Baptism Study – Part 2

  1. Summary from week 1 study:
  1. Water baptism was not a new concept at the time of John.
  2. From the time John the Baptist began his ministry, it was made known that there were two forms of baptism –
  3. John’s baptism in water
  4. Jesus’ baptism in the Holy Spirit
  5. These two forms of baptism were separate phenomenon
  6. Same Greek word used throughout the New Testament for both “baptism” in water and “baptism” in the Holy Spirit
  7. Terms and Phrases synonymous for “baptism in the Holy Spirit”
  8. “baptized in the Holy Spirit”
  9. “filled with the Holy Spirit”
  10. “pour out in those days of my Spirit”
  11. “receive the gift of the Holy Ghost”
  12. “poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost”
  13. “received the Holy Ghost”
  14. “the Holy Spirit fell on them”
  15. “baptized with the Holy Spirit”
  16. “the same gift”
  17. “Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive”
  18. “the Holy Ghost was not yet given”
  1. This Weeks Study Material
  2. Preview:
  3. Was the water baptism performed in Jesus’ name after Pentecost considered by the early Church to be the same as the water baptism of John the Baptist before Pentecost or was it considered a new form of baptism distinct from John the Baptist’s?
  4. Where both forms of baptism (in water and in the Holy Spirit) considered essential to salvation or was only one of these two forms of baptism considered essential to salvation by the early Church?
  5. Question 1: Was water baptism AFTER Pentecost considered different from John’s water baptism? (Were there two forms of water baptism, one of John the Baptist and one of Jesus after Pentecost?)
  6. NOTE: if water baptism in Jesus’ name was considered a new and different form of water baptism than that of John the Baptist, then there are no less than 3 forms of baptism in the New Testament
  7. baptism in water – brought by John the Baptist
  8. baptism in the Holy Spirit – brought by Jesus
  9. baptism in water – brought by Jesus
  10. John 4:1-2 clarifies John 3:22-23 stating that Jesus himself was not baptizing with water. When people came to him to be baptized, his disciples performed it, not Jesus himself.
  11. We have no record of anyone being water baptized in Jesus’ name before the resurrection. So, there was certainly no distinct form of water baptism in Jesus’ name before the resurrection.
  12. Both John the Baptist, Jesus, and Peter reiterated the anticipation of Jesus giving a baptism in the Holy Spirit. Where is the anticipation of Jesus giving a new form of water baptism?
  13. There is no record of the following people being re-baptized in water (in Jesus’ name) after the ascension.
  14. List of Persons
  15. The 11 Apostles
  16. The rest of the 120 disciples who were in the upper room on the day of Pentecost.
  17. Apollos – Acts 18:27-28
  18. 12 men from Ephesus – Acts 19:1-8
  19. Conclusion:
  20. If these people were not re-baptized in water after the ascension (before Pentecost) in Jesus’ name, then their previous baptism by John must have been considered sufficient and accredited.
  21. No new water baptism in Jesus’ name was necessary for these individuals.
  22. Objections
  23. Acts 8:15-16 - after Pentecost, whenever the early Church would water baptize, they would do so in Jesus' name
  24. since they water baptized in Jesus’ name after Pentecost and not before, it was a new form of water baptism
  25. since they water baptized in Jesus’ name after Pentecost, water baptism is connected to Jesus’ command to baptize “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” – Matthew 28:19
  26. Objection Refuted
  27. They could not baptize in water in Jesus’ name before John 16:23-26 and Matthew 28:18-20 - when the apostles first received the command from Jesus to use his name
  28. But, the question is, did they not also use Jesus' name when laying on hands and performing baptisms in the Holy Spirit?
