baptism – Ministry of Grace Church

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Ephesians 4:5 – More Oneness

Posted on October 23, 2015 by Will

one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

Truth to Learn

There are several aspects of oneness in the church.

Behind the Words

“Lord” is translated from the Greek noun kurios. This word is derived from kuros, meaning “authority” or “supremacy.” The basic meaning of kurios is “owner, master, or lord.” It refers to the person who has absolute ownership rights or full and final authority over another. It is also used as a sign of respect very much like our English “sir” or “mister.”

The word “faith” is translated from pistis. It is derived from the verb peithō, meaning “to win over, to persuade, or to convince.” Pistis refers to a firmly held conviction. Subjectively it refers to belief or faith in something. Objectively it refers to that which is believed.

“Baptism” is not a translation but a transliteration (a word of one language spelled with the letters of another language) from the Greek word baptisma. This Greek word is based on the verb baptō, meaning “to dip, to dunk, or to place into.” The ma ending indicates the result of the action.

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul has been challenging us to work hard at promoting unity within the church. He is now giving us a number of examples of the existence of the unity which characterize the church. Previously, he said there is only one body of Christ, there is only one Holy Spirit empowering the church, and there is a single hope (eternal bliss in God’s presence) that all Christians expect at the end of this life.

Now he gives us three more unifying characteristics of the church. The first of these is that we all have the same Lord. All members of the church have the same owner and supreme authority governing their lives. And there is only one God. When asked by one of the scribes what the first commandment is, Jesus responded:

… "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one. (Mark 12:29)

Since we all have the same master, and He is not divided, but one, we are all members of the same household.

The second thing we are told here is that there is only one faith. Not only did we all have to exercise the same faith in order to be saved, we all have the same object of our faith, the sacrificial death of Jesus as payment for our sins.

The third thing mentioned in today’s verse is one baptism. The baptism referred to here could be the water baptism that we submitted ourselves to as a testimony of our saving faith in Jesus Christ. However, it is more likely that Paul is referring to the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is not referring to the supernatural enabling with special gifts, for that is not the meaning of the word “baptism.” Paul explains this Holy Spirit baptism to the Corinthians this way:

For also we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body… (1 Corinthians 12:13a)

At the moment we believed, each one of us was “placed into” (baptized into) the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. That’s Spirit baptism.

Application

Since all Christians have the same owner, have the same saving faith, and were all placed into the same body by the same Holy Spirit, we should all strive for unity of purpose and peace.

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 4:5 – More Oneness

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Will

one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

Truth to Learn

There are several aspects of oneness in the church.

Behind the Words

Meaning Explained

… "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. (Mark 12:29)

Since we all have the same master, and He is not divided, but one, we are all members of the same household.

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body… (1Corinthians 12:13a)

At the moment we believed, each one of us was “placed into” the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. That’s Spirit baptism.

Application

Since all Christians have the same owner, have the same saving faith, and were all placed into the same body by the Holy Spirit, we should all strive for unity of purpose and peace.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 6:4 – Raised to New Life

Posted on March 3, 2010 by Will

Romans 6:4

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Truth to Learn

Because of Christ’s resurrection we should live differently.

Behind the Words

The words “we were buried with” are from the Greek word sunthaptō, which is made up of sun, meaning “together” and thaptō, meaning “to bury.” In the New Testament this word only appears here and in Colossians 2:12. In both instances it refers to us being buried together with Christ in, or through, baptism.

“Raised” is from egeirō, which literally means “to arouse” or “to cause to rise.” It means to awaken someone from sleep, whether it be restful slumber or death itself.

The word translated “newness” is kainotēs, which is derived from kainos, meaning “new.” Kainotēs refers to a renewal, not simply an experience similar to the past, but a qualitatively different one. Hence, here it refers to a newness of life that has a different quality from the previous life that we had without Christ.

Meaning Explained

For Christians, baptism is a public declaration that a person has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It is not part of the salvation process; it happens after salvation. This current verse and those that follow describe a mode of baptism referred to as “immersion.” Though this is the mode of baptism that most closely identifies us with the death and resurrection of Christ, it is not the only form of baptism used by Christians today. For the sake of discussion in these verses, however, we will assume that Paul is talking about baptism by immersion.

Baptism involves the baptizer laying the person being baptized backwards into the water until he or she is completely submerged. Paul says that this person was, “buried with him (Christ) through baptism into death.” The person being baptized is then raised back up and allowed to stand. Paul says, “that just as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

What Paul means is that as we were laid back in the water we were identifying ourselves with Christ’s death. We were demonstrating that we died with Christ. When we were raised back up, we were identifying with the resurrection of Christ, entering into a new kind of life, that is, eternal life. And Paul says, since we were raised from the dead, we should now walk in this new kind of life. This new life is to be qualitatively different from our former life. It is not to be characterized by sin because, as he said in verse two, we died to sin.

Application

Let me ask you, my Christian friend, “Does the kind of life you are living now differ significantly from the kind of life you lived before you were saved?” It should!

Are you walking in this new kind of life in a manner that is worthy of Jesus Christ, the One you have identified with?

If you were arrested today for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? I certainly hope so!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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1 Peter 3:21 – Obedience From Faith

Posted on February 3, 2009 by admin

1 Peter 3:21

There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Truth to Learn

Baptism does not save us. It is simply a picture of salvation.

Behind the Words

The word “antitype” is translated from the Greek word antitupon, which is a compound word made up of anti, meaning “against, opposing, or resisting” and tupos, meaning “hard or solid.” This word originally meant, “resisting a blow or impression.” In the New Testament, however, it is used in a different sense. Here it means “a similar type” or “a model.”

The word translated “saves” is sōdzō, which, indeed, means “to save.” It is expressed here in the present tense, active voice, and indicative mood, which indicates current continuous action. In other words, “it is now continually saving us.”

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse is another very difficult one and one that has been misinterpreted by some who try to espouse the idea that one must be baptized to be saved. Similar to other supposed proof texts for false doctrines, this verse actually argues against baptism being a means of salvation.

Peter has just made a reference to the spirit of Christ who was proclaiming to the unbelievers during the time that Noah was building the ark. Today’s verse starts off with,

There is also an antitype which now saves us …

There is significant disagreement by scholars about whether the former “antitype” was the ark or the water. In either case it was simply a model of salvation to which baptism is compared. Noah did not receive spiritual salvation through the ark or the water, he received it the same way Abraham did and the same way we do today, through faith; he believed God. The building of the ark simply demonstrated his faith, just as baptism is our act of obedience after salvation that demonstrates our faith.

You see, Peter could not have been saying that we are saved by baptism. Otherwise, he would have been saying that our salvation is based on works, not faith, which is quite contrary to Peter’s and the other apostles’ teaching regarding salvation through faith alone.

Peter goes on to address just such a misunderstanding in the following phrase, as if he knew that what he was saying was likely to be misinterpreted. He says that baptism has nothing to do with the putting away of the filth of the flesh (it matters not whether you interpret this as physical dirt or the filth of sin on our souls), but that of a clean conscience toward God. And where does a clean conscience come from? It comes from obedience.

Peter is saying that baptism is like the building of the ark; it is an act of obedience that demonstrates something which already occurred (faith unto salvation). The act of obedience is not the saving thing itself, just the evidence.

Application

Perhaps you have been taught that you have to be baptized to be saved. That would be a situation where you have to obey to be saved. In reality, however, you have to be saved to obey.

In God’s service, for His glory,

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