Elementary Series #4: Baptisms
Most of people only know about the water baptism in the church. But God's elementary teachings about the Christ have different baptisms...
ENGLISH - BASICS
YTM
11/2/202510 min read
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit.
(Hebrews 6:1-3)
In the previous post, we talked about faith in God. We focused on the continuous necessity of “faith in God” in our daily life. We could not please God without faith. The first-generation Israelites died in the wilderness and did not enter the promise land because of lack of faith. Christians will not experience the “abundant life” that our Lord Jesus had promised us without faith. In this section, we will talk about the third element in God’s milk nutrient table: the foundation of the doctrine of baptisms (KJV).
The “baptisms” in KJV was translated from the Greek word “baptismos”, because “baptismos” is a plural noun. Depending on the version of Bible you are reading, the translations of verse 2 are quite different. It was translated as “the doctrine of baptisms” in KJV and NKJV; “instruction about washings” in ESV; “instruction about cleansing rites” in NIV; “instruction about baptisms” in NLT; and “instruction about washings” in NASB.
The Greek word “baptismos” is derived from the verb “baptiso” which means “to baptize, to immerse, or to dip”. The other noun, “baptisma” is also derived from the same verb. In Greek, the “-ma” suffix denotes the result, effect, or object of the action. The “-mos” suffix typically represents a process, or the result of an action. In the New Testament, “baptisma” used 22 times which means baptism, while “baptismos” used 4 times which means baptism or washing depending on the context. No wonder different versions of the Bible translate this word differently.
If we put this word into the context of the paragraph, we can see this word should carry more meanings than just “the washing rituals related to the Law of Moses” as mentioned in Hebrew 9:10, because chapter 6 verse 1 clearly says, we need to leave “the principles of the doctrine of Christ”; and not laying again the foundation of “the doctrine of baptisms”. The “principles of the doctrine of Christ” is also translated as the “basic teachings about Christ” in NLT or the “elementary teachings about Christ” in NIV. So, the teaching of baptisms is one of the foundations of the elementary teachings about Christ. Therefore, its meaning should relate to teachings about Christ not law of Moses.
Since “baptisms” used here is plural. It’s very clear that there is more than just one baptism or washing. Before we talk about the how many possible baptisms and washings, we need to know there are four elements in each baptism: baptizer, medium, target, and purpose. The four elements for each baptism can be different. Here are possible baptisms based on the teachings from Jesus and early apostles:
1. Water baptism
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:38-41)
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. (Acts 22:16)
In the water baptism, the baptizer is the disciple; the targets are the repented seekers who want to follow Jesus; the medium is water; and the purposes are: (1) for the forgiveness of sins, (2) receive the gift of the Holy Spirit; and (3) people were added to the local church.
John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. (Mark 1:4) And similar verses are from Luke 3:3 and Acts 13:24.
In John’s water baptism, the baptizer is John the baptizer; the targets are the Israelites who are looking for the kingdom of Messiah; the medium is water; and the purpose is repentance and preparing people’s heart for the first coming of the King Jesus.
However, in the account of baptism of Jesus, the purpose is quite different.
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Mattew 3:13-17)
In this account, we can see the main purpose is the inauguration of the high priest to the Israelites as fore-shadowed in Leviticus 8:5-13. Aron was washed (baptized) with water and anointed (baptized) with oil. Jesus was baptized with water and anointed with Holy Spirit. In the physical realm, John is the baptizer, but in the spiritual realm, God the Father is the baptizer. The mediums here are water and Holy Spirit. The baptism with (or in) the Holy Spirit is to prepare Lord Jesus for His earthly ministry. This led us to the second baptism which is the baptism with (or in) the Holy Spirit. This should be distinguished with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, in which the baptizer is the Holy Spirit.
2. Holy Spirit baptism （Holy Spirit is the medium)
In the Holy Spirit baptism, the baptizer is Lord Jesus, the medium is the Holy Spirit; the targets are the disciples and the purpose is to prepare the disciples to receive power and be the witness of Jesus Christ. This baptism is clearly instructed by Lord Jesus before He was taken up to haven.
And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. … But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:4-8)
And this baptism is the “promise of the Father” and had been fulfilled to these early church disciples at the Pentecost.
