“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel…” (1 Corinthians 1:17 NKJV) appears in a context concerning sectarianism or divisions within the Lord’s church at Corinth in the first century. The notion was that he who baptized someone transformed the convert into a follower of him who performed the baptism. The pharisees were an example of that kind of thinking. As critics of John’s baptism, they sent men to question John the Baptist. “And they asked him, saying, ‘Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?’” (John 1:25). The same defective thought existed in Corinth and resulted in partyism. “Now I say this, that each of you says, ‘I am of Paul,’ or ‘I am of Apollos,’ or ‘I am of Cephas,’ or ‘I am of Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:12–13). The apostle Paul sought to disarm and dissolve the factions among church members in Corinth and promote unity in Christ.
Extracted from its context, the sentence highlighted in the title of this article does not discount or diminish the rightful place of baptism in one’s pursuit of salvation. The apostle Paul did not signal that baptism is unimportant. Rather, he declared that his Christ-given mission was to preach the Gospel—which naturally precedes baptism. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15–16). However, immersion in water without the knowledge and the conviction that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God—the Christ, the Messiah (John 8:24)—without repenting of one’s sins (Luke 13:5) and without the willingness to acknowledge before others one’s belief that Jesus is the Son of God (Matthew 10:32–33; Romans 10:9–10) would be relegated to washing the flesh (a bath) rather than cleansing a person’s soul and conscience (1 Peter 3:21). Such an undertaking, though it may be the same outward and physical procedure as baptism, would not save anyone. First Peter 3:21 acknowledges that Bible baptism may appear to non-Christians to be bathing, but its purpose is different than washing one’s body. The purpose for which someone is immersed, also, is critically important (Acts 19:1–7).
The apostle Paul (among other apostles, prophets and teachers) baptized many people (1 Corinthians 14:14–16; Acts 2:41), and he himself was baptized (Acts 22:16). Paul taught extensively about baptism this side of the cross of Christ; through his epistles, he taught congregations throughout Galatia (Galatians 3:27), as well as the churches at Rome (Romans 6:3-5), Corinth (1 Corinthians 12:13), Ephesus (Ephesians 4:5) and Colosse (Colossians 2:12).
We are confused in the correct emphasis and the concept of success when we set as our goal the number of baptisms. Remember, not every immersion equates to Bible baptism. Yes, baptism is crucial to the salvation of souls and to the growth of the churches of Christ, but the proper mindset for Christians to possess is how many precious souls can we reach with the Gospel of Christ, among which people some will desire to be baptized for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38) and to be added to the Lord’s church (Acts 2:47) thereby.
“All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:18–20 KJV). The biblical formula for converting souls and growing the church appears in 1 Corinthians 3:6, which reads, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6 NKJV). This mirrors Matthew 28:19–20 in instruction to teach, baptize and teach in order for there to be an increase of saved souls. Teaching comes first, which compels honest and tender hearts to request baptism (Acts 8:36). Then, all of the Christian’s remaining life on earth is a learning experience. The cases of conversion recorded in the book of Acts culminate in baptism (Acts 2:14–41). Far from demoting Bible baptism, baptism is one of the most discussed items in the New Testament.
