Water Baptism passed away in this dispensation

[Bob Hill]

The 12 Apostles had expected the kingdom to be restored for Israel in Acts 1:6 “Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’”

Now, in Acts 2, there was an added dimension. After a Jew received water baptism, he would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in compliance with the command of Acts 2:38.

Now, for the first time, there were two baptisms: Water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism.

But then a dispensational turning point happened which was shown by two events.

First, the Apostle Paul was saved in Acts 9, and he was commissioned to be the Apostle of the Gentiles with a new gospel, the gospel of the uncircumcision.

God showed Peter there was a dispensational change.

Here's what happened.

After Paul got saved, God gave Peter a vision recorded in Acts 10:9-17. This was important, because when Israel became God’s chosen people, He made animals clean and unclean to them according to Lev 20:22-26. God’s vision to Peter showed him there were no more clean and unclean animals for Israel. By this vision, God showed Peter that Israel was no longer His chosen people.

However, He did not show Peter the dispensation of the mystery and its ramifications that He would reveal to Paul. He also did not show Peter what the new method of salvation would be. That's why Peter preached the same message Christ had given him from the beginning, which was the circumcision gospel.

Here is what Peter said in Acts 10:34-37. “Then Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ; He is Lord of all; 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached.’”

This was the gospel of faith plus works and endurance for salvation which Christ taught while on earth in Mat 24:13,14 & John 15:6.
Mat 24:13,14 “But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
John 15:6 “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”

The Holy Spirit astounded Peter and those of the circumcision who went with him to Cornelius’ house when the Holy Spirit showed them that water baptism was no longer necessary for salvation because the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles before they had been water baptized.

Notice, Acts 10:44-48 “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 ‘Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.”

As we look at the historical account of the church in Acts, we can see that the body of Christ started with Paul’s salvation. God had a new plan.

God’s different methods of dealing with man are called a dispensations in the Bible.

How did the Holy Spirit show this new plan? Remember, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word while Peter was still preaching, before they were baptized with water (Acts 10:44,45).

The message of salvation had been “repent and be baptized for the remission of sin.” The Holy Spirit’ work here would convince the circumcision believers. Wow! God had opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles.

Remember, at Paul’s conversion in Acts 9, Paul was told that he would be sent to the Gentiles. Acts 9:15 “But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.’”

The two baptisms of Acts 2:38 were reversed for the first time. Water baptism was performed after Holy Spirit baptism.

Now, the Holy Spirit baptism was the one necessary for salvation.

Water baptism became secondary for the first time. We’re not even sure that God wanted these new Christians baptized.

Peter did a number of things here for the simple reason that the Lord had previously commanded them.

Now, why did these changes take place?

They happened because Paul was converted, given a new stewardship called the Dispensation of the Mystery, or the Dispensation of Grace.

In Galatians 2:7, it says he was also given a new gospel called the uncircumcision gospel, or gospel of the uncircumcision.

Paul was sent out on his missionary journeys. On these journeys we find that he baptized at least Crispus, Gaius, Stephanus’ household, Lydia and her household, and the jailer and his household. Why did he baptize these people?

We don’t know for sure, but it seems that because Ananias had commanded Paul to be baptized, he carried on the practice until God told him differently. So, even in the dispensation of grace there were two baptisms for a while.

However, soon it was revealed to Paul that water baptism was not part of his commission. He wrote in 1 Co 1:17, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.”

After that, there is no record that he baptized.

But we must remember that water baptism was definitely part of the circumcision apostles’ commission in Mat 28:18-20 and Mk. 16:15-18.

When Paul wrote that he was not sent to baptize, he also was inspired to write in the same epistle, 1 Cor 12:13 “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free - and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.”

Yes, it says “By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.”

And, according to Col 2:11,12, we see that as physical circumcision gave way to spiritual, “made without hands,” water baptism gave way to spiritual baptism, “through the faith of the operation of God.”

Here is the whole passage. Col 2:11,12 “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in the baptism, in which you also were raised together with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who raised Him from the dead.”

Why did water baptism give way to spiritual baptism? It was because God set Israel aside in Acts 7 when Christ stood in judgment at the stoning of Stephen (Rom 11:11,25; Acts 28:28; Isa 3:13). Israel had been set aside. Part of Paul's ministry had been to show Israel that they had been set aside.

