Hello Dan:
I think the division on baptism deals with two Greek words: There are two Greek words used when one thinks of reading a text. It doesn’t make any difference if it’s the Bible or a text book. Many times we hear a sermon or teaching on a passage or because of our “peers” believe a certain way, we accept this as truth and make it a part of our beliefs. When we “read” the text of the Bible on this subject we “read into” (Greek: EISEGEIS) the text instead of “read out of.” (EXEGETE).
To “exegete” a text means to “draw out from it what the author meant.” To “eisegeis” a text means to read into it your ideas and not what the author intended when he wrote it.
We must “exegete” our texts when we read and study otherwise we will end up in one of the 33,000 denominations and growing by five each day.
This is a subject dealing with salvation. We need to take the “whole Word of God,” that is, the SUM OF God’s Word on this subject to arrive at a true conclusion. “The SUM of thy Word is Truth.” Psalms 119:160.
You have taken Acts 2;38 and applied it to Israel ONLY. Do you think God has one plan for Israel and another for the Gentiles? Of course you don’t. Now a preacher here in San Antonio, a very popular preacher with tons of money (millions), teaches that the Jew does not need Christ for salvation.
The whole Bible is JEWISH to the CORE!! The New Covenant was made with ISRAEL (Heb 8:13ff). We Gentiles are ‘grafted’ into that covenant. (We can thank Jesus for that)
Dan, not only did the Jews “crucify” Christ, but the Gentiles did also.
“Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, 19and shall deliver him unto the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify: and the third day he shall be raised up.” Matt 20:18ff ASV
GENTILES participated in the crucifixion of Christ through the Romans.
Let’s look at Acts 2:37ff from the ASV:
“And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him. And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” Acts 2:38-40 ASV
Here in Acts 2:38 we see several things:
1. These Jews (and Gentile proselytes) were to repent of their sins,
2. They were to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (by His Authority)
3. This was for the pardon of SINS. (Sins Plural)
4. This promise was made “to you and your children and to ALL THAT ARE AFAR OFF (GENTILES).
5. Even as our Lord shall CALL UNTO HIM. (The gospel “CALLS” to JESUS, … 2 Thes 2:14)
6. Take a LOOK at what happens NEXT; 3,000 were SAVED! Verse 41. And added to the church.
7. By obeying the command of Acts 2:38 they were to save themselves “from this crooked generation.” Isn’t that what we have done when we obey the gospel? We saved ourselves from the “world.”
Let me ask you a question. Why in the great commission is baptism mentioned for the “WHOLE CREATION” and ALL THE NATIONS (GENTLES)?
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (NAS)
Now look up “nations” and you will find the Hebrews say “goyim” (meaning Gentile, heathen) and the Greek is ἔθνος (ethnos). You make disciples by baptizing them and then you teach them the instructions of the New Covenant.
So, my point here is that Jesus sent the great commission beyond the hills of Jerusalem and INTO THE WHOLE WORLD. (Acts 1:8) They were to make disciples by baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and then TEACH THEM everything Christ had taught the apostles.
Now, with Matthew 28:19ff take a look at Mark 16:16:
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
The Great Commission INCLUDES the WHOLE WORLD and those that “believe and are baptized shall be saved.’ This is NOT charlesj saying this. This is scripture. Do you believe Mark 16:16?
I was asked one time, “what is the gospel?” My answer was very SIMPLE, because the gospel is SIMPLE.
The gospel is: THE DEATH, BURIAL & RESURRECTION of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. That’s it! That’s the good news!
Gospel is also called “the Faith.”
How do you “obey the gospel?” Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
The majority of religious people tell us that “there is NOTHING you must do except believe!” Then they will quote Romans 10:9, 10. Is that what the scripture says?
What does James mean when he speaks of faith and works? James 2:17, 18 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
It is not the “water” that saves anyone, it is the blood of Jesus, but we are told:
-1Peter 3:20ff that baptism saves, (not water)
-Acts 2:38 baptism is for the “pardon” of sins,
-Romans 6:2ff that one is “buried” with Christ in baptism.
-Romans 6:3ff that one is “raised to walk in newness of life”(born- again) after baptism.
