Articles
Do I Have To?
Have you ever heard this argument? If baptism is important, then Jesus and the apostles
would have been baptizing people. Be prepared, because they believe they can back up this
statement. The reference regarding Jesus that they use is found in John 4:2, “Although in fact it
was not Jesus who baptized, but His disciples.” For Paul (an apostle) the reference used is found
in 1 Cor. 1:17, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel-not with wisdom
and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” This is what is taught from the
pulpit of many groups. When baptism is mentioned, it is only to tell people that baptism is not
important.
If you look at either passage, and its context, it is clear that people were in fact being
baptized. “After this, Jesus and His disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where He
spent some time with them, and baptized. Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim,
because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. (This was before
John was put in prison.) An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain
Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that
man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan —the one you testified about—look, he is
baptizing, and everyone is going to him" (John 3:22-26).
A problem had developed concerning baptism in Corinth. People were arguing because
of who had baptized them. Paul does in fact list two people he had baptized. Nowhere in the
Bible have I been able to find any importance given to the person that helps with the baptism.
Passage after passage does tell us by example and command that we are to be baptized. Jesus
gave His followers the command, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 18:19). ~B
Tolbert
