Question: Is there more than just water baptism? | thebereancall.org

TBC Staff

Question: My pastor claims that baptism can only involve water, but isn’t the same word used for other kinds of baptism in the Scriptures?

Response: Never does the Bible say that the Holy Spirit baptizes us only in water. The word in Greek (baptizo) simply means that we have been “immersed” or “placed into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit,” not that we have been baptized in water by the Holy Spirit. In many scriptures, baptism doesn’t mean “in water,” such as the baptism in the Holy Ghost and in fire (Matthew:3:11, Mark:10:38-39, Luke:12:50, Acts:1:5, 1 Corinthians 12 and 13, and Galatians:3:27).

As for baptismal regeneration, Nicodemus knew that water in the Old Testament was used for cleansing both physically and as a symbol of the spiritual cleansing that would come through the Messiah, and through heeding God’s Word. Thus Paul wrote of the “washing of water by the word” [of God] (Ephesians:5:26) and the “washing of regeneration” (Titus:3:5). Peter stated that we are born again “by the word of God” (1 Peter:1:23). Paul baptized very few of the Corinthian believers, yet he calls himself their father and explains, “I have begotten you through the gospel” (1 Corinthians:4:15). Paul had been the means of their salvation without baptizing them, which would have been impossible if baptism were essential to salvation. On the contrary, we are saved by believing the gospel, and nowhere does it say that baptism is part of the gospel.