A single obedient act is a declaration before God and man.
The seven unities in Ephesians 4:4-6 form the basis for the practical expression of unity—that is “the unity of the Spirit.” This is a unity produced by the Spirit and maintained by believers. This order is important because believers cannot create this unity, but they can preserve it. Positionally, this unity cannot be broken; but practically, it can be disturbed in life. It is maintained by recognizing that the bond holding us together is the peace made in Christ.
There is an extension of the thoughts from chapter 2: the fact that Jew and Gentile have been brought into one body. The word together occurs five times in chapter 2. Jew and Gentile are made alive together, are raised up together, sit together, are joined together, and are built together. There is also an emphasis on the fact that God has made both one. The result is peace both between Jew and Gentile and between man and God.
The context
An overview of the immediate context might help to put these doctrinal statements into perspective.
Ephesians 3:14-21 is Paul’s prayer, but it also expresses the greatness of God. Paul tells of the strengthening of the Spirit, the love of Christ, and the fullness of God. God is working in us to accomplish far more than we could ever imagine. The purpose of this activity is that the church will display His glory in this age and in ages to come.
Ephesians 4:1-3 expresses the graces that are necessary if unity is to be practically maintained. God’s glory is displayed in the church by relationships between believers. Apart from these graces, individual believers would be ego-centric as opposed to focusing on others. Each believer is responsible to endeavor to keep that unity. This can be done only through humility, tenderness, patience, and love toward others.
Ephesians 4:4-6 gives the ground of unity. There must be facts upon which unity is based, and the seven statements in these verses give that foundation. Jew and Gentile now acknowledge one Lord, adhere to one faith, and profess allegiance to Christ through one baptism.
Ephesians 4:7-16 speaks of the gifts that are given to promote and to express unity in practical ways. The ultimate goal of these gifts and the visible display of unity is seen in 4:11 as unity of the faith and conformity to the person of Christ. Only in heaven will this be fully true, but it is to be our goal and pursuit while here below.
To summarize, there is the greatness and glory of God, the gifts and graces of his people, and the grounds and goals of unity.
Water or Spirit?
Now let us consider the specific unity before us—the one baptism. There is irony associated with the unity of one baptism in that this fact, perhaps more than any other items in this list, has generated a lack of unity. Scholars and commentators are divided as to whether Paul had water baptism or that of the Spirit in view in this particular passage. Good and learned men stand on both sides of the issue. Some scholars feel that whenever water is not mentioned in connection with the word baptism then it must refer to the work of the Holy Spirit. However that might not be true in this passage because the first three facts given in verse 4 are associated with the Holy Spirit and His purpose. The next three items as seen in verse 5 have to with the Lord Jesus and His person, and the final statement in verse 6 has to do with the Father and His position. This arrangement removes the word baptism from association with the Spirit and aligns it with the person of the Lord Jesus. For this reason, it would seem best to see the one baptism as water baptism or believer’s baptism, the act of obedience that follows faith in Christ.
There are other uses of the word baptize in the New Testament such as a baptism of fire, a baptism of suffering, and a baptism by the Spirit. Associated with Jewish ritualism, there is the doctrine of baptisms in Hebrews 6:2. None of these usages of the word refer to the one baptism presented in Ephesians 4.
Method and meaning
Beyond this passage, there is within Christendom and even within evangelical circles a divergence of views when it comes to the mode and meaning of baptism. Some of the differences are as follows: sprinkling or immersion, infants or believers, and household or individual baptism. There are others who hold to the teaching of baptismal regeneration—the view that salvation is not by faith alone but by faith plus baptism.
It is unfortunate that the word baptism was transliterated into English as opposed to being translated. If it had been translated, the mode if not the meaning would be clearer. According to Vine’s definition, baptism consists of “the processes of immersion, submersion, and emergence.” The word comes from the root word that translates as “to dip” and was used of the process of dyeing cloth. Immersion would seem to be the closest English word to express the Greek. Had the word been translated, there might have been more unity on this issue over the course of history. This would have made it difficult for those who practice baptism by sprinkling to maintain their position.
Though the word would be expressed as immersion, the meaning is “to identify with” or “be initiated into.” Thus the Lord Jesus was identified in His baptism as the Anointed One as He was publicly inaugurated into His Messianic office. Also, the children of Israel were baptized unto Moses with a dry baptism because they were being identified with him and with his leadership (1 Cor. 10:2). When believers are baptized, they are baptized unto Christ Jesus, and it is said that they, “have been baptized unto His death” (Rom. 6:3, Darby).
The one baptism is the act of a believer. After professing Christ as Saviour, a Jewish or a Gentile believer is immersed in water as an act of obedience.
Two directions
The God-ward aspect of baptism is a matter of submission or obedience and is the answer of a good conscience toward God. Believer’s baptism is introduced in the gospels, practiced in the book of Acts, and taught in the epistles. It is clearly meant to be practiced in the church age. On the basis of this progression, the symbols of baptism and the Lord’s Supper are considered to be ordinances of the church. Baptism, then, is a matter of God’s will and a command for those who are saved. The proof of our love for Him is obedience to His commands.
The man-ward aspect of baptism is a declaration of the fact that a person has died with Christ and is buried with Him. The visible act symbolizes the invisible transaction that took place at new birth. It is not stated that baptism is a testimony to the world, but it is that and more. In many cultures, when a person gets baptized, it is understood that they have said good-bye to their former beliefs and attachments and are now publicly identifying themselves with Christ. Baptism is a declaration of identification with the risen Lord.
The order is to believe and then be baptized, an order that no infant or unbelieving child would be able to follow. There is nothing of merit in baptism, so there is no spiritual value in an unbeliever getting baptized. Nor is baptism a requirement for salvation, as seen in the assurance given to the thief on the cross. Baptism is an act that accompanies salvation and a matter of obedience for God’s child. The baptism in this passage is one of seven unities that join God’s people doctrinally, and it is a practical demonstration of oneness in the body of Christ.