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• Question: Why would Jesus have to be baptized?
  • Hello Bob Hill,
  • You are a great help to me with my Biblical studies.
  • Thanks.
  • A friend of mine asked me why Jesus was baptized and I
  • said it was to fulfill the law. In Numbers 19, the
  • high priest washed after the sacrifice because he was
  • unclean. Why would Jesus have to be baptized?
  • Thanks,
  • Mark
• Answer: (click here to see the answer)
  1. Dear Mark,
  2. We find in 1 Jo 5:7-11 There are three that bear witness: 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood and these three agree unto one thing. 9 . . . . because this is the witness of God which He has witnessed concerning His Son . . . . 11 And this is the witness: that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
  3. John baptized Jesus when He was about 30 years old (Lk 3:23), possibly for His priesthood. He explained why he baptized Christ in John 1:31. It was to reveal to Israel that Jesus was the Messiah: "I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water". In Mat 3:11, John said, "I indeed baptize you with water for repentance." Their sins were forgiven when they submitted to this baptism while confessing their sins. This is why John's baptism is also referred to as "a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" in Lk. 3:3 and Acts 13:24, because the people confessed their sins while he was baptizing them (Mat. 3:6).
  4. This is why John castigated the Pharisees and lawyers when they came to his baptism but were not willing to submit to this aspect of its meaning (Lk. 7:30). This baptism for repentance would be too humiliating for them. They preferred to resist the counsel of God for themselves. God's counsel is that all have room for repentance (2 Pet 3:9). John 3:25 shows that the Jews understood the biblical purpose of baptism was purification. Whether or not they based their dispute directly on the purification of Num 19:9-21, we can see that John's ministry was to bring "knowledge of salvation by the remission of their sins to His people," Israel (Lk. 1:76,77).
  5. Lk 3:3,8 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, 8 "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones." John's ministry was to bring "knowledge of salvation by the remission of their sins to His people," Israel (Lk. 1:76,77). This baptism was for the sins of the world. That's why Christ told John, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" (Mat 3:15).
  6. Christ was also baptized with the Spirit (John 1:33). However, the most important baptism was His death baptism (Lk 12:50). These three baptisms witnessed to Christ's provision of eternal life by water, Spirit, and blood according to 1 John 5:8-11: There are three that bear witness: the Spirit, the water, and the blood 9 . . . . for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son . . . . 11 And this is the witness: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
• Question: Acts 15 Are the circumcision saved the same way that the uncircumcision are?
  • Acts 15:7. And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9. And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11. But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
  • It sounds to me like Peter is saying there is no difference a phrase Paul himself uses when speaking on salvation " there is NOW no difference" etc. peter says both are saved by grace and faith.. we could not bare the law just as our fathers could not..
  • I know other scripture points out explicitly that the circumcision believers could lose there salvation, so what am i missing here?
  • I know you are busy so thanks for your time
  • danny/renee
• Answer: (click here to see the answer)
  1. Dear Danny,
  2. In Acts 15:11, Peter may seem to be saying that they were saved the same way as we are, but that is true only partially. We can see three things that are the same if we consider some of the content of both gospels.
  3. 1. In every dispensation people are saved by God’s grace.
  4. 2. In every dispensation people are saved by Jesus Christ’s faithfulness in going to the cross to die for our sins.
  5. 3. In every dispensation people are saved by their belief/trust in what God says.
  6. But Peter’s message has something in addition to these three points. What did Peter preach as far as his sermon content? In his first sermon after Christ ascended, he showed that water baptism was necessary to these men of Israel to be saved on Pentecost in Acts 2:22-24,30-38: “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know; 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: The LORD said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ 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.’”
  7. Also, what did Peter preach when he went to Cornelius in Acts 10:34-43? Works of righteousness. Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ; He is Lord of all; 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”
  8. God stopped Peter right there, before he could command them to be water baptized as part of the method of salvation. I believe God did that because He had started the new dispensation of grace with the salvation of Paul in the previous chapter.
  9. Then, later, when Peter was at the council of Jerusalem in Acts 15:7-11, after there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, 9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they [we believe to be saved in the same manner as they].
  10. The means of our salvation is the same as theirs. Christ died for our sins as well as theirs. We have to believe. So do they. It is God’s grace in every dispensation. Those three things are necessary in every dispensation, but the method is different. The method is what changes from dispensation to dispensation. Now, let’s look at the method of salvation in that dispensation when the circumcision gospel was preached.
  11. In Acts 2:37,38 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 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”; [After they were water baptized, they received the Holy spirit, not before.] and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
  12. In Peter’s first epistle, he continued with the water baptism as one point necessary for salvation under that dispensation. 1 Pet 3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us; baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, (This shows us this was water baptism. The water washing off the dirt from the body had no significance.) but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  13. They had to do certain things to make their election sure in 2 Peter. 2 Pet 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 (If they endure in these things they will get an entrance into the everlasting kingdom. We have already been transferred into the kingdom of His dear Son, Col 1:13.) for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
  14. They can lose their state of salvation if they are entangled in their sins again. 2 Pet 2:20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.
  15. In contrast, what method of salvation did Paul preach as far as content? In Acts 13:38,39, Paul preached, “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” Similarly in Acts 16:30-32 And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
  16. No rituals of circumcision or baptism for salvation, just, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” He wrote the same way in Romans. Rom 3:21,22 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference.
  17. The gospel in a nut shell is in Rom 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
  18. Now, when we get to the method, in contrast to Peter’s “be even more diligent to make your call and election sure,” Paul wrote in 1 Co 3:15, “If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” There are no works necessary for salvation. Titus 3:4-7 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
  19. Paul also was the one who received the stewardship for today. Eph 3:1-9 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles; 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you (The dispensation of grace/mystery was given directly to Paul. He then told the Circumcision Apostles, and the Holy Spirit revealed it to them.), 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. 8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the dispensation of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.
  20. So, much of the content is the same, but there is a rite of water baptism and endurance unto salvation that will be revealed, if they endure, for the circumcision believers.
  21. In Christ,
  22. Bob
• Question: Acts 15 Are curcumsision is even as the uncurcumsision with regards to salvation?
  • In contrast, what method of salvation did Paul preach as far as content? In Acts 13:38,39, Paul preached, “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” Similarly in Acts 16:30-32 And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
  • No rituals of circumcision or baptism for salvation, just, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” He wrote the same way in Romans. Rom 3:21,22 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference.
  • acts 16:33. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
  • 1 corinth Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
  • 14. I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
  • 15. Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
  • 16. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
  • 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.
  • why do you think paul water baptised some? time of transition?
  • since now there is only ONE baptism..
  • thanks
  • Danny/Renee
• Answer: (click here to see the answer)
  1. Dear Danny,
  2. In the Acts period, when Paul was learning more and more truth about the present dispensation, there were a number of things that he did that eventually passed away. Baptism was one of them.
  3. The real problem that I have with water baptism is not when the Baptists want to do it after a person is saved, but when they believe and teach that it is necessary for salvation. We have a church a couple blocks down the street from our church where they preach you must be water baptized to be saved.
  4. They use Mark 16:16 and Acts 2:38. Mk 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
  5. 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.”
  6. Although I disagree, when other’s say you should be baptized because the Lord was, it doesn’t bother me as much. They use passages such as Mat 3:13-15. Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” 15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.
  7. However, we can see that water baptism was even necessary for salvation in the Circumcision Epistles as presented in 1 Pe 3:20,21, “who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine long-suffering 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.” What would you tell them you believe?
  8. No one seems to be able to answer all the problem passages that negate their statements. But, you know the answer? Our web page is all about rightly dividing God’s word. So I believe the answer starts in 2 Ti 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
  9. Rightly dividing the word of truth is studying the Bible dispensationally. When we study the Bible dispensationally, we must use the proper procedures. Classically it means, find out who is speaking.
  10. For instance, John the Baptist, a prophet of God was sent as the forerunner of Christ. We see that from Lk 1:76,77 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, 77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins.”
  11. It says in Mark 1:1-4 that the gospel started when John the Baptist, came preaching a baptism of repentance for sins. “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the Prophets: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.”’ 4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”
  12. We find in John 1:31 that John was sent to Israel: “I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” So, we know for sure that John the Baptist was sent to Israel, God’s people. This was at a time when God was only dealing with the Jews, and the method of salvation was repent and be baptized for remission of your sins. This was the message of the kingdom gospel, and, Luke 16:16 shows when the kingdom gospel was first preached: “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.”
  13. Then, we see that Christ and the apostles preached the same gospel that John preached. Mark 1:14,15 and Mat 10:5-10 say that.
  14. We must always be sure to look at the passages, people present to us, in their contexts. Baptism was linked with the message of the kingdom promised. Baptism and repentance were necessary for salvation under that gospel. When John began his ministry, there was only one baptism. It was water baptism. Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:5, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” This requirement of water baptism continued the requirement of John’s message.
  15. The apostles continued this baptism for salvation after the day of Pentecost. Christ commanded the Eleven in Mk 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.” We can see that baptism was necessary for salvation.
  16. After the disciples were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, ten days later on the day of Pentecost, Peter commanded the same requirement 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.”
  17. Here we see that water baptism was necessary before Holy Spirit baptism would take place. Water baptism was necessary for salvation; then, Holy Spirit baptism took place. God was still dealing with the nation, Israel. Peter was speaking only to Israel in verse 22, and he was referring to the promise made to Israel.
  18. Now, as we continue our search of the greater context, we see something very important happens. The Apostle Paul got saved. I believe God started a new dispensation with the salvation of Paul. I want to include that passage here. Gal 1:11-2:9 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20 (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.) 21 Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.22 And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. 23 But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God in me. 2:1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. 2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), 5 to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 6 But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised 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), 9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
  19. Next, many different things began to happen. Peter got a vision in Acts 10 which showed that Israel had been set aside. They were no longer God’s special people. This was shown by the vision given to Peter when the law of clean and unclean animals (Lev 20:24-26) was set aside. Then, Peter was sent to a Gentile and told by the Holy Spirit to doubt nothing (Acts 10:20).
  20. The most significant event happened when Peter went to the Gentiles. When they believed, the Holy Spirit interrupted Peter’s sermon before he 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.
  21. I believe this was a dispensational sign from God that something had changed. The change was God had started a new program when He saved Paul. However, since God only revealed the mystery and its gospel of grace to the Apostle Paul, Peter was still preaching his same faith-works and baptism message he had always preached. Acts 10:34-43 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”
  22. Sometime during his second missionary journey the Apostle Paul wrote back to the body of Christ in Corinth about the baptisms which they knew of, in 1 Co 1:14,17: “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.” From this we see that Paul was not under the great commission which was given to the Circumcision Apostles.
  23. In that same epistle, 1 Co 12:13, he wrote, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks.” At this point of time, we see that water baptism was fading away. We also see that God finished showing Israel that they had been set aside. This had been done in a progressive manner which reached its conclusion in Acts 28:28. It started in Acts 13:46, continued in Acts 18:6, and was concluded in Acts 28:28.
