What is the “one baptism” mentioned in Ephesians 4:5? (I have an answer, but I would like input).

What is the one baptism mentioned in Ephesians 4:5?


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Update:

I have changed my position on this. This thread was originally created with the belief that taught that Spirit baptism replaced water baptism. But now I have abandoned this viewpoint and I believe water baptism is now a requirement as a part of the faith.

I attempted to remove any post of my defense on Spirit baptism replacing water baptism.

The likes received on this post are from my support on my old position that Spirit baptism replacing water baptism (of which I no longer believe).
 
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tturt

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"One Lord, one faith, one baptism," One Lord is referring to the Godhead shown in Scripture such as "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen." II Cor 13:14 The one baptism is referring to them all.

There's "...the doctrine of baptisms,..." (Heb 6:2). There's 3 baptisms. We initiate each one and they're available to whosoever will..
1 - By The Holy Spirit into Jesus which reconciles us to God is the baptism for salvation. Baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ by believing in His death, burial, and resurrection.(Rev 1:5; Matt 26:28; Mark 1:4-9, 16:16; Luk 3:3; 1 Cor 12:13; Acts 2:38; Gal 3:27, II Cor 5;18).)
Water and Spirit baptism follows salvation - not in a set order though
2 - By another believer (water baptism) Jesus said "... fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness," All 3 persons of the Godhead endorsed water baptism. (Matt 3:13-16; 3:6,11; 28:18-20; Acts 8:39, 10:47, 22:16; John 3:5).
3 - By Jesus who sends the promise of the Father baptists us "by," "with" and "in" the Holy Spirit (The Spirit baptism) includes when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, He endures us with power for service to Him and to keep His Word. (Acts 1:5, 8:14-17, 10:44-48, 11:16; Matt 3:11; Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16; I Cor 12:13, Luk 24:49, Eph 5:18, Acts 4:31; I John 3:24; Eze 36:25-28; John 14:25-27).

"And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one." I John 5:7-8
 
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ViaCrucis

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It's Christian Baptism, which is always with water. The Bible never mentions "water baptism", because that is redundant, Baptism always involves water. And this Baptism isn't referring to Jewish ritual ablations (tevilah), or to St. John the Baptist's baptism which was a ritual ablation done for repentance in anticipation of the coming of the Messiah. It is specifically that Baptism which Christ Himself gave and instituted, where He says, "Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit".

There are times where Scripture speaks of analogical "baptisms", for example the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost is the fulfillment of where St. John the Baptist says that He who would come after him will "baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire" (though others think the "and with fire" refers not to Pentecost, but rather to a "baptism of fire" i.e. persecution or perhaps judgment). In the same way Jesus uses baptism analogically when He speaks of His Passion as a "baptism", asking His disciples if they can be baptized with the same baptism He will, or drink from the same cup as Him, speaking of His sufferings. St. Paul, in a similar way, speaks of the Israelites having received a "baptism" "into Moses" through the red sea.

So the language of baptism in figurative and poetic ways, such as the above, do exist. But when Scripture speaks of baptism, it really and quite simply means what it says. When it says baptism, it means baptism. It means the Sacrament of Baptism, the "washing of water with the word" (Ephesians 5:26) as St. Paul says. This is the baptism Christ gave to the Church in the Great Commission, the baptism St. Peter mentions in Acts 2:38, the baptism Paul talks about in Romans 6:3-4, Galatians 3:27, Colossians 2:12-13. It's what Jesus is talking about in John 3:5, echoed again by St. Paul in Titus 3:5.

This has always been the belief of the Christian Church since the beginning. It's what the Apostles taught and believed, and what Christians have always confessed--because it's what the Bible quite plainly and objectively says and means. There's simply no confusion on this subject when one looks at what has been written from the New Testament onward throughout Christian history. At least until modern times in the past several hundred years where a minority of Christians have gone off and formed radically new doctrines and ideas which are completely foreign to Scripture and to the historic confession of faith.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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disciple Clint

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It's Christian Baptism, which is always with water. The Bible never mentions "water baptism", because that is redundant, Baptism always involves water. And this Baptism isn't referring to Jewish ritual ablations (tevilah), or to St. John the Baptist's baptism which was a ritual ablation done for repentance in anticipation of the coming of the Messiah. It is specifically that Baptism which Christ Himself gave and instituted, where He says, "Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit".

