Question : “Where are you ?” Answer : “I’m on my way..”
Question : “where exactly are you…”
Answer : “I’m coming sir …”
Why don’t we just state answer this easy question directly …🤷♂️😀?
Water baptism
One of the students in the ongoing Mathetheuo School of Ministry asked the question:
Is water baptism optional or compulsory?
My answer:
In the journey of Christian discipleship, there are many questions, but some are foundational. One of the most frequent and sometimes controversial is this: Is water baptism compulsory or optional?
Let us be clear and respectful: water baptism is not a side issue in Scripture.
It is not a denominational debate or an emotional ritual.
It is a command of the Lord Jesus Christ, a pattern in the early church, and a powerful public statement of faith.
This is not about legalism—it is about obedience.
Not about performance—but alignment.
Not just about water—but about identity.
1. The Lord Jesus Commanded It
> “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
— Matthew 28:19
This verse is known as the Great Commission. Notice carefully—Jesus did not only say “make disciples.” He added, “baptising them.”
This is not optional. It is a direct instruction from the Head of the Church.
You cannot separate discipleship from baptism. Jesus gave us a pattern that involves teaching, baptising, and discipling.
To call baptism optional is to edit the Lord’s clear command. That is not humility—it is presumption.
2. The Apostles Practised It Immediately and Consistently
From the first day of the Church’s birth in Acts 2, baptism was treated as a serious and immediate response to faith.
“Repent and be baptised, every one of you…”
— Acts 2:38
Three thousand people responded in one day. No delays. No debates.
Acts 8: The Ethiopian eunuch said, “Here is water. What prevents me from being baptised?”
Acts 9: Paul was baptised right after his conversion.
Acts 10: Cornelius and his household were baptised after receiving the Holy Spirit.
Acts 16: The jailer and his household were baptised that very night.
Every time someone believed in Christ, they were baptised immediately. Not months later. Not after advanced teaching.
Baptism was the believer’s first act of public obedience.
3. But Didn’t Paul Say, “Christ Did Not Send Me to Baptise”?
This is one of the most frequently misunderstood verses in discussions about baptism. Some have used it to suggest that baptism is unimportant or even irrelevant. But that is not what Paul meant—not even remotely.
“For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the gospel…”
— 1 Corinthians 1:17
Let’s pause. This is not Paul cancelling baptism. It is Paul correcting division.
In the Corinthian church, believers were becoming divided, forming spiritual cliques around their favourite leaders:
“I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” “I follow Christ.”
— 1 Corinthians 1:12
Paul responded with a strong rebuke:
“Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptised in the name of Paul?”
— 1 Corinthians 1:13
His point was simple: Baptism must never become a tool for pride or competition.
So when he said, “Christ did not send me to baptise,” he wasn’t saying baptism isn’t part of the Christian life. He was saying:
“I wasn’t sent to build a personal following through baptising people in my name. I was sent to preach the gospel so people would follow Christ—not me.”
Let’s also remember:
Paul himself was baptised (Acts 9:18).
He baptised others (1 Corinthians 1:14–16).
He taught baptism as part of the believer’s spiritual identity (Romans 6:3–4, Galatians 3:27).
So Paul was not against baptism.
He was against sectarianism, spiritual celebrity culture, and misplaced loyalty.
This verse is not a theology of omission. It is a lesson in spiritual maturity.
It is not a loophole to avoid obedience. It is a warning against turning sacred things into human platforms.
Paul honoured baptism deeply. He just refused to weaponise it.
So let us not take his words out of context. Let us read them with the reverence and clarity they deserve.
@EmeritusTolu I entered into my FT rest that day😂😂😂😂
I ceased from every agenda and entered observation mode
The icing on the cake was Pep's second treble at the end of the season
Messi FC and Pep FC don deliver
Na Arsenal FC remain 😭😭😭