- Paul is told to be baptized and “wash away his sins” (Acts 22:16)
-Mark records “he that believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believes not shall be damned”(Mk 16:16)
Everyone knows that it is the blood of Christ that covers our sins and makes salvation available to those who believe on that atonement, repent of their sins and then are baptized. That is the gospel plan of salvation. The apostles were told by Jesus, in the great commission, Matt 28:19ff: (I know I am repeating myself on this scripture, but I think its important)
Matthew 28:19-20
19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Jesus told them, “as you go, make disciples of all people,” how? “baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you . . .” (By the way, “go therefore” can be translated “as you go” in the Greek. It is still in the imperative. See Matthew 10:7 where the same Greek word, same syntax, is translated “as ye go.”)
If you will take the scriptures that speak of salvation you will notice that some will not mention “repentance,” some “believeth,” and some “baptism.”
In Romans 6 the Apostle Paul speaks to some Christians. He tells them in the opening verses of Romans 6 “..don’t you know when you were baptized you were baptized “into” Christ? (Verse 3). And he goes on to say that this baptism was really a burial in which one is buried and then “raised” to walk in “newness” of life. Paul tells us in verse 5 that we (using my words) emulate what Christ did when we are baptized. Christ died, was buried and then raised. We also do this when we are baptized. We die to our sins, are buried and raised to walk in newness of life.
This chapter continues with the idea of baptism and when you read verse 17 and 18 you see that this baptism is unique doctrine.
There is a doctrine, a unique doctrine that one “obeys” and is changed from a sinner and is made righteous. Take a look at what Paul says in Romans 6:
Romans 6:17-18
17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form(tupos) of teaching to which you were committed,18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
I have “inserted” the Greek word “tupon” or “tupos” and have underlined it. This word carries the idea of “mold, or pattern.” If one takes a pattern or mold, one can duplicate the pattern and each time it will be the same as the pattern. That’s the idea of the “form of doctrine” that frees one from sin. This Greek word “tupos” is used again in Hebrew 8:5
When one obeys from the heart “that form” of doctrine they become a Christian. This is the beginning of their walk with the Lord.
Hebrews 8:5
5 who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “SEE,” He says, “THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN(tupos) WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN.”
Here in Hebrews 8 the Hebrew writer expresses “tupos” very clear. This is the idea of Romans 6:17. One obeys a “pattern of doctrine.” This pattern was taught by Paul the apostle. What Paul preached in one church, he preached in them all:
1 Corinthians 4:17
17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.
If a preacher preaches the gospel of our Lord in San Antonio, Texas and then goes to Africa and preaches the gospel he will obtain the same result, “a Christian!” That’s the idea of pattern teaching. The end result will be that one will leave the first Adam (who brings death to all) and will be changed to a new headship, the second Adam, Jesus the Christ.
Jesus told a Jewish high priest that he had to be “born again” in order to “see” the kingdom of God (Jn. 3:3). The high priest did not understand, so he asked Jesus “does an old man go back into his mother and be reborn?”(Jn 3:4) Jesus told the Jew, “you must be born of water and of the spirit in order to ENTER INTO the kingdom of God.”(Jn 3:5) He then said an interesting thing,
“what is born of flesh is flesh” . . . in other words, what is born of Adam(the first) is still Adam, but what is “born of Spirit is Spirit.” The new birth places one into a Spiritual realm, they become sons of the second Adam, Jesus the Christ.
God made the “first man” from dust, God made the “second man” from sin!
When one becomes a Christian, they are not Protestant, Catholic, Mormon, JW, Baptist, Lutheran,etc. etc., they are just a Christian under the headship of Christ.
Those who have a “name” in the front of the building where they worship should take a second look at the teaching of the New Covenant. In this covenant, God does have a pattern, a unique mold, whereby you can identify the New Covenant church through its government (elders or pastors, minister, evangelist, deacons) and worship. God has designed His church (the people of God) whereby it can be identified from all the false ones. (By the way, elders or pastors are always in the plural in the Greek. Many call their minister “pastor” when he is not qualified to be an elder. Pastor means “elder” in the Greek. All elders are ministers, but not all ministers are elders according to the definition in the new covenant. )
In the Bible you see many “types and antitypes.” For example:
In Exodus you learn that that the Hebrews placed blood over their doorposts and the death angel “passed over.” This was their “Passover.” This is a “type” for in the New Testament, the antitype to the Passover is “Christ our Passover.” (1Cor5:10)
Also, you see that the Rock which provided water for Israel in the desert was a “type.” Paul tells us that Rock was Christ. (1Cor 10:4)
Another “type” was the FLOOD. Peter tells us, 1Peter 3:20,21, that the “antitupos” (we get our English word “antitype” from this Greek word) is baptism which now saves us.
