Written by the late Pastor 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
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
