Two Bible
Studies on Baptism
Salvation and
Baptism
The Mystery and Baptism
SALVATION
& BAPTISM
You are at a gathering of friends. The topic of religion comes up. One of your friends, Mary, says you have to be baptized to be saved. She quotes Acts 2:38 and Mark 16:16.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Mk 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Another friend,
John, says you don’t have to be baptized to be saved, but if you became a
believer, you would follow the Lord in baptism as an outward sign of an inner
work. He quotes Acts 16:31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be
saved, you and your household.” Then he says “This shows that the only
thing a person must do to be saved is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Mary
disagrees. She shows that water baptism was even necessary in the epistles. She
shows you 1 Peter 3:20,21
who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the
days of Noah, while the ark was being
prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21
There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism (not the removal of the
filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
But John shows you Ephesians 2:8,9. “It is not of works”. He says “Baptism would be a work. Baptism should come after you’re saved, but it doesn’t save you!”
Well, what should you believe? Who is right? Both are right, and both are wrong. Let’s look at the scriptures and see why this is true. The gospel is first proclaimed when John the Baptist begins his ministry. His message was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mat 3:2)! He preached “the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Mark 1:3). What? He preached that a person had to be water baptized to be saved? Yes! But let’s look at some important methods of Bible study before we continue:
1. Find out who is speaking.
2. Find out to whom they are speaking.
3. Find out what dispensation[1] it is being said under.
4. Find out where the passage you are considering belongs in the whole picture presented in the Bible.
To whom was John the
Baptist sent? It says in John 1:31 that John was sent to Israel, the Jews: “I did not know Him; but
that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”
Well, that’s pretty clear. John came to Israel to show them that Jesus was the
Messiah, the Christ. It was at a time when God was only dealing with the Jews.
The method of salvation was repent and be baptized for your sins. This was the
message of the kingdom gospel. A dynasty had been promised to King David a
thousand years before, in 2 Samuel 7:12, “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your
fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I
will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will
establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” Luke 16:16 shows when the
kingdom gospel, the good news about the kingdom, was first proclaimed. “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the
kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.”
Did Christ and the apostles proclaim the same gospel that John preached? Yes, for it says that they did in Matthew 10:5-10 and Mark 1:14,15.
Mat 10:5-10 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.
Mk 1:14,15 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
Now, notice that baptism was linked with this proclamation of the kingdom. The message they proclaimed was the good news of the circumcision[2] (Gal 2:7-9).
How many different kinds of baptism were there when John started his ministry? Only one. Was it necessary for salvation? Yes. We even find Jesus saying to Nicodemus in John 3:5 that if a man wanted to enter into the kingdom of God, he must be born of water and of the Spirit. This requirement of water baptism was in accord with the message John began and the apostles continued after Christ’s resurrection, ascension, and the day of Pentecost. Christ commanded the Eleven in Mark 16:15,16, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Peter insisted on the same requirement ten days later in Acts 2:38. “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
We see that it was necessary for them to be water baptized before they would receive the Holy Spirit. So now after Pentecost, with the addition of Holy Spirit baptism, for the first time there were two baptisms. Water baptism was necessary for salvation. Then, Holy Spirit baptism took place. From the context of verses 22 and 39 we see that this happened while God was still dealing with Israel. Peter was only speaking to Israel in 22, and he was referring to God’s promise to Israel in 39.
Next, something very important happened. The Apostle Paul was saved. We will not go into the differences in Paul’s salvation, although it appears that Paul was saved under the same message Peter preached in Acts 2. Acts 22:16 says, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Because God had started a new dispensation with Paul (Gal 1:11-2:9; Eph 3:1-9), all kinds of different things began to happen. Many dramatic changes took place to show that God had changed dispensations.
1. Peter got a vision in Acts 10 which showed that Israel had been set aside. They were no longer God’s special people because the vision showed the law of clean and unclean animals was set aside (Acts 10:9-16; Lev 20:24-26).
2. Peter was sent to a Gentile and told by the Holy Spirit to doubt nothing (Acts 10:20).
3. The most significant event was a dispensational sign from God that something had changed when Peter went to the Gentiles. When they believed, the Holy Spirit interrupted Peter’s message before Peter could tell them to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins. In fact, the Holy Spirit fell on all the Gentiles while Peter was still preaching. The Jews who accompanied Peter were amazed.