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)
There are churches who taught that the Pentecost was a historical event and this will not happen again. In the sense of “the Holy Spirit comes on the day of Pentecost”, as part of Lord Jesus had promised in book of John, chapters 14 to 16, that promised had already been fulfilled and will not have another “the day of Pentecost”. But in terms of Holy Spirit baptism by the Lord Jesus, every disciple should expect this promise to be fulfilled in his/her life. For this topic, we will need a series of studies. As for now, please remember the Holy Spirit baptism is one of the baptisms of the elementary teachings about Christ.
Looking at the water baptism and Holy Spirit Baptism, we can see that these two events may or may not happen at the same time. Jesus early disciples were first baptized in water most likely by John then were baptized by Jesus with Holy Spirit later. This is the similar case for the early disciples at Samaria recorded in Acts chapter 8 and Chapter 19. In Acts Chapter 8, Philip baptized the people at Samaria with water, then Pater went to pray for them so they received the Holy Spirit baptism. In Acts chapter 19, Paul prayed for the disciples who received water baptism of John, so they can be baptized in Holly Spirit. In Acts chapter 10, the Holy Spirit baptism happened before the water baptism in Cornelius’s house. This event helped the early church to know that the salvation is for both Jews and gentiles through faith in Jesus Christ. This will help us to understand the next topic, one baptism.
3. One baptism （Holy Spirit is the baptizer)
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:1-6)
Since we talked about the plural baptisms, we must address Paul’s teaching in the book of Ephesians about “one baptism”. The forming of the church of Ephesus was recorded in Chapter 19 of the Book of Acts. Paul spent about 2 years in that city and both Jews and Greeks were converted. So, the church at Ephesus has mixed Jews and Gentiles. Paul was calling for the church unity with humility, gentle, patience, and bearing with one another in love. Verse 3 says, to keep unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace because they all have one God, one Lord, one faith and one baptism. This baptism is specifically referring to the Holly Spirit baptism, because they were all baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Galatians 3:26-27)
In this one baptism, we can see the Holly Spirit is the baptizer and the medium, the purpose is to baptize the disciples into the body of Christ. Because we are members of the body, then we are part of Christ. In the physical realm, when disciples water baptizes the people into the local church. If the Lord approves this ministry, Lord Jesus will baptize the new believers with Holly Spirit to enable them to be His witness. Meanwhile, the Holly Spirit will baptize these new believers with Himself to put them into Jesus’s body. By theory, the local churches are Christ’s body, but for those churches who will not believe in the Holly Spirit baptism, may be these disciples are still live in the repentance of John’s baptism. I would say, this is the number one problem for these churches whose members have no power to fight the spiritual warfare and struggle to be the witness of Lord Jesus in their daily life.
4. Blood baptism
But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. (Matthew 20:22)
But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized. (Mark 10:38-39)
But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! (Luke 12:50)
The Bible does not explicitly use the exact phrase "baptism of blood", this theological concept is related to the early church writers talks about those who were martyred by Roman authorities before they could officially be submerged in water.
As indicated by the above Bible verses, Jesus Christ our Lord went through a baptism of suffering through the cross onto death. If we think about His shedding of blood for our sins, from his head to his feet, from inside organs to outside skin, our Lord Jesus was covered by His blood. Paster Derek Prince had a teaching about Lord Jesus’s perfect sevenfold shedding and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus as a perfect and complete redemptive work, foreshadowed by the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16. Every time when I meditate on these events, my heart is filled with deep gratitude towards Lord Jesus and on many accusations, my sickness was healed simply by meditating on and applying His sevenfold sprinkling of his blood on my body. Because of His blood, my sins were forgiven, and I can confidently come to God’s mercy seat and receive His mercy.
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) (Hebrews 10:19-22)
5. Keep washing
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour. (Titus 3:4-6)
Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. (Colossians 3:9-10)
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word (rhema), That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25-27)
Many believers think if they had received the water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism, and covered by our Lord Jesus’s blood baptism, then we are now good. But the reality is, we need the baptism/washing all the time in the process of our sanctification. We need Holly Spirit to regenerate us and re new us. (Titus 3:4-6) To be filled by the Holly Spirit all the time. We also need to renew our mind in the knowledge of God, and in God’s words. (Colossians 3:9-10, Ephesians 5:25-27)
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words (rhema) that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63)
After we left the foundation of the doctrine of baptisms, we will need the continuous washing and renewing by the Holly Spirit and God’s Word to bring us into maturity. In the end, without His life, we will not be able to grow.