Baptism

So many times I have heard preachers say that Paul was basically downplaying the role of baptism in the Church, or showing its insignificance, in 1 Corinthians 1:17 when he says "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel," putting preaching at a much higher level than the sacrament of baptism. However, a closer look at the context that the verse is placed in paints another picture.

In verses 12-17, Paul is correcting the church at Corinth for their mistaken belief that whoever baptized them, or introduced them to the faith, required their devotion and full allegiance, creating factions of Christians within the church. This is why, in vs. 13, Paul says "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" Paul goes on to say "I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name." (vs. 14 & 15).

Paul's words, "I thank God that I baptized none of you", and "were you baptized in the name of Paul?", place a great deal of importance on baptism. The people of Corinth were all baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ. They all belong to Jesus Christ through their baptism in His name.

Paul's relief in not baptizing many of the members of the church of Corinth is caused by his desire to not be a major part of the factions that were being created in the church, not because he placed little or no importance on baptism. Paul writes in many other places about being baptized into Christ, dying in baptism and rising in Christ. Paul simply was not called to baptize them, but to preach to them. This means that there were others who were called to baptize them. Simply because Paul wasn't called to baptize but to preach doesn't mean that baptism isn't important, it just means that wasn't his job! Of course he would do it if he had to, as he mentions that he did baptize a few of them. The very fact that Paul points out that divisions were caused over the people who baptized them shows what a great deal of importance the early church placed on baptism.