Question
Dear brother Keith
Greetings,
I have a question please just respond as much as soon. How many baptisms do we have in both testaments?
Answer
There have been several baptisms in past ages. There was Moses’ baptism “in the cloud and in the sea” (1 Corinthians 10:1-2), John’s baptism (Mark 1:4), Jesus’ baptism during His personal ministry in preparation for the kingdom (John 4:1-3), Jesus’ baptism of suffering (Luke 12:50), and the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:7-8). At the end of time the ignorant and disobedient shall be baptized with fire (Luke 3:16-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
The “washings” demanded by the Law of Moses were baptisms. In Hebrews 9:10, the word “washings” is from the Greek term “baptismos,” meaning “an act of dipping or immersion” (William D. Mounce, Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. 1105). Some of these washings (baptisms) were of the entire body, such as that of the priests when they were inaugurated (Exodus 29:4), the high priest on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:4, 24), the priest defiled with any uncleanness (Leviticus 22:4-6), the priest who officiated at the burning of the red heifer (Numbers 19:1-7), the man who burned the red heifer (Numbers 19:8), a person cleansed by the water of purification (Numbers 19:17-19), the one who released the scapegoat (Leviticus 16:26), the man who burned the sin offering outside the camp on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:28), the person who ate the meat of an animal that died naturally (Leviticus 17:15), and those rendered unclean by whatever reason (Leviticus 15:8, 13, 16, 18, 22, 27). Some washings were of the hands and feet (Exodus 30:19-20; Deuteronomy 21:6). There were also washing of garments (Numbers 8:7; 19:7-8), of the inward parts of sacrificial animals (Exodus 19:7), of wooden vessels (Leviticus 15:12), and of spoils of war that could not be cleansed by fire (Numbers 31:21-23).
But there is only one baptism authorized by the Lord in the New Testament at the present time (Ephesians 4:4-6). What are the characteristics which identify this one New Testament baptism?
One Authority: Jesus Christ
Who authorized this one baptism? Jesus Christ, who has been given all authority in heaven and on earth, commanded baptism (Mark 16:16), and His chosen apostles, who were sent forth with the authority of Jesus behind them, repeated the command (Acts 2:38).
Since no other baptism has the authority of the Lord Jesus behind it, all baptisms other than the one New Testament baptism are spiritually worthless. Paul encountered twelve men at Ephesus who had received John’s baptism. This baptism had several advantages: at one time it was commanded by God, it was in water, it was by immersion, and it was for the remission of sins. But John’s baptism had noticeable disadvantages: it followed a confession of sins rather than of faith in Jesus and looked for a Christ yet to be offered. Thus the apostle baptized them “in the name of Jesus” (Acts 19:1-5). No denominational baptism is approved by God, for none is by the authority of Jesus Christ.
One Element: Water
What is the element of New Testament baptism? In other words, in what should one be baptized? When the Ethiopian eunuch desired to be baptized, he first asked Philip, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:36) Then they “went down into the water,” where Philip baptized the eunuch. Afterward “they came up out of the water” (Acts 8:38-39). After Cornelius’ household had already received the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:44-48), the apostle Peter asked, “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized…. ?” (verse 47) Since this water baptism was “in the name of the Lord” (verse 48), it was New Testament baptism.
Despite these plain verses showing the one baptism to be water baptism, many religious people think the baptism of the Holy Spirit is for all believers today. Since there is only one New Testament baptism, we cannot have both Holy Spirit baptism and water baptism. If baptism in the Holy Spirit is still being sent from heaven, we must not practice water baptism. There is only one baptism today approved by the Lord.
Is the baptism with the Holy Spirit New Testament baptism? Holy Spirit baptism was a promise to be received (Acts 1:4-5); New Testament baptism is a command to be obeyed (Acts 2:38). Baptism with the Holy Spirit was given directly by the Lord (Matthew 3:11); the one baptism is to be administered by men (Matthew 28:19). Holy Spirit baptism is not the one New Testament baptism. Therefore, baptism with the Holy Spirit is not for us today.
