Hebrews 6:2
Notice in Hebrews 6:2 “baptisms,” a plural—two or more. Now compare this with Ephesians 4:5, “one baptism.”
Is this a contradiction? Is there one, or more than one baptism? The short answer is that the Bible does not contradict itself and careful study will yield the answer to one or more than one baptism.
The best place to begin is at the beginning—the beginning of baptism—with John the Baptist. Mark 1:1-4 records the beginning of Gospel preaching and water baptism of converts.
Here are a few things about John the Baptist, his baptism, and his Gospel. John’s baptism was (is) water immersion of a repentant believer in Jesus Christ and Hi atonement (Compare, Matthew 3:1-6; John 1:29; John 3:23; and, Acts 19:4). It is essential to note that there is ONLY ONE GOSPEL AND ONLY ONE WAY TO GET SAVED FROM GENESIS TO THE REVELATION—CHRIST CRUCIFIES, RESURRECTED, AND APPROPRIATED BY FAITH. [See Genesis 3:15; 15:1-6, with Galatians 3:8, 16; Genesis 22:15-18; Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:17; 1:6-10; Revelation 14:6.]
John Baptist baptized with water, but prophesied that the Lord Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire in Matthew 3:7-12. We also need to compare the records of the other Gospels. These are Matthew 3:7-12; Mark 1:5-8; and Luke 3:7-17.
Remember, baptism means to dip, or immerse. That definition never changes.
Note the following from these texts.
1. In Matthew and Luke a mixed multitude is being addressed, including religious rulers—Matthew 3:7; Luke 3:7, 10, 15, 16.
2. In Matthew and Luke judgment is the predominant theme of the address.—Matthew 3:7-10, 11-“with fire,” 12; Luke 3:7, 9, 16-‘with fire,” 17.
3. In Matthew and Luke John Baptist also speaks of Jesus Christ baptizing with the Holy Ghost—Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16.
4. In Mark’s Gospel the people being addressed are water baptized convert—Mark 1:5, and 8-“I have baptized you.”
In Mark’s record (vss. 5-8) judgment is not mentioned at all, only that Jesus Christ would baptize them with the Holy Ghost.
The importance of rightly dividing these Scriptures is great.
So far this is what we have discovered.
First, there is a water baptism that was practiced by John Baptist, Jesus and His apostles (John 4:1-2); and all through the book of Acts. Note also that water baptism is the baptism of the great commission and is therefore still practiced by the Lord’s churches today.
Second, there is a baptism that Jesus was to perform—“he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost” (Mark 1:8)—at a future time on the converts being addressed.
Third, there is a baptism of judgment that Jesus Christ will perform at a future time upon those that reject Him.
The next step in our investigation will be to identify these baptisms in the NT. History.
Water baptism is the easiest. It began with John Baptist, continued with Jesus, and having been commanded to the Lord’s churches in the great commission and continues till this present day.
Holy Ghost baptism has been a place of great confusion amongst Christians. But, it need not be. There is one more place where the baptism of the Holy Ghost is for-told, Acts 1:4-9. Notice…
1. The Lord Jesus is speaking.
2. The Lord Jesus is speaking to his local church—see Acts 1:14, 15, 21—all before the day of Pentecost.
3. Note that no judgment is mentioned which corresponds to Mark’s record where disciples are being addressed and the baptism with the Holy Ghost is said to pertain to them.
4. Notice the details of being baptized with the Holy Ghost. In verse 5 Jesus said John baptized with water. John is the administrator. The convert is immersed. And the water is the substance into which immersion is made. Likewise! In the baptism “with the Holy Ghost” Jesus is the administrator, Jesus’ church, “ye,” is the immersed, and the substance into which immersion is made is the Holy Ghost.
5. This is very different than the universalist (Roman/Protestant) heresy commonly called the baptism of the Holy Spirit which claims that the Holy Spirit is the administrator, an individual convert is the immersed, and a mystical (unexplainable) universal body of Christ is the substance. NO SUCH THING IS FOUND IN THE WORD OF GOD!
When did baptism of the Holy Ghost happen?
It happened in Acts 2:1-4. The church of Jerusalem is assembled. Jesus had commanded them to stay in Jerusalem (Acts 1:4), until this baptism, and that it was “not many days hence” (Acts 1:5). The Holy Ghost (the substance) sent down by the Lord Jesus (the administrator) fills the house where this church (the immersed) is assembled (Acts 2:4). There are other things going on here, such as, sign gifts demonstrated before Israel (Acts 2:4) and filling of the members for service.
Here are three more facts that can now be stated.
1. The filling of God’s children by the Holy Spirit continues to the present day—Ephesians 4:18.
2. The sign gifts for Israel were discontinued after the Word of God was completed—1Corinthaisn 13:8-10.
3. The baptism of the Holy Ghost never happened but this one time in Acts 2:1-4. It is not happening today.
Additional study: How does God identify His houses? See Exodus 40:34; 2Chronicles 7:1-2; 1Timothy 3:15, w. Acts 2:14.
What is the significance of the church of Jerusalem being immersed in the Holy Ghost?
AUTHORITY: Authority comes from God to do His work. Jesus said, “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.”
The Holy Ghost is the authorizer and enabler of a church to carry out the great commission. We will run into this again when we study the laying on of hands.
The third baptism is with fire, when Jesus judges this world. That is yet to come. It may very well not be far off. Lost sinners need to be warned of it just like John the Baptist warned the lost of his day.
To end off we must answer the question we had as to whether or not Hebrews 6:2—“doctrine of baptisms” contradicted with Ephesians 4:5—“one baptism.” No, there is no contradiction. I have laid out above the doctrine of baptisms (more could be said). But the only baptism that can possibly be in view in Ephesians 4:5 is the one baptism that began with John the Baptist, was continued by Jesus and His first church, and continues to this present day by Jesus’ BAPTIST churches.
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