  24. 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.”
  25. If there is one baptism, which one is it then? I think I have shown it must be Spirit baptism since the Holy Spirit is still sealing new members into the body of Christ.
  26. We can see that the gospel message started out with one baptism, water. This was necessary for salvation. It progressed to two: water first, necessary for salvation, then, Holy Spirit baptism. Finally, it returned to one, Holy Spirit, which is now necessary for salvation. When we believe, the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the body of Christ, immediately.
  27. Once more, there is one baptism, which must be Spirit baptism.
  28. In Christ,
  29. Bob Hill
• Question: Is it baptized by or in the Spirit?
  • I spent last evening with some old friends of ours, my wife and I, and the subject of water baptism mysteriously emerged and when I made the point that we were baptized by the Holy Spirit into one body in this dispensation, ( after we resuscitated him) He said that in the Greek it says in one Spirit, not by one Spirit. Well I emphasized that the agent of the Baptism was the Spirit and HE baptized us into Christ. I did look up the word by and it is en. Which does mean in. I really don’t see a problem with that but how would you answer him?
  • In Christ,
  • Rodney.
• Answer: (click here to see the answer)
  1. Dear Rodney,
  2. The Greek preposition ejn may be translated in many different ways. I have copied the definition from the BAGD Greek Lexicon. This is at the end of my email.
  3. Does your friend, then, believe that we are baptized into the body of Christ by water? That would be the water regeneration of Acts 2:38.
  4. ejn is pronounced en.
  5. I have searched the book of Romans and a few verses in 1 Corinthians close to 12:13 for ejn. These are the passages that I found where ejn was translated by.
  6. Rom 3:25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by [ejn] His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,
  7. Rom 5:9,10 Much more then, having now been justified by [ejn] His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by [ejn] His life.
  8. Rom 5:15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by [ejn] the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
  9. Rom 7:6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by [ejn], so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
  10. Rom 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by [ejn] whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
  11. Rom 10:5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by [ejn] them.”
  12. Rom 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with [ejn] good.
  13. Rom 14:14 I know and am convinced by [ejn] the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
  14. Rom 14:21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by [ejn] which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.
  15. Rom 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by [ejn] the power of the Holy Spirit.
  16. Rom 15:16 that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by [ejn] the Holy Spirit.
  17. Rom 15:19 in [ejn] mighty signs and wonders, by [ejn] the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
  18. 1 Cor 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by [ejn] the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by [ejn] the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.
  19. 1 Cor 12:9 to another faith by [ejn] the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by [ejn] the same Spirit,
  20. 1 Cor 12:13,14 For by [ejn] one Spirit we were all baptized into one body -- whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free -- and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
  21. ejn prep. w. dat. (Hom.+; inscr., pap., LXX, En., Ep. Arist., Philo, Joseph., Test. 12 Patr.). For lit. s. ajnav and eij", beg. For special NT uses s. AOepke, TW II 534-9. The uses of this prep. are so many-sided, and oft. so easily confused, that a strictly systematic treatment is impossible. It must suffice to list the main categories, which will help in establishing the usage in individual cases.
  22. I. of place—1. lit.—a. in of the space within which someth. is found: ejn th`/ povlei Lk 7:37. ejn Bhqlevem Mt 2:1. ejn th`/ ejrhvmw/ 3:1. ejn tw`/ iJerw`/ Ac 5:42. ejn oi[kw/ 1 Ti 3:15 and very oft. ejn toi`" tou` patrov" mou in my Father’s house Lk 2:49 and perh. Mt 20:15 (cf. Jos., Ant. 16, 302, C. Ap. 1, 118 ejn toi`" tou` Diov"; PTebt. 12, 3; POxy. 523, 3; Tob 6:11 S; Gdspd., Probs. 81-3). ejn th`/ ajgora`/ Mt 20:3. ejn (tw`/) oujranw`/ in heaven (Arat., Phaen. 10; Diod. S. 4, 61, 6; Plut., Mor. 359d ta;" yuca;" ejn oujranw`/ lavmpein a[stra) Ac 2:19 (Jo 3:3); Rv 12:1; IEph 19:2.
  23. b. on ejn tw`/ o[rei (X., An. 4, 3, 31; Diod. S. 14, 16, 2 lovfo" ejn w|/=a hill on which; Jos., Ant. 12, 259) J 4:20f; Hb 8:5 (Ex 25:40). ejn th`/ oJdw`/ on the way Mt 5:25. ejn plaxivn on tablets 2 Cor 3:3. ejn tai`" gwnivai" tw`n plateiw`n on the street corners Mt 6:5.
  24. c. denoting nearness at, near (Soph., fgm. 34 N.2 ejn panti; livqw/=near every stone; Artem. 4, 24 p. 217, 19 ejn Tuvrw/=near Tyre; Polyaenus 8, 24, 7 ejn th`/ nhsi`di=near the island; Diog. L. 1, 34; 85; 97 ta; ejn posivn=what is before one’s feet; Jos., Vi. 227 ejn Cab.) ejn tw`/ gazofulakeivw/ (q.v.) J 8:20. ejn tw`/ Silwavm near the pool of Siloam Lk 13:4. kaqivzein ejn th`/ dexia`/ tino" sit at someone’s right hand (cf. 1 Esdr 4:29) Eph 1:20; Hb 1:3; 8:1.
  25. d. w. quotations and accounts of the subject-matter of literary works: in (Ps.-Demetr. c. 226 wJ" ejn tw`/ Eujqudhvmw/; Simplicius in Epict. p. 28, 37 ejn tw`/ Faivdwni; Ammon. Hermiae in Aristot. De Interpret. c. 9 p. 136, 20 Busse ejn Timaivw/ pareilhvfamen=we have received as a tradition; 2 Macc 2:4; 1 Esdr 1:40; 5:48; Sir 50:27) ejn th`/ ejpistolh`/ 1 Cor 5:9. ejn tw`/ novmw/ Lk 24:44; J 1:45. ejn toi`" profhvtai" Ac 13:40. ejn jHliva/ in the story of Elijah Ro 11:2. ejn tw`/ JWshev 9:25. ejn Dauivd in the Psalter (by David is also poss.: s. III 1b below) Hb 4:7. ejn eJtevrw/ profhvth/ in another prophet B 6:14.
  26. e. in reference to spiritual matters fanerou`sqai ejn tai`" suneidhvsesi be made known to (your) consciences 2 Cor 5:11. ejn th`/ kardiva/ Mt 5:28; 13:19 al.
  27. 2. to denote the object to which someth. happens or in which someth. shows itself, or by which someth. is recognized: to, by, etc. i{na ou{tw" gevnhtai ejn ejmoiv that this may be done in my case 1 Cor 9:15. ejdovxazon ejn ejmoi; to;n qeovn perh. they glorified God in my case Gal 1:24, though because of me and for me are also possible. poiei`n ti e[n tini do someth. to (with) someone (Epict., Ench. 33, 12; Ps.-Lucian, Philopatr. 18 mh; eJteroi`ovn ti poihvsh/" ejn ejmoiv; Gen 40:14; Jdth 7:24; 1 Macc 7:23) Mt 17:12; Lk 23:31. ejrgavzesqaiv ti e[n tini Mk 14:6. e[cein ti e[n tini have someth. in someone J 3:15 (but ejn aujtw`/ is oft. constr. w. pisteuvwn, cf. v.l.); cf. 14:30 (s. BNoack, Satanas u. Soteria ’48, 92). Esp. w. verbs of striking against: proskovptw, ptaivw, skandalivzomai; s. these entries.—ginwvskein e[n tini know or recognize by someone or someth. (class. Sir 4:24; 11:28; 26:9) Lk 24:35 (perh. on the occasion of, when); J 13:35; 1J 3:19. manqavnein e[n tini learn by someone 1 Cor 4:6. zhtei`n ti e[n tini require someth. in the case of someone 4:2. oJra`n e[n tini Phil 1:30.
  28. 3. to denote the presence of a person: before, in the presence of, etc. (cf. PPetr. II 4[6], 16 [255/4 bc] dino;n gavr ejstin ejn o[clw/ ajtimavzesqai=before a crowd; Od. 2, 194; Eur., Andr. 360; Pla., Leg. 9 p. 879b; Demosth. 24, 207; Polyb. 5, 39, 6; Epict. 3, 22, 8; Appian, Maced. 18 §2 ejn toi`" fivloi"=in the presence of his friends; Sir 19:8; Jdth 6:2) sofivan lalou`men ejn toi`" teleivoi" in the presence of spiritual adults 1 Cor 2:6 (Simplicius in Epict. p. 131, 20 levgein ta; qewrhvmata ejn ijdiwvtai"). ejn t. wjsi;n uJmw`n in your hearing Lk 4:21 (cf. Judg 17:2; 4 Km 23:2; Bar 1:3f), where the words can go just as well w. peplhvrwtai, linguistically, as w. hJ grafh; au{th (this passage of scripture read in your hearing). ejn ojfqalmoi`" tino" in someone’s eyes, i.e. judgment (Wsd 3:2; Sir 8:16; Jdth 3:4; 12:14; 1 Macc 1:12) Mt 21:42 (Ps 117:23). e[n tini in the same mng. as early as trag. (Soph., Oed. C. 1213 ejn ejmoiv=in my judgment, Ant. 925 ejn qeoi`" kalav; also Pla., Prot. 337b; 343c) ejn ejmoiv 1 Cor 14:11; possibly J 3:21 (s. 5d below) and Jd 1 belong here.—In the ‘forensic’ sense e[n tini can mean in someone’s court or forum (Soph., Ant. 459; Pla., Gorg. 464d, Leg. 11, 916b; Ael. Aristid. 38, 3 K.=7 p. 71 D.; 46 p. 283, 334 D.; Diod. S. 19, 51, 1; Ps.-Heraclit., Ep. 4, 6; but in several of these pass. the mng. does not go significantly beyond ‘in the presence of’ [s. above]) ejn uJmi`n 1 Cor 6:2 (by you is also poss.; s. III 1b below).
  29. 4. to denote a rather close relation—a. among, in (Hom.+; PTebt. 58, 41 [111 bc]; Sir 16:6; 31:9; 1 Macc 4:58; 5:2) ejn th`/ genea`/ tauvth/ in the generation now living Mk 8:38. ejn tw`/ gevnei mou among my people Gal 1:14. ejn tw`/ o[clw/ in the crowd Mk 5:30 (cf. Sir 7:7). ejn ajllhvloi" mutually (Thu. 1, 24, 4) Ro 1:12; 15:5. ejn toi`" hJgemovsin (=among the commanding officers: Diod. S. 18, 61, 2; Appian, Bell. Civ. 5, 21 §84) jIouvda Mt 2:6 et al. ejn ajnqrwvpoi" among men (as Himerius, Or. 48 [14], 11) Lk 2:14.
