NO REBAPTISMS IN ACTS 18:24 THROUGH 19:7
[Excerpt from “Rebaptism Impossible!” (S.T.D.), pp. 32-43:]
Apollos was never rebaptized. He was mighty in the Scriptures and knew much about the baptism of John — even before his arrival in Ephesus. We are told he there received further instruction in the Christian way85 — yet without rebaptism! For we are never told he was ever rebaptized — either there, or elsewhere. See my other article: ‘The Baptism of John’ and the fiery believer Apollos.
Yet water-washed unitarians still needed Christian baptism!
On the other hand, non-trinitarian washings (whether by immersion or by sprinkling) were never regarded — by the Apostolic Church — as Christian baptisms. Hence, those previously immersed or sprinkled non-trinitarianly — but then converted to the Triune God — still needed to receive their one-and-only trinitarian baptism.
Thus, the approximately twelve non-trinitarians who arrived in Ephesus — though previously washed with water by their fellow unitarians — had never even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit. That they learned — only after they first met Paul, when he too subsequently arrived in Ephesus. Consequently, they then apparently still needed to receive Biblical baptism — for the very first time.
It seems this occurred after Paul had first preached the triune gospel to them. For only thereafter, apparently, did he give any of them Christian baptism.86
God Himself really does seem to have given us, elsewhere, a vital — and indeed an inspired — comment on this "Ephesian" passage Acts 19:1-5. As the Holy Spirit, through Paul himself, later declared — and precisely when writing specifically to the Ephesians — there can be but only "one baptism."
This one baptism, is triune baptism. For there is only "only Father"; "one Lord" Jesus; and "one Spirit." There is only "one God" — the Triune God. There is only "one body" — the Christian Church. There is only "one faith" — the trinitarian faith. Therefore, there is also only "one baptism" — triune baptism.
That triune or 'trinitarian baptism' is administered in the Name of the one and only Triune God. He, as "Father of all, is above all"; He, as Son, is "through all'; and He, as Holy Spirit, is "in you all" — in all of you who believe.87 The trinitarian rite is thus the only baptism which can validly ingraft into the Christian Church.