Now, God pronounced for the final time through Paul in Acts 28:28 that Israel had been set aside.

This happened when Paul made his inspired judicial decree quoting Isaiah 6:9,10.

The baptisms imposed on Israel were set aside until God would be dealing with Israel again in the tribulation. For instance, baptism will be necessary for salvation when Peter’s epistles are again in use in the tribulation period.

According to 1 Pe 3:20,21 the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 There is also an antitype which now saves us - baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But now there is one baptism. After his Acts 28:28 decree, Paul was inspired to write Ephesians.

In it he wrote Eph. 4:4,5 “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

One baptism?

If there is only one baptism, which one is it?

Is it water or Holy Spirit?

It is Holy Spirit!

Why? Because God has suspended the use of water baptism.

It has been done away with because God is through with Israel for the time being.

Now there is only the program called the dispensation of grace.

Paul mentions it in Eph 3:1-3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles - 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery.

So, today there is one baptism by which we, who have trusted in Christ, are baptized into the body of Christ. That baptism identifies us with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Rom 6:3-8 “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.”

Today, water baptism has been set aside because God has set aside Israel.

In Galatians and Colossians, we see that Spirit baptism unites us with, and identifies us with Christ in every way. Gal 3:26-29 “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
We have a new identity.
28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

When we look at Col 2:10-12 again, we see our identification with Christ. “you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. 11 In Him you were also circumcised 11 with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ 12 (having been) buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised together with Him through faith in (the faith of) the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

And finally, this is all done by the Holy Spirit.
1 Cor 12:12,13 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free - and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

Then, what should we do? Rom 6:11 “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” And remember verse 7 “For he who has died has been freed from sin.”

What do you think?

Bob Hill

 

[Spitfire]

Very odd that Christians would then proceed to wrongly insist on water baptism for almost 2000 years, I think.

 

[godrulz]

Very odd that Christians would then proceed to wrongly insist on water baptism for almost 2000 years, I think.

I will obey the Lord's final commandment/commission (Great) and go into all the world and preach the gospel. I will also encourage people to follow the Lord in the waters of baptism as a public expression of private faith and a step of obedience/discipleship. Baptism has never been a condition of salvation since baptismal regeneration is heretical.

John 3:16 should not be dispensationalized away. It is a universal truth, the gospel in a nutshell. It was not just for Israel or those of Jewish background.

 

[Spitfire]

I think it is heretical to deny baptismal regeneration - though I remember that we have been through this before and would like to make it clear that I don't believe God to be bound by the sacraments, they were instituted for our benefit.

Face it, folks, you can interpret the Bible to mean anything you want it to. I know that precedent alone is insufficient to make something right, but I think it would be silly not to believe in the necessity of water baptism and the regeneration it confers when this is what Christians believed and did, without exception, for a long, long time before anyone had ever dreamt of a thing called Dispensationalism.

 

[Redfin]

I think there was a lot of Scripture-twisting going on in the OP.

Baptism has never been a condition of salvation since baptismal regeneration is heretical.

Do you realize what an incredibly circular statement that is? :think:

 

[godrulz]

I think it is heretical to deny baptismal regeneration - though I remember that we have been through this before and would like to make it clear that I don't believe God to be bound by the sacraments, they were instituted for our benefit.

Face it, folks, you can interpret the Bible to mean anything you want it to. I know that precedent alone is insufficient to make something right, but I think it would be silly not to believe in the necessity of water baptism and the regeneration it confers when this is what Christians believed and did, without exception, for a long, long time before anyone had ever dreamt of a thing called Dispensationalism.

Repentant faith leads to regeneration. It is a work of the Holy Spirit. External rituals do not trump the blood of Christ which is shed for redemption. Many people have been baptized in a religious ceremony but do not have a relationship with God.

 

[godrulz]

I think there was a lot of Scripture-twisting going on in the OP.



