Anthony Pritchard
Well-Known Member
Baptism And The Early Churches
Baptism Series Part 4
“One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Ephesians 4:5
From Scripture
Scripture recognizes only one baptism as the real and saving baptism, and that baptism is the believer’s union with Christ in His death and resurrection. Paul states this plainly:
“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” Romans 6:3
This is salvation. This is the baptism that unites a believer with Christ Himself. It is the baptism into His death, His burial, and His resurrection. It is the new birth, the raising to walk in newness of life. No water can accomplish this. Only the Spirit of God can. This is the only salvific baptism in scripture.
Whatever else may be practiced outwardly, Scripture identifies only one baptism as the true and effectual baptism, and Romans 6:3 is the passage that defines it. Water baptism is only the outward symbol of the truly effectual baptism that saves, the baptism into His death.
This understanding clarifies several verses often pressed into service for water baptismal regeneration.
Mark 16:16 states, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Acts 2:38 reads, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Repentance first, then baptism. These passages speak of the outward act that follows the inward repentance and faith already present.
Acts 22:16 says, “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” The phrase “calling on the name of the Lord” is the true washing, the moment of salvation, the moment of union with Christ. In light of Romans 6:3, the baptism in view is not water baptism, but the baptism into Christ’s death, the one baptism that saves. The outward act of water baptism follows, but the verse itself speaks of the inward reality.
If Scripture teaches one true baptism, then these verses must be understood in harmony with Romans 6:3. They point to the baptism into Christ, not to water. The outward act symbolizes the inward reality, but the inward reality is the baptism that saves.
The Testimony of the Early Churches
The early churches read Scripture for the plain sense that it taught. Their practice reflects the same pattern found in Romans 6. Baptism “into” Christ and “into” His death is the salvific act by which one is born again. Water baptism follows after regeneration, after salvation, never before it and never as its cause.
The Early Writers
The patristic writers of the first century onward affirmed salvation first, then the symbol of water baptism to follow.
The earliest patristic witnesses do not teach water baptism as salvific. Clement of Rome speaks of justification by faith. The Didache treats baptism as instruction and obedience. Justin Martyr says belief comes first and baptism follows. Irenaeus ties regeneration to Christ, not water. Tertullian says “not the washing, but the faith” and opposes infant baptism. Only with Cyprian in the third century does baptismal regeneration for infants appear. Augustine later systematizes it, but even he admits Cornelius was saved before baptism.
The claim of unanimous early belief in baptismal regeneration is not supported by the historical record. The earliest tradition is apostolic. Salvation is by believing the gospel. Water baptism follows as obedience.
The objections may come from those who teach water baptismal regeneration, but Scripture never teaches it, not even in one place. Every passage used to support it, when read in context and in harmony with Romans 6:3 and Ephesians 4:5, points to the one true baptism into Christ, not to water. Water baptism symbolizes the reality, but the reality itself is the baptism into His death.
The Meaning and Function of Water Baptism
Water baptism has its place, but Scripture never confuses it with the one baptism of Ephesians 4:5. Water baptism is the symbolic representation of the real thing. It pictures death, burial, and resurrection. It identifies the believer with a body of doctrine. It is the public declaration of what one has been baptized unto.
Paul asked in Acts 19:3, “Unto what then were ye baptized?” Their baptism unto John was not a separate salvific baptism, but an identification with the doctrine that pointed directly to Christ. The question is not about the mode of baptism, but about the message and the doctrine. Israel was baptized unto Moses. The disciples of John were baptized unto John’s message, but that message was the announcement of Christ as the Messiah.
John preached repentance and faith in the One who was coming after him, the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world. Their baptism unto John’s doctrine was therefore a baptism unto the belief that Jesus was the Christ. In this sense, their identification with John’s message was in harmony with Romans 6:3, for they believed in the One whose death and resurrection would be the ground of the true baptism. Those believers were prepared material, and Christ called them out to form His churches. The believer today is baptized unto Christ and into the fellowship of doctrinally defined churches, the same kind of churches Christ first built.
Water baptism also serves as the doorway into church membership. Acts 2:41 records, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” Baptism preceded addition to the local body. Paul writes to the church at Corinth, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body” 1 Corinthians 12:13. This is written to a local church body, and it identifies the Spirit’s work of placing believers into the body of Christ, which the local assembly represents in its visible form.
Finally, water baptism is an act of obedience. It is commanded by Christ, practiced by the apostles, and expected of disciples. It does not regenerate. It does not impart life. It does not transfer inspiration. It is the outward obedience that follows the inward reality.
Conclusion
The Scriptures speak of one baptism. Romans 6:3 defines it. Ephesians 4:5 affirms it. The verses often used to support water regeneration actually point to the spiritual baptism into Christ. Water baptism remains the symbol, the identification, the doorway into fellowship, and the act of obedience. The one baptism is the baptism into Jesus Christ, into His death, and into His resurrection.
This continues the Baptism Series, written to distinguish the inward work of God from the outward acts of obedience.
