Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, "Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. |
Bible Question:
Greetings Forum participants! For many days we have masticated the issue of baptismal regeneration or the belief that water baptism is necessary for salvation. Now, if the Holy Spirit is only given AFTER (water) baptism, how could the Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit as they did in Acts 10 PRIOR to their water baptism? |
Bible Answer: Mommapbs, Greetings Well I'm back. Let me say I was prepared to answer your question, then I read your post to Robert. Then I read your post as you suggested him to do. Now I have two questions to answer. First of all, refering to your post, 'water baptism unnecessary for conversion', you stated "after his encounter with the Lord, Saul (Paul) was in Damascus for THREE DAYS (ACT 9:9) prior to being (water) baptized!" Was he "unsaved" during this time? My answer is yes, Paul was not yet converted (saved). Act 22:12, Paul notes that it was Ananias, A man with credentials as a good Jew who received him into the faith that is in Christ. Verse 14 Ananias explains the will of the Father. Verse 15 his calling. Verse 16 Paul is baptized that same day! However, is baptism necessary for salvation? Well, your reference is Act 2:38, while baptism with water was the EXPECTED symbol for conversion, it was not an criterion for salvation. We are not addressing the fact whether the Holy Spirit is given AFTER or before baptism, we are addressing receiving the "gift of the Holy Spirit." Act 2:39 is saying, The Promise is to you: then, the "GIFT" of the Holy Spirit will be given to them as it was given to the original group of disciples: and as it will be given to succeeding generations of those who believe. Back to Act 2:38, Peter gives them something to "do" in response to their question. This means that we must "do" something to be saved; we must 'do" something to follow Jesus. It doesn't just "happen." notice I mentioned "do" and not "work". Even in the act of "repent" we must "do" something, e.g. turn our direction around from the way we were going. Act 10:44-48, These God-fearing Gentiles are saved, filled with the Holy Spirit and baptized. There salvation, apparently, each one of these Gentiles responded to the message of Peter with believing faith in their hearts, so that they were actually saved while they listened. The moment of a person's salvation isn't necessarily when they raise a hand or come forward at an evangelistic invitation, it is more likely at the moment they surrender to God and embrace Jesus in the sincerity of their heart. Gentiles had probably been saved in the eight years since Pentecost, but they were saved as they embraced Judaism as well as Christianity, Gentile may have been saved but they were saved as Jews, not Gentiles. In closing, the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit as they did in Acts 10 PRIOR to their water baptism! After their baptism they received the GIFT of the Holy Spirit. What's the difference? God blessings Mommapbs |