Jesus said, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that
believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:15-16.)
What is the baptism to which Jesus referred in giving the Great
Commission to the apostles? We should ask that question every time we
see the word baptize or baptism, because the word, in itself, does not
tell you the element into which the baptism should occur. In other
words, there is no water in the word baptism. Neither is there any Holy
Spirit in the word baptism.
In the New Testament, there are several baptisms. John the Baptist
baptized the Jews in water, but he said that Jesus would baptize in the
Holy Spirit and fire. (Matthews 3:11-12.) In addition, there is a
baptism of suffering. (Matthew 20:22.) We have named four baptisms
already. Yet, Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “There is one baptism.”
(Ephesians 4:4.) How could he write that there is one baptism when
there are at least four in the New Testament?
Paul was writing to the Ephesians about the effort to maintain the unity
of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is only one baptism that
applies to every believer and that pertains to salvation. Most people
would eliminate the baptism of fire and the baptism of suffering as
pertaining to salvation. However, the two most often under dispute are
Holy Spirit baptism and water baptism. Jesus said that the gospel
should be preached to every creature. Those who believe and are baptized
would be saved. There is one baptism that applies to everyone and that
pertains to salvation. But how do we know what the baptism of the Great
Commission is? Let me give several ways of knowing for sure what it is.
The baptism that saves. We have already indicated that there is one
baptism that applies to every creature and that is necessary to
salvation. Peter said that the baptism that is in the likeness of the
water of Noah’s flood that saved eight souls also saves us. (1 Peter
3:20-21.) This baptism must be water baptism. In fact, when Paul wrote
that there is one baptism, he meant that there is only one real,
physical baptism. All other baptisms in the Bible are symbolic or
figurative baptisms based upon the one physical baptism in water.
Acts tells us what it is. One way to know the baptism Jesus had in mind
when he gave the Great Commission is to watch what the apostles did when
they went out preaching to every creature. What baptism did they
administer to every believer? In Acts, we find that the baptism of the
Great Commission is water baptism. The Eunuch asked Philip, “See, here
is water, what hinders me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:36.) Peter
asked at the house of Cornelius, “Can any man forbid water that these
should not be baptized which have received the Holy Spirit even as we?”
(Acts 10:47.) Everyone did not receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit
or had the hands of the apostles laid upon them. But everyone who
believed was immersed in water in the likeness of the death, burial and
resurrection of Jesus.
Who baptized others? John made a
distinction between himself and Jesus in regard to the baptisms that
each administered to others. John said that he indeed baptized in
water, but Jesus would baptize in the Holy Spirit and fire. (Matthew
3:11.) Jesus told the apostles to go, teach and baptize. (Matthew
28:18-20.) They baptized in water only. Jesus is the only one who can
give to others the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It comes by promise, not
by command. Everyone is commanded to be baptized in water for the
remission of sins, but no one has been commanded to be baptized in the
Holy Spirit. In fact, only a few ever received the baptism of the Holy
Spirit. Water baptism is for salvation; Holy Spirit baptism is to
empower with spiritual gifts. There is only baptism that applies to
every believer; that baptism is water baptism.
Some exalt Holy Spirit baptism and minimize water baptism. The one to
them that is the most important is Holy Spirit baptism. But they have
several problems.
1) They are practicing two baptisms for
all believers. Yet, Paul said that there is one that applies to
everyone.
2) The Lord has not promised Holy Spirit
baptism to them. Jesus told the apostles to wait for the promise of the
Father in Jerusalem. (Acts 1:4.)
3) They minimize the one baptism that
saves, water baptism, and exalt Holy Spirit baptism, which does not
save.
4) They believe that they have received
something that they have not. They teach that tongue speaking is the
sign that they have received Holy Spirit baptism. But in Scripture not
everyone spoke in tongues. Do all speak in tongues?, asked Paul. (1
Corinthians 12:30.) The answer is no.
-Mural Worthey
Cawson Street Church of Christ
Hopewell, Virginia
www.geocities.com/cawsonchurch/
