Glory In The Cross
Paul's insistance that we glory in the cross is well founded and of great importance. God applying Christ's death to our sins is the last step and power that removes sin. Yet this isn't the only instance where the Cross is tied to power.
1. The death of Christ ratified the covenant before baptism.
2. The death of Christ covers sin after baptism.
3. The death of Christ sanctifies every christian for service.
The Cross wields power in several areas, that is why we need to understand Paul's usage in I Corinthians 1.
Paul was showing all teachers are saved by the cross, and sinners, therefore not worthy of a baptism in their own name. He wasn't discounting baptism in Christ's name.
Though Paul taught the importance of the Cross in relation to baptism, he didn't use it to minimize baptism, no apostle meant for the cross to minimize any other commands such as baptism, the Lord's Supper, or any other command from Christ. The cross strengthens all commands ratified under it.
The problem is many faith only teachers use I Corinthians 1 to minimize these other commands, like baptism, in relation to the cross or the Lord's Supper. It was never meant to minimize baptism, he is showing an order of respect as baptism came about because of the cross, it was meant to instruct us not to glory in the person baptizing, not baptism itself. This is strongly enforced as you read the letter into chapter 3.
1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
"Therefore" in Greek is a summary of what is said previously.
So, what did Paul say in chapter one and two, and just as importantly, what did he not say?
1. He said some were baptizing in a name other than Christ.
2. He said some were glorying in the person baptizing them. Creating divisions as if one person like Paul, Apollos, or Cephas taught different.
3. He said he was not sent to baptize, but to preach the gospel.
4. He said the Cross was the power of God.
5. He wanted to know nothing but Christ Jesus, and Christ crucified.
So, where did Paul say what faith only people interject?
Did he say baptism was not for the remission of sins? No.
He taught his sins were washed away after baptism. Acts 22:16
Did he say he did not instruct baptism? No.
He recounts the conversions in Corinth. See Acts 18:
Act 18:8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
Paul simply states that of the many, he only baptized a couple of families personally.
1Co 1:15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
1Co 1:16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
He is simply saying he wasn't sent to be the baptizer, though he could baptize, he was sent primarily to be the teacher/preacher. He was a messenger primarily.
Act 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Paul was to bear the name of Christ, baptism was upon his name, so baptizing in another's name would not reflect glory toward Christ. Paul restores the order.
God
Christ
Spirit
Apostles
People
Glory should go to the Godhead above men. This section is concerned with glory, not the action of baptism itself. The purpose of baptism was already doctrinaly solidified. The order of origin needed to be restored.
Did he say baptism was lessoned or made unnecessary by the cross? No.
He later says they were all baptized into one body
1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit (not with) 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.
As in Acts 2:40-42
the Lord added them to the church after baptism.
I Cor. 12:13 isn't a reference to Holy Spirit baptism, as with the Holy Spirit himself, but that the Holy Spirit directed all to be baptized into one body. They received the doctrine from the Spirit himself. Paul here teaches baptism wasn't a teaching conceived by men, but by the Holy Spirit. The men who were instructing baptism got their doctrine from the Holy Spirit.
1Co 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ (a reference to the messianic messenger office), and him crucified. (A reference to Christ's wisdom as he sent the disciples to teach the Gospel and baptize, his crucifixion ratifying his doctrine)
1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
We are seeing Paul preach the name of Christ.
Jesus as Christ
The Holy Spirit as clarification
The Cross had power to ratify
The issue isn't the doctrine of baptism, the issue is what we glory in, which is a question of proper worship; if we glory in men we aren't worshipping God. Paul's answer is to trace the origin of Christian doctrine from Christ thru the Holy Spirit. The Cross not diminishing the importance of commands under Christ, but ratifying all.
Paul taught nothing of his own, but spoke only what Christ taught, and what he was led to do or speak by the Holy Spirit. That is why he could say, "by" one spirit they were all baptized into one body.
I Cor. 12:3 uses the same terminology in reference to the message from the Spirit (by the Spirit of God) as I Cor 12:13 (by one Spirit). The phrase doesn't imply Holy Spirit baptism.
1Co 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
This leads into vs 12 where he says by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.
Paul was not sent to baptize, but to teach the gospel by the Spirit's power, of course the Gospel has baptism in it and the Spirit gave instruction concerning it. So, Paul taught baptism without having to be the baptizer. His primary job wasn't to be the baptizer, others could do that.
The cross ratified the new covenant, the cross ratified baptism, so baptism is as holy as the blood that ratified it.
Jesus had to die and ratify the covenant before the covenant could be applied to us individually.
1. Christ died and ratified the covenant.
2. Christ sent them to preach and baptize after his death in the great commission.
3. The Holy Spirit confirmed the doctrine through Paul and the Other apostles.
Baptism in Christ's name
Confession
Lord's Supper
Imputing our faith
Even payment for our sins
were not operable before his death.His death ratified those elements, why don't faith only teachers dismiss "Imputing faith" because of the Cross.
Heb 9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
Heb 9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
Heb 9:18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
yet it seems teachers want to stand up the cross against the commands it ratified.
1Co 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1Co 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
1Co 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
Faith only teachers see Christ's death in a limited sense and a limited work. The Cross was more than power to do the final forgiveness. The cross had the power to remove and ratify. We come to God by a new and living way because of Christ's death, having the power to ratify a different way.
Heb 9:14 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?
The blood of Christ should lead us to service instead of arguing against his commands and methods.
Christ's death had the power to remove the old and ratify the new, all things of the New covenant were ordained and set into motion by his blood, they fall under the umbrella of the cross for it ratified them.
Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Speaking against baptism is to speak against his blood.Baptism is as Holy as the blood that ratified it.
Speaking against baptism is speaking against the Holy Spirits message.
It is true some people are proud because some highly loved preacher baptized them, they may think of them more highly than the other people as if the person made it more special or afforded them more honor.
Paul wasn't against baptism, he was against using men to generate prestige over others who are just as saved.
The power isn't in the person baptizing, but in the cross which ordained the method and ratified the way.
The cross also made it possible for each man to serve, just as Moses and Aaron were sprinkled with blood, we can only serve in the first place because we were sprinkled with Christ's blood.
We have no place to glory in man.
1. All things were a gift offered before man was created.
2. We have nothing we didn't receive.
3. Men are just stewards.
We can glory in the Cross which sanctified us for service vs our own wisdom or accomplishment.
As said earlier, Paul sums up the entire book.
1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;