Do you realize what an incredibly circular statement that is? :think:

The statement is true. Just because I did not support it this time with a doctoral thesis does not mean it is begging the question. Repentant faith is a condition of salvation. Baptism is an outward testimony of our identification with Christ in His burial and resurrection. Water cannot save or regenerate anyone. It is a work of the Spirit, not water.

Apples are a fruit. Is that also an 'incredibly circular statement'?

 

[Spitfire]

External rituals do not trump the blood of Christ which is shed for redemption.

You are using a false dilemma to deceive yourself here.

 

[godrulz]

You are using a false dilemma to deceive yourself here.

I am trying to be faithful to the Word of God, rightly divided. The question is what is the relationship between faith and baptism and baptism and salvation.

John 3:16, 36, the teachings of the Master, do not make baptism a condition of salvation. Inward faith before God can be demonstrated by outward baptism before the world, but that does not mean baptism is the root of salvation.

 

[Spitfire]

John 3:16, 36, the teachings of the Master, do not make baptism a condition of salvation. Inward faith before God can be demonstrated by outward baptism before the world, but that does not mean baptism is the root of salvation.

"Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." If that does not make water baptism a requirement for salvation, is there anything that possibly could? How should Jesus have put that differently if it had been his intent to say that water baptism is necessary for admission to the kingdom of God? You act like you can have either water or the Holy Ghost but not both when Jesus says quite plainly (if you ask me, anyway) that you have to have both (though, I repeat, God himself is not bound by the sacraments.)

The relationship between faith, baptism, and salvation is that baptism cannot save one in spite of a lack of faith.

 

[Silk Queen]

Repentant faith leads to regeneration. It is a work of the Holy Spirit. External rituals do not trump the blood of Christ which is shed for redemption. Many people have been baptized in a religious ceremony but do not have a relationship with God.

I
Many people have been baptized and do have a relationship with God.
I don't see it as a necessity but it certainly not heretical if one gets baptized.

 

[godrulz]

"Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." If that does not make water baptism a requirement for salvation, is there anything that possibly could? How should Jesus have put that differently if it had been his intent to say that water baptism is necessary for admission to the kingdom of God? You act like you can have either water or the Holy Ghost but not both when Jesus says quite plainly (if you ask me, anyway) that you have to have both (though, I repeat, God himself is not bound by the sacraments.)

The relationship between faith, baptism, and salvation is that baptism cannot save one in spite of a lack of faith.

John 3:3 is not about believer's baptism that came after the death of Christ. Several interpretations have been proposed for what is meant by water. Christian baptism is the least likely possibility.

Interpretation, not simply reading a verse, is how we formulate a theology. Reading baptism into this verse as necessary for salvation would create a contradiction with other explicit verses.

 

[godrulz]

I
Many people have been baptized and do have a relationship with God.
I don't see it as a necessity but it certainly not heretical if one gets baptized.

It is heretical to think baptism regenerates the person. It is NOT heretical to be baptized (it is a step of obedience).

 

[Spitfire]

John 3:3 is not about believer's baptism that came after the death of Christ. Several interpretations have been proposed for what is meant by water. Christian baptism is the least likely possibility.

The least likely possibility? If being born again of water and the Holy Spirit does not indicate baptism, what would? Or what does it more likely imply?

Although I agree with most of what Cellist has been saying in his thread that theology is not in fact a simple matter of coming up with an interpretation of scripture which seems non-contradictory, and I understand much of the truth in the Bible not to be literal truth (Jesus spoke in parables after all,) in most cases I feel that an explanation evident in the words of the scriptures themselves is far more likely than one that would require pages upon pages of explanation.

 

[Redfin]

Apples are a fruit. Is that also an 'incredibly circular statement'?

No.

 

[thelaqachisnext]

I think it is heretical to deny baptismal regeneration - though I remember that we have been through this before and would like to make it clear that I don't believe God to be bound by the sacraments, they were instituted for our benefit.

Face it, folks, you can interpret the Bible to mean anything you want it to. I know that precedent alone is insufficient to make something right, but I think it would be silly not to believe in the necessity of water baptism and the regeneration it confers when this is what Christians believed and did, without exception, for a long, long time before anyone had ever dreamt of a thing called Dispensationalism.

It isn't dispensationalism; it is MAD doctrine of a late invention by men.

