Water Baptism

[WAB]

As most who frequent this area of posts know, there are those who declare that water baptism is not for members of the Body-of-Christ/Church, but only for the church Peter and the others at Jerusalem were members of, and that they were not really Christians.

To refute that erroneous doctrine, one need only read about what is known as Paul’s 2nd missionary journey as presented in Acts 16.

The first mention of water baptism performed by Paul (or those who accompanied him) was that of Lydia, who was from the city of Thyatira. Verse 15 of chap.16 says: “And she and her household were baptized…” This was after Paul had ministered to them.

Then a little further on in the same chapter, after Paul and Silas had been miraculously released from their chains… “…the keeper of the prison…” after asking Paul and Silas: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?… they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.’”

Then after the keeper of the prison had tended to the wounds Paul and Silas had received (see verses 22,23), “…immediately he (that is the jailer) and all his family were baptized.” (vs.33).

Since Paul and Silas were the only Christians there prior to the keeper of the prison and his family coming to faith in Christ, guess who did the baptizing?!

Then, just a bit further on in Acts 19:4-8 we find:

“Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on Him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve. And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.”

Was this “kingdom of God” a different kingdom of God than the one Jesus spoke of in Acts 1:3 ?

Or the kingdom of God Philip (of the Jerusalem church) spoke of in Acts 8:12 ? I think not.

Back to baptism… 1 Corinthians 1:13-17... “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Cris’pus and Gai’us; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Steph’anas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect."

Indeed Paul says that the Lord did not send him to baptize... yet Paul baptized quite a few new believers, as has been quoted. Does that mean that Paul disobeyed the Lord by baptizing Cris'pus, Gai'us, and the household of Steph'anas?
Far from being opposed to water baptism, Paul baptized quite a few new believers himself, and his companions did likewise.

Shalom.... WAB

 

[eph3Nine]

Paul speaking...1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

 

[WAB]

Paul speaking...1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

You are correct. I listed verse 17 in the beginning of the quote and then neglected to quote it. Will edit the post.

 

[eph3Nine]

Pauls job not to water baptize...the SPIRIT does the placing of the believer INTO the Body of Christ. THAT is the ONE baptism of OUR salvation.

 

[Dispy]

Water Baptism

As most who frequent this area of posts know, there are those who declare that water baptism is not for members of the Body-of-Christ/Church, but only for the church Peter and the others at Jerusalem were members of, and that they were not really Christians.

From the book Common Questions About the Grace Message by Joel Finck.

QUESTION 9) WHY DO WE NOT WATER BAPTIZE?

Nowhere in Paul’s epistles do you ever find instructions for us to be water baptized. Many recognize that Paul was given revelation from the Lord and that in fact, he writes directly to the churches and the church leaders, Timothy and Titus and to the saints of the Body of Christ. Yet, does it not strike you as a little strange that if we are supposed to be water baptizing that Paul never tells us to do it. He never tells us how it is supposed to be done, how it should be carried out, who should be doing it, etc.

Why is this? True Christianity is a faith which involves an inward reality, not outward ritual. And yet even as we write this, the vast majority of Christendom, has reverted back to the rituals of the Law and the Jewish Kingdom program.

Israel was a sign nation. God revealed to the Jewish people many outward shows of their faith. These involved sacrifices, water rituals and ceremonial washings, certain meats and drinks, observance of days, etc. All of these being designed to teach certain truths to the nation Israel. As one examines God’s spiritual program for this dispensation, however, as it is revealed to the Apostle of the Gentiles, the Apostle Paul, it soon becomes evident that these outward, visible manifestations of Israel’s religion, do not belong to the Church the Body of Christ. Indeed, they have no place in the practice of our faith in this dispensation. Amazingly, many churches would agree. They would say, of course, we do not observe those Jewish rituals. We have instead our own Christian rituals that we do! Many fail to realize that the so-called Christian ordinances and rituals actually can be traced back to the Jewish program for the nation Israel.

I Corinthians 1:17 says, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.” Water baptism is not a part of Paul’s commission. Later on we will discuss the Great Commission. One of the reasons many people teach that we should be water baptized is because it is a part of the Great Commission given to the Twelve Apostles. We will deal with that in depth later. But what we need to see here is the Apostle Peter and the other Eleven Apostles could not have said what Paul says here in I Corinthians 1, “Christ sent me not to baptize.” Peter would have been telling a lie if he had said this, because Christ did send him to baptize. “Go ye therefore, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Paul was not operating under the commission given to the Twelve Apostles, and neither are we. That Commission was a Kingdom Commission.