There are times where Scripture speaks of analogical "baptisms", for example the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost is the fulfillment of where St. John the Baptist says that He who would come after him will "baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire" (though others think the "and with fire" refers not to Pentecost, but rather to a "baptism of fire" i.e. persecution or perhaps judgment). In the same way Jesus uses baptism analogically when He speaks of His Passion as a "baptism", asking His disciples if they can be baptized with the same baptism He will, or drink from the same cup as Him, speaking of His sufferings. St. Paul, in a similar way, speaks of the Israelites having received a "baptism" "into Moses" through the red sea.

So the language of baptism in figurative and poetic ways, such as the above, do exist. But when Scripture speaks of baptism, it really and quite simply means what it says. When it says baptism, it means baptism. It means the Sacrament of Baptism, the "washing of water with the word" (Ephesians 5:26) as St. Paul says. This is the baptism Christ gave to the Church in the Great Commission, the baptism St. Peter mentions in Acts 2:38, the baptism Paul talks about in Romans 6:3-4, Galatians 3:27, Colossians 2:12-13. It's what Jesus is talking about in John 3:5, echoed again by St. Paul in Titus 3:5.

This has always been the belief of the Christian Church since the beginning. It's what the Apostles taught and believed, and what Christians have always confessed--because it's what the Bible quite plainly and objectively says and means. There's simply no confusion on this subject when one looks at what has been written from the New Testament onward throughout Christian history. At least until modern times in the past several hundred years where a minority of Christians have gone off and formed radically new doctrines and ideas which are completely foreign to Scripture and to the historic confession of faith.

-CryptoLutheran
Acts 8:36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?"
 
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Mr. M

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I believe the “one baptism” mentioned in Ephesians 4:5 is Spirit baptism

Ephesians 4:
1
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you
were called,
2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,
3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Of course. It is obvious from the context that the 'one baptism' Paul speaks of pertains to the
'one body and one Spirit' in verse 4, which is Christ. He is addressing the church, or body of
Christ at Ephesus, and corporately, they are of that one baptism, Spirit and body.
This has nothing to do with an individual's conversion, but pertains to being an active part of
that one body, by One Spirit, which is the baptism that establishes the 'bond of peace',
the seal of the Spirit, etc...
Seems you are being a bit premature in re-writing the New Testament in order to correct
"the misunderstandings of the apostles".

For the disciples did not fully understand Christ's death and resurrection before the cross. So the apostles had to grow in their learning. I believe this to be the case with baptism, as well.
The Lord spent 40 days with the apostles post resurrection. They were ordered to wait for Him
in Galilee at the mountain that He assigned to them. Their comprehension was fine.


Water baptism is necessary for every individual convert. It is a baptism into the death of Christ,
to be raised in newness of Life.
The baptism of the Spirit is that new life in Christ, as an active part of that body.
There is only one baptism that can unite us, "the Spirit of Unity In the Bond of Peace".


Romans 6:
3
Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized
into His death?
4 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 should walk in newness of life.
 
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disciple Clint

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Hebrews 9:10 says, “Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.” The word “washings” is the Greek word “baptismos” (βαπτισμός) (Check out here for the Strong’s definition). In other words, Hebrews 9:10 is saying that diverse baptisms (washings) were imposed on believers until the time of reformation. Meaning, water baptism will give way or pass away until the time of reformation (Which means that Spirit baptism is now the one and only true baptism for today).

In other words, the reformation with Paul's teaching baptism was not taught yet to the these other Jewish apostles. So they were water baptizing still and not knowing God's new program yet involving Spirit baptism as being the replacement for water baptism. For Paul says he came not to baptize but to preach the gospel (1 Corinthians 1:17). Obviously Paul was referring to water baptism and not Spirit baptism. Paul refers to “one baptism” in Ephesians 4:5. It cannot be both water baptism and Spirit baptism. It has to be one or the other.

