting task beyond the scope of this presentation, this research centers around three major theological constructs of water which necessitates discussion of a significant portion of the canonical text that references water or related terms. The result of this study will unveil the use of water as initiating physical and spiritual life, providing physical and spiritual cleansing, and sustaining physical and spiritual life. Each of these three aspects interrelate, and when properly understood, offers implications for God’s usage of water as the instrumentality by which at least some of his purposes are accomplished. They also oblige reconsideration of certain church dogma and doctrinal positions on topics such as salvation, the gift and work of the Holy Spirit, and baptism. The longer thesis of this dissertation is that there exists a biblical theology of water within the traditional canon of Protestant Scripture that initiates physical and spiritual life, provides physical and spiritual cleansing, and sustains physical and spiritual life, and that these three aspects are interrelated. The shorter thesis is that God uses water to initiate, cleanse, and sustain life, and these three constructs interrelate and form a biblical theology of water.

Baptism has been a contested practice from the very beginning of the church. In this volume, Ben Witherington rethinks the theology of baptism and does so in constant conversation with the classic theological positions and central New Testament texts. By placing baptism in the context of the covenant, Witherington shows how advocates of both believer's baptism and infant baptism have added some water to both their theology and practice of baptism.

"This book represents a substantial accomplishment, one that provides a useful resource for those wanting to deepen their understanding of the sacraments, particularly baptism. Reflecting a massive amount of research, against the background of an in-depth survey of various views of baptism in church history, Fesko provides an extensive exegetical and biblical-theological study of the covenantal and eschatological significance of baptism followed by systematic theological reflections on key issues like baptism as a means of grace, the efficacy of baptism, the biblical warrant for infant baptism (and against paedocommunion) and the importance of baptism for the church. One need not agree with his reflections at every point to benefit from his considerable labors." - Richard B. Gaffin, Jr., Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology, Emeritus, Westminster Theological Seminary

This volume of essays explores the significance of water and the current ecological crisis and examines this from both scientific and theological insights. It also examines the relevance of key biblical passages relating to water as a positive and a negative force. Contributors to this volume come from Australia, South Africa and the USA and a variety of disciplines. The cover design is an indigenous Australian artists depiction of the biblical theme of the Transfiguration in terms of local water traditions of life and death cycles of the lotus flower.