What had changed? God had started a new program when He saved Paul. However, since God would only reveal the new message to the Apostle Paul, Peter was still preaching the same message he had always preached (Acts 10:34-43). Let’s review the situation at this point of our investigation.
1. At first there was only one baptism, John’s. It was necessary for salvation.
2. Then things started changing when Paul was saved.
3. The Holy Spirit fell on Gentiles before they were water baptized. Remember, water baptism was a sign to Jews to show Christ to them.
Sometime during his second missionary journey after he had visited Corinth, the Apostle Paul told the body of Christ about the baptisms which they knew of in this manner: “I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius . . . . For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (1 Cor 1:14,17 Read in context.). In the same epistle, he wrote, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks” (1 Cor 12:13). So, water baptism had changed from being the only baptism, and necessary for salvation, to a ritual which had faded away.
Next, another very important incident happened. God finished showing Israel that they had been set aside. He had done this in a progressive manner which reached its conclusion in the end of Acts. It started in Acts 13:46, continued in Acts 18:6, and was concluded in Acts 28:28.
After Israel had been shown that they had been set aside, Paul was inspired by God to write Ephesians. In Ephesians 4:3-6, Paul wrote about the unity of the Spirit. He was writing about God’s dealings with Christians today. He wrote, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” It doesn’t say two baptisms! It says there “is one baptism”? Yes, that’s right. Which one is it then? It must be Spirit baptism since the Holy Spirit is still baptizing and sealing members into the body of Christ (1 Co 12:13).
Well then, we can see that the gospel message started out with one baptism, water. This was necessary for salvation. It progressed to two: water baptism first, then, Holy Spirit baptism. The water baptism was still necessary for salvation. Finally, in this dispensation, it returned to one, Holy Spirit, which is now necessary for salvation. After the rapture of the body of Christ before the tribulation, the circumcision gospel will be in place again, and water baptism will become necessary for salvation again (1 Pet 3:18-22). So, both Mary and John would be right and wrong. Therefore, we must always search the Scriptures to see what is right dispensationally. With this in mind, please answer the following questions:
1. Did John the Baptist preach that a person had to be baptized to be saved?
2. If so, was water baptism ever necessary for salvation?
3. Over what period of time was baptism necessary for salvation?
4. Who preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins?
5. What biblical methods of study are especially important to solve apparent contradictions in the Bible?
6. With whom was God dealing when baptism was required for salvation in the New Testament?
7. To whom was John sent with his message?
8. To whom did Christ send the twelve in Matthew 10? Were they supposed to go to the Gentiles?
9. Did Christ ever say that a man had to be baptized? If so, where?
10. After Christ went to heaven, was water baptism still necessary?
11. Did God start a new dispensation with Paul?
12. To whom was Paul sent?
13. Did Peter preach to the Gentiles that they could be saved by believing in Jesus Christ as their savior?
14. What did Paul say about water baptism?
15. Did he ever baptize anyone?
16. When did things start to change dispensationally?
17. How many baptisms are in order for today?
18. Which baptism passed away? Why?
The
Mystery and Baptism
When God
separated Israel from other peoples so they would become His chosen people, He
told them they must distinguish between clean and unclean animals. The
distinction of unclean animals would separate Israel from the other nations.
But I have said to you, “You
shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing
with milk and honey.” I am the LORD
your God, who has separated you from the peoples. You shall therefore
distinguish between clean animals and unclean, between unclean birds and clean,
and you shall not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird, or by any
kind of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated from you
as unclean. And you shall be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should
be Mine (Lev 20:24-26).
After Paul was saved, God
gave Peter a vision (Acts 10:9-17). Peter’s vision showed there were no more
clean and unclean animals for Israel. By this vision, God showed Peter that
Israel was no longer His chosen people. However, He did not show Peter the new
dispensation of the mystery that He would reveal to Paul. He also did not show
Peter that there would be a new method of salvation. That’s why Peter preached
the same message Christ had given him from the beginning, the circumcision
gospel.
Then Peter opened his mouth
and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every
nation whoever fears Him and works
righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children
of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ; He is Lord of all; that word
you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee
after the baptism which John preached” (Acts 10:34-37).