Where did water baptism come from and who was the first person who practiced water baptism? Perhaps 99 out of 100 would answer, John the Baptist. He certainly sounds like one who would be the first to baptize. His name is John the Baptist (or “baptizer&#8221. Why was he called the baptizer? Was he doing something new? No, not at all. Hebrews 9:10 speaks of the “diverse washings” of the Old Testament tabernacle. In the Old Testament, every time you read of a washing at the door of the tabernacle, it is a “baptism”. For the word translated “washings” in Hebrews 9:10 is “baptizmos” or baptisms.

Baptisms did not begin with John the Baptist. He was just continuing that which had been practiced for hundreds of years.

Ephesians 4:3 says, “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body...”

This is the Body of Christ. Then, in verse 5, Paul continues, “There is One Lord, one faith, one baptism...” This verse has probably been more obscured by theologians than any verse in the Bible. It is not that they have never read it, but that they fail to grasp Paul’s point.

When we search the Scriptures we find that there are as many as twelve baptisms. Some of these are water baptisms of the Law, others are spiritual in nature. In Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist said, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” Right here in this context we see three baptisms - water, Holy Spirit and fire.

Yet, Paul says there is one baptism! Did Paul not know the Scriptures? Of course he did, but Paul is speaking in the context of the Body of Christ and his conclusion is that while there are many baptisms in the Bible - twelve or more - only one of them pertains to us in this dispensation of the Grace of God. Which one do you suppose it is?

I Corinthians 12:12, 13 says, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.”

Here is a spiritual baptism. This baptism has no water whatsoever. It is performed by the Holy Spirit of God. It happens the moment you believe the gospel of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. The Holy Spirit supernaturally baptizes you into the Body of Christ.

Another translation of the word “baptize” is the word “identify”, because that is what happens when we are saved. We become identified with Christ. What three things did we believe in order to be saved? His death, His burial and His resurrection. What three things are we identified with when we trust him? His death, His burial and His resurrection.

This is what Paul is speaking of in Romans 6. Many a fundamentalist preacher is very adamant that this is not a water baptism. And yet, it seems as though by the time they dance all around the subject of baptism, they finally managed to squeeze a few drops of water out of Romans 6. Why is this? It is an attempt to prove a point which cannot be proven from Scripture. Romans 6:3, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ...” When you believed the gospel the Holy Spirit identified you with Christ. What happened then? “...as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” You became identified with the death of Christ. What is so important about that? The Scripture says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Furthermore it says, “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). That is spiritual death as well as physical death. Because we are sinful, we must die. We must pay the penalty of sin with our life. But this is what the gospel is all about. Christ came and paid the penalty of sin by dying for us. Therefore, when you believe the gospel, you are baptized or identified with Jesus Christ, and therefore you are baptized into His death. This means you no longer must die spiritually for your sins, because His death is accounted to you. It now belongs to you. And you, therefore, have eternal life. This is the gospel message.

But not only are we identified with His death, verse 4 says, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death.” This is the verse where many get the idea that believers should be dunked under water. They assume that since we are buried, we should, therefore, be put in a “watery grave.” But this not only misses the point, it actually totally destroys the meaning that Paul is trying to show. He is not saying you were buried in water. He says you were buried with Christ. His burial becomes your burial by virtue of your baptism into His death. Paul is building on that truth now. Not only are you identified with His death (you no longer have to die for your sins), but you are buried with Him as well.

What is the importance of the burial of Christ? First, it shows Christ really died. You do not bury people who are not dead. He was truly dead and therefore, He was buried. But it also pictures the putting away of sin. When Christ rose from that grave, our sins stayed buried. This is the imagery that God wants us to see. The fact that we are identified with His death relieves us from having to die for our sins. The fact that we are buried with Him means that those sins are done away with, and finally, weare identified with His resurrection, because of spiritual baptism!

Finally, verse 4 goes on to say, “...that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

Because of our identification with Christ, we now have the spiritual equipment by the Holy Spirit to live the Christian life. This is what spiritual baptism is all about.

Why would we trade all this for a water ceremony?

God Bless.
Live Well, Laugh Often and Love the Lord!

 

[Dispy]

Then, just a bit further on in Acts 19:4-8 we find:

“Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on Him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, (what John said)-(added by Dispy) they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve. And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.”

Those that Paul laid hand on were citizens of Ephesus and were baptized by John FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS (Matthew 3:11, Acts 2:38). Baptism was never for the purpose of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. That was a baptism by Jesus, without water, after the repentant was baptized in water for the remission of sins. So, if they already had their sins washed away, Why do they have to be re-baptized in water again? They received the Holy Spirit by Paul just laying his hand on them, just as those in Acts 8:17.

