The Baptism of Ephesians Four

[Cobus]

Well it is obvious... Why did Jesus NEVER baptize with water? And if Jesus does baptize with what does He baptize?

If there is a baptism menu in the bible.... One is performed by men on you and it involves water, and the other is when Jesus performs a baptism with the Holy Spirit, which one will you order?

John presented the MENU and he was the BAKER of the water baptism but He that came AFTER JOhn was the baker of the baptism of fire and spirit. I will go with the Spirit. That is why I propably will never be baptized in water.

Like Nicodemus I hope to have the Spirit FALL on me while Jesus POURS HIMSELF OVER ME..... I get it in Eph 4... There is ONE FATHER above, in and through us all.... Is that not TOTAL SUBMERSION IN THE HOLY GOD?


That is the ONE Baptism... GOD ABOVE, IN AND THROUGH US ALL.... It is like we are in a HOLY Bubble and the bubble even in and through us....

 

[CWJ]

Oldhermit - USA
Vernon
Grandpa
Rockman7
Dustoffmyfeet
Crossnote
Joeyruready
Parablepete
Presidente
Redtent
Wildflower
Faroukfarouk - Canada
Ji - Hungary
Cobus - South Africa

Hi there,

I am so excited to have so many countries represented so far in the thread,
(yes, I know what you are thinking - 'Little things please little minds!' Ha!).
The majority are from the USA, but also Canada, South Africa and Hungary!

Whatever differences we may have regarding the things that are of God, we have one mighty common ground and that is Christ and Him glorified, and for that I will rejoice. Thank you for responding.

Within the love of Christ our Saviour.
Chris

 

[joeyruready]

wow,..
Provided you do realize that there are several Gifts of the Holy Spirit including Speaking in Tongues.
i think i met a real powerful Christian now....powerful in the sense(hid in Christ)
your comment was a blessing.

I am pleased that you were blessed by my comments however I am not a powerful Christian. Our God is powerful. I am pitiful wretched poor blind and naked. As it is written, "a good saying is this, Jesus came to save sinners of whom I am the worst."

I understand what I am. I desire good but I have no power to do anything good. I rely completely upon God. I trust God for all things. Whatever good you have received from my words is from God. All glory and honor and power and praise belong to our God from whom all good things come.

God blesses me abundantly. It is my hearts desire to continually give away what God has freely given me.

 

[SeaBass]

'I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord,
beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep
the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is:-
one body, and
one Spirit, even as ye are called in
one hope of your calling;
one Lord,
one faith,
one baptism,
One God and Father of all, Who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
(Eph. 4:1-6)

This is the sevenfold unity of the Spirit, which we who are members of the Church which is His Body are to'Keep' - 'in the bond of peace'. That peace being the one secured for us, not only between ourselves and God, but specifically between Jew and Gentile believers making them ONE new man (Eph. 2:15).

This unity is not created by man, but by the Holy Spirit, and it is therefore inviolate. How important therefore that we should obey this exhortation to 'Keep it'.

Can you tell me please, what you perceive to be the One Baptism of Ephesians four?

John the Baptist baptized 'with water unto repentance' for 'the remission of sins.'(Matt.3:11; Mark 1:4), but spoke of One Who would baptize 'with the Holy Ghost.' (Mark 1:8)

During the Acts period water baptism 'in the name of Jesus Christ' and the baptism of the Holy Spirit went together (Acts 2:38; 10:47). Romans 6:3,4, tells us that baptism united the believer 'by burial' with the death of Christ. In Galatians 3:27-29 tells us that by baptism we 'put on Christ', which makes us all one in Christ, members one of another; and in 1 Cor.12:13 ' ...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. For the body is not one member, but many. '

The more I read through the references to baptism the more I realize the depth to be plumbed.

* Is the baptism spoken of in Ephesians 4, water baptism, or baptism with the Holy Ghost?

We tread on Holy ground here, so please let all responses be honouring to God our Saviour.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Proper exegesis requires a word be taken by its literal meaning unless something in the context shows it is being used figuratively.

“baptism in the New Testament is always baptism in water unless the context shows it to be something else; that is to say, the word is always to be understood literally unless the context indicates a figurative meaning” F.F. Bruce (Questions Answered p. 106)

There is nothing in the context of Eph 4:5 that 'baptizo' is being used figuratively as in some spirit baptism but is a literal immersion...a literal immersion in water.


Eph 4:5 speaks of one Lord, one faith and one baptism. In the great commission of Mk 16:16 we have the one Lord speaking of one faith and one baptism that saves. So this one baptism is the baptism of Christ's great commission, Mk 16;15,16; Matt 28:19,20. Christ commissioned His disciples to go, teach and baptize and this human adminstered water baptism would last till the end of the world, Mt 28:20. So this water baptism of the great commission made one a disciple, saved, commanded, was to be taught (v20), administered by humans and last till the end of the world. This eliminates baptism with the Holy Spirit for nowhere was this baptism ever commissioned, it was never commanded, it did not make one a disciple, it did not save, nor was it to last till the end of the world.


Acts 8, the eunuch was water baptized, not baptized with the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit miraculously "illuminates" one's understanding and the Holy Spirit baptizes, then there was no need for the Spirit (v29) to send Phillip to give understanding through preaching and water baptize the eunuch.


​

 

[SeaBass]

Other evidences from the Ephesian epistle that the Ephesians had been water baptized:

1) in Eph 1:1-9 Paul, multiple times, said the Ephesians were spiritually located "in Christ" or "in Him". Water baptism is the only way one can ever be in Christ, Gal 3:27

2) in Eph 2:8 Paul tells us the Epheians were saved "through faith". In 1 Pet 3:21 Peter tells us baptism saves. So we have:

Eph 2:8-------faith>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>saves
1Pet3:21-----baptism>>>>>>>>>>>>>saves

Since there is just one way to be saved, and the bible does not contradict itself, then a saving faith, as the Ephesians had, MUST have included the water baptism of 1 Pet 3:21.

3) in Acts 19, Paul meets some Ephesians who only had been baptized with John's baptism. Paul then baptizes them "in the name of the Lord Jesus" This baptism "in the name of the Lord Jesus" is Christ's baptism of the great commission, human adminstered wter baptism, the baptism of Acts 2:38 and Acts 10:47,48...water baptism in the name of the Lord.

4) In Eph 2:6 Paul said the Ephesians "hath raised us up together". This is a reference to water baptism. In Rom 6:4 Paul uses the same language speaking about baptism..."Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from..." Baptism is a water burial that one is raised up from. Paul uses the same language in Col 2:12 "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him..." A litearl burial in water from which one is literally raised up from.

5) in Eph 5:26 Paul speaks of the Ephesians having been born again:

"That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word"


In Jn 3:5 Jesus spoke of the new birth that consisted of Spirit and water that puts one into the kingdom. Comparing Jn 3:5 with Eph 5:26 we get:


Jn 3:5--------------------Spirit++++++++++++++water>>>>>>>>>>>>>>in the kingdom
Eph 5:26---------------the Word+++++++++++washing of water>>>>>>>>cleansed

"In the kingdom" and "cleansed" are equivalent terms, both refer to being saved. Since there is just one way to be saved and the bible does not contraidict itself then both verses MUST express the same idea. So a washing of water (water baptism) played a role in the new birth of those Ephesians.