One Baptism: Water or Spirit? By Bob Hill

After Christ ascended and the Holy Spirit poured out His gifts on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:38, God still demanded water baptism for the remission of sins. “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’”. That was not the body of Christ church that God raised up by the Apostle Paul.

I agree with you that “The kingdom was promised to the Jews; Peter was the apostle to the circumcision who was given the keys to open the door to the kingdom of heaven that he and the other eleven had been offering. Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles and founder of the present assembly of Christ (1 Cor. 9:17; Gal. 2:7-9; Eph. 3:2; Col. 1:25).” But these are two different churches.

After Paul was seized in the temple by the Jewish mob and taken into custody by the Roman commander, he was allowed to speak to the violent mob on the way into the barracks. He used the opportunity to recount his conversion. He spoke of “a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there.” He related how Ananias had told him about his apostolic commission from God.

What method of salvation did Ananias present to Paul? Since Ananias knew only the message of circumcision, he commanded Paul, “Now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).

Ananias told Paul the message of Mk 16:16 and Acts 2:38, the circumcision gospel with its condition of baptism. Therefore, from the beginning of John’s ministry, through the time of Christ’s death and Ascension, to the time that Israel was temporarily set aside in Acts 7, we find that water baptism was essential for salvation.

I believe water baptism is a dispensational key to understand the cessation of one dispensation and the beginning of another one. In regards to baptism, the first dramatic change took place on Pentecost in Acts 2. There, after he submitted to water baptism for the remission of sin, a believer would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

There had been no baptism by the Holy Spirit before this. So, for the first time, there were two baptisms, John the Baptist’s water baptism was continued and Holy Spirit baptism was added by God. As the nation began rejecting Christ, the persecution of the circumcision church which had started on Pentecost increased.

When Stephen was stoned, Christ stood in judgment upon the nation of Israel, and they were temporarily set aside.

After Israel was judged and set aside, the church which is His Body, the church of our present dispensation, started with the conversion of Paul in Acts 9. A comparison of Acts 22:13 and 26:18 indicates that Paul was saved when he received his sight, just as the Gentiles to whom he was sent would be saved upon receiving spiritual sight. Paul received his sight before he was baptized at Ananias’ command.

When God had separated Israel from the nations as His chosen people, He imposed upon them a designation between clean and unclean animals (Lev 20:23-26). God started the church which is the body of Christ by saving Paul.

Then, in a vision to Peter He made the first dramatic change. God annulled the distinction between clean and unclean animals in order to show that He had demoted Israel from their chosen people status (Acts 10:9-16). However, God did not reveal to Peter the unity and equality of Jew and Gentile in the new man, the new church, the Body of Christ. In fact, He didn’t show him any of the aspects of the great secret He would reveal to Paul.

Most important of all, He did not show Peter the new method of salvation by faith alone apart from works. Peter simply adapted the gospel of the circumcision to his Gentile audience when he went to do what God had commanded him: “But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (Acts 10:35). He was preaching the same gospel of faith plus works and endurance for salvation which Christ taught (Acts 10:34-42; John 15:1-8). It conformed to the circumcision covenant gospel.

The second change was even more startling. The Holy Spirit showed that water baptism was no longer necessary for salvation after the body of Christ started with Paul’s conversion in Acts 9. This was done dramatically when the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word while Peter was still preaching, before Peter commanded them to be water baptized (Acts 10:44,45).

The Holy Spirit’s gift, here, became the sign that would convince the circumcision believers that God had opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles.

The ending of the kingdom church dispensation and beginning of the new church, the body of Christ, was Paul’s conversion in Acts 9. There, we see that Paul was sent to the Gentiles, kings and Israel.

Also, the order of the baptisms was reversed. Now, Peter was perplexed and in Acts 10, commanded water baptism after the Holy Spirit had already baptized them. From this event, we see the Holy Spirit baptism was the baptism necessary for salvation. Water baptism became secondary for the first time. We’re not even sure that God wanted these new Christians to be baptized. Peter did a number of things here only because the Lord had previously commanded him to do them.

Why did these changes take place? When Paul was converted, God committed to him a new stewardship, The Dispensation of the Mystery, and a new gospel, the uncircumcision gospel. In contrast to the gospel Peter and the other circumcision apostles preached, what must they now do to be saved? Acts 16:31 tells us: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved”.

During this time, there were some confusing events that happened. Paul circumcised Timothy shortly before he wrote the epistle to the Galatians. Yet, he severely criticized those who were being influenced by the Judaizers who wanted them to be circumcised for salvation.

Later, he even became ceremonially purified and paid for the sacrifices for four men who had a Jewish vow as well as himself. Yet, Paul had already written the books of Galatians, Thessalonians, Corinthians, and Romans. He knew he was not under the law.

