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Particulars
of Christianity:
309
Baptisms
No Record of Paul's Water Baptism
Preface for Baptisms Article Series
Baptisms: Introduction and Historical
Background
Original Proclamations about Baptism
Two Baptisms Occurring Separately
Baptizo: Two Baptisms, One Greek
Word
Synonymous Phrases: Baptism in the
Holy Spirit
Water Baptism in Jesus' Name
No Record of Paul's Water Baptism
Is Baptism Essential to Salvation?
Acts 1: Parallel Account of the Great
Commission
Necessity of Water Baptism: 3 Common
Arguments
Survey 1: Baptisms in Acts
The Baptism of Crispus (and Assuming
Evidence)
Survey 2: Baptism from Romans to
Revelation
Baptism and Hebrews 10:22
Conclusions: When and How Are We
Reborn?
Survey 3: Baptism and the Ante-Nicene
Authors
Closing: Water Baptism for the Right Reasons
We will now take a moment to establish that, in fact, there
is no record of Paul ever being water baptized. There are
only two passages in the entire New Testament that mention
Paul being baptized. But which baptism did he receive?
Acts 9:17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered
it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the
Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you
were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again
and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 Immediately,
something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could
see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 after taking
some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days
with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach
in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
We must keep in mind that the same Greek word is used for both baptism with water and baptism in the Holy Spirit throughout the New Testament including by such individuals as John the Baptist, Jesus, Peter, and Paul. So, we cannot simply assume that the word "baptism" in verse 18 refers to water baptism. And we have also established that the phrase "filled with the Holy Spirit" would have been synonymous with "baptism in the Holy Spirit." Therefore, from this chapter itself, we find strong evidence that the baptism Paul received was baptism in the Holy Spirit, not water baptism.
Notice that in verse 17, Ananias states there are two things
he has been sent to do. First, he has been for Paul to receive
his sight. Second, Ananias says he has been sent so Paul would
be filled with the Holy Spirit, which unequivocally is a reference
to baptism in the Holy Spirit. Then, immediately following
that statement, verse 18 records that scales fall from Paul's
eyes and he gets up and is baptized. The logical assumption
is that 18 is recording the occurrence of both items Ananias
was sent to accomplish. And there is no reason from the context
to assume otherwise. So, judging from just this passage in
chapter 9, we would assume Paul's baptism was not with water,
but with the Holy Spirit.
Later in Acts 22, Paul himself recounts these events to a
crowd.
Acts 22:11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus,
because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.12 "A man
named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer
of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.
13 He stood beside me and said, 'Brother Saul, receive
your sight!' And at that very moment I was able to see him.
14 "Then he said: 'The God of our fathers has chosen you to
know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words
from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness to all men of what
you have seen and heard. 16 And now what are you waiting
for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling
on his name.'
The only change in this account of Paul's baptism from the
account in chapter 9 is the inclusion of the phrase "wash
your sins away." The presumption is that by mentioning the
idea of "washing," Ananias must have been referring to a baptism
utilizing water.
However, with only one simple step, we can clearly disprove
this presumption. Does "washing" indicate water baptism over
baptism in the Holy Spirit? The answer is no.
When we look up the Greek word for "wash" here, we find it occurs
only one other place in the entire New Testament. The word
for wash is "apolouo" and it is defined as follows.
628 apolouo {ap-ol-oo'-o}
from 575 and 3068; TDNT - 4:295,538; v
AV - wash away 1, wash 1; 2
1) to wash off or away
Here is the only other occurrence of this word in the New
Testament. Notice how it completely reverses the presumption
concerning which baptism would be indicated by the phrase
"wash your sins away."
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye
are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified
in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our
God.
I Corinthians clearly states that we are washed by the Spirit.
And in the phrase "by the Spirit," the Greek word for "by"
is "en." It is defined as follows.
1722 en {en}
a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place,
time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially
or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate
between 1519 and 1537); TDNT - 2:537,233; prep
AV - in 1902, by 163, with 140, among 117, at 113, on 62,
through 39, misc 264; 2800
1) in, by, with etc.
Compare the use of "en" in the following passages where it
is also used with "the Spirit." Notice that all six of these
occurrences are in the very verse where both John the Baptist
and Jesus distinguish between the two baptisms.
Matthew 3:11 he shall baptize you with [1722] the
Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Mark 1:8 he shall baptize you with [1722] the Holy
Ghost.
Luke 3:16 he shall baptize you with [1722] the Holy
Ghost and with fire:
John 1:33 he which baptizeth with [1722] the Holy
Ghost.
Acts 1:5 but ye shall be baptized with [1722] the
Holy Ghost not many days hence.
1 Corinthians 12:13 For by [1722] one Spirit are
we all baptized [907] into one body...
All six of these passages exactly parallel I Corinthians 6:11
in the Greek. So, in reality, I Corinthians 6:11 directly
states that we are "washed...with the Spirit of our God."
It is unequivocally a reference to the baptism of the Holy
Spirit. And this is the only other occurrence of this Greek
word for "wash" in the entire New Testament. So, we can only
conclude based on the two items Ananias was sent to accomplish
and the use of this Greek word "wash" that the baptism Paul
received in Acts 9 was baptism in the Holy Spirit, not baptism
with water.
The point of this short exercise is only to prove that we have no evidence that the apostles, the rest of the 120, Apollos, or Paul were ever baptized with water in the name of Jesus. These facts present a compelling case that baptism in water in Jesus' name was not considered necessary for salvation.
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