Discussion with a beloved forum member raised the question of baptism. (???)
And to the question in my own mind: What is the ONE baptism?
I know of at least two baptisms: Water Baptism and the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Is the one baptism one of these, or something else entirely? Let's discuss.
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope
when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all. - Ephesians 4:4-6 NIV
I'm struck be the singularity of this description. (in all its elements)
There is one body
and one Spirit,
just as you were called to one hope
when you were called;
5 one Lord,
one faith,
one baptism;
6 one God and Father of all,
who is over all
and through all
and in all. - Ephesians 4:4-6
This is a beautiful thing.
We tend to talk about what divides us.
This outlines what unites us.
[
Is this '
a baptism' that even pertains to us...or is it
a baptism that pertains to Jesus?
EPH 4:3-6 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Scripturally speaking, there is more than ‘
one baptism’ that pertains to the ‘foundational doctrines' for ‘us as born again believers’ If we are to attain perfection.
HEB 6:1-2 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal/aionios judgment.
According to Heb 6 there are multiple “
baptisms” pertaining to our faith (and our “
going on to perfection”). So what “
one baptism” might scripture be speaking of, as we read Eph. 4:5?
LUK 12:50 But I/Jesus have... a baptism… to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
The baptism spoken of here is the “baptism into death” which Jesus still had laying ahead of Him, to be accomplished on the cross.
ROM 6:3-5 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
This verse above speaks of the “
one baptism” in Luke 12:50
which Jesus still had not received. And scripture says we identify with Jesus in this baptism of death when we participate in ‘
one’ of those ‘
foundational baptisms’
in Hebrews 6. Baptisms, which scripture says, we should experience in laying down the very
foundation of our faith’ before we can even go on to “
perfection/maturity”. Ephesians is the only baptism necessary for us to ALL believe in concerning the “
one hope” of “
your call” in Christ. It is the only baptism (“
one baptism”) we must cling to, which will determine whether we maintain “
the unity of the Spirit” or not. In the context, ‘
the unity of the Spirit’ is what Eph 4 is talking about. It is not referencing the ‘
unity of the Church’ based upon 'a conformity of theology'. That's an application of understanding' that even Paul refutes.
1CO 1:12-17: …13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you,…
The one baptism of Eph 4:5 that you must believe is the baptism of Jesus' death, not yours. That is what gives us His the born again spirit of christ in us....making us his spiritual body on earth.