  30. b. of clothes: in, with (Hdt. 2, 159; X., Mem. 3, 11, 4; Diod. S. 1, 12, 9; Herodian 2, 13, 3; Jdth 10:3; 1 Macc 6:35; 2 Macc 3:33) hjmfiesmevnon ejn malakoi`" dressed in soft clothes Mt 11:8. peribavllesqai ejn iJmativoi" Rv 3:5; 4:4. e[rcesqai ejn ejnduvmasi probavtwn come in sheep’s clothing Mt 7:15. peripatei`n ejn stolai`" walk about in long robes Mk 12:38; cf. Ac 10:30; Mt 11:21; Lk 10:13. ejn leukoi`" in white (Artem. 2, 3; 4, 2 ejn leukoi`" proi>evnai; Epict. 3, 22, 1) J 20:12; Hv 4, 2, 1. Prob. corresp. ejn sarkiv clothed in flesh (cf. Diod. S. 1, 12, 9 gods appear ejn zwv/wn morfai`") 1 Ti 3:16; 1J 4:2; 2J 7. ejn pavsh/ th`/ dovxh/ aujtou` in all his glory Mt 6:29 (cf. 1 Macc 10:86). ejn t. dovxh/ tou` patrov" clothed in his Father’s glory 16:27; cf. 25:31; Mk 8:38; Lk 9:31.
  31. c. to introduce the persons who accompany someone, or the things he brings with him, with which he is equipped or burdened: with.
  32. a. esp. of a military force (1 Macc 1:17; 7:14, 28 al.): ejn devka ciliavsin uJpanth`sai meet, w. 10,000 men Lk 14:31 (cf. 1 Macc 4:6, 29 sunhvnthsen aujtoi`" jIouvda" ejn devka ciliavsin ajndrw`n). h\lqen ejn muriavsin aujtou` Jd 14 (cf. Jdth 16:3 h\lqen ejn muriavsi dunavmew" aujtou`).
  33. b. of things (oft. LXX; PTebt. 41, 5 [c. 119 bc]; 16, 14 [114 bc]; 45, 17 al., where people rush into the village or the house ejn macaivrh/, ejn o{ploi") ejn rJavbdw/ e[rcesqai come with a stick (as a means of punishment) 1 Cor 4:21 (cf. Lucian, Dial. Mort. 23, 3 JErmh`n kaqikovmenon ejn th`/ rJavbdw/; Gen 32:11; 1 Km 17:43; 1 Ch 11:23; Dssm., B 115f [BS 120]). ejn plhrwvmati eujlogiva" with the full blessing Ro 15:29. ejn th`/ basileiva/ aujtou` Mt 16:28. ejn ai{mati Hb 9:25 (cf. Mi 6:6). ejn tw`/ u{dati kai; ejn tw`/ ai{mati 1J 5:6. ejn pneuvmati kai; dunavmei tou` jHlivou equipped w. the spirit and power of Elijah Lk 1:17. fqavnein ejn tw`/ eujaggelivw/ come with the preaching of the gospel 2 Cor 10:14. mh; ejn zuvmh/ palaia`/ not burdened w. old yeast 1 Cor 5:8.
  34. d. to denote a state of being (so freq. w. givnomai, eu]miv; Attic wr.; PPetr. II 11(1), 8 [III bc] gravfe, i{na eu]dw`men ejn oi|" ei\; 39(g), 16; UPZ 110, 176 [164 bc] et al.; LXX): uJpavrcwn ejn basavnoi" Lk 16:23. ejn tw`/ qanavtw/ 1J 3:14. ejn zwh`/ Ro 5:10. ejn toi`" desmoi`" Phlm 13. ejn peirasmoi`" 1 Pt 1:6. ejn oJmoiwvmati sarkov" Ro 8:3. ejn pollw`/ ajgw`ni 1 Th 2:2. ejn fqora`/ in a state of corruptibility 1 Cor 15:42. ejn eJtoivmw/ e[cein 2 Cor 10:6 (cf. PEleph. 10, 7 [223/2 bc] t. loipw`n ejn eJtoivmw/ o[ntwn; PGenFve 76, 8; 3 Macc 5:8) ejn ejkstavsei in a state of trance Ac 11:5. Of qualities: ejn pivstei k. ajgavph/ k. aJgiasmw`/ 1 Ti 2:15. ejn kakiva/ kai; fqovnw/ Tit 3:3. ejn panourgiva/ 2 Cor 4:2. ejn eujsebeiva/ kai; semnovthti 1 Tim 2:2. ejn th`/ ajnoch`/ tou` qeou` Ro 3:26.
  35. 5. to indicate a very close connection: a. fig., of pers., to indicate the state of being filled w. or gripped by someth.: in someone=in his innermost being ejn aujtw`/ katoikei` pa`n to; plhvrwma in him dwells all the fulness Col 2:9. ejn aujtw`/ ejktivsqh ta; pavnta (prob. to be understood as local, not instrumental, since ejn auj. would otherwise be identical w. diÝ auj. in the same vs.) everything was created in him Col 1:16 (cf. M. Ant. 4, 23 ejn soi; pavnta; Herm. Wr. 5, 10; AFeuillet, NTS 12, ’65, 1-9). ejn tw`/ qew`/ kevkruptai hJ zwh; uJmw`n your life is hid in God 3:3; cf. 2:3. Of sin in man Ro 7:17f; cf. katergavzesqai vs. 8. Of Christ who, as a spiritual being, fills people 8:10; 2 Cor 13:5, abides J 6:56, lives Gal 2:20, and takes form 4:19 in them. Of the Divine Word: oujk e[stin ejn hJmi`n 1J 1:10; mevnein e[n tini J 5:38; ejnoikei`n Col 3:16. Of the Spirit: oijkei`n (ejnoikei`n) e[n tini Ro 8:9, 11; 1 Cor 3:16; 2 Ti 1:14. Of spiritual gifts 1 Ti 4:14; 2 Ti 1:6. Of miraculous powers ejnergei`n e[n tini be at work in someone Mt 14:2; Mk 6:14. The same expr. of God or evil spirits, who somehow work in men: 1 Cor 12:6; Phil 2:13; Eph 2:2 al.
  36. b. esp. to describe certain mental processes, whereby their inward quality is to be emphasized: ejn eJautw`/ to himself, i.e. in silence dialogivzesqai Mk 2:8; Lk 12:17; diaporei`n Ac 10:17; eu]devnai J 6:61; levgein Mt 3:9; 9:21; Lk 7:49; eu]pei`n 7:39 al.; ejmbrima`sqai J 11:38.
  37. c. of the whole, w. which the parts are closely joined: mevnein ejn th`/ ajmpevlw/ remain in the vine J 15:4. ejn eJni; swvmati mevlh polla; e[comen in one body we have many members Ro 12:4. krevmasqai e[n tini depend on someth. Mt 22:40.
  38. d. esp. in Paul. or Joh. usage, to designate a close personal relation (cf. ejn tw`/ Dauid eijmiv 2 Km 19:44): of Christ ei\nai, mevnein ejn tw`/ patriv (ejn tw`/ qew`/) J 10:38; 14:10f; and of Christians 1J 3:24; 4:13, 15f; be or abide in Christ J 14:20; 15:4f; mevnein ejn tw`/ uiJw`/ kai; ejn tw`/ patriv 1J 2:24. e[rga ejn qew`/ eijrgasmevna done in communion with God J 3:21 (but s. 3 above).—In Paul the relation of the individual to Christ is very oft. expressed by the formula or formulaic expression (FNeugebauer, NTS 4, ’57/’58, 124-38) ejn Cristw`/, ejn kurivw/ etc., also vice versa ejn ejmoi; Cristov" Gal 2:20.—Cf. Dssm., D. ntl. Formel ‘in Christo Jesu’ 1892; EWeber, D. Formel ‘in Chr. Jesu’ u. d. paul. Christusmystik: NKZ 31, ’20, 213ff; LBrun, Zur Formel ‘in Chr. Jesus’ im Phil: Symbolae Arctoae 1, ’22, 19-37; MHansen, Omkring Paulus-Formeln ‘i Kristus’: Teol. Tidsskr. 4, 10, ’29, 135-59; HBöhlig, jEn kurivw/: GHeinrici-Festschr. ’14, 170-5; OSchmitz, D. Christusgemeinschaft d. Pls2 ’56; AWikenhauser, D. Christusmystik d. Pls2 ’56; KMittring, Heilswirklichkeit b. Pls; Beitrag z. VerstSndnis der unio cum Christo in d. Plsbriefen ’29; ASchweitzer, D. Mystik d. Ap. Pls ’30 (Eng. tr., WMontgomery, The Myst. of Paul the Ap., ’31); WSchmauch, In Christus ’35; BSEaston, Pastoral Ep. ’47, 210f; FBnchsel, ‘In Chr.’ b. Pls: ZNW 42, ’49, 141-58. Also HKorn, D. Nachwirkungen d. Christusmystik d. Pls in den Apost. VStern, Diss. Berlin ’28; EAndrews, Interpretation 6, ’52, 162-77; H-LParisius, ZNW 49, ’58, 285-88 (10 ‘forensic’ passages); JAAllan, NTS 5, ’58/’59, 54-62 (Eph), ibid. 10, ’63, 115-21 (pastorals); FNeugebauer, In Christus, etc. ’61; MEDahl, The Resurrection of the Body (1 Cor 15) ’62, 110-13.—Paul has the most varied expressions for this new life-principle: life in Christ Ro 6:11, 23; love in Christ 8:39; grace, which is given in Christ 1 Cor 1:4; freedom in Chr. Gal 2:4; blessing in Chr. 3:14; unity in Chr. vs. 28. sthvkein ejn kurivw/ stand firm in the Lord Phil 4:1; euJreqh`nai ejn C. be found in Christ 3:9; ei\nai ejn C. 1 Cor 1:30; oiJ ejn C. Ro 8:1.—1 Pt 5:14; koima`sqai ejn C., ajpoqnhv/skein ejn kurivw/ 1 Cor 15:18.—Rv 14:13; zw/opoiei`sqai 1 Cor 15:22.—The formula is esp. common w. verbs that denote a conviction, hope, etc. pepoiqevnai Gal 5:10; Phil 1:14; 2 Th 3:4. parrhsivan e[cein Phlm 8. pevpeismai Ro 14:14. ejlpivzein Phil 2:19. kauvchsin e[cein Ro 15:17; 1 Cor 15:31. to; aujto; fronei`n Phil 4:2. uJpakouvein Eph 6:1. lalei`n 2 Cor 2:17; 12:19. ajlhvqeian levgein Ro 9:1. levgein kai; martuvresqai Eph 4:17. But also apart fr. such verbs, in countless pass. it is used w. verbs and nouns of the most varied sort, often without special emphasis, to indicate the scope within which someth. takes place or has taken place, or to designate someth. as Christian aJgiavzesqai 1 Cor 1:2, beside a{gio" ejn C. Phil 1:1; ajspavzesqaiv tina 1 Cor 16:19. dikaiou`sqai Gal 2:17. kopia`n Ro 16:12. parakalei`n 1 Th 4:1. prosdevcesqaiv tina Ro 16:2; Phil 2:29. caivrein 3:1; 4:4, 10. gamhqh`nai ejn kurivw/ marry in the Lord=marry a Christian 1 Cor 7:39. proi>stavmenoi uJmw`n ejn kurivw/ your Christian leaders (in the church) 1 Th 5:12 (but s. proi?sthmi 1 and 2).—eujavresto" Col 3:20. nhvpio" 1 Cor 3:1. frovnimo" 4:10. paidagwgoiv vs. 15. oJdoiv vs. 17. Hence used in periphrasis for ‘Christian’ oiJ o[nte" ejn kurivw/ Ro 16:11; a[nqrwpo" ejn C. 2 Cor 12:2; aiJ ejkklhsivai aiJ ejn C. Gal 1:22; 1 Th 2:14; nekroi; ejn C. 4:16; ejklektov" Ro 16:13. dovkimo" vs. 10. devsmio" Eph 4:1. pisto;" diavkono" 6:21; ejn C. genna`n tina become someone’s father in the Christian life 1 Cor 4:15. to; e[rgon mou uJmei`" ejste ejn kurivw/ 9:1.—The use of ejn pneuvmati as a formulaic expression is sim.: ejn pn. ei\nai be under the impulsion of the spirit, i.e., the new self, as opposed to ejn sarkiv under the domination of the old self Ro 8:9; cf. ejn novmw/ 2:12. lalei`n speak under divine inspiration 1 Cor 12:3. ejgenovmhn ejn pneuvmati I was in a state of inspiration Rv 1:10; 4:2; opp. ejn eJautw`/ genovmeno" came to himself Ac 12:11 (cf. X., An. 1, 5, 17 et al.).—The expr. ejn pn. ei\nai is also used to express the idea that someone is under the special infl. of the spirit, even a demonic spirit. Mt 22:43; Mk 12:36; Lk 2:27; 1 Cor 12:3; Rv 17:3; 21:10. a[nqrwpo" ejn pn. ajkaqavrtw/ (w[n) Mk 1:23 (s. GBjörck, Coniect. NT 7, ’42, 1-3).—ejn tw`/ ponhrw`/ kei`sqai be in the power of the evil one 1J 5:19. oiJ ejn novmw/ those who are subject to the law Ro 3:19. ejn tw`/ jAda;m ajpoqnhv/skein die because of a connection w. Adam 1 Cor 15:22.—On the formula ejn ojnovmati (Cristou`) s. o[noma I 4, esp. cg.