This was
the gospel of faith-works and endurance for salvation which Christ taught while
on earth (Mat 24:13,14; John 15:1-8). When we look at chapters 9-11 of Acts,
the Holy Spirit shows us that water baptism was no longer necessary for
salvation in this dispensation. Because God started the body of Christ with
Paul’s conversion, the Holy Spirit showed us His new plan. How did He show this
new plan? He did it in a marvelous way. Peter was sent to a Gentile’s house. He
was told to go there without doubting. This was a strange command for Peter to
receive, but he did as God told him. He went to the house of Cornelius and
preached the gospel of the circumcision to them. While Peter was still
preaching, before he commanded them to be baptized as he had earlier (Acts
2:38), the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word (Acts 10:44,45).
The Holy Spirit caused some
amazing things by this event. The Holy Spirit’s work here would convince the
circumcision believers that salvation was now open to the Gentiles. Wow! God
had opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles, and we can see from the
accounts of Paul’s conversion, that he was the one who would be sent to the
Gentiles.
Acts 9: 15,16 But the Lord
said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before
Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many
things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
Acts 22:17-21 Now it
happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I
was in a trance 18 and saw Him saying to me, “Make haste and get out of
Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.” 19
So I said, “Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those
who believe on You. 20 And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I
also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those
who were killing him.” 21 Then He said to me, “Depart, for I will send you far
from here to the Gentiles.”
Returning to Peter’s mission
to Cornelius, we see that for the first time, the two baptisms of Acts 2:38
were reversed. Water baptism was performed after Holy Spirit baptism. Now, the
Holy Spirit baptism was the one necessary for salvation. Water baptism became secondary
for the first time.
We’re not even sure that God
wanted these new Christians water baptized. Peter did a number of things here
for the simple reason that the Lord had previously commanded them. Now, why did
these changes take place? Because Paul was converted, given a new stewardship
called the dispensation of the mystery, and a new gospel, the uncircumcision
gospel which was also called the gospel of the grace of God.
Gal 2:7,8 But on the
contrary, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision had been
committed to me, as the gospel of the
circumcision was to Peter 8 (for He
who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also
worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles).
Acts 20:24 But none of these
things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my
race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to
testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
During Paul’s first two
missionary journeys, we find that he baptized at least Crispus, Gaius,
Stephanus’ household, Lydia and her household, and the jailor and his
household. Why did he baptize these people? We don’t know for sure. But it
seems that because Ananias had commanded him to be baptized, he carried on the
practice. So, even in the dispensation of grace there were two baptisms for a
while.
Soon it was revealed to Paul
that water baptism was not part of his commission (1 Cor. 1:17). After that, he
no longer baptized. But we must remember that water baptism was definitely an integral
part of the circumcision apostles’ commission (Mat. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15-18).
When Paul wrote he was not sent to baptize, he also was inspired to write, “By
one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (1 Cor. 12:13). Further, in Col
2:11,12 we see that as physical circumcision gave way to spiritual, “made
without hands,” water baptism gave way to spiritual baptism, “through the faith
of the operation of God.” Why did water baptism give way to spiritual baptism?
It was because God set Israel aside in Acts 7 when Christ stood in judgment at
the stoning of Stephen (Rom. 11:11,25; Acts 28:28; Isa. 3:13).
After Israel had been set
aside, part of Paul’s ministry was to show Israel this fact. God pronounced for
the final time, through Paul, that Israel had been set aside (Acts 28:28). This
happened when Paul made his inspired judicial decree quoting Isaiah 6:9,10. The
baptisms imposed on Israel were set aside until God would be dealing with
Israel again in the tribulation. For instance, water baptism will be necessary
for salvation again when Peter’s epistles will be in God’s program for the
tribulation period (1 Pet. 3:20,21).
Now there is one baptism.
After his Acts 28:28 decree, Paul was inspired to write Ephesians. In it he
wrote Eph 4:4,5, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in
one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” One baptism? If
there is only one baptism, which one is it? Is it water or Holy Spirit? It is
Holy Spirit! Why? Because God has suspended the use of water baptism. It has
been done away with because God is through with Israel for the time being. Now
there is only one program. So, today there is one baptism by which we, who have
trusted in Christ, are baptized into the body of Christ. That baptism
identifies us with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6:3-8).
Water baptism has been set aside because God has set aside Israel.
1. What did God do when He separated Israel?
2. In the book of Acts, in what chapter was Paul
saved?
3. What did Peter’s vision of the unclean animals
signify?
4. What kind of gospel did Peter preach to
Cornelius?
5. How did the Holy Spirit show us His new plan?
6. What gospel was given to Peter?
7. What gospel was given to Paul?
8. How many baptisms are there for today? Why?
9. Why did baptism fade away as a requirement for salvation?
10. What must we today in order to be saved?