Paul said Christ sent him to preach the gospel, not to baptize, so that the cross of Christ would not be made of no effect (1 Corinthians 1:17).
Les Feldick explains that baptism was John the Baptist's particular commission to Israel, while Paul's gospel—Christ died, was buried, and rose again—opens the door of salvation. In Corinth, baptism had become a source of division as believers boasted about which leader baptized them, so Paul thanked God he baptized none of them. His priority was preaching the gospel so that nothing, not even the rite of baptism, would distract from the finished work of the cross.
1 Corinthians 1:17 — This is Paul's direct statement that his commission was to preach the gospel, not to baptize.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 — This defines the gospel Paul was sent to preach: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect" (1 Corinthians 1:17). He was thankful he baptized none of them except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone say they were baptized in his name (1 Corinthians 1:14-16). In the same letter he defined the gospel he preached: "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). The book of Acts also shows a contrast. At Pentecost Peter told the Jews, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38). But when the Philippian jailer asked what he must do to be saved, Paul and Silas answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:31).
Les points out that Paul put priorities on these things—first things first. The gospel has to open the door, because it is the gospel that made pagan Gentiles new creatures in Christ and transformed Jewish legalists into people of grace. Baptism, Les explains, was John the Baptist's particular commission to Israel. John preached the baptism of repentance, but Paul says Christ did not send him to baptize like He did John; His mission was to preach the gospel—that Christ died, was buried, and rose again. Les also highlights the Corinthian situation. Believers were getting puffed up and saying, "I was baptized by Peter, I was baptized by Apollos, I was baptized by Paul." Paul said, "Don't you ever do that with my name. I thank God I baptized none of you for that very reason." He then remembered he did baptize the house of Crispus and one other, but beyond that he put no importance on water baptism because of the evident dangers of division. The same danger exists today when peripheral things tend to divide believers. Les emphasizes that Paul could not let anything detract from the finished work of the cross—nothing the church does, not even the rites of baptism. Paul's message was the gospel, and on Gentile ground under grace he simply says believe. Peter's answer at Pentecost, "repent and be baptized," belonged to the kingdom program still under the law; Paul's answer to the jailer, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ," reflects the change of program to grace.
Paul's own words are explicit: "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel" (1 Corinthians 1:17). Les explains that this is a priority statement—first things first. The gospel has to open the door, because it is the gospel that makes pagan Gentiles new creatures in Christ and transforms legalists into people of grace. The gospel is what Paul constantly referred to throughout his letters: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again.
In Corinth, believers were dividing over human leaders: "I was baptized by Peter, I was baptized by Apollos, I was baptized by Paul." Paul said, "Don't you ever do that with my name. I thank God I baptized none of you for that very reason." He then remembered that he did baptize the house of Crispus and one other, but other than that, he put no importance on water baptism because of the dangers of division. Les warns that the same dangers are evident today when things tend to divide believers.
Les explains from 1 Corinthians 1:17 that Paul refused to present the gospel with human eloquence or wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. The preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is where God has His controversy with man. So Paul's aim was to keep the spotlight on the gospel itself and not let anything detract from it.
Les contrasts John the Baptist's commission with Paul's. John preached the baptism of repentance, but Paul says Christ did not send him to baptize like He did John—He sent him to preach the gospel. Les also compares Acts 8, where Philip went to Samaria and preached Christ, with 1 Corinthians 1:17, where Paul says he was sent not to baptize but to preach the gospel. And he contrasts Peter's answer at Pentecost—repent and be baptized—with Paul's answer to the Philippian jailer—believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. In Les's teaching, this is not a contradiction but a change of program from Israel's kingdom program under the law to the Gentile grace program.
Why the Cross Is Foolishness to the World — 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Hello and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick.
The Gospel Opens the Door
Les explains that the gospel—Christ died, was buried, and rose again—has to open the door, and it transforms both pagans and legalists. This is why Paul's priority is preaching the gospel rather than baptizing.
John's Baptism Versus Paul's Gospel
Les contrasts John's baptism of repentance with Paul's commission to preach the gospel—Christ died, was buried, and rose again—and adds that the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who perish.
Baptism Divisions in Corinth
Les shows that Corinthian believers were dividing over which apostle baptized them, and Paul thanked God he baptized none of them because water baptism had become a source of division.
Nothing Detracts from the Cross
Les emphasizes that Paul said Christ sent him not to baptize but to preach the gospel, and that nothing the church does—including the rite of baptism—can be allowed to detract from the finished work of the cross.
Philip's Preaching Compared
Les compares Philip preaching Christ in Samaria with Paul's 'sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel,' showing these are distinct emphases that should not be put in the same kettle.
Why Paul Went to Arabia: The Revelation of Grace
We have to rest on the word of God. All right, reading on. Verse 15, but when it pleased God who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his what? Grace. Remember, I emphasized last week when Saul was on the way to Damascus, a total enemy of Christ, instead of zapping him, taking him off the scene, Christ saved him. Now, that was grace. And Paul recognizes it all through his writings.
Kingdom Program vs Grace Program
Les contrasts Peter's 'repent and be baptized' at Pentecost with Paul's simple command to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, showing the change from the kingdom/law program to the grace program for Gentiles.
1 Corinthians 1:17: For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
This is the key verse where Paul states that his commission was preaching the gospel, not baptizing.
1 Corinthians 1:14: I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
Paul expresses gratitude that he baptized few Corinthians, which Les links to avoiding divisions over human leaders.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
This defines the gospel Paul was sent to preach—the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Acts 2:38: Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Peter's response at Pentecost included repentance and baptism, which Les places on the kingdom program under the law.
Acts 16:31: And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Paul's answer to the Philippian jailer was simply to believe, which Les sees as the message for Gentile ground under grace.
No. Les explains that Paul is setting priorities, not forbidding baptism. Paul said Christ sent him not to baptize but to preach the gospel, and he pointed out the dangers of division when believers boast about who baptized them. In the Corinthian situation, Paul thanked God he baptized none of them.
Paul's gospel, as Les summarizes, is that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Everything else, including baptism, must not detract from that finished work.
Les teaches this is a change of program. Peter's answer was on the kingdom program, still under the law, so he said repent and be baptized. Paul's message on Gentile ground, under grace, is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not a contradiction but a change of administration.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Cross Is Foolishness to the World — 1 Corinthians 1:18-25