“Who Baptizes Who?”

Monday, April 20, 2015

Do you think a person must be baptized by a Christian male only? Could a woman be baptized by a Christian woman if there are no men around? Does the person doing the baptizing have to be a Christian?

 

Sincerely,
Immersed in the Issue

Dear Immersed in the Issue,

The person who is doing the baptizing is not nearly as important as the one being baptized.  The only examples we have in the Scriptures are of male christians baptizing people, but that is probably more of an incidental then a matter of importance.  It reminds me of the argument that all churches should meet in upper rooms because the only examples we have in the New Testament are of churches meeting in upper rooms.  Males baptizing and upper room meetings would both fall under the heading of "missing the point" in my opinion.  It would be a rather odd situation where someone came to the conclusion that they must be baptized without being taught by someone who could also baptize them.  However these things do occur, so let's consider what the Scriptures say.

Baptism is all about the effect that is had on the person immersed.  They are saved (Mk 16:16, Acts 2:38), their life starts anew (Rom 6:4), and they are buried with Christ (Rom. 6:4).  The emphasis is so steeply placed upon the person being baptized that there is only one incident in the entire New Testament where it says, "he baptized him"(Acts 8:38); every other circumstance is "they were baptized", "he was baptized", etc.  The emphasis is placed time after time upon who was baptized and not who did the baptizing.  Paul rarely baptized people himself after teaching them (1 Cor 1:14-17), nor did Christ (John 4:2).  The importance was that the people were baptized for salvation and not who did it.  In general, people will be baptized by male Christians, but a woman doing the baptizing wouldn't be an issue either if the circumstances called for it.  I can't think of many circumstances where an unbeliever would baptize someone, but I wouldn't contest that person's baptism as illegitimate if that were the case.  The angels are rejoicing over the sheep that has been found in either situation (Lk 15:10).

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