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What the One Baptism is Not
What the One Baptism is Not
Paul said there is “one baptism” (Eph. 4:5). This baptism applies to all mankind today. What is it? To discover the answer, we must first learn what baptism is not.
The One Baptism is Not John’s Baptism.
John the Baptizer proclaimed a baptism of repentance to the Israelites, instructing them to believe in Jesus (Acts 13:24; 19:4). After Christ’s death, that baptism lost its significance. Those who had been baptized in John’s baptism were to be baptized “in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:1-5).
The One Baptism is Not Infant Baptism.
Babies cannot believe or disbelieve in Jesus because they’re incapable of doing so. Baptism is only for those who believe (Mark 16:16). Therefore, people must be old enough to put their faith in Christ in order to be Scripturally baptized.
The One Baptism is Not Sprinkling.
Sprinkling water on someone’s head is not baptism in the Biblical sense. The word baptism comes from the Greek word baptisma meaning “(the result of) a dipping or sinking” (Strong’s Concordance). Furthermore, the context of baptism in the New Testament demonstrates repeatedly that it means immersion (Matt. 3:6; Acts 8:38; Rom. 6:4).
The One Baptism is Not Holy Spirit Baptism.
There are only two examples of Holy Spirit baptism in the New Testament: the apostles on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:5; 2:4) and the household of Cornelius (Acts 11:15-16). The baptism that applies to all believers is not Holy Spirit baptism but water baptism (1 Pet. 3:21). The latter can and must be obeyed (Acts 2:38); the former cannot.
The One Baptism is Not an “Outward Sign of an Inward Grace.”
This popular phrase means that saved individuals need to get baptized to demonstrate they’re already saved. The New Testament, on the other hand, teaches that baptism is necessary in order to secure one’s salvation (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). According to the Bible, salvation comes after baptism, not before it.
In all this, we’ve learned that the one baptism consists of the following five components: 1. One candidate: believers. 2. One mode: immersion in water. 3. One purpose: for the forgiveness of sins. 4. One result: salvation. 5. One directive: a command to every believer.
False doctrine about baptism abounds. Do not let it deceive you! Your salvation depends on it.