  39. 6. ejn is somet. used w. verbs of motion where eu]" would normally be expected (Diod. S. 23, 8, 1 [Annwn ejpevrase ejn Sikeliva/; Hero I 142, 7; 182, 4; Paus. 7, 4, 3 diabavnte" ejn th`/ Savmw/; Epict. 1, 11, 32; 2, 20, 33; Aelian, V.H. 4, 18; Vett. Val. 210, 26; 212, 6 al., cf. Index; Pel.-Leg. 1, 4; 5; 2, 1; PPar. 10, 2 [145 bc] ajnakecwvrhken ejn jAlexandreiva/; POxy. 294, 4; BGU 22, 13; Tob 5:5 BA; 1 Macc 10:43 [cf. on the LXX Thackeray 25]): eu]sevrcesqai Lk 9:46; Rv 11:11; katabaivnein J 5:4 v.l.; ajpevrcesqai (Diod. S. 23, 18, 5) Hs 1:6. To be understood otherwise: ejxh`lqen oJ lovgo" ejn o{lh/ th`/ jIoudaiva/ the word went out=spread in all Judaea Lk 7:17; likew. 1 Th 1:8. The metaphorical expr. ejpistrevyai ajpeiqei`" ejn fronhvsei dikaivwn turn the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous Lk 1:17 is unique. S. also divdwmi, i{sthmi, kalevw, and tivqhmi. ejn mevsw/ among somet. answers to the question ‘whither’ (Bl-D. §215, 3 w. app.) Mt 10:3; 8:7.
  40. II. of time—1. to denote a period of time
  41. a. covered by an occurrence or action in the course of, within ejn trisi;n hJmevrai" (X., Ages. 1, 34; Diod. S. 13, 14, 2; 20, 83, 4; Arrian, Anab. 4, 6, 4 ejn trisi;n hJmevrai"; Aelian, V.H. 1, 6; Inschr. v. Priene 9, 29; Dialekt-Inschr. 1222, 4 [Arcadia] ijn aJmevrai" trisiv; Ep. Arist. 24) Mt 27:40; J 2:19f.
  42. b. within which, at a certain point, someth. occurs Mt 2:1. ejn tai`" hJmevrai" ejkeivnai" 3:1. ejn tw`/ eJxh`" afterward Lk 7:11. ejn tw`/ metaxuv meanwhile (PTebt. 72, 190; PFlor. 36, 5) J 4:31.
  43. 2. to denote the point of time when someth. occurs ejn hJmevra/ krivsew" Mt 11:22. ejn th`/ ejscavth/ hJmevra/ J 6:44; 11:24; cf. 7:37. ejn ejkeivnh/ th`/ w{ra/ Mt 8:13; 10:19; cf. 7:22. ejn sabbavtw/ 12:2; J 7:23. ejn th`/ hJmevra/ J 11:9 (opp. ejn th`/ nuktiv vs. 10). ejn tw`/ deutevrw/ on the second visit Ac 7:13. ejn th`/ paliggenesiva/ in the new age Mt 19:28. ejn th`/ parousiva/ 1 Cor 15:23; 1 Th 2:19; 3:13; Phil 2:12 (here, in contrast to the other pass., there is no reference to the second coming of Christ); 1J 2:28. ejn th`/ ajnastavsei in the resurrection Mt 22:28; Mk 12:23; Lk 14:14; 20:33; J 11:24. ejn th`/ ejscavth/ savlpiggi at the last trumpet-call 1 Cor 15:52. ejn th`/ avpokaluvyei when the Lord appears (in the last days) 2 Th 1:7; 1 Pt 1:7, 13; 4:13.
  44. 3. to introduce an activity whose time is given when, while, during (Diod. S. 23, 12, 1 ejn toi`" toiouvtoi"=in the case of this kind of behavior) ejn th`/ proseuch`/ when (you) pray Mt 21:22. ejn th`/ stavsei during the revolt Mk 15:7. ejn th`/ didach`/ in the course of his teaching Mk 4:2; 12:38. ejn aujtw`/ in it (the preaching of the gospel) Eph 6:20. grhgorou`nte" ejn aujth`/ (th`/ proseuch`/) while you are watchful in it Col 4:2. Esp. w. the pres. inf. used substantively: ejn tw`/ speivrein while (he) sowed Mt 13:4; Mk 4:4, ejn tw`/ kaqeuvdein tou;" ajnqrwvpou" while people were asleep Mt 13:25, ejn tw`/ kathgorei`sqai aujtovn 27:12. W. the aor. inf. the meaning is likewise when. Owing to the fundamental significance of the aor. the action in such a construction is not thought of as durative, but merely as punctiliar. Cf. Rob. 1073, disagreeing w. Bl-D. §404. ejn tw`/ genevsqai th;n fwnhvn Lk 9:36. ejn tw`/ ejpanelqei`n aujtovn 19:15. ejn tw`/ eijselqei`n aujtouv" 9:34.
  45. III. causal or instrumental—1. introducing the means or instrument, a construction that begins w. Homer, (many examples of instrumental ejn in Radermacher’s edition of Ps.-Demetr., Eloc. p. 100) but whose wide currency in our lit. is partly caused by the infl. of the LXX, and its similarity to the Hebr. constr. w. B]
  46. (Bl-D. §219 w. app.; Mlt. 104; Mlt.-H. 463f).
  47. a. w. things: katakaivein ejn puriv Rv 17:16 (cf. Bar 1:2; 1 Esdr 1:52; 1 Macc 5:5 al.; as early as Il. 24, 38; cf. POxy. 2747, 74; Aelian, Hist. An. 14, 15. Further, the ejn Rv 17:16 is not textually certain). ejn a{lati aJlivzein, ajrtuvein Mt 5:13; Mk 9:50; Lk 14:34 (but s. WRHutton, ET 58, ’46/’47, 166-8). ejn tw`/ ai{mati leukaivnein Rv 7:14. ejn ai{mati kaqarivzein Hb 9:22. ejn rJomfaiva/ ajpokteivnein kill with the sword Rv 6:8 (cf. Lucian, Conscr. Hist. 12 ejn ajkontivw/ foneuvein; 1 Esdr 1:50; 1 Macc 2:9; cf. 3:3; Jdth 16:4). ejn macaivrh/ patavssein Lk 22:49; ejn m. ajpovllusqai perish by the sword Mt 26:52. poimaivnein ejn rJavbdw/ sidhra`/ Rv 2:27; 12:5; 19:15 (s. poimaivnw 2ag and cf. PGM 36, 109). katapatei`n ti ejn toi`" posivn tread someth. w. the feet Mt 7:6 (cf. Sir 38:29—ejn ojfqalmoi`sin oJra`n=see with the eyes: Od. 8, 459; Callinus [VII bc], fgm. 1, 20 Diehl2). poiei`n kravto" ejn bracivoni do a mighty deed w. one’s arm Lk 1:51 (cf. Sir 38:30); cf. 11:20. dikaiou`sqai ejn tw`/ ai{mati be justified by the blood Ro 5:9. ejn aJgiasmw`/ pneuvmato" 2 Th 2:13; 1 Pt 1:2; ejn t. paraklhvsei 2 Cor 7:7. eujlogei`n ejn eujlogiva/ Eph 1:3.—The ejn which takes the place of the gen. of price is also instrumental hjgovrasa" ejn tw`/ ai{mativ sou Rv 5:9 (cf. 1 Ch 21:24 ajgoravzw ejn ajrgurivw/).
