In 1 Corinthians 1:14-17, the Bible says, "I thank God that I baptized
none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had
baptized in my own name. Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas.
Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 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."
Contrary to the
denominational error that uses this text as a proof text to deny the
essentiality of baptism, Paul was not de-emphasizing the importance of
baptism by his inspired words.
A close and proper reading of
1 Corinthians 1-3 clearly reveals the Corinthian problem to be one of
following men and not Christ. The, “I am of Paul, I am of Apollos, I am
of Cephas,” mentality of the church at Corinth stemmed both from their
background as pagans and from their immaturity as saints. Paul rightly
understood that these factors would have likely led some to value their
own baptism above that of another had Paul been the one doing the
baptizing. Also, it would have no doubt been claimed that Paul was
baptizing in his own name, given his prominence as an apostle, had he
been the exclusive baptizer of these at Corinth.
Paul submitted to baptism
(Acts 22:16-17). Paul preached and taught and commanded baptism (Acts
16; 19; Romans 6:1-4; Galatians 3:26-27; Colossians 2:11-14). For Paul
to have allowed others to baptize those whom he taught does not
de-emphasize the importance of baptism, only the one doing the
baptizing.
There is no command,
inference, or example in Scripture that demands that the preacher or one
of the elders always be THE one(s) doing the baptizing. It has been
pointed out countless times by faithful handlers of the Word that with
the 3,000 obeying the gospel on Pentecost as they did, it is certain
impossibility that one person did all the baptizing (Acts 2).
In Matthew 3:13-17, we read, "Then
Jesus came from
Galilee to John at the
Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I
need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’ But Jesus
answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is
fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him. When
He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and
behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came
from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased.’"
Notice three items from the
preceding passage: 1) John was not glorified by God because he baptized
Jesus; 2) John recognized that he needed Jesus’ baptism; 3) Jesus
baptism was essential in order for Him to, “fulfill all righteousness.”
Instead of our looking for
ways to eliminate baptism, it is absolutely the better course to simply
do what God said to do, for the reasons He said to do it, in the way He
said to do it.
There are some things God intends that we do that take precedent over
others. Paul, as an apostle was sent to preach (Acts 9:15-16). The fact
that others who worked with him such a Silas, Timothy, Luke, Titus,
Epaphras, etc., would do the baptizing does not make baptism an optional
item, or one of lesser importance.
David Decker