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THE ONLY BAPTISM THAT SAVES Question: When you read the word “baptism,” what comes to mind? If you answered “water baptism” then you aren’t alone. Satan has been very successful in covering up the scriptural truth about baptism and its importance. Our land is filled with ignorant preachers (though often well-meaning ones) who are teaching heresies about water baptism while they have been completely blinded to the fact that there is another baptism which is far more important. We only have to consider the words of Jesus to realize this great truth: “And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.” (Mat. 20:23) Here Jesus tells the mother of Zebedee's children that her sons would be BAPTIZED with the same baptism as Himself, yet He and they too had already been baptized in water. There was yet ANOTHER baptism to come. Again in Luke 12:50 Jesus says, “But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!” He had been baptized in water in Luke chapter 3, yet here Jesus is speaking of ANOTHER future baptism. What could it be? First of all let’s understand that “baptism” simply means “immersion.” The word “baptism” itself does not indicate any certain KIND of immersion. God’s word always tells us what KIND of baptism a text is presenting. For example, John said in Matthew 3:11, “I indeed baptize you with WATER unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the HOLY GHOST, and with FIRE.” That’s three different baptisms in one verse! So when Jesus said His followers would be baptized with the same baptism as Himself, He was not speaking of water baptism. Likewise, when Paul said there is “one baptism,” he was not speaking of water baptism. I Corinthians 12:13 says, “For by one SPIRIT are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” This is a SPIRITUAL baptism which places one into the body of Christ. Water baptism cannot place one into Christ’s body for this text plainly states that this is done by spiritual baptism. Now, please consider a key passage of Scripture on this subject: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” (Rom. 6:3) We already know from I Corinthians 12:13 that we are baptized INTO Christ by Holy Spirit baptism, not by water. Here we find that when this happens we are also baptized into His DEATH and we are identified with the same baptism as Jesus. It is not necessary for me to die and pay for my sins on a cross, because I am already identified with Jesus Christ who has paid the price for me. Now, if Jesus went through a baptism on the cross, then what exactly was He baptized in? The answer is found in the Old Testament where the prophets foreshadowed this very event: “The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.” (Psa. 18:4-5) Notice how David compares his SUFFERING to being compassed about with water (like a baptism). He wasn’t in a literal flood of water, but he uses this analogy to illustrate how deeply he had been immersed in suffering. This is a perfect picture of the agony endured by our Lord on Calvary. Again, notice Psalm 69:1-4: “. . . Save me, O God; for the WATERS are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep WATERS, where the FLOODS overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.” This is a prophecy about Jesus on the cross and the BAPTISM which He endured. Psalm 88 also speaks of the same: “For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength: Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the DEEPS. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy WAVES. Selah.” (Verses 3-7) Verses 14 through 17 continue: “LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off. They came round about me daily LIKE WATER;; they compassed me about together.” Friend, this is the real ONE BAPTISM which Satan has hid from people. It is the fact that Jesus suffered and died for our sins under the wrath of God. He was baptized in GOD’S WRATH! Jesus paid the price because we couldn’t! Notice how clear the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is foretold in Lamentations 3:52-56: “Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause. They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me. WATERS flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off. I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon. Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.” Jesus suffered and died under God’s wrath to pay for sin. He was immersed (or baptized) in God’s wrath. II Corinthians 5:21 says, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Jesus was immersed so deeply in God’s wrath that He became SIN for us, and His Father momentarily FORSOOK Him (“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? - Mat. 27:46). Jesus paid the price and bore the curse of sin for us. Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” This very same chapter goes on to say, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (verse 27). How does one get baptized into Christ? By the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 12:13), not by water. When a sinner places his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and receives Him as Lord and Saviour, God’s Spirit baptizes that person into the body of Jesus Christ with all other believers. He is BAPTIZED BY THE SPIRIT into Christ’s body (I Cor. 12:13). This is the ONE BAPTISM which Paul spoke of in Ephesians 4:5, and this is the baptism that Jesus said His followers would receive (Mat. 20:23), because it identifies us with the very baptism that Jesus Himself received on the cross (Luke 12:50). Consider Micah 7:19, a verse often quoted in regards to salvation: “. . . thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” What sea might this be? It is the very sea that engulfed our Saviour upon Calvary’s cross, the sea of God’s wrath on sin! Friend, you may have been baptized in water, but have you been baptized in the ONE BAPTISM which takes all your sins away? Only the BLOOD of Jesus Christ can wash away your sins (Rev. 1:5; 5:9; I John 1:7), and only God’s Spirit can bring you in contact with Christ’s redeeming Blood! Hebrews 9:14 says, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Water baptism cannot wash away your sins because water baptism cannot bring you in contact with the Blood of Jesus Christ. Perhaps you’ve placed far too much faith in WATER baptism and you’ve completely overlooked the REAL baptism that God has for you. We aren’t saying that water baptism isn’t important. It is important because it PICTURES the real baptism that we’ve just studied. You should have the real baptism which washes your sins away, and then you should publicly illustrate your salvation by being baptized in water. But don’t think for a second that the water baptism has power to save. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Once you exercise true believing faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, then you can become a child of God. Only by receiving Jesus Christ as your Saviour can you become a true child of God and escape the damnation of Hell. There is no other way. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me." (John 14:6) If salvation is only through Jesus, then it is NOT through water baptism.