Baptism What the Bible Teaches!

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit (1 Cor. 12.13).

Probably no one issue has contributed to more confusion, fighting, and divisions in Christendom than baptism. Some churches teach baptism is a sacrament, some that it is necessary for salvation. Some teach immersion, some pouring, some sprinkling. Apart from baptism, some churches do not consider you a Christian and some will not let you join the church or teach in the church. What one believes about baptism has a large influence in determining one's church or denomination. In order to try and remedy this confusion, it is necessary to see what the Scriptures teach about baptism.

What does baptism mean? Both the words baptism and baptize (Gk. baptismo/j and bapti/zw) go back to the Greek word ba/ptw, "to dip". Homer used it of a brazier who dipped hot brass in water to temper it. In the Old Testament (LXX), ba/ptw is used frequently. It is used of the dipping of hyssop in blood during the Passover (Ex. 12.22). The word bapti/zw is used less frequently, but notably of Naaman who dipped himself seven times in the Jordan river to cleanse himself from leprosy (2 Kings 5.14). This word has a more intransitive sense than ba/ptw. It has the sense of "wash" as in "washing oneself". In Hebrews 6.2 and 9.10 we read about "washings" (baptismo/j) that pertained to the Jews. The sense is of cleansing. This sense was carried on by John the Baptizer who preached and performed "the baptism of repentance". About half the references to baptism in the New Testament concern John the Baptizer and this mission. The twelve apostles continued this sense. Thus, Peter said, relating baptism to cleansing,

"And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you-- not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience-- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ," (1 Pet. 3.21).

While baptism has the idea of cleansing, its most fundamental meaning is "identification". Thus, Jesus said,

"You do not know what you are asking for. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized" (Mk. 10.38)?

And again,

"But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!" (Lk. 12.50).

Paul said describing Israel,

"For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ" (1 Cor. 10.1-4).

Paul declared a new, spiritual sense and emphasis for baptism. According to Paul every believer in Christ in the Church age has been baptized by the Holy Spirit. He said,

"For by one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit" (1 Cor. 12.13).

"Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection" (Rom. 6.3-6).

"For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead" (Col. 2.9-12).

What kind of baptism was Paul teaching in these passages? Was he talking about water baptism or spiritual baptism? It should be clear to even the casual reader that Paul was talking about spiritual baptism. Can water baptism baptize us into the death of Christ? Can it cause us to walk in newness of life? Can it raise us up with Christ? Is the baptism Paul writes about a work of man or of God? Clearly, it is a work of of God. Paul teaches us that when one puts his trust in Christ as his Savior from sin, he is baptized by the Holy Spirit. With this act, God identifies the believer with Christ. The believer becomes a part of the body of Christ, i.e. the Church, and God sees him as both sharing (identified) in Jesus' death and resurrection. What an amazing and exciting truth!

What was the role of water baptism in the ministry of John the Baptizer, of Jesus, of the 12 apostles? What do the Scriptures teach?

"John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins" (Mk. 1.4).

"And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned" (Mk. 16.15-16).

"And Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2.38).

There are a few things to notice from these passages. One, they contain a consistent message from John the Baptizer, Jesus, and Peter. Two, each deals with water baptism. Three, each deals with leaders of Israel and concern a ministry to and out from Israel. Four, each teaches water baptism is necessary for the forgiveness of sins. What are we to make of these scriptures?

If one takes them at face value, one can only conclude that they mean what they say, namely, that according to the preaching of John, Jesus, and Peter, forgiveness of sins was based upon repentance, belief in Jesus as the Messiah of Israel, and water baptism. Does this mean that salvation was through works? No. Salvation has always been through faith. Hebrews 11 makes this clear as do many other passages throughout the Scriptures. While salvation has always been based upon faith, the content of faith has changed over time according to the revelation and the command of God.1 What did Abraham believe for salvation--that Christ died for his sins and was raised from the dead for his justification? No, he believed what God had revealed to him--that he was going to be the father of many nations, that by him the world would be blessed, and that God would give him a land. Salvation has always been based upon faith in that which God has revealed.

How does faith work? God provides a revelation. In response, a person says, "I believe that". This is not only an act of faith but an act of obedience. The two cannot be separated. The content of the message of John the Baptizer, Jesus, and Peter, was the message of faith in Jesus as the Messiah, repentance, and baptism. What was the response of faith and obedience? To repent, be baptized, and believe in Jesus as the promised Messiah.

What is God's revelation today for salvation? Is it repent, be baptized, and believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah of Israel? No, the content of the gospel has changed. The gospel we have today we know from Paul. God revealed and committed to him the "gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20.24). The gospel for today is the following:

"Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15.1-4).

This is what we must believe, i.e. obey, in this age to be saved.