  48. b. with pers.: with the help of (Diod. S. 19, 46, 4 ejn toi`" metevcousi tou` sunedrivou=with the help of the members of the council; Philostrat., Vi. Apoll. 7, 9 p. 259, 31 ejn ejkeivnw/ eJalwkovte") ejn tw`/ a[rconti t. daimonivwn ejkbavllei ta; daimovnia Mt 9:34. ejn eJteroglwvssoi" lalei`n 1 Cor 14:21. krivnein t. oijkoumevnhn ejn ajndriv Ac 17:31 (cf. Dit., Syll.2 850, 8 [173/2 bc] kriqevntw ejn a[ndroi" trivoi"; Synes., Ep. 91 p. 231b ejn ajndriv); perh. 1 Cor 6:2 (s. I 3 above); ajpoluvtrwsi" ejn Cr. redemption through Christ Ro 3:24. Before a substantive inf. (oft. LXX; cf. KHuber, Unters. nber den Sprachchar. des griech. Lev., Znrcher Diss. ’16, 83): while, in that w. pres. inf. (POxy. 743, 35 [2 bc] ejn tw`/ dev me perispa`sqai oujk hjdunavsqhn suntucei`n jApollwnivw/) ejn tw`/ th;n cei`ra ejkteivnein se in that thou dost extend thy hand Ac 4:30; cf. 3:26; Hb 8:13. W. aor. inf. ejn tw`/ uJpotavxai aujtw`/ ta; pavnta Hb 2:8. Somet. the instrumental and temporal (s. II above) uses are so intermingled that it is difficult to decide between them Lk 1:21; basanizomevnou" ejn tw`/ ejlauvnein as they rowed or because of the rowing Mk 6:48.—Hv 1, 1, 8 et al. (Bl-D. §404, 3 w. app.; Rob. 1073).
  49. 2. to denote kind and manner, esp. in periphrasis for adverbs (Knhner-G. I 466): ejn dunavmei w. power, powerfully Mk 9:1; Ro 1:4; Col 1:29; 2 Th 1:11; ejn dikaiosuvnh/ justly Ac 17:31; Rv 19:11. ejn cara`/ joyfully Ro 15:32. ejn ejkteneiva/ earnestly Ac 26:7. ejn spoudh`/ zealously Ro 12:8. ejn cavriti graciously Gal 1:6; 2 Th 2:16. ejn (pavsh/) parrhsiva/ freely, openly J 7:4; 16:29; Phil 1:20. ejn pavsh/ ajsfaleiva/ Ac 5:23. ejn tavcei (PHib. 47, 35 [256 bc] ajpovsteilon ejn tavcei) Lk 18:8; Ro 16:20; Rv 1:1; 22:6. ejn musthrivw/ 1 Cor 2:7 (belongs prob. not to sofiva, but to lalou`men: in the form of a secret; cf. Polyb. 23, 3, 4; 26, 7, 5; Diod. S. 17, 8, 5 ejn dwreai`" labovnte"=as gifts; 2 Macc 4:30 ejn dwrea`/=as a gift; Sir 26:3; Polyb. 28, 17, 9 lambavnein ti ejn fernh`/). Of the norm: ejn mevtrw/ eJno;" eJkavstou mevrou" acc. to the measure of each individual part Eph 4:16. On 1 Cor 1:21 s. AJWedderburn, ZNW 64, ’73, 132-34.
  50. 3. of the cause or reason (PPar. 28, 13 [c. 160 bc] dialuovmenoi ejn tw`/ limw`/; Ps 30:11; 1 Macc 16:3 ejn tw`/ ejlevei; 2 Macc 7:29; Sir 33:17) because of, on account of.
  51. a. gener. aJgiavzesqai e[n tini Hb 10:10; 1 Cor 7:14. ejn t. ejpiqumivai" tw`n kardiw`n Ro 1:24; perh. ejn jIsaa;k klhqhvsetaiv soi spevrma 9:7; Hb 11:18 (both Gen 21:12). ejn th`/ polulogiva/ aujtw`n because of their many words Mt 6:7. ejn touvtw/ pisteuvomen this is the reason why we believe J 16:30; cf. Ac 24:16; 1 Cor 4:4; 2 Cor 5:2. W. attraction ejn w|/=ejn touvtw/ o{ti for the reason that=because s. IV 6d below. Sim., of the occasion: e[fugen ejn tw`/ lovgw/ touvtw/ at this statement Ac 7:29; cf. 8:6.
  52. b. w. verbs that express feeling or emotion, to denote that toward which the feeling is directed; so: eujdokei`n (eujdokiva), eujfraivnesqai, kauca`sqai, caivrein et al.
  53. IV. Various other uses—1. e[n tini as far as—it is concerned.
  54. a. w. adj. plouvsio" ejn ejlevei Eph 2:4; cf. Tit 2:3; Js 1:8.—b. w. verbs Hb 13:21; Js 1:4.
  55. 2. amounting to (BGU 970, 14 [II ad] proshnevnkamen aujtw`/ prooi`ka ejn dracmai`" ejnnakosivai") pa`san th;n suggevneian ejn yucai`" eJbdomhvkonta pevnte Ac 7:14.
  56. 3. consisting in (BGU 72, 11 [191 ad] ejxevkoyan plei`ston tovpon ejn ajrouvrai" pevnte) to;n novmon tw`n ejntolw`n ejn dovgmasin Eph 2:15.
  57. 4. ejn w. dat. stands—a. for the ordinary dat. (Diod. S. 3, 51, 4 ejn ajyuvcw/ ajduvnaton=it is impossible for a lifeless thing; Ael. Aristid. 49, 15 K.=25 p. 492 D.: ejn Nhrivtw/ qaumasta; ejnedeivxato=[the god] showed wonderful things to N.; 53 p. 629 D.: ouj ga;r ejn toi`" beltivstoi" eijsi; pai`de", ejn de; ponhrotavtoi" oujkevti=it is not the case that the very good have children, and the very bad have none [datives of possession]; 54 p. 653 D.: ejn t. fauvloi" qetevon=to the bad; EpJer 66 ejn e[qnesin; Aesop 19, 8; 348a, 5 Chambry v.l.) ajpokaluvyai to;n uiJo;n aujtou` ejn ejmoiv Gal 1:16. fanerovn ejstin ejn aujtoi`" Ro 1:19 (Aesop 15c, 11 Chambry t. fanero;n ejn pa`sin=evident to all). ejn ejmoi; bavrbaro" (corresp. to tw`/ lalou`nti bavrb.) 1 Cor 14:11 (Amphis Com. [IV bc] 21 mavtaiov" ejstin ejn ejmoiv). dedomevnon ejn ajnqrwvpoi" Ac 4:12. qew`/—ejn ajnqrwvpoi" Lk 2:14.
  58. b. very rarely for the genitive (Philo Mech. 75, 29 to; ejn tw`/ kulivndrw/ koivlasma; Ep. Arist. 31 hJ ejn aujtoi`" qewriva=hJ aujtw`n q.; cf. 29) hJ dwrea; ejn cavriti the gift of grace Ro 5:15.
  59. 5. The OT is the source of the expr. ojmnuvnai e[n tini swear by someone or someth. (oft. LXX) Mt 5:34ff; 23:16, 18ff; Rv 10:6; paraggevllomevn soi ejn jIhsou` Ac 19:14 v.l. The usage in oJmologei`n e[n tini acknowledge someone Mt 10:32; Lk 12:8 (s. oJmologevw 4) is Aramaic. ajllavssein, metallavssein ti e[n tini exchange someth. for someth. else Ro 1:23, 25 (cf. Ps 105:20) is, however, not un-Greek (Soph., Ant. 945 Danad had to oujravnion fw`" ajllavxai ejn calkodevtoi" aujlai`").
  60. 6. ejn w|/ is used w. var. mngs.—a. of place wherein Ro 2:1; 14:22; 2 Cor 11:12.
  61. b. of time: while, as long as (Soph., Trach. 929; Plut., Mor. 356c; Pamprepios of Panopolis [V ad] 1, 22 [ed. HGerstinger, SB der Wiener Ak. d. W., vol. 208, 3. 1928]) Mk 2:19; Lk 5:34; 24:44 D; J 5:7.
  62. c. instrumental: whereby Ro 14:21.—d. causal: because 8:3; Hb 2:18; 6:17. See III, 3.
  63. e. circumstantially, of the condition(s) under which someth. takes place: ejn w|/ katalalou`sin whereas they slander 1 Pt 2:12, cf. 3:16; ejn w|/ xenivzontai in view of your changed attitude they consider it odd 4:4. ejn w|/ in 1 Pt 3:19 may similarly refer to a changed circumstance, i.e., from death to life (WJDalton, Christ’s Proclamation to the Spirits, ’65, esp. 135-42: ‘in this sphere, under this influence’ [of the spirit]). Other possibilities: as far as this is concerned: pneu`ma, ejn w|/ spirit; as which (FZimmermann, APF 11, ’35, 174 ‘meanwhile’ [indessen]; BReicke, The Disobedient Spirits and Christian Baptism, ’46, 108-15: ‘on that occasion’=when he died.—For ejn w|/ 1 Pt 2:12; 3:16 see also o{" 2a.).—WRHutton, Considerations for the Translation of ejn, Bible Translator 9, ’58, 163-70; response by NTurner, ibid. 10, ’59, 113-20.—On ejn w. article and inf. s. ISoisalon-Soininen, Die Infinitive in der LXX, ’65, 80ff. M-M.
  64. Bauer, Walter, Gingrich, F. Wilbur, and Danker, Frederick W. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979.
• Question: The great commission; are we to go unto all the nations baptizing?
  • The great commission; are we to go unto all the nations baptizing?
• Answer: (click here to see the answer)
  1. Dear Jack,
  2. The great commission was given in Matthew and Mark:
  3. Mat 28:18-20 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.
  4. Mark 16:15-18 And He said to them, “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. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
  5. Sometime during his second missionary journey after he had left 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 Co 1:14,17 Read in context.). From this we see that Paul was not under the great commission which was given to the circumcision apostles.
  6. In the same epistle, he wrote, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks” (1 Co 12:13). So, water baptism had changed from being the only baptism, and necessary for salvation, to a ritual which had faded away.
  7. In Christ,
  8. Bob Hill
• Question: How come Paul baptized a few believers in Corinth
  • Dear Bob,
  • How come Paul baptized a few believers in Corinth if baptism is not part of the dispensation of the mystery?
  • Thank you,
  • Adam
• Answer: (click here to see the answer)
  1. Dear Adam,
  2. To find the answer to your question, we should investigate the beginning of baptism when John the Baptist preached a baptism for the remission of sins as part of the gospel of the kingdom. I want to cite 2 passages.
  3. Mat 3:1-6 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.'" 4 And John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins
  4. Lk 3:3,8 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, 8 "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones."
  5. This baptism was referred to as "a baptism of repentance" in Lk 3:3 and Acts 13:24 because the people confessed their sins while he was baptizing them. In Mat 3:11, John said, "I indeed baptize you with water for repentance." Their sins were forgiven when they submitted to this baptism while confessing their sins. This is why John's baptism is also referred to as "a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins".
  6. The important thing to realize is this: Water baptism was as a requirement for salvation after Pentecost because God continued to offer Israel the kingdom in Acts 3:19-26.
  7. Acts 3:19-22 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. 22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, "The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you."
  8. If they had repented, God would have sent Christ back. Before Pentecost, Christ had commanded belief and water baptism as requirements for salvation shortly after His resurrection. Mark 16:16 says, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."
  9. Even after the Ascension of Christ and the outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2, God demanded water baptism for the remission of sins in Acts 2:38: "Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for (ei") the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit'". By taking the natural meaning of this passage, we see that water baptism was essential, at that time, for the remission of sins. This requirement fits right into the other passages which show that water baptism was an imposed condition for salvation under the covenant of circumcision.
