No Record of Paul's Water Baptism
There is no record of Paul ever being water baptized. There are only two passages in the entire New Testament that mention Paul being baptized. But which baptism did Paul receive?
Acts 9:17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—
Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here--
has sent me so that you may see again and
be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18
Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
Later in Acts 22, Paul himself recounts these events to a crowd.
Acts 22:11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.12 "A man named
Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13 He stood beside me and said, 'Brother Saul,
receive your sight!' And at that very moment I was able to see him. 14 "Then he said: 'The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now
what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.'
Does "washing" indicate water baptism over baptism in the Holy Spirit? The answer is NO.
The Greek word for "wash" here, we find it occurs only one other place in the entire New Testament. The word for wash is "apolouo" and it is defined as follows.
628 apolouo {ap-ol-oo'-o}
from 575 and 3068; TDNT - 4:295,538; v
AV - wash away 1, wash 1; 2
1) to wash off or away
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but
ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and
by the Spirit of our God.
First Corinthians clearly states that we are washed by the Spirit. And in the phrase "by the Spirit," the Greek word for "by" is "en." It is defined as follows.
1722 en {en}
a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); TDNT - 2:537,233; prep
AV - in 1902, by 163, with 140, among 117, at 113, on 62, through 39, misc 264; 2800
1) in, by, with etc.
Compare the use of "en" in the following passages where it is also used with "the Spirit." Notice that all six of these occurrences are in the very verse where both John the Baptist and Jesus distinguish between the two baptisms.
Matthew 3:11 he shall
baptize you with [1722] the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Mark 1:8 he shall
baptize you with [1722] the Holy Ghost.
Luke 3:16 he shall
baptize you with [1722] the Holy Ghost and with fire:
John 1:33 he which
baptizeth with [1722] the Holy Ghost.
Acts 1:5 but ye shall be
baptized with [1722] the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
1 Corinthians 12:13
For by [1722] one Spirit are we all baptized [907] into one body...
All six of these passages exactly parallel I Corinthians 6:11 in the Greek. So, in reality, I Corinthians 6:11 directly states that we are
"washed...with the Spirit of our God." It is unequivocally a reference to
the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And this is the only other occurrence of this Greek word for "wash" in the entire New Testament. So, we can only conclude based on the two items Ananias was sent to accomplish and the use of this Greek word "wash" that the baptism Paul received in Acts 9 was
baptism in the Holy Spirit, NOT baptism with water.
The point of this short exercise is only to prove that we have no evidence that the apostles, the rest of the 120, Apollos, or Paul were ever baptized with water in the name of Jesus. These facts present a compelling case that baptism in water in Jesus' name was not considered necessary for salvation.
In the end, we have no choice but to conclude that baptism in the Holy Spirit is the essential baptism (Ephesians 4:4-6), the baptism which "now saves us" (1 Peter 3:21), because that is the manner in which we "receive the Holy Spirit" (John 7:38-39, Acts 10:44-48, 11:15-17.) The simple truth is that "baptism in the Holy Spirit" is the Biblical term for our receiving the Holy Spirit and therefore becoming reborn.
What Water Baptism IS NOT:
1. Water baptism is NOT the baptism by which we enter into Christ or enter into Christ’s death.
2. Water baptism is NOT the pure water which cleanses our bodies.
3. Water baptism is NOT the first fruit or act of repentance.
4. Water baptism is NOT the source of assurance of salvation.
What Water Baptism IS:
1. Water baptism IS an explanatory illustration or antitype.
2. Water baptism IS a public expression of repentance that has already occurred.
3. Water baptism IS a public expression of petitioning God for forgiveness.
====
Christ water baptism WAS TO anoint him as king, as high priest, and to wash him as the sacrifice for the sins of the world.
None of these factors are applicable to us. And the biblical reason for Christians to be water baptized (to express repentance and as a means for the forgiveness of sins) are NOT applicable to Christ. Therefore, we are NOT biblically or logically justified in making assumptions about Christ’s water baptism and general Christian practice.
It is a long article:
http://www.biblestudying.net/baptism6.html