Side Note:

Anyways, I am working on a common objections post (to place at the beginning of this thread). So hopefully I will be able to cover the big ones that people may bring up. So far I have offered in post #2 my Scriptural support for Spirit baptism being the one and only true baptism for today.
Hebrews 9:10 is addressing custom and practice prior to Jesus. Paul as usual is addressing the Jewish laws.
 
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ViaCrucis

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Acts 8:36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?"

Exactly, the eunuch sees water and says "what can stand in the way of my being baptized"? He doesn't say "what can stand in the way of my being baptized in water" or "what can stand in the way of my being water baptized", but just "baptized". He sees water, and desires to receive Christian Baptism, and so he receives Christian Baptism.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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Mr. M

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Explaining Common Objections to Spirit Baptism being the one and only Baptism:
It is the one baptism that is spoken of in Ephesians 4, because only Spirit baptism can bring many
members together in one body.[my post in #9] which is not answered by your "common objections".
Water baptism remains a part of the individual's conversion into Christ's death, before they are
baptized into the Spirit of Life in Christ, the spiritual seed of Abraham's promise.

Acts 10:
Then Peter answered,
47 Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit
just as we have?
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.

A clear distinction is made in the scriptures between water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism. That is
because both are a part of the testimony. You are making some elaborate case based on Paul using
the term "one baptism" which is Truth because regardless Of Jew or Gentile, etc...all drink from
the same cup, all receive of the One Spirit, that is Christ.


Galatians 3:
27
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female;
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Nowhere in scripture do you find the words
"one and only baptism". You seem to have coined that term.
Explaining Common Objections to Spirit Baptism being the one and only Baptism

Acts 1:
4
And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem,
but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;
5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days
from now.

They clearly knew, after being instructed by the resurrected Lord, the difference between water
baptism and Holy Spirit baptism. There is no scriptural support that one replaced the other in the preaching of the Gospel and the great commission.


Luke 24:
44
Then He said to them, These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you,
that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.
45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

All this instruction was given prior to the ascension, weeks after the resurrection.
Misconceptions about the death and resurrection that existed before the crucifixion are irrelevant.

Matthew 28:
16
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had
appointed for them.
17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am
with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.


They understood the teaching and obeyed the instructions.

Check out my post #3.
Not at all an appropriate response to my post #9.
 
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Butterball1

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F.F. Bruce: “baptism in the New Testament is always baptism in water unless the context shows it to be something else; that is to say, the word is always to be understood literally unless the context indicates a figurative meaning” (Questions Answered, p. 106).

There is nothing in Ephesians 4:5 that proves baptism in this verse is anything other than a literal immersion in water. To place a figurative meaning on baptism in this verse is due to nothing more than a personal theological bias against the necessity of water baptism.
 
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Butterball1

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Acts 8:36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?"
Acts of the Apostles 8:29 "Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot."

Why would the Spirit send Phillip to teach and water baptize the eunuch if water baptism is not the one baptism of Eph 4:5...not the baptism of Christ's great comission? Why didn't the Spirit just "spirit baptize" the eunuch Himself. No need to send for Phillip........unless the Spirit had it wrong too and needs those on this forum to correct Him. If Phillip was wrong he in what he taught the eunuch why didn't the Spirit intecede and stop him?

Peter commanded (command = requirement, a necessity) water baptism to the Gentiles Acts of the Apostles 10:47-48.

To accuse the Apostles to be wrong on this issue is undermining their inspiration and making the BIble irrelevant. If they were wrong on this issue then that opens the door they could be wrong on other issues therefore the Bible cannot be 'true' (John 17:17) if it contains error therefore cannot be trusted. Once the genies is out of the bottle, there is nothing to stop anyone from accusing the Aposltes of being wrong. What if I personally do not like what the Apostles spoke about on a a particular issue? I can simply declare the Aposltes were wrong, I am right...don't listen to the inspired BIble writers but listen to me, a unknown internet poster with a theological agenda. I have seen many attempts to get around the necesity of water baptism but I think this is the first time I have seen inspired Bible writers being accused of being wrong in order to get around that necessity of water baptism.
 
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