Today there is only one baptism that saves. It is the one that Peter speaks of in 1 Peter 3:21 "The like figure whereunto even baptism does also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh [referring to water], but a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

To understand this verse in its proper context, we must go back to verse 18 "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.

Peter is speaking of the death baptism of Christ; which Jesus spoke of in Matthew 20:22.

Was this “kingdom of God” a different kingdom of God than the one Jesus spoke of in Acts 1:3 ?

Or the kingdom of God Philip (of the Jerusalem church) spoke of in Acts 8:12 ? I think not.

Those that Paul haid hands on at Ephesus were saved under the preaching of John the baptist who preached "the gospel of the kingdom." That made them kingdom saints. Jesus in Acts 1:3, was still speaking of His earthly kingdom.

No where prior to the conversion of Saul/Paul de we find that believers have a heavenly home to look forward to. That is part of the mystery revealed to Paul.

The kingdom that Phillip referred to in Acts 8:12 was still the earthly kingdom. Paul was yet unsaved at that time. He wasn't converted until Acts 9.

Hope this is helpful.

God Bless.
Live Well, Laugh Often and Love the Lord!

 

[WAB]

Then, just a bit further on in Acts 19:4-8 we find:

“Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on Him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, (what John said)-(added by Dispy) they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve. And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.”

Those that Paul laid hand on were citizens of Ephesus and were baptized by John FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS (Matthew 3:11, Acts 2:38). Baptism was never for the purpose of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. That was a baptism by Jesus, without water, after the repentant was baptized in water for the remission of sins. So, if they already had their sins washed away, Why do they have to be re-baptized in water again? They received the Holy Spirit by Paul just laying his hand on them, just as those in Acts 8:17.

Today there is only one baptism that saves. It is the one that Peter speaks of in 1 Peter 3:21 "The like figure whereunto even baptism does also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh [referring to water], but a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

To understand this verse in its proper context, we must go back to verse 18 "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.

Peter is speaking of the death baptism of Christ; which Jesus spoke of in Matthew 20:22.



Those that Paul haid hands on at Ephesus were saved under the preaching of John the baptist who preached "the gospel of the kingdom." That made them kingdom saints. Jesus in Acts 1:3, was still speaking of His earthly kingdom.

No where prior to the conversion of Saul/Paul de we find that believers have a heavenly home to look forward to. That is part of the mystery revealed to Paul.

The kingdom that Phillip referred to in Acts 8:12 was still the earthly kingdom. Paul was yet unsaved at that time. He wasn't converted until Acts 9.

Hope this is helpful.

God Bless.
Live Well, Laugh Often and Love the Lord!

As posted elsewhere, Acts 28:23b says: "...he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening."

Guess who this "he" was...? Paul !

Then 28:30,31.... "And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him."

And... once again... this was long after Paul had received the revelation of the mysteries.

 

[Dispy]

WAB:
See my post #24 on thread ???

 

[WAB]

WAB:
See my post #24 on thread ???

Think so... afraid I don't pay enough attention where different posts are.

Will check again

 

[Dispy]

Think so... afraid I don't pay enough attention where different posts are.

Will check again

Looking forward to your response to my last two post, and the one at ???.

God Bless.
Live Well, Laugh Often and Love the Lord!

 

[WAB]

Looking forward to your response to my last two post, and the one at ???.

God Bless.
Live Well, Laugh Often and Love the Lord!

Did an "Edit p.s."

Shalom.....

 

[eph3Nine]

One Lord, One faith, ONE baptism. Done BY the HOLY SPIRIT when He places us INTO the body of Christ. No water here , folks. Scripture means what it says and says what it means.

 

[heymikey80]

Paul speaking...1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

This is out of context. Paul was dismayed that people were considering baptisms by different people to be different religions (which may sound familiar).

But Paul's actual statement clears this up. In Greek Paul didn't say he was sent to not baptize, but that he wasn't sent to baptize:

I give thanks to God that no one of you did I baptize, except Crispus and Gaius -- that no one may say that to my own name I did baptize; and I did baptize also Stephanas' household -- further, I have not known if I did baptize any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but -- to proclaim good news 1 Cor 1:14-17
​

Essentially Paul was setting up churches. At the time historically, Deacons were actually the people who performed the baptisms. So Paul only baptized people before deacons could be appointed and take over the task.

Paul was relieved he couldn't be accused of baptizing in his own name. That was his relief.

To expand this into a theological statement against baptism breaks the intent of the passage. Paul isn't against baptism. He's against divisions based on who baptised whom.

 

[WAB]

This is out of context. Paul was dismayed that people were considering baptisms by different people to be different religions (which may sound familiar).


