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Ephesians 2 – Baptism in Ephesians 2:6?
Ephesians 2:8-9: “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift — not from works, so that no one can boast.” (CSB)
“See, there is no mention of baptism, only faith therefore faith only.” Many no doubt have used or heard that argument. But what if there is a mentioning of baptism, but without that word, and instead describing the action?
Baptism literally means to immerse. There are two actions involved: 1) Going down; 2) Coming up. With that in mind look at Ephesians 2:6: “He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,”. When did this raising occur? This describes what we know happened from Acts 19. The Ephesians had been uselessly baptized with John’s baptism, and then Paul baptized them into the name of Jesus Christ (v.5).
Now let’s look more closely at the Acts account: Acts 19:4-5: “Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.” Do you see how if you belief that includes baptism? The same is true in Ephesians 2 where faith includes baptism as seen in referring to the secondary action of being raised up with Jesus. This also shows how baptism is not a work because while our body is being raised out of the water, God is spiritually raising us to sit with Jesus in the heavens. Baptism is our resurrection (Romans 6 and Colossians 2:12 also by Paul) and exaltation. Through faith when baptized “by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:5,8).
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