1 CORINTHIANS 1:12-17
This passage proves beyond doubt that baptism is necessary in order to be saved. It has often been overlooked, however, as a key to proving its necessity.
In verse 13 Paul set down an undeniable truth. He mentions two things that are necessary to belong to Paul, Cephas, Apollos, or Christ. (1) That person must have been crucified for you; (2) you must have been baptized in the name of that person.
Paul said, "
Was Paul crucified for you?" In other words, was Paul crucified so you could be forgiven of your sins? Secondly, "
Were you baptized in the name of Paul?" "
In the name of" in this passage means that a person baptized in someone's name assigns them to that person. Thus, if any were baptized in the name of Paul they were assigned the name of Paul. They would become "
of Paul." This is where the proof resides. In order to be assigned to Christ, a person must be baptized "
in the name of" Christ. Gal. 3:27 makes it clear that "
As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." If a person belongs to Christ, Christ was crucified for him, and he must also have been baptized into Him.
Notice further that Paul was thankful that he didn't baptize many people. The reason was because he feared that some may say they had been baptized in his own name. Again, this overwhelmingly affirms that one must be baptized in the name of Christ to be "
of Christ!"
Some will argue that Paul was saying that baptism wasn't important when he said, "
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel..." (V17). This simply is not true. Again, Paul was thankful he did not baptize many because of his fear that some would say they were "
of" him.
Paul would have been disregarding Christs' clear command to "
Go and teach all nations, baptizing them ...." (Mat. 28:19). Paul was either disregarding this explicit instruction given by Jesus, or he must have not meant that baptism was not important. Further, if "
Christ sent me not to baptize" means that Paul was forbidden to baptize, then he disobeyed Jesus, because he says that he did baptize Crispus and Gaius.
The word "
sent" (Greek, APESTALEV) involves the meaning of "
made me an apostle." Jesus made Paul an apostle primarily to preach. Anyone can baptize, but only a select few had the privilege to be an apostle of Christ.
It would be impossible for Paul to mean that baptism was not important. He was baptized himself (
Ac. 22:16). He emphasized that baptism was a burial; (
Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12); he said that it cloths a person with Christ (
Gal. 3:27); and that it put's a person into the body of Christ (
1 Cor. 12:13).
Some try to put the gospel at opposite ends with baptism. In other words, some say that baptism is not a part of the gospel of Christ. Jesus said, however, "
Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel, he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved..." (
Mk. 16:16). Clearly Jesus said that baptism is a part of the gospel. If baptism is not a part of the gospel then Peter, John, Paul, and Phillip were all preaching something other than what Jesus commanded them to preach. Phillip "
preached unto him Jesus" (
Ac. 8:35) yet the Eunuch somehow learned that he needed to be baptized. Peter cried, "
Repent and be baptized..." in response to the Jews question, "
What shall we do?" (
Ac. 2:37-38). Clearly baptism is a part of the gospel of Christ. And this being so, those who don't obey the gospel will have vengeance taken upon them at Christs' second coming (
2 Thess. 1:7-9).
If you would like read an article on this section of scripture here you go.
http://www.christiancourier.com/questions/gospelBaptismQuestion.htm
