November 29 2025

Saturday November 29

“One Baptism”

Ephesians 4:4-6

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Today will continue to look at Ephesians 4:4-6 where we talk about the ground of our unity. Remember in verses 1-3, Paul was talking about the grace of our unity. We have longsuffering, gentleness, and humility. We bear with one another in love. That's the grace of our unity and now we need the basis of our unity. What gives us unity? Oneness in Jesus Christ. Oneness in our church. Unity where there's diversity and yet we have a unity of love and kindness and grace with each other.

The world should see this love and oneness that Jesus prayed about in John 17 because we are one with Christ and in Christ. Because we are one with God we can love one another despite our differences. Oh, my friend, how the church needs that unity today. The local body of Jesus Christ caring for one another, praying for one another, working together as we serve the one Lord and God of our Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So Paul writes about the seven spiritual realities that we in verses 4-6. The first five being: one body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith. Now, the last two of these spiritual realities are one baptism and one God and Father in verses five and six.

“One baptism”. I believe the baptism here that the Apostle Paul is writing about is the baptism that takes place at the moment of our salvation. In 1 Corinthians 12:13 Paul wrote, "For by one Spirit we are baptized into one body." For sure there is a difference of opinions when it comes to the teaching of the baptism of the Spirit in the New Testament. I personally believe that there was an initial, unique, one time in history experience, that took place when the 120 disciples in the upper room praying in one accord (Acts 2:1-3).

This happened on the day of Pentecost, (that's 50 days after Passover), when the Holy Spirit came down on these disciples with tongues of fire and they were baptized into the body of Christ and the church was birthed. Jesus had told them to: "Tarry in Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit", in Acts 1. For 10 days they had waited and prayed together. Then on that tenth day, a one-time historical event took place as the 120 were baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ.

Later that day, when Peter preached, 3,000 souls were saved. At the moment of each salvation of those 3,000 people, each one individually was baptized into the body of Christ. If you want to read details about this, read Acts 1-2. Another passage that speaks of this spiritual experience that takes place in the life of each believer when they get saved, is 1 Corinthians 12. Paul speaks of the diversity of gifts but “the same Spirit”. There are differences of ministry or service but “the same Lord”. In verse 6, he says there's diversities of activities, but “the same God” who works all in all.

You will see this theme throughout this chapter, one spirit, same God, one God, one Lord Jesus Christ. And remember Paul is writing to the church at Corinth that's having tremendous divisions amongst themselves. He's reminding them when one body, one spirit, one God, one Father. And now he is doing the same with the church at Ephesus.

So today, we need to remember this baptism he is speaking of in Ephesians 4:5 is not a second experience, third, fourth, fifth, sixth experience of baptism. This baptism only takes place at the moment of your salvation. You're baptized at that moment into the body of Christ. Read Romans 6:3, where Paul speaks of what takes place at this baptism of the Spirit. "Don't you know that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, we were baptized into His death?"  Again, this takes place at our salvation.

So, there is only “one baptism”, and you don't need to look for a second, third, or fourth, or fifth baptism. It's already taken place. Surely, as we dwell on these things and think about what God has done for us in Christ, we can have true unity one with another.

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God bless!