In
Paul's ministry, (in the age of grace) if he only baptized Jews, would there be
a group that would be baptized (Jews) and the other (Gentile) that weren't? Would
part of the Body of Christ be baptized and the other not?
Yes, during the
infancy (early times) of the Body of Christ, and the dispensation of grace, God
sent our Apostle Paul out to the entire world, beginning in territories that were filled with Jewish people. After
the fall of the nation of Israel, God’s plan was to use Paul and the gentiles
to provoke Israel to jealousy to get saved. Therefore, Paul did Jewish things in order to not be a
stumblingblock to them coming to Christ. Among those Jewish things was to water baptize (and in some cases like with
Timothy in Acts 16, to circumcise). He water baptized Jews because that was a Jewish sign of cleansing and washing
away of their sins. So in the infancy/beginning of the Body of Christ/dispensation
of grace, God had Paul do that to Jews as a sign and as to not cause them to stumble.
Acts 9:19-20
And when
he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the
disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the
synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
Acts 13:5
And when
they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of
the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
Acts 13:13-14
Now when
Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and
John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. But when they departed from Perga, they came
to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and
sat down.
Acts 13:46
Then Paul
and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should
first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge
yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Romans 1:16
For I am
not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation
to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Romans 2:9
Tribulation
and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first,
and also of the Gentile;
Romans 2:10
But
glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first,
and also to the Gentile:
Romans 11:11, 14
I say
then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through
their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy...If
by any means I may provoke to emulation
them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
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;
So yes, in the
infancy of the dispensation of grace and the Body of Christ, there were members
of the Body who were water baptized (saved Jews), and members who were not
(saved gentiles). But as the gospel of the grace of God continued on into the
gentile world, water baptism became less and less…even as our Apostle Paul
alludes to in 1 Corinthians 1.
1 Corinthians 1:13-17
Is Christ
divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? 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. 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.
Now since 70AD and
the destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, God is no longer trying to
provoke any Israelis to get saved by giving them signs. Now, all mankind has to come through the
preaching of the cross of Christ as given by our Apostle Paul. And as the verse
above states, that gospel of grace has nothing
to do with water baptism, but the Spirit baptism.
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.
Ephesians 4:5
One Lord,
one faith, one baptism,
Hopefully this helps!
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