  10. Water baptism would be imposed on Israel until the time of reformation (Heb. 9:10-13) when Christ would establish the kingdom for Israel (Acts 3:21 with Acts 1:6). Therefore, from the beginning of John's ministry, through the time of Christ's death and Ascension, to the time that Israel was temporarily set aside, we find that water baptism was essential for salvation.
  11. However, a dramatic change took place on Pentecost in Acts 2. There, after a person submitted to water baptism, a believer would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). So, for the first time, there were two baptisms, water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism.
  12. Next, the Apostle Paul was converted in Acts 9. A comparison of Acts 22:13 and 26:18 appears to indicate that Paul was saved when he received his sight, just as the Gentiles to whom he was sent would be saved upon receiving spiritual sight. Paul received his sight before he was baptized at Ananias' command.
  13. Now, we get to the answer to your question. The Holy Spirit showed that water baptism was no longer necessary for salvation after the body of Christ started with Paul's conversion in Acts 9. This was done dramatically when He fell on all who heard the word while Peter was still preaching, before Peter could command them to be water baptized (Acts 10:44,45). The Holy Spirit's work here became the sign that would convince the circumcision believers that God had opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles. As you know, the big change was Paul's conversion in Acts 9. There, Paul was sent to the Gentiles, kings and Israel.
  14. Next, the order of the baptisms was reversed. Even though it looks like Peter didn't know what he was doing, he commanded the Gentiles who believed to be water baptized after the Holy Spirit baptized them. Now, the Holy Spirit baptism was the one necessary for salvation. Water baptism became secondary for the first time.
  15. When Paul was converted, God committed to him a new stewardship, the dispensation of the mystery, and a new gospel, the uncircumcision gospel, the gospel of the grace of God. However, when Paul was sent out on his missionary journeys, as you mentioned, we find that he baptized at least Crispus, Gaius, Stephanas' household, Lydia and her household, and the jailer and his household.
  16. You asked, why Paul baptized these people? We don't know for sure, but since Ananias commanded him to be baptized, I think, Paul, being a good Jew, carried on the practice. I think we can establish that all of the people Paul baptized were Jews, including the jailer.
  17. There were some other things Paul did, recorded in Acts, which also passed away. These things had to do with Israel. But Paul did not address each thing explicitly and say it passed away. Some of these things were: raising the dead, exorcism, healing the sick, being bit by a viper without being harmed. They would cease just as baptism would cease. These signs were related to Israel.
  18. Soon, Paul learned that water baptism was not part of his commission (1 Co 1:17), and he no longer baptized. But we must remember that baptism was a vital part of the circumcision apostles' commission (Mat 28:18-20; Mk 16:15-18). After Paul's ministry began, he was inspired to write to the Corinthians, "By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body" (1 Co 12:13). So, even in the dispensation of grace there were two baptisms for a while. Then, we see that as physical circumcision gives way to spiritual circumcision, "made without hands," in spite of Acts 16:1-3, water baptism gives way to spiritual baptism, "through the faith of the operation of God" (Col 2:11,12), in spite of Acts 16:15,31-34, and 1 Co 1:14-16.
  19. Why did water baptism give way to spiritual baptism? It was because God set Israel aside (Rom 11:11,25; Acts 28:28) in Acts 7 when Christ stood in judgment (Isa 3:13) at the stoning of Stephen. Part of Paul's ministry had been to show Israel that they had been set aside. God used Paul to pronounce to the Jews in Acts 13:46; 18:6 and 28:28 that God was sending the gospel to the Gentiles. The final decree occurred in Acts 28:28. After this, the baptisms imposed on Israel, being fleshly ordinances (Heb 9:10-13), were set aside until God would resume dealing with Israel in the tribulation.
  20. Although Paul baptized some in his early ministry, we must remember that Ananias had commanded him to be baptized himself to wash away his sins. But God gave him further revelations. One was on his 2nd missionary journey after he had been at Corinth. He wrote back to them in 1 Co 1:17, "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect." The context shows there was division, but would Paul really let that affect him if he still practiced baptism? Read 2 Th 3:6. Paul would tell them to withdraw from a person rather than deny a true teaching that was still in effect. Baptism was not part of his message, and we have no scripture which says he recommended it, encouraged it, taught it, or commanded it. Not one.
  21. As we've already seen, at the end of the book of Acts, Israel was shown for the final time that they had been set aside. This happened when Paul spoke in judgment quoting Isa 6:9,10. After this judgment was pronounced, Paul was inspired to write Ephesians. In it 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" (Eph. 4:4,5). 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. It has to do with spiritual things, not carnal. So, today there is one baptism. We, who have trusted in Christ, are baptized into the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit baptizes us into Christ's body. 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.
  22. In Christ,
  23. Bob Hill
• Question: How can I explain that the spiritual baptism is different in Acts 2 and 1Cor.12:13?
  • How can I explain that the spiritual baptism is different in Acts 2 and 1Cor.12:13
  • Kevin
• Answer: (click here to see the answer)
  1. Dear Donna,
  2. I think I know where you are coming from, because some think we must be baptized to be saved. They usually quote Mark 16:16 or your verse, Acts 2:38. What is going on in these passages in contrast to 1 Co 12:13?
  3. Mk 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
  4. 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.”
  5. I want to cover all bases here, so I realize that others believe we should be baptized because the Lord was. They present passages like Mat 3:13-15: “Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’ 15 But Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him.”
  6. In addition, what if someone says water baptism was even necessary in the epistles, such as 1 Pe 3:20,21: “who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine long-suffering 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.”
  7. What is the answer be to these various assertions and ideas? From the viewpoint of Scripture, which is all that counts, in my mind, what is right, or who is right? I believe the answer is, rightly divide the word. That’s what 2 Ti 2:15 says: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
  8. Rightly dividing the word of truth is studying the Bible dispensationally. When we study the Bible dispensationally, we must use the proper procedures. First we read the Word to find out who is speaking. For instance, John the Baptist, a prophet of God was sent as the forerunner of Christ. But we have to go to Lk 1:76,77 to see that this is true: “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, 77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins.
  9. The gospel started when John the Baptist, came preaching a baptism of repentance for sins. That’s what it says in Mark 1:1-4: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the Prophets: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.”’ 4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”
  10. Next we should find out to whom it is being said. We found John the Baptist was sent to God’s people, Israel. That’s what it says in John 1:31: “I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”
  11. Then, find out when, and under what circumstances, it is being said. It was at a time when God was only dealing with the Jews. The method of salvation was repent and be baptized for remission of your sins. This was the message of the kingdom gospel, and, Luke 16:16 shows when the kingdom gospel started: “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 preach the same gospel that John preached? Yes, for it says that they did in Mk 1:14,15 and Mat 10:5-10.
  12. Next, we must observe the passage in its context. Notice, baptism was linked with the message of the kingdom promised to David. This was the good news of the Jews, the circumcision (Gal 2:7-9). When John began his ministry, there was only one baptism. It was water baptism. Water baptism was necessary for salvation. We even find Jesus saying to Nicodemus in John 3:5, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” This requirement of water baptism corresponded to John’s message. John began baptizing, and the apostles continued.
  13. This brings us to your question, the baptisms that you asked about. Christ commanded the Eleven in Mk 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.” We must see that the baptisms of Mark 16:15,16 and Acts 2:38 are water, with a different method for salvation before we can look at the reception of the Holy Spirit in the passages you named.
  14. When Peter was filled by the Holy Spirit, Peter insisted on the same water requirement when the Jews asked him what they had to do. For them to receive the power baptism that Christ had promised, they had to be water baptized first: 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 water baptism was necessary before Holy Spirit baptism would take place.
  15. In Luke 24:44-49, especially the 49th verse, we see what the baptism was in Acts 2: “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. 46 Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.’” The Holy Spirit baptism in Acts 2 was a power baptism. This was reiterated in Acts 1:4-8 “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.’ 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ 7 And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’” From the context of Acts 2:22 and 39, we see that this happened while God was still dealing with His nation, Israel. Peter was only speaking to Israel in 22, and he was referring to the promise made to Israel in 39. This Spirit baptism was a baptism of power. That was different from the baptism of 1 Co 12:13.
  16. God had started a new program when He saved Paul. Some time on his 2nd missionary trip, after he had been at Corinth, God showed him that He had deleted water baptism from the program He had given to Paul. In 1 Co 1:14,17, Paul wrote: “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.” From this we see that Paul was not under the great commission which was given to the circumcision apostles.
  17. Then, in the same epistle, he wrote in 1 Co 12:13, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks.” This baptism was not one of power but of initiation of each believer into the body of Christ. Paul was later inspired by God to write Ephesians. In Ephesians 4:3-6, Paul wrote about the unity the Spirit produced in the body of Christ. 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.” By this Spirit baptism the Holy Spirit sealed us members into the body of Christ and made us secure in Him.
  18. I hope this answers your question,
  19. Bob
• Question: Would you say that water baptism was required in early Acts for salvation?
  • Would you say that baptism was required in early Acts for salvation? Is it wrong for people today to be baptized if they do it merely as a public confession of their conversion?
• Answer: (click here to see the answer)
  1. Sheila,
  2. This has to be a lot more comprehensive than the answer to the last question you asked. The mystery as revealed to and explained by Paul shows two important things for our present subject. They are: In the body of Christ which started with the salvation of the Apostle Paul, there is no more Jew or Gentile but a new creation. That’s what Ephesians 2:14-16 says:
  3. For He Himself is our peace, who has made the both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, the enmity, 15 having abolished in His flesh, the law of commandments in decrees, so that He might create in Himself one new man from the two, making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile the both in one body to God through the cross, after putting to death the enmity by it.
  4. From this we can see that the enmity caused by the law was done away for the body of Christ. In our next portion of Scripture, Col 2:13-16, we can see that: The law God gave to Israel was abolished for the body of Christ.
  5. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths.
  6. That means God’s program with Israel is now set aside. So, if we want to understand baptism and its relationship to us, we must first understand baptism and its relationship to Israel. So if we want to understand God’s view of baptism, its history is very important. This water rite was spelled out for Israel under the law in Numbers 19:9,10,17-21
  7. Then a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and store them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for the water of purification; it is for purifying from sin. 10 And the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening. It shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel and to the stranger who dwells among them. . . .17 And for an unclean person they shall take some of the ashes of the heifer burnt for purification from sin, and running water shall be put on them in a vessel. 18 A clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water, sprinkle it on the tent, on all the vessels, on the persons who were there, or on the one who touched a bone, the slain, the dead, or a grave. 19 The clean person shall sprinkle the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day; and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, wash his clothes, and bathe in water; and at evening he shall be clean. 20 But the man who is unclean and does not purify himself, that person shall be cut off from among the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of purification has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean. 21 It shall be a perpetual statute for them.
