It is an unwarranted assumption that John was called a Baptist before he ever baptized. The Bible teaches in Luke 1:13 “and thou shalt call his name John.” In Luke 1:60, his mother Elizabeth declared “he shall be called John.” Zacharias, his father, while he was still dumb and could not speak, “ask for a writing table, and wrote, saying, his name is John. And they marveled.” John, the apostle who wrote by direction of the Holy Spirit said ”and there was a man sent from God whose name was John.” The Holy Spirit instructed John and Luke to give him a name that was John. There is nowhere in prophecy or any other place where there is an indication he would be known as “the Baptist” prior to his baptizing! According to Zacharias, prophecy 30 years before John began baptizing, the following titles might have applied scripturally and logically. He would be called a prophet, Luke 1:76– he would be called a forerunner, same verse, he would be called a preparer, same verse, a would be called a knowledge giver, Luke 1:77, he would be called a light giver, Luke 1:79, are he could have been called of feet guider. Luke 1:79. The first mention of him as a baptizer was in connection with his mission. Matthew 3:1 – 2.
He was known only as John until he began preaching. Luke 1:1-4 “for as much as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us. Even as they deliver them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; it’s in good for me and thee also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, that thou might us know the certainty of those things wherein thou has been instructed.” It is obvious from Luke’s introductory statement to his gospel that in his Gospel he proposed to write in order “all things from the very first.” This is Luke’s own statement as inspired by the Spirit to write of the matter! This is either true, accepted as truth, or not true. Luke wrote that he had perfect understanding. Those who believe the Bible believe Luke told the truth; so when he spoke of John, in every instance in which he is mentioned him by name, Luke only calls him John, it follows that from the beginning he was called John– not John the Baptist!
In Luke 3:1-3, “in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar-the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness..” As you can tell here, he was not called the Baptist. It might be worth a comment that Luke’s gospel gives the record of John before he began baptizing while Matthews Gospel mentions him first in connection with his reason for baptizing!. The term was used to designate and distinguish John from other John’s spoken in the Gospels. A note of interest, there were times he was called the Baptist, and John was never mentioned! The American Union Translation of the New Testament abolishes the name Baptist, and gives the true translation-immercer. I might also note, John was never called a Baptist preacher-nowhere, ever was he referred to as a Baptist! You have to mutilate or change the word of God to get from the Bible that John was a Baptist or a Baptist preacher!! Another interesting note, is that no other John who had that as a name, was also known as a Baptist. If you can find were the Bible speaks of two Baptist, I will personally apologize to you!
If all John baptized became Baptist because John baptized them, then by the same reasoning all Christ had baptized became Christians! It is strange that of all the Baptist John made, none of them were ever called by their first name plus the Baptist that is recorded. Can a church be a Baptist church and not wear the name Baptist church? You can change the dress you wear but still preach the same damnable lies!! Why did they not immerse for the first 80 years?? There is a major difference in being called a Baptist and being baptized! Was John himself ever baptized!!
Baptist have quit baptizing for the remission of sin!! Confusing?? If a Supreme Court justice baptized a prisoner, does that make a Supreme Court judge out of the prisoner? When Paul baptized the household of Stephanas, did that make all the household apostles? Since all preachers are men, and one of them baptizes a woman, did that make the woman a man?
