The purpose of this teaching is to present the essential meanings of Baptism, and specifically the quintessential meaning of Baptism in light of the New Covenant. We will very briefly survey the progression of the concept of Baptism in the Hebrew Bible, the Gospels, and the Epistles – again with a view to the quintessential meaning of Baptism in the New Covenant.
Concerning this goal, it may be interesting to note at the outset that the Scripture speaks in terms of both “baptisms” – plural, and “ONE baptism” – singular: Namely, “instructions about baptisms” (or “washings”) and “one Lord, one faith, ONE baptism”, indicating that all the “baptisms” (or “washings”) of the Old Covenant are fulfilled in the ONE baptism into Christ in the New Covenant. This is the viewpoint of this teaching.