  8. Further, God told Israel in Ezekiel 36:24-27 that He would baptize them with water, cleanse them from all their filthiness and establish the new covenant with them.
  9. For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
  10. When we look at the OT, under the law, the priests were baptized when they were thirty years old (1 Ch 23:3). This was in preparation for their consecration as priests (Ex 28:41-29:9). But God had promised to make all of Israel a kingdom of priests in Exodus 19:5,6,
  11. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.
  12. So when John the Baptist came, he baptized great crowds from all the tribes of Israel for the Lord not just from the tribe of Levi. Mat 3:5,6 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. Let me reiterate, God wanted Israel to be a kingdom of priests according to His prophecy of Exodus 19:5,6. Because John was baptizing with authority, the whole nation of Israel went out to him to be baptized.
  13. From Luke 3:15, we see that they were expecting Christ, that is the Messiah: “Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not.” And remember, God had promised in Eze 36 to sprinkle them with water to make them clean.
  14. When John came as the forerunner of Christ, he was preaching that his baptism was for the remission of sins.
  15. Mark 1:4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
  16. Luke 3:3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
  17. Because of the information in Exodus 19:6, “And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”, we see that, by his baptism, John was preparing the nation of Israel to be a kingdom of priests. That’s why the believing Jews were called a royal priesthood by Peter when he wrote to them in 1 Peter 1:1; 2:5,9.
  18. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
  19. Therefore, we see water baptism was mandated for Israel in Numbers 19 and would result in a whole nation of priests according to 1 Pe 2:5,9. They were baptized by John the Baptist for the forgiveness of sins as we just saw in Mark 1:4 and Luke 3:3. This baptism was associated with the Messianic kingdom promised to Israel as we saw from Ezekiel 36:24-28.
  20. After Christ’s Ascension and the day of Pentecost, we find that water baptism was still essential for salvation. Why do we say that? We can see that water baptism continued after Pentecost because God was offering the kingdom to Israel. If Israel repented, God would send Christ back according to Acts 3:19-21.
  21. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
  22. Because God was still dealing with Israel on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:38, water baptism was still necessary for salvation. Peter commanded water baptism for the remission of sins: “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.’”
  23. Later, when Paul was seized and was about to be led into the barracks, he asked the commander for permission to speak to the Jewish crowd in Jerusalem. During his talk, in Acts 22:16 he explained how Ananias had commanded him to be water baptized to wash away his sins. “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
  24. Finally, to show how baptism is related to Israel, we see from Heb. 9:10-14 that water baptism would be imposed on Israel until the time of reformation. That’s when Christ would set up the kingdom for Israel. Heb 9:10. “concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings [Greek, baptisms], and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.”
  25. Returning to 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.’” We see at that point, there was an added dimension. For the first time, there were now 2 baptisms. After a Jew believed and was water baptized, we have just read in Acts 2:38, he would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the first time, there were two baptisms, water baptism, first, then Holy Spirit baptism.
  26. But then came the dispensational turning point where we, the Gentiles are included as equals. The Apostle Paul was saved in Acts 9. He was commissioned by the ascended Christ to be the apostle of the Gentiles. God also showed Peter there was a dispensational change. Here’s what happened.
  27. After Paul got saved, God gave Peter a vision in Acts 10:9-17. When Israel was made God’s chosen people, God made certain animals clean and unclean to them according to Leviticus 20:22-26. In Peter’s vision in Acts 10, he was shown there were no more clean and unclean animals for Israel. By this vision, He showed Peter that Israel was no longer His chosen people. However, He did not show him the mystery and its ramifications. He would reveal this only to the Apostle Paul. He also did not show Peter what the new method of salvation would be. That’s why Peter preached the same message Christ had given him from the beginning, the circumcision gospel,
  28. Acts 10:34-37 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ; He is Lord of all; 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached.”
  29. This gospel Peter preached was the same gospel of faith plus works and endurance for salvation which Christ taught while on earth in Mat 24:13,14, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” But, while Peter was still preaching, the Holy Spirit baptized them before they were water baptized, He showed that water baptism was no longer necessary for salvation.
  30. Now, here’s the reason God changed the program of salvation. God started something new. The body of Christ had started with Paul’s salvation. God had a new plan or method called a dispensation. God called this new program the dispensation of grace. Again, how did the Holy Spirit show this new plan? The Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word while Peter was still preaching, before they were baptized. Listen! Acts 10:44,45 “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.”
  31. The Holy Spirit’s work here would convince the circumcision believers. Wow! God had opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles. Remember, at Paul’s conversion in Acts 9, Paul was sent to the Gentiles. Shortly after Paul’s conversion, the two baptisms of Acts 2:38 were reversed for the first time. 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 to be baptized. Peter did a number of things here for the simple reason that the Lord had previously commanded them.
  32. 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. When Paul was sent out on his missionary journeys, we find that he baptized at least Crispus, Gaius, Stephanus’ household, Lydia and her household, and the jailer and his household.
  33. Why did he baptize these people? We don’t know for sure. But it seems that because Ananias had commanded Paul to be baptized, he carried on the practice until God revealed to him that he was not sent to baptize. So, even in the dispensation of grace there were two baptisms for a while. But then it was revealed to Paul according to 1 Co 1:17, that water baptism was not part of his commission. “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.” After that, he no longer baptized. But we must remember that water baptism definitely was part of the circumcision apostles’ commission (Mat 28:18-20; Mk 16:15-18).
  34. When Paul wrote that he was not sent to baptize, he also was inspired to write: By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body (1 Co 12:13). And, according to 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.”
  35. 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. We find in the OT that the Lord stands when He judges. One example is Isa 3:13, “The Lord stands up to plead, and stands to judge the people.”
  36. Part of Paul’s ministry had been to show Israel that they had been set aside. Now, God pronounced for the final time through Paul in Acts 28:28 that Israel had been set aside. This happened when Paul made his inspired judicial decree quoting Isaiah 6:9,10. Acts 28:28 “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!”
  37. The baptisms imposed on Israel were set aside until God would be dealing with Israel again in the tribulation. For instance, baptism will be necessary for salvation when Peter’s epistles are again in use in the tribulation period.
  38. 1 Pet. 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.
  39. So now there is one baptism. Holy Spirit 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 for the time being, 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.
  40. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in Whom I am baptized by the Holy Spirit,
  41. Bob Hill
• Question: Did Paul baptize Jew or Gentile?
  • My question is this.....
  • If Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles and the other Twelve where for the Jews
  • Paul never baptized because he stated it was not his purpose, but more so not to cause divisions among his disciples. No clear indication if the ones he did baptize where Jew or not. Are the ones he did baptize Jew or Gentile?
• Answer: (click here to see the answer)
  1. Miguel,
  2. It seems that the guys Paul baptized were Jews, but it didn’t have to be that way. When Paul was sent out on his missionary journeys, we find that he baptized at least Crispus, Gaius, Stephanas' household, Lydia and her household, and the jailor and his household. Why did he baptize these people? I don't know for sure, but since Ananias commanded him to be baptized, I think he carried on the practice until God told him not to baptize. Now, with the exception of the Philippian jailor, we can establish that all of the people Paul baptized were Jews. The jailor also could have been a Jew. Here's why. Paul most likely observed dietary customs so he would not offend the Jews he was witnessing to who were still observing the law. Jews, the ones Paul witnessed to first in every town, would not eat with Gentiles. That would be the case even in an instance like Paul's. Therefore, the jailor could have been a Jew.
  3. Paul circumcised Timothy shortly before he wrote the epistle to the Galatians. Yet, he severely criticized those who were being influenced by the Judaizers who wanted them to be circumcised for salvation. Later, he even became ceremonially purified and paid for the sacrifices for four men who had a Jewish vow as well as himself. Yet, Paul had already written Galatians, Thessalonians, Corinthians, and Romans. He knew he was not under the law. But God was in the process of showing Israel they had been set aside.
  4. There were other things Paul did that passed away. These things had to do with Israel. But Paul did not address each thing and say it passed away. Some of these things were: raising the dead, exorcism, healing the sick, being bit by a viper without being harmed. They would cease just as baptism would cease. These signs were related to Israel. God would issue a final declaration showing that Israel had been set aside in Acts 28:28.
  5. Soon, Paul learned that water baptism was not part of his commission (1 Co 1:17), and he no longer baptized. But water baptism was part of the circumcision apostles' commission (Mat 28:18-20; Mk 16:15-18). After Paul's ministry began, he was inspired to write to the Corinthians, "By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body" (1 Co 12:13). So, even in the dispensation of grace there were two baptisms for a while. Then, we see that as physical circumcision gave way to spiritual circumcision, "made without hands," in spite of Acts 16:1-3, water baptism gave way to spiritual baptism, "through the faith of the operation of God" (Col 2:11,12), in spite of Acts 16:15,31-34, and 1 Co 1:14-16.
  6. Why did water baptism give way to spiritual baptism? Because God set Israel aside in Acts 7 when Christ stood in judgment (Isa. 3:13) at the stoning of Stephen. (Rom 11:11,25; Acts 28:28)
  7. I hope this answers your questions Miguel.
  8. In Christ, our security,
  9. Bob Hill
• Question: Why did Cornelius and his family get baptized in water, if he was a gentile?
  • And Peter who after a dream and after Paul was converted....Baptized a Gentile Cornelius.
  • My question is this...
  • Why did Cornelius and his family get baptized in water, if he was a gentile? Futher more did Peter continue to baptize gentiles in water or did Jesus/God never speak to Peter about the revaltions made to Paul?
• Answer: (click here to see the answer)
  1. Miguel,
  2. When we consider the baptism of Cornelius, we find that Peter was preaching faith plus works for the remission of sins. We have to understand that when God was dealing with the Jews, baptism was a condition for salvation. There wasn’t such a condition for the Gentiles. That’s why God saved these Gentiles before they were water baptized. Peter had not mentioned a word about baptism for the remission of sins yet. It was while Peter was still preaching and declared that through Christ’s name whoever believed in Him would receive remission of sins. Then, his sermon was interrupted and “the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.” (Acts 10:44). This proves that water baptism had nothing to do with the salvation of these believing Gentiles. Instead, Peter was interrupted and these Gentiles were saved before Peter had a chance to tell them to be water baptized. Peter didn’t know any better, and I think, later, Paul only baptized because Cornelius had commanded him to be baptized.
  3. I hope this answers your questions Miguel.
  4. In Christ, our security,
  5. Bob Hill
• Question: "Things that Differ" & Baptism
  • Mr. Hill
  • Let me apologize first if this is not an acceptable way of contacting you but I know of no other. Hi my name is JT Shortt and I came across http://www.theologyonline.com/ today and have been doing some reading. I took an interest in your article "Predestination and Free-Will" since I've come from a mainly Calvinistic back ground but had doubts and question. I found your writing very informative and helpful. I have a new perspective to study and come to my conclusion on. This is not to say I disagree with yours but that I need to understand and accept that it is biblically based and supported. I especially liked your pointing out of rationalism and it's acceptance has a higher authority then the Bible. Really made a good point to me.
