There are those who would say that because Paul said that Christ sent him not to baptize, that therefore baptism is not a valid form of instituting salvation in a man's life.
1Co 1:13, Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
1Co 1:14, I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
1Co 1:15, Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
1Co 1:16, And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
1Co 1:17, 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.
This is in Paul's 1st epistle to the Corinthians; so if Paul were saying that baptism isn't a valid form of instituting salvation, you would expect that only Crispus and Gaius and Stephanas would have been baptized among the Corinthians.
However, it is written,
Act 18:8, And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
We can conclude that Paul himself did not do the baptizing; but that he delegated this authority to his disciples; even as Jesus did:
Jhn 4:1, When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
Jhn 4:2, (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
Jhn 4:3, He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.
That Jesus did not personally baptize does not downplay the fact that baptism has the power to save; rather Jesus did not personally baptize for the same reason that Paul didn't: for fear that people would take pride in it and think themselves to be of the elite crowd over having been baptized by Jesus Himself.
I would also say clearly that baptism is not a work of man but is rather a method of receiving the work that the Lord wants to do in your life.
It should be clear that in Acts of the Apostles 22:16 the act of baptism brings about the washing away of sins; and in Acts of the Apostles 2:38-39 the Holy Ghost is conditionally promised to as many as the Lord our God shall call...the condition being repentance and baptism in Jesus' Name for the remission (forgiveness) of sins. If anyone is not called, he is not justified and will not be glorified (Romans 8:30) unless he responds to the call by receiving baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.
1Co 1:13, Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
1Co 1:14, I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
1Co 1:15, Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
1Co 1:16, And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
1Co 1:17, 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.
This is in Paul's 1st epistle to the Corinthians; so if Paul were saying that baptism isn't a valid form of instituting salvation, you would expect that only Crispus and Gaius and Stephanas would have been baptized among the Corinthians.
However, it is written,
Act 18:8, And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
We can conclude that Paul himself did not do the baptizing; but that he delegated this authority to his disciples; even as Jesus did:
Jhn 4:1, When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
Jhn 4:2, (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
Jhn 4:3, He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.
That Jesus did not personally baptize does not downplay the fact that baptism has the power to save; rather Jesus did not personally baptize for the same reason that Paul didn't: for fear that people would take pride in it and think themselves to be of the elite crowd over having been baptized by Jesus Himself.
I would also say clearly that baptism is not a work of man but is rather a method of receiving the work that the Lord wants to do in your life.
It should be clear that in Acts of the Apostles 22:16 the act of baptism brings about the washing away of sins; and in Acts of the Apostles 2:38-39 the Holy Ghost is conditionally promised to as many as the Lord our God shall call...the condition being repentance and baptism in Jesus' Name for the remission (forgiveness) of sins. If anyone is not called, he is not justified and will not be glorified (Romans 8:30) unless he responds to the call by receiving baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.
