By Jack Eberle
Paul was acquainted with the subject of baptism since he had been a teacher of the Jews for much of his life. He writes, under direction of holy spirit, the epochal event of Israel’s baptism unto Moses (I Cor. 10:1-2) Exodus 14:22 says, “And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground…” Psalm 66:6 states: “He turned the sea into dry land; they went through the flood on foot…” Hebrews 11:29 tells us, “By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land…” Psalms 66:6 further states: “There did we rejoice in Him.” How great He is! Our great God produced another miracle for the passage of the ark. “And all the Israelites passed over [the Jordan River] on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.” (Joshua 3:17). Paul spoke, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the good news…” (I Cor. 1:17). Upon reading Matt. 28:19-20, one must conclude that the commissions given to Paul and the 12 were different. Romans 6:4 states: the baptism of this administration of God. “Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” This speaks of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. None of these speak of the present baptism. God’s Word speaks to His body from Eph. 4 of the unities of the body which are in effect for the “body believer”. In Eph. 4 we find seven unities for the body believer. There are two words which stand out in this passage. The key word “One” must be termed paramount to the understanding of the passage. The second key word is “Is”. This word brings to the forefront God’s desire to make His plan of the ages known to the Church Who is His body. These people are His called out ones TODAY. The Bible student ignores this small word to his own peril. It is God’s Word on the subject and to the time. Whatever else there ever was on this topic and whatever else may be in a future administration of God’s for the future must be subjected to the truth for today. Call it the “Is” effect. God states there is “One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one body and one Spirit, one hope of your calling, one God, and Father of all…” Notice the place of the one baptism. There is One baptism. We have capitalized the key words in the statement as the key words in the passage. There IS one baptism and that baptism IS SPIRIT. Ritual must not stand between Christ, the Head, and the member of the body. Christ must be The Head of the life of the body member. Colossians 1:18 makes this clear. “And He is the Head of the body… that in all things He might have the preeminence.”
