In the Bible, 'baptism' doesn't always mean water baptism; it fundamentally means being totally engulfed in or identified with someone or something.
Les Feldick shows from the Greek word baptizo that baptism pictured a ship being sunk at sea — a complete engulfing. Thus Israel was baptized unto Moses by passing through the Red Sea, and believers are baptized into Christ and into His death by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 10:1-2 — Paul directly uses the word 'baptized' to describe Israel's identification with Moses and the cloud.
Romans 6:3-4 — This passage connects baptism to identification with Christ's death and resurrection.
1 Corinthians 12:13 — This verse shows the Holy Spirit baptizing every believer into the body of Christ.
The Bible itself uses 'baptism' in two distinct senses. In 1 Corinthians 10:1-2, Paul speaks of Israel: 'Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.' These people walked through on dry ground, so the baptism was not by water — it was being identified with Moses. Paul then uses baptism for the believer's union with Christ. Romans 6:3-4 says, 'Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.' And 1 Corinthians 12:13 says, 'For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.' In each case baptism indicates being totally placed into or identified with something — not ritual water.
Les emphasizes that we must not automatically think of water when we see the word 'baptized.' The Greek term, even in classical Greek writers like Homer and Aristotle, was used of a ship being sunk at sea — something 'totally engulfed.' He applies that meaning everywhere the word appears in Scripture. Les shows that Israel's crossing of the Red Sea was a baptism, but not water baptism: they were placed under Moses' leadership and under the Shekinah glory cloud. Likewise, Jesus spoke of His crucifixion and suffering as a baptism. In the book of Acts, in the Jewish economy, Christ was the baptizer, placing believing Jews into the power of the Holy Spirit. When Israel rejected the kingdom, God turned to the Gentiles and the operation flipped: now the Holy Spirit is the baptizer, placing every believer into the body of Christ. The result, as Les explains in Romans 6, is that every believer has been baptized (engulfed/inundated) into Jesus Christ and into His death. By faith we experience what happened to Christ: we died with Him, were buried with Him, and arose in newness of life.
No. Les points out that most believers immediately think of water when they see 'baptized,' but 1 Corinthians 10:2 uses it of Israel, who went through the Red Sea on dry ground. Their baptism was being entirely placed under Moses' leadership and the Shekinah cloud. Even Jesus called His suffering a baptism.
Israel, fresh out of Egypt, passed through the Red Sea from slavery to freedom. They were not immersed in water — the sea was parted and they walked across dry ground. The baptism was simply that they were placed under Moses' leadership and under the Shekinah Glory cloud that accompanied them. It meant they were identified with Moses and with God's leading.
Les teaches from 1 Corinthians 12:13 that by one Spirit every believer — Jew or Gentile, bond or free — is baptized into the one body of Christ. This is not water; it is the Holy Spirit placing us, inundating and engulfing us, into Christ's body. We are not set on the edge of it; we are completely engulfed in it.
In the Jewish economy recorded in Acts, Christ was the baptizer, placing believing Jews into the power of the Holy Spirit so they could perform signs and miracles that continued His earthly ministry. When Israel rejected the kingdom, God turned to the Gentiles and the operation made a complete 180-degree turn: the Holy Spirit became the baptizer, placing us into Christ.
Will God Restore the Kingdom to Israel? Acts 1:6 Explained
that they're catching the program for the very first time. And I have to be constantly aware of that as I teach, that not everyone has been with us now ever since Genesis 1 -1. And Iris and I were just talking about it this morning driving up to Tulsa, that we are now beginning the fifth year. This just doesn't seem possible.
Greek Word Baptizo Means Totally Engulfed
Les shows that the Greek word used for baptism was used in classical Greek of a ship being sunk at sea, so it means to be totally engulfed — not necessarily by water.
Baptism as Identification — Moses' Leadership and Christ's Suffering
Les points out that both Jesus' death and Israel's Red Sea crossing are called baptisms; each means being placed under and identified with something — suffering or Moses' leadership.
Israel's Red Sea Baptism Was Not Water
Les explains that although Israel passed through the sea, they stayed dry; their baptism meant they were placed under Moses' leadership and the Shekinah cloud.
The Flip: Christ Baptizes with the Spirit, Then Spirit Baptizes into Christ
Les contrasts the Jewish economy, where Christ baptized believers with the Holy Spirit, with the present age, where the Holy Spirit baptizes believers into Christ.
Baptized Unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea
Les reads 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 and stresses that the people walked through on dry ground, so the baptism cannot be water baptism.
By One Spirit Into One Body
Les teaches from 1 Corinthians 12:13 that every believer is baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ — totally engulfed, not just on the edge.
Baptized Into Jesus Christ and His Death
Les explains Romans 6 in light of 1 Corinthians 12:13: the Spirit places us into Christ, and we are therefore identified with His death, burial, and resurrection.
1 Corinthians 10:1-2: Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
Paul describes Israel's Red Sea crossing and uses 'baptized' to express their identification with Moses even though they were not immersed in water.
1 Corinthians 12:13: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
This is the New Testament church-age baptism in which the Holy Spirit places every believer into the body of Christ.
Romans 6:3-4: Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Paul connects baptism with the believer's identification with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
No. The word 'baptized' is used in 1 Corinthians 10:2 of Israel's crossing of the Red Sea, yet they walked on dry ground. Les Feldick explains that the word means to be totally engulfed, not necessarily by water.
It means the nation of Israel was completely identified with Moses' leadership. They were placed under Moses and under the Shekinah cloud as they passed through the Red Sea — a baptism of identification, not water.
It means the Holy Spirit places the believer into the body of Christ and into Christ's death. As Les says from Romans 6, we are engulfed in His death, burial, and resurrection so that we walk in newness of life.
Yes. Les points out that Jesus spoke of His crucifixion, suffering, and death as a baptism — He was placed under everything that the disciples could never share.
Watch the Teaching: Will God Restore the Kingdom to Israel? Acts 1:6 Explained