It is hear-say doctrine based upon what some men say a pseudo-paul taught, but which the Paul of Scripture never taught by any stretch of the Truth, only by men's imagination..

Paul of Scripture deals with water baptism in 1 Corinthians 15, as an identity of "the dead" Adam nature's identity; which dead Adam every single one of us is wearing until the "perfected body" is given us to wear forever, which immortal body -to come- is made in the image of the Living Son of God, and is called "Israel" flesh, and will be no longer "dead Adam"; Which Israel, the Living Son of God [Isaiah 49] is YHWH come in human flesh of the second human being cretion as the Head/Firstborn of the New Man race of humanity, and the Firstborn is Christ, the Living Spirit, who was to come and is come and shall come in that second human being fully flesh nature, as Kinsman to Adam, and He came to do the duty of Kinsman;

and the dead Adam wears the sign of the Faith in the "dead body" [dead because of sin] by obeying Jesus Christ and submitting to water baptism, which is the "one baptism" of the "One Faith" of the One LORD, which three speak only of that which pertains to being in the Son of God, born of His Spirit and joined to His One Church and Water Baptized as the sign of identifying with His Church, His Name, having Believing Faith in His name.

and water baptism is not the Baptism of Regeneration of Spirit, nor the Baptism with the Glory/Fire given in the measure sent to regenerated Believers since Pentecost, when the LORD Jesus received the Glory/Fire from the Father as the Firstborn of earth, enthroned above; and sent a measure to His Adopted Co-Heirs as the promise of that which is to come, in the "perfected" body;

and water baptism is not the Baptism of enduement with Power from on high; but it is the "one baptism" of the One LORD [Jesus Christ] for His One Church [All regenerated Believers in His Spirit are joined as one Spirit to Him -there are no sects in Christ and He hates sectarianism, party divisions by names, with some saying "I am of Paul; I am of Calvin' I am of Apoolos, etc].

but water baptism is the sign that the "dead because of sin" Adam flesh is identified with Christ's death in our place and that our "one" old man died with Him, was buried with Him, and we rose with Him as regenerated [One New Man] -in His Spirit; adopted as sons of God in Christ -which is the restoration of our being which we lost in Adam but are adopted into, in Christ;

We identify this dead body we wear with His death, burial and resurrection, in water baptism, in obedience to Jesus Christ; and it is the sign of our faith in His death, burial and resurrection for us, in His New Man name; that this body we wear will rise in the image of Christ, from the dust of this present creation -or be translated at the Harvest to come, of the first crop of sons of God, perfected, from earth.

Rom 8:10 And if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness.

1Cr 15:29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead,[body] if the dead [bodies] rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? [body]?



BOB Hill,
Yea, hath Jesus Christ said, "Ye shall not be baptized in water?"

 

[bling]

1 Cor. 1: 14I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so no one can say that you were baptized into my name.

Bob, you always leave out the fact that Paul did baptize some Christians in Corinth. The problem was division springing up from people being baptized by different Spiritual leaders and them placing value on “who” did the baptizing. Paul did not need to do the actual baptizing any more then Christ needed to do the baptizing there were lots of other qualified Christians around. It appears to me, Paul is avoiding baptizing people for the same reason Christ avoided baptizing people. Both did not feel baptism was something that they needed to be doing over the other more pressing work, thus avoiding the problem that arose in Corinth.

Why then did Paul baptize anyone????

 

[Tico]

1 Cor. 1: 14I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so no one can say that you were baptized into my name.

Bob, you always leave out the fact that Paul did baptize some Christians in Corinth. The problem was division springing up from people being baptized by different Spiritual leaders and them placing value on “who” did the baptizing. Paul did not need to do the actual baptizing any more then Christ needed to do the baptizing there were lots of other qualified Christians around. It appears to me, Paul is avoiding baptizing people for the same reason Christ avoided baptizing people. Both did not feel baptism was something that they needed to be doing over the other more pressing work, thus avoiding the problem that arose in Corinth.

Why then did Paul baptize anyone????