But Paul's actual statement clears this up. In Greek Paul didn't say he was sent to not baptize, but that he wasn't sent to baptize:

I give thanks to God that no one of you did I baptize, except Crispus and Gaius -- that no one may say that to my own name I did baptize; and I did baptize also Stephanas' household -- further, I have not known if I did baptize any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but -- to proclaim good news 1 Cor 1:14-17

​

Essentially Paul was setting up churches. At the time historically, Deacons were actually the people who performed the baptisms. So Paul only baptized people before deacons could be appointed and take over the task.

Paul was relieved he couldn't be accused of baptizing in his own name. That was his relief.

To expand this into a theological statement against baptism breaks the intent of the passage. Paul isn't against baptism. He's against divisions based on who baptised whom.

And of course if Paul actually meant that he was not to baptize, then he repeatedly disobeyed.... don't think so.

 

[eph3Nine]

This is out of context. Paul was dismayed that people were considering baptisms by different people to be different religions (which may sound familiar).


But Paul's actual statement clears this up. In Greek Paul didn't say he was sent to not baptize, but that he wasn't sent to baptize:

I give thanks to God that no one of you did I baptize, except Crispus and Gaius -- that no one may say that to my own name I did baptize; and I did baptize also Stephanas' household -- further, I have not known if I did baptize any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but -- to proclaim good news 1 Cor 1:14-17

​

Essentially Paul was setting up churches. At the time historically, Deacons were actually the people who performed the baptisms. So Paul only baptized people before deacons could be appointed and take over the task.

Paul was relieved he couldn't be accused of baptizing in his own name. That was his relief.

To expand this into a theological statement against baptism breaks the intent of the passage. Paul isn't against baptism. He's against divisions based on who baptised whom.

I disagree firmly. You wont see Paul baptizing anymore after he realized it was NOT part of the MYSTERY program. And not once does he exhort anyone to BE water baptized. HE is the one who tells us of the ONE baptism in Eph 4:5, and it has NOTHING whatsoever to do with water.

Water baptism was REQUIRED under the KINGDOM gospel for the NATION ISRAEL as a KINGDOM of PRIESTS.

To include water baptism in OUR program when we have been TOLD there is but ONE baptism, having NOT to do with water at all, is to "make the Cross of none effect."

 

[eph3Nine]

I disagree firmly. You wont see Paul baptizing anymore after he realized it was NOT part of the MYSTERY program. And not once does he exhort anyone to BE water baptized. HE is the one who tells us of the ONE baptism in Eph 4:5, and it has NOTHING whatsoever to do with water.

Water baptism was REQUIRED under the KINGDOM gospel for the NATION ISRAEL as a KINGDOM of PRIESTS.

To include water baptism in OUR program when we have been TOLD there is but ONE baptism, having NOT to do with water at all, is to "make the Cross of none effect."

As an addition...see the below short article on this topic, which tells the common MISCONCEPTION and then follows it with what scripture actually teaches. Used with permission.

PROBLEM NO. 5--THAT EVERY MEMBER OF THE BODY OF CHRIST NEEDS TO BE WATER BAPTIZED

The Church, the Body of Christ, is supposed to observe two ordinances - water baptism and the Lord's Supper. This is seen as an improvement on the seven ordinances of the Roman Catholic Church.

The necessity of believers being baptized in water is taken from three areas of truth:

1. The great commission of Matt. 28:19-20, and Mark 16:15-18 contains water baptism

2. The Church is supposed to have begun on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. Those who were saved according to Peter's sermon were baptized (Acts 2:41). Thus, the example has been set for believers.

3. It is considered a spiritual blessing to follow our Lord in baptism. He was baptized by John the Baptist (Matt. 3:16).

THE TRUTH

Water baptism has no place and has no value for believers during this Dispensation of grace. There are two strong, clear statements in Paul's letters that teach this truth. ONLY Paul could write from this perspective.

1. Eph. 4:5 states, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." This verse is a part of the seven unities of the Holy Spirit. There is a Divine balance in the arrangement of these seven truths:

A. Body
B. Spirit
C. Hope
D. LORD
c. Faith
b. Baptism
a. God


The two Aa's, two Bb's, and the two Cc's balance each other. The central member is D which refers to the RISEN LORD, Christ Jesus. He occupies the center of God's purpose in this Age of grace.

The Bb.members teach that the Holy Spirit is related to Baptism. This baptism is the work of the Holy Spirit and not the work of man. Only Paul teaches of the Spirit baptism that places us into the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13; ROM. 6:3; Col. 2:12).

