The Doctrine of One Baptism

The sixth of seven doctrinal truths in Ephesians 4:4-6 that form the very essence of Christianity and therefore unite all true believers is one baptism.

First, there is the meaning of one baptism. While some interpreters think this refers to water baptism, Greek born New Testament Greek scholar Spiros Zodhiates writes this authoritative statement: “The whole paragraph, Eph. 4:1-5, is indicative of Paul’s desire that there should be unity of the Spirit in the body of Christ. No reference is made to water baptism at all. The verse says, ‘One Lord, one faith, one baptism.’ This baptism must be, therefore, be the spiritual baptism, the baptism in the Spirit that was promised by John the Baptist that the One coming after him would accomplish (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33) and Jesus Christ Himself promised in Acts 1:5. This took place in Acts 2 . . . The purpose of this Spirit baptism is shown in 1 Cor. 12:13 as the incorporation of all believers into the body of Christ, the Church (Eph. 1:22, 23).”

Second, there is the application of one baptism. As with “one spirit,” the application of one baptism is the right view of the nature and ministry of the Holy Spirit. It is truly tragic that there has been much disagreement over the meaning of I Corinthians 12:13, “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.” This verse teaches three things.

One, “baptized” is a past tense in the Greek (Aorist Tense), which speaks of punctilliar action in the past and can literally be translated “were baptized.” So when did it occur? On the Day of Pentecost. It was on that day that believers were placed into the Body of Christ. Each of us then takes part in the benefits of that day when we receive Christ as Savior and Lord. Neither here nor anywhere else in Scripture are we commanded to seek this baptism because it is something God has already done. To repeats, nowhere does the Bible say, “Seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” Why? Because it’s already been done. God alone has already done it

Two, the word “all” is inclusive. Paul simply does not say that only a certain elite class of Christian receives the “Baptism of the Holy Spirit.” We repeat: the text does not say that. It is, therefore, poor exegesis and bad theology to say or even imply that it does. Paul very clearly says that all Christians, even that unbelievably carnal bunch in Corinth, whether Jew or Gentile, were placed into the Body of Christ and “have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” Again, Paul’s whole point is oneness of all believers in Christ’s Body, not two divided classes, one of which has “experience” something the others have not.

Three, regardless of what some folks today might teach, the common phrase “baptism OF the Holy Spirit” is actually not a correct translation of this verse (or any other verse in the New Testament for that matter). It is a term without Biblical support whatsoever. The words “by one Spirit” translate the Greek en heni pneumati. The word en is a common word that can be translated not only as “by,” but also “with” and most commonly “in.” Young’s Literal Translation reads, “For also in one Spirit we all to one body were baptized.” Similarly, Tyndale’s 1534 New Testament reads, “For in one spirit are we all baptized to make one body.”

We make this point for a very important reason. What did John the Baptist say as to those he baptized? He declared, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me  . . . he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Matt. 3:11). As the next verse makes clear, the baptism of “fire” speaks of the judgment of hell. So what John is saying is that every living person is in one way or the other baptized by Christ: believers are baptized with the Spirit into Christ’s body, and unbelievers will be baptized with fire into judgment. The point, therefore, is that it’s not that we are baptized by the Holy Spirit, but actually by Christ “with” or “in” the Holy Spirit. And it is this that places us into Christ’s Body. Our Lord has done all the work through His Spirit.

How we should rejoice in this one baptism! It is this that truly makes us one in Christ. It is in this doctrine that we have unity.