Water baptism is one of the most controversial doctrines in Christendom.
There are churches that believe water baptism is necessary for salvation.
The Roman Catholics and the Church of Jesus Christ LDS are just a few.
They get their baptismal doctrine from the four Gospels and at the beginning of Acts.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Mark 16:16
This is just one of the Scriptures that is used.
There was a baptism mention before John the Baptist which was concerning Moses and the nation of Israel.
Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
1 Corinthians 10:1-2
The cloud was above them (didn’t say it rained) and they passed through the Red Sea on dry ground.
Baptized can also mean to be identified with which is the case here.
John the Baptist talks about 3 different baptisms in Matthew.
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Matthew 3:11
The three baptisms are water, Pentecost and judgment.
Jesus spoke of a baptism that He would go through and that was after He was water baptized. He wasn’t talking about being water baptized again because He had backslid and He was rededicating His life or that the synagogue He was attending didn’t recognize the first one. Jesus was speaking of His death that was imminent.
But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?
Matt 20:22, Mark 10:38, Luke 12:50
Is it possible to clear up the baptismal controversy with just one baptism for today?
Paul makes that point exactly in Ephesians.
One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Ephesians 4:5
I’m sure you will bring to thought that Paul baptized. He did a few, but his final instruction was to preach the gospel which did not include baptism.
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
1 Corinthians 1:17
So which baptism is Paul speaking about in Ephesians? That would be a “dehydrated” one which is a spiritual baptism.
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
1Corinthians 12:13
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Galatians 3:27
There is no mention of water in any of these two scriptures, the Spirit does the work here.
Here are a couple of scriptures that show the point I made earlier about being identified with.
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:4
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Colossians 2:12
Christendom uses these scriptures to justify dunking, taking the verses out of context to meet their traditions.
We are identified with His death as our old man dies and we are raised to walk in newness of life.
When by faith we believe and trust the “gospel” we are baptized into one body, the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit.
No amount of water can accomplish this.
In this dispensation there is only one baptism and it’s “dehydrated”.
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Ephesians 1:13
To see Souls saved and Saints edified!
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