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To: kosta50; Kolokotronis; The_Reader_David; Gamecock; xzins; Quix; Blogger; Dr. Eckleburg; HarleyD
FK: "This combined with what I "think" you meant by "his gospel" really puts Paul in quite of a box, doesn't it?"

Yes, it does. And so does his statement "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel," (1 Cor 1:17) Apparently he was not aware of Matthew 28:19

Paul didn't have anything against baptism, but I think he does recognize that performing baptisms himself was far less important than his preaching Christ's Gospel. First, we can see that Paul assumes all believers are and should be baptized in Colossians, when he addresses all Christians:

Col 2:12 : 12 ... having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

Paul himself was baptized in Acts 9:18. So, Paul is not disrespecting baptism at all, he is just stating what his charge was. He answers why he did not perform many baptisms himself just before the verse you quote:

1 Cor 1:13-16 : 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? 14 I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.)

Paul evidently was aware of his own celebrity, and took extra care that no one would put him ahead of Christ. For example:

1 Cor 3:5-7 : 5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe — as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

And then:

1 Cor 3:21-23 : 21 So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future — all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

He didn't leave anyone alone, unbaptized, he just had others do it. To Paul, it didn't matter who baptized you, but into whom you were baptized.

8,467 posted on 02/01/2007 12:28:09 PM PST by Forest Keeper
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To: Forest Keeper; Kolokotronis; The_Reader_David; Gamecock; xzins; Quix; HarleyD
Paul didn't have anything against baptism, but I think he does recognize that performing baptisms himself was far less important than his preaching Christ's Gospel

There are two parts to your statement: first, Christ commanded the Apostles to teach and baptize... so I don't see who or where did +Paul find this freedom to choose what was more important than God's own commandment except that he was not aware of Mat 28:19.

Preaching and baptizing go hand in hand, FK. +Paul was making up his own rules it seems.

so no one can say that you were baptized into my name [1 Cor 1:15]

How could anyone say that if they were baptized in the name of the father, Son and the Holy Spirit? Perhaps +Paul was using his own 'formula' (like preaching 'his' gospel) since he was not aware of Mat 28:19.

1 Cor 3:21-23 : 21 ... He didn't leave anyone alone, unbaptized, he just had others do it

If you say so; your references doesn't make that clear.

8,531 posted on 02/01/2007 9:12:41 PM PST by kosta50 (Eastern Orthodoxy is pure Christianity)
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