08/05/2026
Water baptism began as Jewish purification ritual. John’s baptism, Jesus’ baptism, and Peter’s message (Acts 2:38) were all to Israel, calling them to repent, prepare for Messiah, and enter their kingdom program—not for the church, the Body of Christ.
Once God revealed the mystery of the Body of Christ through Paul (Romans 16:25–26; Ephesians 3:1–9), all Jewish-related rituals, signs, and ordinances were set aside, because this new group is neither Jew nor Gentile—one new man in Christ.
If baptism was required or applicable today, Paul would have been commanded to do it, taught it, and made it essential—but he explicitly says it was not his commission, and he was glad he barely did it.
He never made water baptism a condition of salvation, membership, or discipleship. The only baptism he teaches us is ONE BAPTISM — SPIRIT BAPTISM (Ephesians 4:5; 1 Cor 12:13; Gal 3:27): “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body… and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” This happens instantly the moment you believe, done by God, no water, no man’s hands, no ritual needed.