~Tony
© A.K. Pritchard 2026 – Free to use with proper attribution
Baptism Series Part 4
“One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Ephesians 4:5
From Scripture
Scripture recognizes only one baptism as the real and saving baptism, and that baptism is the believer’s union with Christ in His death and resurrection. Paul states this plainly:
“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” Romans 6:3
This is salvation. This is the baptism that unites a believer with Christ Himself. It is the baptism into His death, His burial, and His resurrection. It is the new birth, the raising to walk in newness of life. No water can accomplish this. Only the Spirit of God can. This is the only salvific baptism in scripture.
Whatever else may be practiced outwardly, Scripture identifies only one baptism as the true and effectual baptism, and Romans 6:3 is the passage that defines it. Water baptism is only the outward symbol of the truly effectual baptism that saves, the baptism into His death.
This understanding clarifies several verses often pressed into service for water baptismal regeneration.
Mark 16:16 states, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Acts 2:38 reads, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Repentance first, then baptism. These passages speak of the outward act that follows the inward repentance and faith already present.
Acts 22:16 says, “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” The phrase “calling on the name of the Lord” is the true washing, the moment of salvation, the moment of union with Christ. In light of Romans 6:3, the baptism in view is not water baptism, but the baptism into Christ’s death, the one baptism that saves. The outward act of water baptism follows, but the verse itself speaks of the inward reality.
If Scripture teaches one true baptism, then these verses must be understood in harmony with Romans 6:3. They point to the baptism into Christ, not to water. The outward act symbolizes the inward reality, but the inward reality is the baptism that saves.
The Testimony of the Early Churches
The early churches read Scripture for the plain sense that it taught. Their practice reflects the same pattern found in Romans 6. Baptism “into” Christ and “into” His death is the salvific act by which one is born again. Water baptism follows after regeneration, after salvation, never before it and never as its cause.
The Early Writers
The patristic writers of the first century onward affirmed salvation first, then the symbol of water baptism to follow.
The earliest patristic witnesses do not teach water baptism as salvific. Clement of Rome speaks of justification by faith. The Didache treats baptism as instruction and obedience. Justin Martyr says belief comes first and baptism follows. Irenaeus ties regeneration to Christ, not water. Tertullian says “not the washing, but the faith” and opposes infant baptism. Only with Cyprian in the third century does baptismal regeneration for infants appear. Augustine later systematizes it, but even he admits Cornelius was saved before baptism.
The claim of unanimous early belief in baptismal regeneration is not supported by the historical record. The earliest tradition is apostolic. Salvation is by believing the gospel. Water baptism follows as obedience.
The objections may come from those who teach water baptismal regeneration, but Scripture never teaches it, not even in one place. Every passage used to support it, when read in context and in harmony with Romans 6:3 and Ephesians 4:5, points to the one true baptism into Christ, not to water. Water baptism symbolizes the reality, but the reality itself is the baptism into His death.
The Meaning and Function of Water Baptism
Water baptism has its place, but Scripture never confuses it with the one baptism of Ephesians 4:5. Water baptism is the symbolic representation of the real thing. It pictures death, burial, and resurrection. It identifies the believer with a body of doctrine. It is the public declaration of what one has been baptized unto.
Paul asked in Acts 19:3, “Unto what then were ye baptized?” Their baptism unto John was not a separate salvific baptism, but an identification with the doctrine that pointed directly to Christ. The question is not about the mode of baptism, but about the message and the doctrine. Israel was baptized unto Moses. The disciples of John were baptized unto John’s message, but that message was the announcement of Christ as the Messiah.
John preached repentance and faith in the One who was coming after him, the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world. Their baptism unto John’s doctrine was therefore a baptism unto the belief that Jesus was the Christ. In this sense, their identification with John’s message was in harmony with Romans 6:3, for they believed in the One whose death and resurrection would be the ground of the true baptism. Those believers were prepared material, and Christ called them out to form His churches. The believer today is baptized unto Christ and into the fellowship of doctrinally defined churches, the same kind of churches Christ first built.
Water baptism also serves as the doorway into church membership. Acts 2:41 records, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” Baptism preceded addition to the local body. Paul writes to the church at Corinth, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body” 1 Corinthians 12:13. This is written to a local church body, and it identifies the Spirit’s work of placing believers into the body of Christ, which the local assembly represents in its visible form.
Finally, water baptism is an act of obedience. It is commanded by Christ, practiced by the apostles, and expected of disciples. It does not regenerate. It does not impart life. It does not transfer inspiration. It is the outward obedience that follows the inward reality.
Conclusion
The Scriptures speak of one baptism. Romans 6:3 defines it. Ephesians 4:5 affirms it. The verses often used to support water regeneration actually point to the spiritual baptism into Christ. Water baptism remains the symbol, the identification, the doorway into fellowship, and the act of obedience. The one baptism is the baptism into Jesus Christ, into His death, and into His resurrection.
This continues the Baptism Series, written to distinguish the inward work of God from the outward acts of obedience.
~Tony
© A.K. Pritchard 2026 – Free to use with proper attribution