1Peter 3:20,21 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
The like figure (antitupos) whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Noah and his family, eight souls, were saved because they obeyed God.
THE DESIGN OF BAPTISM.
The New Testament teaches there is “one baptism”(Eph 4:5). Yet we read in the New Testament of the baptism of John the Baptist (Matt 3:1-5), the baptism of the Holy Spirit(Matt 3:11; Acts 1:5), etc. However the “one baptism” is the one Christ commanded men to obey. It is the “one baptism” which Christ commanded to be administered by men to men.
John’s baptism is no longer in effect. The baptism of the Holy Spirit was a promise, not a command. Thus the “one baptism” is the one which Christ commanded men to obey for the remission of sins.
a. BAPTISM IS AN IMMERSION. The word “baptism” in the Greek text is
“baptizo.” It means immerse, plunge, duck, submerge, or overwhelm.
Vines Expository Dictionary defines the noun baptism as:
“BAPTISMA - baptism, consisting of the processes of immersion, submersion and emergence (from bapto, to dip), is used of John’s baptism, of Christian baptism.”
b. BAPTISM NOT SPRINKLING OR POURING.
There are different words in the Greek language for sprinkling and pouring.
RHANTIZO is translated “sprinkle.” CHEO is translated “pour.”
Since neither of these two words were used by the inspired writers
when commanding baptism, then baptism cannot be sprinkling or pouring water.
The word used was BAPTIZO which means immerse, dip, etc. That is
what the Lord said. The Lord commanded nothing else.
c. BAPTISM IS A BURIAL IN WATER.
When the Eunuch was baptized, it was in water. He and the preacher
both “went down into the water . . . he baptized him . . . they came up out of the water.” (Acts 8:36ff)
New Testament baptism requires going down into and coming out of the water.
d. BAPTISM ONLY FOR THOSE WHO:
(1). Can be taught. (Matt 28:19,20).
Matthew 28:18-19
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: KJV
(2). Can believe the gospel.
Mark 16:15-16
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. KJV
(3). Can repent of their sins.
Acts 2:38
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. KJV
Luke 13:3
3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. KJV
Acts 17:30-31
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. KJV
Repentance is not a change of life. It will produce a change of life, but
“repentance” from the Greek METANOEO means “a change of mind,” and
includes a change of heart and will. Infants cannot change minds and hearts. No one is ready to be baptized until he has repented.
(4). Can obey “that form of doctrine” from the heart.
Romans 6:17-18
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form(tupos) of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. KJV
When one is baptized, God circumcises the heart. It is a work of God.
Colossians 2:11-13
11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
Romans 2:28-29
28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.
Those that have believed, repented and have been baptized are then added to the church (Acts 2:47 KJV) or “assembly”(other versions). Originally, ekklesia was translated “congregation.” When the 1611 KJV was translated they changed the name from “congregation” to “church.”
When you have obeyed the gospel, you can say, as the Hebrew writer says:
You are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. -Heb 12:22-24
Dan, have you ever studied the Sacrificial System? I had a great professor in Bible College that taught a semester long class on the Sacrificial System. If you look at the sacrifices, the sweet smelling and the non sweet smelling you will see one thing in common. These sacrifices were done by the trusting Jew in God that He would forgive them of their sin(s). They HAD TO OFFER an animal sacrifice (substitute), an innocent victim, (very few sacrifices were done without blood, the drink offering or meal offering had no blood).
I need to make a point here on the sacrifices. Hebrews 9:22 tells us “…there is NO REMISSION OF SINS without the shedding of blood.” But Hebrews 10:4 tells us “…its impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” These people, under the Old Covenant, offered animals sometimes on a daily basis. If you read on the sacrifices, you will see that they “atoned for sin” especially the sin and trespass offerings.
You and I know that the ANIMAL BLOOD did NOT take away sin, right? But it was the ISRALITE TRUST IN GOD and OBEDIENCE that took the sin away, HIS FAITH. They trusted the Lord to take away their sins.
Also, you and I know that WATER CAN NOT WASH AWAY OR TAKE AWAY SIN in baptism. But WE TRUST THROUGH FAITH IN THE LORD, through obedience, that He will cover our sins. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN BY TRUST.
This is my two cents.
May the Lord BLESS YOU and ME as we study HIS WORD,
Your servant in Christ,
charlesj
“Every Christian has a past, and every sinner has a future.”