  29. 1 Corinthians 6:11
  30. “justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
  31. Greek identical to “with the Holy Spirit” of Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33, Acts 1:5
  32. Acts 8:16-17 – laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit
  33. Acts 19:4-6 – laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit
  34. James 5:14 – laying on of hands with oil done for the sick in Jesus’ name
  35. Conclusions:
  36. In order for the practice of water baptizing in Jesus’ name after Pentecost to prove anything, we have to assume the early Church did NOT use Jesus’ name when they laid hands on people for baptism in the Holy Spirit
  37. As long as both baptisms were performed in Jesus’ name then neither has a stronger connection to Matthew 28:19
  38. Conclusions to Question 1
  39. The early Church did not consider water baptism in Jesus’ name as a different baptism than John’s baptism before Pentecost done without Jesus’ name
  40. After Pentecost, the early church simply continued John’s form of Baptism while adding the formal element of doing so in Jesus’ name
  41. The reason water baptism was not done in Jesus’ name before Pentecost was that only in John 16:23-26(Matthew 28:18-20)did the apostles begin to use Jesus’ name as instructed by Jesus
  42. we do not have any biblical record that water baptisms after Pentecost were done “in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” – only in the name of Jesus
  43. We have no more reason to connect water baptism with the “Great Commission” than we do baptism in the Holy Spirit since there is no evidence that either was performed in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as required in the “Great Commission”
  44. Question 2: Where both forms of Baptism essential to salvation?
  45. 1 Corinthians 1:13-17
  46. Paul baptized only a few of the Corinthians
  47. Paul says he was sent to preach the Gospel but not to baptize
  48. which form of baptism did he mean here?
  49. Baptism in the Holy Spirit
  50. Baptism with water
  51. Conclusion: Paul considered one of the two forms of baptism to NOT be commanded to him as he spread the Gospel
  52. 1 Peter 3:20
  53. “eight souls were saved by water”
  54. this phrase refers to Noah and his family, not to Christians
  55. it is said to be a “figure” of the baptism which now saves us
  56. this proves at least one baptism is necessary for salvation
  57. Noah’s experience with the flood is no less a “figure” of baptism in the Holy Spirit than it is a figure of baptism with water
  58. In fact, water baptism itself is a figure of baptism in the Holy Spirit as the words of John the Baptist and Jesus clearly demonstrate (Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33, Acts 1:5)
  59. what Peter says about the baptism which now saves us
  60. it is NOT the putting away of filth of the flesh
  61. it is “the answer of a good conscience toward God”
  62. Hebrews 9:9-10 external washings cannot perfect our conscience – so Peter’s description here aligns perfectly with Paul’s words in Hebrews
  63. the Holy Spirit testifies with our consciences that we are God’s children
  64. Romans 8:16
  65. Romans 9:1
  66. it would seem Peter’s description of the baptism which saves us requires the Holy Spirit to be “in us” testifying with our consciences
  67. Ephesians 4:4
  68. “one baptism” – listed among a list of other singulars in the Christian faith
  69. one body
  70. one Spirit
  71. one hope of our calling
  72. One Lord
  73. one faith
  74. One God and Father of all
  75. Only one baptism is essential to the Christian faith for salvation of the believer
  76. there is only “one baptism” in the same way that there is only one of these other items
  77. 1 Corinthians 12:13
  78. similar to Ephesians 4:4
  79. one Spirit mentioned
  80. one body mentioned
  81. baptism mentioned
  82. baptized into the body of Christ “with/by” one Spirit
  83. the Greek is the same as “with the Holy Spirit” in Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33, Acts 1:5
  84. Conclusion: Only one form of baptism is necessary to salvation and essential to the life of every believer
  85. of the two available options which do we think it is
  86. baptism in the material substance of water – a practice the New Testament repeatedly associates with John the Baptist
  87. baptism in the Holy Spirit of God – a practice the New Testament (including John the Baptist) repeatedly associates with Jesus Christ
  88. Next Week
  89. Would the apostles have understood Jesus’ command to baptize in the Great Commission to refer to baptism in the Holy Spirit or baptism in water?
  90. Was Paul ever baptized in water?
  91. Dispelling the 3 most-common arguments for the necessity of water baptism
  92. water baptism continued after Pentecost
  93. insistence on water baptism for groups already baptized in the Holy Spirit
  94. individuals were considered believers after receiving water baptism but before they received the Holy Spirit

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