There were other things Paul did, recorded in Acts, which passed away. These things had to do with Israel. But Paul did not address each thing explicitly and say it passed away. Some of these things were: raising the dead, exorcism, healing the sick, being bit by a viper without being harmed. They would cease just as baptism would cease. These signs were related to Israel. God was in the process of showing Israel they had been set aside. God would issue a final declaration showing Israel they had been set aside in Acts 28:28.

Soon, Paul learned that water baptism was not part of his commission, and he no longer baptized. That’s why he wrote in 1 Co 1:17, “I was not sent to baptize, but to preach the gospel.” In contrast, we must remember that baptism was an integral part of the circumcision apostles’ commission (Mat 28:18-20; Mk 16:15-18).

After Paul’s ministry began, he was inspired to write to the Corinthians, “By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (1 Co 12:13). So, even in the dispensation of grace, after the church which is His body began, there were two baptisms for a while.

Then, we see that as physical circumcision gave way to spiritual circumcision, “made without hands,” in spite of Acts 16:1-3, water baptism gave way to spiritual baptism, “through the faith of the operation of God” (Col 2:11,12), in spite of Acts 16:15,31-34, and 1 Co 1:14-16.

Why did water baptism give way to spiritual baptism? It was because God set Israel aside in Acts 7 (Rom 11:11,25; Acts 28:28) when Christ stood in judgment (Isa 3:13) at the stoning of Stephen. Part of Paul’s ministry had been to show Israel that they had been set aside. God used Paul to pronounce to the Jews in Rome that Israel had been set aside. This occurred in Acts 28:28.

After this, the baptisms imposed on Israel, being fleshly ordinances (Heb 9:10-13), were set aside until God would resume dealing with Israel in the tribulation. For instance, baptism will be necessary for salvation when Peter’s epistles are again directly applicable in the tribulation period. 1 Pe 3:20,21 shows this.

Verse 20 shows us that the ark and the flood of water were a type. Peter then wrote, “There is also an antitype which now saves us, namely baptism.” Yes, his message was, “Baptism ‘now saves us.’” Then he explained away the possible confusion that the water baptism would be for the removal of the outward filth of the body as in Mk 7:3-5, where the word in Mk 7:4 is baptize. “They do not eat unless they wash [baptize].” This outward ritual of 1 Pe 3 in obedience to God, was essential to perform the inner cleansing of sin in accordance with the principles of the circumcision covenant (Num 19).

From the time of Israel’s fall in Acts 7, the book of Acts relates how Israel was progressively shown that they had been set aside by God. This is why the Corinthian church spoke in tongues so much. The church “bordered on,” was “contiguous to,” the Jewish synagogue. The Gentiles’ speaking in tongues was God’s judgment upon unbelieving Jews next door (Read 1 Co 14:22 in light of Isa 28).

Although Paul baptized some in his early ministry, we must remember that Ananias had commanded him to be baptized to wash away his sins. But God gave him further revelations. One was 1 Co 1:17 “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.” Sure, the context shows there was a division because of baptism, but would Paul really let that affect him if baptism was still necessary and he practiced it?

Read 2 Th 3:6 again, “But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.” Paul would tell believers to withdraw from a person rather than deny a true teaching that was still in effect.

Baptism was not part of Paul’s message, and we have no scripture which says he recommended it, encouraged it, taught it, or commanded it. Not one.

Finally, at the end of the book of Acts, Israel was shown for the final time that they had been set aside. This happened when Paul spoke in judgment quoting Isa 6:9,10. After this judgment was pronounced, Paul was inspired to write that ultimate church epistle, Ephesians. In it he wrote, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:4,5).

If there is only one baptism, which one is it? Is it water or Holy Spirit? It is Holy Spirit, because God has suspended the use of water baptism. It has been done away with because God is through with Israel for the time being. Now there is only one program. It has to do with spiritual things, not carnal.

So, for The Dispensation of Grace, there is one baptism. We, who have trusted in Christ, are baptized into the body of Christ, the church. The Holy Spirit baptizes us into Christ’s body, the church. That baptism identifies us with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Rom 6:3-8). This identification justifies and frees us from all sin (Rom 6:7,18). Water baptism has been set aside because God has set aside Israel and started the body of Christ.

Under the church dispensation, The Dispensation of Grace, there are many new things. There are no law-works necessary for salvation. In fact that’s exactly what Tit 3:5,6 says. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” We are the only ones who have eternal security. This is emphasized by Eph 1:4-14. We live the Christian life by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. These are wonderful, awesome blessings. Let’s revel in them. And, it all started for us in Acts 9 with Paul’s conversion.

In Christ,
Bob Hill