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 Rob! You asked," But if we cannot be united with Christ in his death without baptism (Rom 6) then why do you tell people they need not be baptized?" Perhaps you have misunderstood my position. I am not saying that believers need not to be baptized (water immersed)for indeed this is easy act of obedience we can do to show our love for Jesus. I believe the salvic "baptism" that we receive upon confession of faith is of and by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). This question has been "is water baptism necessary for SALVATION?" To which I answer,"NO." Salvation is a gift of God alone; if water baptism was required, that would be a "work" or a way to "earn" God's favor. (Eph 2:8-9) God loves everyone of us exactly the same. Nothing we DO can make Him love us more or less than He does at this very moment. I see water baptism as an act of obedience that FOLLOWS the new birth wrought at the moment of salvation. Eph 2:10 puts this in the proper order: "We are God's workmanship, created in CHrist Jesus, unto good WORKS which He prepared in advance for us to DO." (EMPHASIS, mine) God loved me, a sinner - I believed(this moment only God alone can know, for He sees my heart); God saved me by His Grace; I demonstrated my love for Him by my obedience to His Word. I confessed with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and entered the waters of baptism. Had I died prior to entering the baptistry (months after my conversion) WHERE would I spend ETERNITY? Isn't this the REAL bottom line? |
Bible Answer: Thanks for your response. If I had written the bible all these world shattering questions would have been answered to the last detail...I'll have a chat with daddy when he's done burning the dross off me! For instance, the eunich asked Phillip, "what prevents me from being baptized?" Were I the author of this episode, there would have been a real impediment to the baptism, and gone into what may happen if it were not completed before his death. It's a pretty extreme case, but it's a fair question. I think that if there is something in the way, a "No Trespassing" sign, or heart attack, then the Lord sees the heart's desire for his forgiveness. But i truly feel like we're mocking his word when we say baptism isn't necessary (for anything) when his word so clearly demands it. It's not a suggestion, and it's not a "grammarical error" that can't be understood. It's a command. I guess I'll let others be theologians and be happy that as his child, I'm accepted as his own. |