Pastor John:
Where does Paul condemn water baptism? Why did he do so with the gentile household in Philippi? Why did Peter do so with the gentile household of Cornelius? Why did Paul baptize Crispus and Gaius, and the household of Stephanas?
Chris
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Hi Chris.
Thank you for the questions.
I am sure you know that none of the many forms of water baptism practiced by Christians is found in the Bible. So, it would have been impossible for Paul to condemn them. In the Bible, the only water baptism ever ordained by God was John’s baptism for the Jews, which always included the message to expect the baptism of the Spirit which Jesus gives. Paul never condemned John’s water baptism, for he honored the law (cf. Rom. 7:12), of which John’s baptism was a part.
John revealed that the purpose for his baptism was simply to introduce the Messiah to Israel. He said, “The reason I came baptizing with water is so that he might be made known to Israel” (Jn. 1:31). God did not send Paul to do that, but to carry the message of Christ’s soul-cleansing baptism to the world at large. That is why Paul told the Corinthians, “Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (1Cor. 1:17).
For the Jews, after Pentecost, there were two baptisms, John’s and Jesus’, because the law was still in effect for the Jews. But for us Gentiles, the law (which included John’s baptism), was not required. Because at that time, God was still requiring John’s baptism for the Jews, Paul baptized a few Jews in Corinth who believed the gospel, naming Crispus and Gaius, and the household of Stephanas (1Cor. 1:14–16). Wherever rituals are practiced, contentions arise, and that was the case in Corinth (1Cor. 1:10–13), and that made Paul regret baptizing those few Jews. To baptize Jews with John’s baptism was not his calling. Paul was sent only to the Gentiles, and he never baptized a Gentile with John’s baptism.
You may recall that Paul rebuked some Gentile believers because, after being baptized with the Spirit (born again), they submitted to circumcision of their flesh in order to become Jews and keep the law. Paul’s letter to the Galatians was written to deal with that issue. He said to the Galatians, “I, Paul, am telling you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will become worthless to you! I testify again to every man who is circumcised that he is obligated to keep the entire law. You are estranged from Christ, you who are justified by law; you have fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:2–4). However, on another occasion, Paul himself circumcised young Timothy because (1) Timothy’s mother was a Jew, (2) Paul wanted Timothy to travel with him, and (3) everywhere Paul went, he spoke to the Jews first if any were in that city, and he did not want Timothy to be a stumbling-block for them.
As for the Gentiles in Philippi (Acts 16), Paul did not baptize them in water; he baptized them with the holy Ghost. Christians usually assume that Paul administered a water baptism to those Gentiles simply because the word baptize is mentioned. But for Paul to have done that would be contrary to what God sent him to do, and contrary to everything Paul preached.
Finally, as for Peter baptizing the first Gentiles who received the holy Ghost (Acts 10), it should be remembered that Paul’s gospel for the Gentiles had not yet been revealed. Peter’s gospel for the Jews was the only gospel in existence at the time, and he and the six Jews with him were astonished to see someone receive the Spirit without first being circumcised and baptized with John’s baptism. Up to that moment, everyone who had received the Spirit was a Jew who had been baptized with John’s baptism. The surprising thing is not so much that Peter administered John’s baptism to those Gentiles but that Peter did not command them to be circumcised. After that event, God revealed to Paul his gospel for the Gentiles, a gospel which excluded all of the law’s ceremonies, including John’s baptism.
I hope this answers your questions, Chris. If you will take some time to study baptism in the New Testament, I think you will find my response to be consistent with the scriptures. And I hope that in so doing, you will sense your need of the baptism Jesus gives and leave off any other baptism. Jesus, all by himself, is sufficient for our salvation.
Thank you again for writing, and may God bless you and yours,
Pastor John