7.4. “Baptism isn’t important. That is what Paul said.” – Fake News – 4 of 6

Is it really what Paul said? “Baptism is not important”?

Did you ever read that passage in context?

Did you know he was talking about pleasing God rather than following men?

Did you know that people were bragging about who they got baptized by?

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power – 1 Cor 1:17

Baptism without faith is but a swim. Faith in baptism forgives your sin. It is like eating cake before you baked it. Like we’ve seen in previous studies faith is a process.

Do you know they were all baptized???

“Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? ” – 1 Cor 1:13

So if baptism was not that important, why were they all baptized?

Did Paul get baptized?

16 ‘And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’ – Acts 22:16

Paul himself got baptized for the forgiveness of his sin. Why would he not advocate that?

He was brought us as a Pharisee; in todays terms he studied Theology. He did not have faith in Jesus, pretty much like a Athiest in regards to Jesus.

If Ananias came to him and told him to get baptized (before he saw the light from heaven and got blinded), Paul would most probably have him killed; like he did with Steven who he got stoned to death. He was on his way to Damascus to do the same thing.

Let’s look at Paul’s journey before he became a Christian. (Acts 9, Acts 22)

• He had a personal meeting with Jesus shining a bright light on him first and Jesus asking him why he was persecuting him.
• After he lost his sight (most probably because of the bright light) he was escorted by hand to Damascus where he fasted for three days.
• Then he was told in a vision that Ananias will come and restore his sight.
• Ananias in his turn seeing a vision was told to go see Saul (Paul) and restore his sight and that Saul will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
• Ananias baptized Saul, if baptism wasn’t important he would not have got baptized!

Let’s have a look why Paul emphasized preaching the gospel first above being baptized.

“10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”

13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? 14 I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel — not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” – 1 Cor 1:10-17

Paul does not diminish the importance of baptism here.

In context he makes the point that he does not want people following men (denominationalism).

He mentions baptizing several people in the passage.

Again why would he baptize people if that was not important to him?

People would not get baptized if they did not hear Paul’s preaching.

It’s like that saying: “You cannot pull the cart before the horses”, there is a process involved.

There is a great movie made about Paul’s life, “Paul, Apostle of Christ (2018)”.

Prayer for Today:

Morning Lord. Thank you for forgiving my sin at baptism and giving me your Holy Spirit. Thank you that my life changed the day I got baptised to my new life like it says in Romans six. Lord I do understand that if someone do not hear the gospel first they would not get baptized because there would be no motivation to do it.  I thank you Lord that you came to save me. Help me to have conviction about baptism and the function thereof in my life. Amen.

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