I'm not Bob, but that is a question to which I'd love to hear Bob's answer. However mine would be that Paul baptized for the same reason that he followed the law (Acts 21:17-26) though he wrote this in Romans 7:

4Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

And, for the same reason that he circumcised Timothy (Acts 16:1-4) though he said this in Galatians 5:

1Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.

Because of the Jews:

Acts 16:3b And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.

Acts 21:17And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. 18On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; 21but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. 22£What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. 23Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow. 24Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law.

Every instance of baptism recorded in Paul's ministry in the Book of Acts is related to his Jewish ministry. Another fact is that the Acts record indicates that more people are saved without the mention of baptism than with.

 

[thelaqachisnext]

I'm not Bob, but that is a question to which I'd love to hear Bob's answer. However mine would be that Paul baptized for the same reason that he followed the law (Acts 21:17-26) though he wrote this in Romans 7:



And, for the same reason that he circumcised Timothy (Acts 16:1-4) though he said this in Galatians 5:



Because of the Jews:





Every instance of baptism recorded in Paul's ministry in the Book of Acts is related to his Jewish ministry. Another fact is that the Acts record indicates that more people are saved without the mention of baptism than with.

Paul of Scripture said if you are called circumcised to not become uncircumcised.
Paul of Scripture said if you are called uncircumcised to not become circumcised.

The "call" is into Christ.
Paul took vows and gave sacrifices after His regeneration in Spirit on the road to Damascus.

Paul called Timothy "his own son in the faith" -and Timothy was already "in the Faith" when Paul took him and circumcised him with his own hands, and only being half Jew, Paul considered Timothy "in the circumcision".

Paul was a born again, water baptized Spirit filled, Pentecostal, tongues speaking, tongues singing Jew, of the Tribe of Benjamin, who never departed from Moses and never taught Jews to depart from Moses all his days.

Paul's traveling companion, Barnabus, was likewise "in the Faith" and the brother of Mary, in whose home the disciples were meeting and praying for Peter's release from prison, where Peter went when the angel released him, and in whose home, tradition says, the Passover Supper was eaten; and that was Mark's home, who also traveled with Paul and Barnabus for a time, and Mark is called Peter's "own son in the faith" and so the circle of Paul's aquaintences "in the Faith" he once tried to destroy all were close to the Lord Jesus, from whom Paul received the details of Jesus' Life and ministry.

Paul never taught to not be water baptized in his entire life.
Only a pseudo hear-say paul invented by MAD doctrine claims such a thing -without one verse of the entire NT showing any words of Jesus Christ commanding "not" to be water baptized for those who confess His name.

Jesus said to be baptized in water. If we do not obey Jesus, how can we call Him LORD?

Luke, the traveling companion of Paul wrote also an account of the Life and works of Jesus Christ, and not one chapter in Luke is "the Gospel of paul according to Luke".
Mark also was still friends with Paul -after Paul got over his hissy fit about his leaving Paul and Barnabus the first time that the Antioch Church commissioned them and sent them out to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ- and Mark also wrote an account of the Gospel of Jesus Christ" and not one chapter is the "gospel of paul" according to Mark.

MAD doctrine claims a hear-say doctrine of no water baptism for anyone calling on the name of the LORD to be saved, but that is false doctrine according to the Word of God's clear command "to teach and baptize all nations" =Gentiles, "until the end of the Church age" -when the Church is removed from earth in the first harvest of sons of God "perfected" in the Adoption bodies for the cleansed soul and regenerated Spirit to wear and be glorified in.

.

 

[bling]

Tico said:

Because of the Jews:

Paul does not have the Jewish contingency in Corinth to deal with. I think these individuals named by Paul had Greek names, but you can check that out. If the Jews are being baptized and the gentiles are not being baptized then Paul is creating an unnecessary division in the Church. Is Bob saying the Jew’s have to be baptized and not the gentiles, if so when did that stop?

Tico said:

Every instance of baptism recorded in Paul's ministry in the Book of Acts is related to his Jewish ministry. Another fact is that the Acts record indicates that more people are saved without the mention of baptism than with.

Can you give me one New Testament Christian that we know for certain was not water baptized?
I am not tying baptism to salvation, I think you can read what Godrulz has said on this subject. It is something we should, given the opportunity, submit to doing, similar to confessing Christ to unbelievers.