So then, the 'one baptism' of Eph. 4:5 is Holy Spirit baptism, and this baptism is the ONLY ONE THAT COUNTS in this Age of grace. It takes place at the time of salvation. And since there is only ONE, there cannot be two baptisms for today.

2. Paul stated in 1 Cor. 1:17 that he was not commissioned by the risen Lord to baptize.
This verse in the Greek is very dogmatic in a negative way:

"For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel; not with wisdom of words, in order that the cross of Christ should not be made empty." This is a landmark verse. Paul is the only one who could write it because the 12 Apostles were commissioned to baptize (Matt. 28:19-20).

The Greek word for 'send' is APOSTELLO, the verb form of the noun APOSTOLOS, apostle. Just as Jesus was sent by His Father into the world (John 17:18), so the risen Jesus sent Paul out to preach the Gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24) which did not include water baptism.

This is the first indication that water baptism is NOW separated from the gospel message.

The reason why the cross of Christ is mentioned with 'baptism' here is because BOTH have to do with the forgiveness of sins. When water baptism is preached for the forgiveness of sins during this Dispensation of grace, it cancels out the need for the cross of Christ.

This is one reason why water baptism is such a dangerous doctrine for believers - it maligns the death of Christ. And don't be fooled into thinking that preachers can get away with this kind of Bible teaching. Just read Galatians 1:8-9.

To get around this, Acts 2 brethren teach that baptism is a 'type or 'symbol' of the believer's identification with Christ (Rom. 6:3-4). They also teach that Paul's main ministry was to preach the gospel and his secondary ministry was that of baptizing, and if he couldn't do the baptizing, an assistant did this work for him. These ideas are nothing but human inventions brought about because of being inconsistent in understanding the truth related to Israel and to the Body of Christ.

The so-called great commission of Matthew and Mark does contain water baptism, and the Lord did command His disciples to baptize those who desired to be saved. But this baptism was for the forgiveness of sins, as Peter well knew on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:38).

This is not Christianity but Evangelical Judaism.

That the Church, the Body of Christ, began on the Day of Pentecost presents one of the major problems of Acts 2 Dispensationalism. As a matter of fact, many Reformed teachers also believe this. The Day of Pentecost is strictly a part of Judaism, and the church that is mentioned in that chapter (in verse 47) was completely made up of Jewish believers who looked to the Lord as their Messiah and Saviour.

Following Christ in baptism is not a spiritual concept. It is a carnal, fleshly idea. We are not to follow our Lord in His earthly ministry (2 Cor. 5:16).

It is impossible to follow Him in baptism because His baptism was unique. It was never intended to be copied. The 12 Apostles never copied it, so why should we? The only reason for a water baptism rite for the people of Israel was for the forgiveness of sins, and the cross makes this rite obsolete. Besides, the risen Christ NEVER told members of the Body of Christ to be baptized with or in water.

by Robert C. Brock

 

[heymikey80]

I disagree firmly. You wont see Paul baptizing anymore after he realized it was NOT part of the MYSTERY program. And not once does he exhort anyone to BE water baptized. HE is the one who tells us of the ONE baptism in Eph 4:5, and it has NOTHING whatsoever to do with water.

Water baptism was REQUIRED under the KINGDOM gospel for the NATION ISRAEL as a KINGDOM of PRIESTS.

To include water baptism in OUR program when we have been TOLD there is but ONE baptism, having NOT to do with water at all, is to "make the Cross of none effect."

"He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word" Eph 5:26

 

[rightlydividingtheword]

What do you think baptism is for?Baptism is no longer necessary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please read this.
http://www.christianforums.com/t2670124&referrerid=134594

 

[msortwell]

This question may already have been addressed. But if so, the answer may bear repeating.

What baptism is mentioned in Acts 19:5?

Acts 19:3-5
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism .
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. KJV

If baptism was not necessary for obedience in the Pauline dispensation . . .

What is this baptism mentioned in the 5th verse?

Why were these folks baptized?

In what way was Paul complicit in this baptism?

Blessings,

Mike

 

[Dispy]

This question may already have been addressed. But if so, the answer may bear repeating.

What baptism is mentioned in Acts 19:5?

Acts 19:3-5
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism .
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. KJV

If baptism was not necessary for obedience in the Pauline dispensation . . .

What is this baptism mentioned in the 5th verse?

Why were these folks baptized?

In what way was Paul complicit in this baptism?

Blessings,

Mike

I responded to this in my post #6 on page 1. Paul did not re-baptize those at Ephesus. They received the Holy Ghost by Paul just laying hands on them.

Would appreciate your response to it.

God Bless.
Live Well, Laugh Often and Love the Lord!