"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect"(1 Cor 1:17)

None of us likes to be misunderstood. It bothers us tremendously when our motives are misinterpreted or our words overanalyzed. At times people come to conclusions about us which are far from reality, and this can be deeply unsettling. Imagine how Paul must have felt in dealing with the church at Corinth. He had come only to preach the gospel, and yet by the time he leaves town part of the church opposes him and part idolizes him. In both cases the focus is off Christ and on a man-and this frustrated Paul.

It is in the context of this problem that Paul utters a perplexing statement: "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect"(1 Cor 1:17). This passage has been championed by those who would downplay the importance of baptism in connection with man's salvation, and misunderstood by many. What did he mean?

Notice that Paul did not say, "Christ does not want me to baptize". In no way is he saying that Christ prohibits baptism. He even confesses in the preceding verses that "I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius"(v. 14) and "I also baptized the household of Stephanas"(v. 16). If Jesus did not want Paul to baptize, then how could he brazenly confess to sinning three times in this very context? The record of Acts also shows that Paul had a hand in many baptisms, and that this was the will of Christ. Christ did want Paul to baptize!

Notice that Paul did not say, "Christ does not want you to be baptized". God wants people to be baptized-and even Paul preached that! Paul himself was told, "Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord"(Acts 22:16). When Paul came to Corinth, Luke tells us that "many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed, and were baptized"(Acts 18:8). It is Paul who tells us that baptism puts us into Christ-that we are "baptized into Christ"(Rom 6:3, Gal 3:27). Jesus wants us to be baptized, so Paul is clearly not saying He doesn't!

What did Paul say? "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel"(1 Cor 1:17). Paul was sent specifically by Christ, and He was sent for a purpose-to preach the gospel. His purpose was preaching, not baptizing. Notice the word he uses-"baptize". Christ did not send Paul just so he could baptize people! Anyone could baptize them, but not anyone could preach the inspired gospel of Christ! Paul declared, "I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius"(v. 14). He thanks God not that they weren't baptized, but that he didn't do the baptizing! He explains why: "lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name"(v. 15). The Corinthians had become so divided under different men that Paul feared some would accuse him of baptizing in his own name! He would rather preach the gospel and let someone else do the baptizing than be accused of such.

Paul's motives had been misunderstood, and his goal was not to glorify himself or baptize in his own name. His goal was to preach the gospel and glorify Christ (v. 17). A warning must be issued to modern preachers: Be warned of viewing baptisms as a notch on your belt! Many preachers boast in the numbers they have baptized, yet Paul declared that he was glad he did not baptize any of the Corinthians save a few. Don't forget that Christ has not sent you to baptize, but to preach the gospel. Preach the word and let Him have the glory!

None of us likes to be misunderstood, but how tragic that Paul's attempt to clarify himself is today further misunderstood and used to contradict the very thing he preached! Let us not be so, but put the focus on Christ and give Him the glory. It was Jesus who said, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned"(Mark 16:16). Let us obey the Lord Jesus! ___Jacob Hudgins