In Paul's letters, who is the baptizer and whom does He baptize?
In Paul's letters the baptizer is the Holy Spirit, not Jesus. He baptizes predominantly Gentiles, and He baptizes believers into Christ, a complete reversal from the Jewish economy where Jesus baptized Jews into the Holy Spirit. This change marks a total reversal in operation by the time of Paul's letters.
Les explains that the baptism Jesus instituted was His baptizing with the Holy Spirit, referring to the nation of Israel and looking forward to Pentecost, when they would be inundated or engulfed. Baptism can mean engulfed, not always water; 2 Corinthians 10 pictures Israel coming out of Egypt and through the Red Sea as baptized unto Moses and the cloud, though on dry land. But by Paul's letters there is a complete change of operation: the Holy Spirit is now the baptizer, baptizing predominantly Gentiles, and baptizing believers into Christ. In the Jewish economy Jesus baptized Jews into the Holy Spirit; in the revelation of the mysteries, the Holy Spirit baptizes predominantly Gentiles into Christ—a total reversal.
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Who is the baptizer in Paul's letters?
In Paul's letters, during the revelation of the mysteries, it is the Holy Spirit who is the baptizer, and He baptizes predominantly Gentile believers into Christ.