Did Our Apostle Paul Ever Baptize
Gentiles?
When
this question comes up, I usually ask someone to show me from scripture where Paul
ever baptized a Gentile. No answer has [or can] be given. And although there is
not a verse that says that Paul never
water baptized gentiles in the bible, all the evidence from his epistles and
his actions in the book of actions (Acts) shows that he never did.
(Interestingly tho, the scriptures do record the Kingdom Apostle Peter water
baptizing a Gentile…that’s for another article soon to come!).
In
fact, all the evidence adds up to the fact that Paul only baptized Jews. Let’s examine this.
When
it comes to our Apostle Paul and water baptism, the very first thing that we
need to ask is: Does he ever command
us, as members of the Church of this present Dispensation of Grace, the Body of
Christ, Jews and Gentiles in one body by the cross, to water baptize in any of his 13 epistles. And the answer
is no!
Our
Apostle never commands us to water baptize. In fact, every time our Apostle
Paul mentions water baptism anywhere in the bible, even outside of his
epistles, it is in relation to the Nation of Israel (the Jews), and not to us
Gentiles.
Acts 13:24
When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of
repentance to all the people of Israel.
Acts 19:4
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance,
saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after
him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
Water
baptism in time past was an ordinance for Israel (and will be until the earthly kingdom of heaven is established at Christ’s return, then it will be an ordinance to the
entire world…
Matthew 28:19
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mark 16:15-16
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the
gospel to every creature. He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be
damned.
The
Apostle Peter says this to “ye men of Israel” in Acts…
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the
gift of the Holy Ghost.
The
closest we see in Paul’s epistles concerning water baptism (remember nowhere
does he COMMAND us to) is in First Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 1:14-16
I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also
the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
Here,
we notice Paul “thanks God” that he did not
baptize people. No kingdom apostle to Israel, could—or even would—say that!
And even those that he baptized were Jews from Corinth (from that synagogue in
Acts 18) who got saved into the body of Christ. Every one of those men named
here are Jews. There is no clear record
of the “Apostle of the gentiles” (Acts 9:15, Romans 11:13), ever water
baptizing any gentiles. He did to other men because water baptism was a Jewish
ordinance under the Law.
1 Corinthians
9:19-20
For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant
unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that
I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I
might gain them that are under the law;
Some
have asked “What about the Philippian jailor who was baptized in Acts 16:33?” Again, there is no way to determine from the passage (and he isn’t spoken of
anywhere else in scripture) as to whether or not this man was a Jew or a Gentile.
There were Jews residing at Philippi…Acts 16:13. And it was not at all unusual
for some Jews to be accepted by Rome. (Paul and Silas were both Jews who were
Roman citizens. (Acts 16:37), and other Jewish men were too. (Acts 22:27-28).
The Jewish Apostle Matthew/Levi actually was employed by Rome (Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27).
Lastly,
the fact that the apostle to us Gentiles never commands us to water baptize in
any of his epistles is an even greater witness that water baptism is not a part
of our Grace program; that, and all of
the verses in Paul’s epistles that speak of our spiritual baptism in Christ!
Romans 6:3-4
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus
Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism
into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the
Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
1 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.
Colossians 2:12
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the
operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Again,
Paul says…
1 Corinthians
1:17
For Christ sent me not to
baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the
cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
Christ
our Lord did not send our Apostle to water baptize! The gospel of the grace of
God has nothing to do with man’s works. Water baptism was a part of the gospel
of the Kingdom because man’s works were part of it (as well as ceremonial
cleansing for the priesthood).
So
nowhere in scripture is it shown that our Apostle Paul ever baptized any
gentiles. He did water baptize Jews (early in his ministry Acts/1 Cor 1),
because water baptism was part and parcel to the Jewish program. But it was not, and is not, a part of our grace program today.
1 Corinthians 9:21-22
To them that are without law, as
without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to
Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as
weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might
by all means save some.
Hopefully this helps!
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Do you have a question for Pastor Ron?
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