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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. |
Subject: Baptism-What Does the Bible Teach? |
Bible Note: We should go back to kalos’ post, I would suggest, and thank him for a masterful job of exposition. It was not logic that he used, as in “Don’t you think …?”, but a very noble and necessary practice of allowing Scripture to shed light on Scripture. I would only add this, that while we say that water baptism follows salvation and is not a part of it, we should not at the same time minimize the importance of water baptism. It is very significant. According to Peter, it is the answer of a good conscience toward God (1 Peter 3:21). Baptism is the natural next step after a person professes faith in Christ, and it should happen promptly because there is no suggestion in scripture that we delay it. There is a serious problem, I think, and I am not sure what to think, if a new believer refuses to be baptized. Unfortunately, some believers refuse or delay baptism as if o prove the point it is not essential. Some churches find it prudent to give a new believer words of assurance of salvation before getting into the subject or the activity of water baptism. Sometimes there are issues because the person may have been baptized before. It may then be necessary to show that baptism follows salvation and does not precede it or facilitate it. But the new believer should receive it. Whereas most churches almost always do baptize new believers, one may wonder why this discussion comes up so often. If there is repentance and faith and baptism, then why is there an issue? It seems that those who emphasize baptism are concerned not only that it take place but that we believe it was essential to salvation. To do it is not enough, they say, we must profess belief that it was essential. Scripture seems to say that acceptance of baptism is an evidence of faith (Mark 16:16; Acts 8:36,37) and it is therefore received with joy, even as there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7,10). Both the new believer who is receiving it and those who observe it have reason to rejoice, as in Acts 16:33,34. |