We have seen the role baptism played in the ministry of John the Baptizer, Jesus, and Peter. What does Paul say about water baptism? After all, almost all churches today teach some form of water baptism. In his first letter to the Corinthians one the great issues Paul confronted and was trying to correct was the matter of divisions among believers. With regard to baptism, Paul wrote:

"I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, that no man should say you were baptized in my name. Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, that the cross of Christ should not be made void" (1 Cor. 1.14-17).

In addressing the problem of divisions, Paul told the Corinthians that he was glad that he had not baptized many so that they might not claim him and let this be a cause of division. This passage rings true. In our mind's eye we can see Paul dictating the letter. He remembered he baptized Crispus and Gaius and just as his amanuensis has recorded his words, he remembered that he also baptized Stephanas' household and related that. But the main point to consider is Paul's statement: Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel. Why does Paul say this? Jesus told his disciples,

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Mt. 28.19).

Does Paul contradict Jesus? Not at all. How was Paul commissioned as an apostle? Was he commissioned like the other eleven disciples? No. Paul received a special commission from the Lord. God saved Paul on the Damascus road where Jesus, the risen Lord, appeared to him. Jesus did not tell Paul to baptize as he had the other disciples. Jesus gave Paul a different mission than he gave the other apostles. Paul became the apostle to the Gentiles while Peter and the eleven were apostles to Israel (Acts 9.15-16; 14.26-28; 18.6; 22.21; 26.16-18; 28.28; Gal. 2.2, 7-9; Rom. 11.13; Eph. 3.1, 8; 1 Tim. 2.7). To Paul, Jesus committed the "gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20.24).

Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians,

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all" (Eph. 4.4-6).

Paul's statement has the elements of a creedal statement: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father. The common concept from this statement is one. Paul said there was one baptism. What baptism was he talking about? From all of Paul's other teachings, we know that he was talking about spiritual baptism. It should be obvious that Paul did not regard water baptism as of great importance since he declared that "Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel". Furthermore, if there is but one baptism, what baptism is important--the baptism by man or the baptism by God the Holy Spirit? Clearly, the baptism of the Holy Spirit overshadows baptism by man. If there is only one baptism, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, why do churches practice water baptism?

The short answer to that question is relatively easy. Churches practice water baptism because theologians have failed to recognize and distinguish between Paul's ministry and the revelation God gave to him and the ministry of John the Baptizer, Jesus, and the 12 apostles. John, Jesus, and the Twelve proclaimed the "gospel of the kingdom of God". Their message was to Israel. It's focus was on repentance, water baptism, and belief that Jesus was the promised Messiah-King of Israel. Paul's message was different. It was the "gospel of the grace of God". It's focus was on grace and faith alone, the gospel (1 Cor. 15.1-4), and was primarily to Gentiles. Failure to see the difference between these two ministries and messages and failure to distinguish between Israel (the earthly people of God) and the Church (the heavenly people of God) has led to most of the hermeneutical problems that exist. When one allows the Scriptures to mean what they say in context rather than reading later revelation into them or forcing them into a preconceived theological position most apparent contradictions vanish. Such a methodology is much more successful and enlightening than rationalizing or forcing passages into contorted directions resulting in confused or contradictory renderings.

In summary,

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From John the Baptizer to Calvary there was one baptism--water baptism (Mk. 1.4; Jn. 1.31).
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During the Pentecostal period there were two baptisms--water (Acts 2.38) and baptism with or in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1.5; 2.38)
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At the present time there is again but one baptism (Eph. 4.5) which is the baptism by which we are baptized into Christ (Rom. 6.3), that is, into his body (1 Cor. 12.13). This baptism is different from the baptism with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. At Pentecost Christ was the Baptizer (Mt. 3.11; Acts 1.5). Today, the Holy Spirit is the baptizer who baptizes us into Christ and his body (1Cor. 12.13).

If water baptism is invalid for our day there is no need to discuss infant baptism. Interestingly, infant baptism is a key part of Reformed theology. One small word will be said, however. Not a single Scripture supports the idea of infant baptism. Search the Scriptures. You won't find it. Furthermore, the Reformed notion that baptism is for the New Testament what circumcision was for the Old Testament has no Scriptural support. One only wonders how this teaching began since it has no support from the Scriptures. One of the chief principles of the Reformation was sola scriptura, or the Scriptures alone. Reformed theologians clearly have failed to maintain this principle as both infant baptism and water baptism stand as challenges to their system and the reformation principle of sola scriptura .

From Paul's teaching, the apostle to the Gentiles, the apostle of the gospel of the grace of God, and the apostle to whom Christ revealed the Church, the body of Christ, we have the knowledge that there is one baptism which is a spiritual baptism, i.e. the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is by the baptism of the Holy Spirit that we are identified with Christ and are placed "in Christ". God the Holy Spirit is the baptizer of believers, not a minister who dips, pours, or sprinkles water on someone. Despite the centuries of history of water baptism and all its attendant traditions, the Scriptures teach that only the baptism of the Holy Spirit is legitimate in this age for the Church, the body of Christ.