One Action: a Burial
People often talk about the “modes” of baptism. By this they mean different ways to be baptized. The modes of baptism are usually listed as sprinkling, pouring, and immersion. The New Testament teaches that in baptism there is “water” (Acts 10:47). In fact there is “much water” (John 3:23). It teaches that before one is baptized he must go “to” the water and then “into the water” (Acts 8:36, 38). The doctrine of Christ requires that the one being baptized be “buried.” (Romans 6:3-4) The Gospel further states that baptism includes being raised from the water (Colossians 2:12) and coming “up out of the water” (Acts 8:39). Can one honestly say that either sprinkling or pouring meet all these requirements?
One Subject: a Penitent Believer
Several denominations have the practice of sprinkling water on infants and calling it baptism. We have already demonstrated that sprinkling is not baptism. Are infants proper subjects of baptism? Who should be baptized? Jesus revealed that all believers are to be baptized (Mark 16:16). In the book of Acts we find the fulfillment of Jesus’ commission. Peter put both the reception of the word and repentance before baptism (Acts 2:38,41). The evangelist Philip baptized the Samaritans after they had believed (Acts 8:12-13). The Philippian jailor and his entire family believed before they were baptized (Acts 16:29-34). The inspired writer records, “many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized” (Acts 18:8). There is no authority for infant baptism in the New Testament. Thus, the proper subjects of baptism are people who have believed Jesus Christ is the Son of God, have repented of their sins, and have confessed their faith in Christ.
One Purpose: the Remission of Sins
Many denominations say that baptism is unnecessary; one can be saved without it. What does the New Testament teach?
In Mark 16:16 Jesus promised, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” The Lord divided people into two categories, the saved and the lost. Those who do not believe will be lost. Those who believe and are baptized will be saved. Christ made baptism as much a condition of salvation as He did belief. There are only two categories, not three. Jesus knew nothing of unbaptized, saved people. To be saved, one must have enough faith in Jesus Christ to obey Him in baptism. Where did Jesus place baptism, before or after salvation? Some denominations would have baptism without faith saving infants, who are not in need of salvation anyway. Others claim that faith without baptism will save. But the Lord’s plan includes both faith and baptism as conditions of salvation.
The inspired apostle Peter commanded, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). Our Protestant neighbors tell us that Peter meant that baptism is “because of” the remission of sins. If this is so, repentance comes after the remission of sins also. The conjunction “and” joins “Repent” and “be baptized” just like a coupling pin joins two box cars of a train. Just like those box cars, as long as the coupling pin “and” is there, “Repent” and “be baptized” must be going in the same direction. Furthermore, the word “for” in Acts 2:38 is the same word Jesus used in Matthew 26:28, when he revealed, “… this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Did Jesus shed His blood unto the remission of sins? Then people need to be baptized unto the remission of sins.
Acts 22:16 recounts Ananias’ command to Saul of Tarsus, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” According to the inspired record, the order is “Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Denominational preachers exhort people, “Call on the name of the Lord, your sins will be washed away, when we have a baptizing you can be baptized if you desire, then you can arise.” They have the order exactly backward.
According to Romans 6:3-4, Baptism brings the sinner into Christ, where he receives “every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3), including salvation (2 Timothy 2:10). It also brings the sinner into the death of Christ, where he receives the benefits of His blood, justification from sin (Romans 5:9-10). By going through a likeness of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we demonstrate our faith that we are saved by His sacrifice for us. Thus we receive the benefits of His death in our behalf. Baptism stands between the sinner and being in Christ (verse 3), being in the death of Christ (verse 4), the new life in Christ (verse 5), being united with Christ (verse 5), being united with the Lord’s crucifixion (verse 6), and freedom from sin (verse 7).
There is only one baptism today by Jesus’ authority (Ephesians 4:5). That baptism has five characteristics whereby you can tell it apart from all others. It has one authority – Jesus Christ, one element – water, one action – a burial, one subject – a penitent believer, and one purpose – the remission of sins.
