Wednesday, November 06, 2024
One Baptism in Ephesians 4
How many baptisms are permissible?
Is Roman Catholic baptism valid?
Many Presbyterians and Reformed think so.
I think the issue is "one baptism" in Ephesians 4. I think a better exegesis would indicate that Judaism practiced many baptisms for each person ("washings" of Hebrews 6). Given the number of mikvahs for adult baptism around the Temple Mount site for washings of attenders at the Temple, baptism into Jesus is a final baptism concluding the normal annual ceremonial baptisms of repentance with the one baptism of repentance and faith in Christ Jesus.
Hence "one baptism" in Ephesians 4 is a unifying thing around the gospel, rather than a separate sacramental thing apart from the gospel.
Thence the only valid baptisms are those affirming personal commitments to the gospel and they affirm the unity we have in the gospel itself.
Is Roman Catholic baptism valid?
Many Presbyterians and Reformed think so.
I think the issue is "one baptism" in Ephesians 4. I think a better exegesis would indicate that Judaism practiced many baptisms for each person ("washings" of Hebrews 6). Given the number of mikvahs for adult baptism around the Temple Mount site for washings of attenders at the Temple, baptism into Jesus is a final baptism concluding the normal annual ceremonial baptisms of repentance with the one baptism of repentance and faith in Christ Jesus.
Hence "one baptism" in Ephesians 4 is a unifying thing around the gospel, rather than a separate sacramental thing apart from the gospel.
Thence the only valid baptisms are those affirming personal commitments to the gospel and they affirm the unity we have in the gospel itself.
# posted by Groseys messages @ 9:14 PM 
