On page 59 of John Rice's book Bible Baptism, a heading reads: "STUDY THE PROOF CAREFULLY: THEN AWAY FROM TRADITION, BACK TO THE BIBLE!" Mr. Rice should really take his own advice.
On page 61, he writes:
"There is only one course left for you, dear Christian, if you seek to please Jesus Christ. You must follow the Saviour down into the watery grave in the likeness of His burial, and then, raised in the likeness of His Resurrection, come up out of the water, proclaiming to the world your faith in a risen Saviour and your intention of living a new life."
Where in the Bible does Mr. Rice get this from? Where in the Bible does it clearly teach that this is the mode of baptism?
Nowhere!
Mr. Rice gets his argument from an eisegetical reading of Romans 6:3-4, which incidentally is not even talking about baptism. There is no mention of water or mode. Baptism is used as an illustration here indicating identification. Read the context surrounding it.
The end of chapter 5:
The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The beginning of chapter 6:
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
That is the context wherein those who believe in immersion try to find their proof text. Read the following links and discover how immersion cannot be substantiated from the details provided in Scripture.
Jesus' burial had nothing to do with anything. He could have remained on the cross for three days and everything would have been accomplished exactly as it is now. Baptism has nothing to do with Christ Jesus, but rather symbolizes the receipt of and the working of the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit was poured out on the Gentiles, Peter's thoughts were immediately directed toward the Holy Spirit. There was a connection.
People are not Christians because they were baptized, whether as an adult or as an infant. Baptism is merely a sign and seal of being in covenant with God. That covenant can be broken by covenant breakers. Baptism is merely a testimony or witness for or against you. No one should look to their baptism as evidence of being a Christian. This is something that people like Jacob Prasch do not seem to understand. Your Renaissance-influenced individualism is foreign to the Scriptures. The Bible knows nothing of individualistic Christian faith. Nowhere is the new covenant taught in Scripture to be one of individualism pertaining to the individual only. This is Western mindset trying to impose its culture upon first-century Christianity, and it is eisegesis at best.
Mr. Rice is correct though...
Away from tradition, and back to the Bible! Sola Scriptura!