  • After my first reading of "Predestination and Free-Will" I saw your other article about "Testing the Things That Differ". To be honest I've never heard or read that perspective before and I found it very thought provoking. I do have a question that I would like to ask before I go and study this myself. Under the multiple comparison of dispensations between Peter and the eleven and Paul in the second "For Salvation" comparison section you compare water & Spirit baptism. Do you mean that Gentiles do not receive a water baptism only a Spirit baptism? I guess I would just like some clarification or direction to a more detailed explanation if you already have one.
  • I would like to thank you for your writings if it is only that it has made me think. I do not claim to be a very knowledgeable person in this area of study but do have many question. I have enjoyed the past several hours of study and hope to receive a reply from you to help me clarify some things so I may pursue this study more.
• Answer: (click here to see the answer)
  1. Dear JT,
  2. You should visit Baptism on our web page, http://www.biblicalanswers.com. It has a lot of information you may be looking for. In the mean time, I will attach chapter 7, The Transition of Water Baptism, from my book, The Big Difference. If you have any questions, you can mail me at Bob@biblicalanswers.com.
  3. In Christ,
  4. Bob
  5. Water Baptism, What Is Its Place Today?
  6. 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. Another one, 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 and 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,
  7. who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine long-suffering 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.
  8. But John shows you Ephesians 2:8,9. “It is not of works”, and says “Baptism would be a work. Baptism should come after you’re saved, but it doesn’t save you!”
  9. Well, what should you believe? Who is right? Both are right, and both are wrong. Let’s look at the Scriptures and see why. The gospel starts with the ministry of John the Baptist. 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 baptized to be saved? Yes! Let’s remember the proper procedures for good Bible study:
  10. 1. Find out who is speaking.
  11. 2. Find out to whom they are speaking.
  12. 3. Find out what dispensation it is being said under.
  13. 4. Observe the passage in its context.
  14. To whom was John the Baptist sent? It says in John 1:31 that John was sent to Israel: “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 that Jesus was the Messiah or 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. Luke 16:16 shows when the kingdom gospel started: “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.”
  15. Did Christ and the apostles preach the same gospel that John preached? Yes, for it says that they did in Matthew 10:5-10 and Mark 1:14,15. Now, notice the context. Baptism was linked with the message of the kingdom promised to David. This was the good news of the circumcision (Gal 2:7-9).
  16. When John began his ministry there was only one baptism, water. Was it necessary for salvation? Yes. We even find Jesus saying to Nicodemus in John 3:5 that if a man wants to enter into the kingdom of God, he must be born of water and of the Spirit. This requirement of water baptism fits the context of John’s message. John began baptizing, and the apostles continued after the resurrection 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 on the day of Pentecost 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.”
  17. Here we see that water baptism was necessary before Holy Spirit baptism would take place. So, now for the first time, we have two baptisms. Water baptism is necessary for salvation. Then, Holy Spirit baptism takes 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 the promise made to Israel in 39.
  18. Next, something very important happens. The Apostle Paul is 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.”
  19. Since 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.
  20. 1. Peter got a vision in Acts 10 which showed that Israel had been set aside. They were no longer God’s special people. This was shown by the vision given to Peter when the law of clean and unclean animals was set aside (Lev 20:24-26).
  21. 2. Peter was sent to a Gentile and told by the Holy Spirit to doubt nothing (Acts 10:20).
  22. 3. The most significant event happened when Peter went to the Gentiles. When they believed, the Holy Spirit interrupted Peter’s message before he 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. This, indeed, was a dispensational sign from God that something had changed.
  23. 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.
  24. 1. At first there was only one baptism, John’s. It was necessary for salvation.
  25. 2. Then things started changing when Paul was saved.
  26. 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.
  27. Sometime during his second missionary journey 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 Co 1:14,17 Read in context.). From this we see that Paul was not under the great commission which was given to the circumcision apostles.
  28. In the same epistle, he wrote, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks” (1 Co 12:13). So, water baptism had changed from being the only baptism, and necessary for salvation, to a ritual which had faded away.
  29. 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 Acts 28:28. It started in Acts 13:46, continued in Acts 18:6, and was concluded in Acts 28:28.
  30. 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, two baptisms.” What? 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 sealing members into the body of Christ.
  31. 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 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, the circumcision gospel will be in place again. Water baptism will become necessary for salvation again (1 Pet 3:18-22). So, both of your friends would be right and wrong. Therefore, we must always search the Scriptures to see what is right dispensationally.
  32. With this in mind, we must study the history of water baptism in the Scriptures to come to the vital understanding of its relationship to the covenant of circumcision. We know that a number of baptisms are mentioned in the Old Testament. Numbers 19:9-21 shows that a water rite was necessary for salvation under the law.
  33. Then a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and store them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for the water of purification; it is for purifying from sin. 10 And the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening. It shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel and to the stranger who dwells among them. 11 He who touches the dead body of anyone shall be unclean seven days. 12 He shall purify himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third day and on the seventh day, he will not be clean. 13 Whoever touches the body of anyone who has died, and does not purify himself, defiles the tabernacle of the LORD. That person shall be cut off from Israel. He shall be unclean, because the water of purification was not sprinkled on him; his uncleanness is still on him. 14 This is the law when a man dies in a tent: All who come into the tent and all who are in the tent shall be unclean seven days; 15 and every open vessel, which has no cover fastened on it, is unclean. 16 Whoever in the open field touches one who is slain by a sword or who has died, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. 17 And for an unclean person they shall take some of the ashes of the heifer burnt for purification from sin, and running water shall be put on them in a vessel. 18 A clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water, sprinkle it on the tent, on all the vessels, on the persons who were there, or on the one who touched a bone, the slain, the dead, or a grave. 19 The clean person shall sprinkle the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day; and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, wash his clothes, and bathe in water; and at evening he shall be clean. 20 But the man who is unclean and does not purify himself, that person shall be cut off from among the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of purification has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean. 21 It shall be a perpetual statute for them. He who sprinkles the water of purification shall wash his clothes; and he who touches the water of purification shall be unclean until evening.
  34. Today, we can see that Jesus Christ, the lamb of God, is the antitype of the red heifer. So it’s easy to see why the Jews disputed with John the Baptist’s disciples about purification when he was baptizing the multitudes who came to him. This dispute probably arose because John was baptizing with authority. Yet, they seemed to think that he was not in compliance with the statutes of Numbers 19. Questions were asked. Why are you baptizing? Who are you? What is your authority? He gave his credentials by quoting the scriptures about the forerunner of Messiah. John had a commission to the nation. I believe the Scriptures show his purpose was to bring Israel back into covenant relationship with God. This would be accomplished by purification and remission of their sins. Zacharias’ prophecy in Luke 1:67-77 established this.
  35. Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: 68 Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, 69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, 70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began, 71 That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us, 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And [notice] to remember His holy covenant, 73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham: 74 To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, 75 [notice] In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. 76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, 77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins.
  36. In a future day, God said He would baptize (wash away the filth of) all Israel (Isa 4:3,4). God would also judge at that time. Isaiah’s prophecy seems to be pointing to the time of the tribulation. This and similar passages may explain why the whole nation was in expectation (Lk 3:15) and went out to John wondering if he was the Messiah.
  37. It is interesting to see that under the law, the priests were baptized when they were thirty years old (Num. 4:2,3,23; 8:6,7; 1 Ch 23:3) in preparation for their consecration as priests (Ex 28:41-29:9). The anointing with oil during this consecration may represent the Holy Spirit. Since Peter’s message was a Jewish gospel (Acts 2:22,36), water baptism preceded Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 2:38).
  38. God promised to make Israel a kingdom of priests in Exodus 19:5,6 and Isaiah 61:6.
  39. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel (Ex 19:5,6).
  40. But you shall be named the priests of the LORD, they shall call you the servants of our God. You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory you shall boast” (Is 61:6).
  41. Since Isaiah 61:1,2 was fulfilled in Christ’s ministry, it is reasonable to believe that Isaiah 61:6 is linked with it also. The nation of Israel would be baptized to become a kingdom of priests. Isaiah 61:1,2a was quoted by Luke in Luke 4:16-21,
  42. So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: 18 The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD. 20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.
  43. I believe John the Baptist baptized Israel in fulfillment of Exodus 19:5,6 and Isaiah 61:6. He baptized great crowds for the Lord from all the tribes, not just from the tribe of Levi, according to Matthew 3:5,6, “Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.” Apparently John sprinkled them with water just as Moses confirmed the old covenant with Israel using blood (Ex 24:3-8). Remember, in Ezekiel 36 God had promised to sprinkle them with water to make them clean. Again, it appears that John was preparing them to be a kingdom of priests. In Acts 2:38, Peter was doing the same thing. In fact, the circumcision believers were later called a royal priesthood by Peter in 1 Peter 2:5,9.
  44. You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
  45. John baptized Jesus when He was about 30 years old (Lk 3:23), possibly for His priesthood. This baptism was for the sins of the world just as His death baptism (Lk 12:50) was. That’s why He told John, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Mat 3:15). Christ was also baptized with the Spirit (Jo. 1:33). These three baptisms witness to Christ’s provision of eternal life according to 1 John 5:8-11.
  46. There are three that bear witness: the Spirit, the water, and the blood 9 . . . . for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son . . . . 11 And this is the witness: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
  47. John the Baptist explained why he baptized Christ. It was to reveal to Israel that Jesus was the Messiah: “I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water” (Jo 1:31).
  48. John preached a baptism for the remission of sins in Matthew 3:1-6 and Luke 3:3,8.
  49. 3:1-6 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’” 4 And John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
  50. 3:3,8 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, 8 “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.”
  51. This baptism was referred to as “a baptism of repentance” in Luke 3:3 and Acts 13:24 because the people confessed their sins while he was baptizing them (Mat 3:6). This is why John castigated the Pharisees and lawyers when they came to his baptism but were not willing to submit to this aspect of its meaning (Lk. 7:30). This baptism for repentance would be too humiliating for them. They preferred to resist the counsel of God for themselves. God’s counsel is that all have room for repentance (2 Pe 3:9)[1].
  52. In Matthew 3:11, John said, “I indeed baptize you with water for repentance.” Their sins were forgiven when they submitted to this baptism while confessing their sins. This is why John’s baptism is also referred to as “a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Lk 3:3). John 3:25 shows the Jews understood that the biblical purpose of baptism was purification. Whether or not they based their dispute directly on the purification of Numbers 19:9-21, we can see that John’s ministry was to bring “knowledge of salvation by the remission of their sins to His people,” Israel (Lk 1:76,77).
  53. Therefore, we can draw the following conclusions concerning water baptism:
  54. 1. It is Jewish, based on Mosaic law.
  55. 2. It is an initiatory rite for the priesthood.
  56. 3. It accompanied true repentance and confession of sins.
  57. 4. It resulted in the remission of si