The below quote about the receiving of the Holy Ghost before and after water baptism opposes the above quote.
No. It does NOT oppose the above. It’s just meant to emphasize the fact that, even though no one can be saved without repenting AND receiving the Holy Ghost, water baptism IS just as essential, too. However, the thing about water baptism is, it can take place either before OR after receiving the Holy Ghost .. AND receiving the Holy Ghost can take place before OR after water baptism.
Granted, at Cornelius’ house, in Acts Chapter 10, the hearing, believing, obeying and the infilling of the Holy Ghost all took place during that one meeting. And, **IF** water baptism was NOT an essential part of the salvation plan of the New Covenant, as you assert, Peter would have had absolutely no need whatsoever to COMMAND water baptism in Acts 10:48, as he did. Furthermore, to assert water baptism was just a ritual for new disciples, is unscriptural. John the Baptist’s baptism was "unto repentance" .. and repentance is indeed the FIRST step after one has heard AND believed the gospel message of the New Covenant. Jesus Name baptism is for the remission of sins.
That’s what I was trying to point out. I suppose, you just misunderstood me. But no problem, here.
That is because believing in Him is the only essential for being born again of the Spirit John 3:7-18
my friend, I’ll be happy to go over John Chapter 3 with you, and what Jesus said about, how it is known when everybody is born of the Spirit, later. However, it takes MORE than merely believing to receive the Holy Ghost "the Bible way", as you assert. One can hear AND even “believe” the Gospel Message of the New Covenant, and still NOT “obey” the Gospel Message of the New Covenant. Therefore, “Obedience” is the KEY, once one has BOTH heard AND believed that Message.
Acts 2:38 (KJV)
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.
Considering that Acts 10:43-48 proves that water baptism is NOT essential for the remission of sins, but repenting from unbelief by believing in Him, is how this same Peter told the Gentiles how the remission of sins was clearly given.
I agree with you, that one MUST believe AND repent to receive the Holy Ghost .. because God isn’t going to dwell in an unclean temple. However, to assert water baptism was NOT an essential part of the salvation plan must be an oversight, on your part.
Peter was sent there to tell them what they MUST do to be saved. AND HE DID.
Acts Chapter 10 (KJV)
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then
prayed they him to tarry certain days.
Acts 11:14 (KJV)
Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
They were coming to Philip and believing the "things" he had preached about, but more so in following him around to behold the miracles supposedly by Philip for why Simon had sought to buy this "power" from Peter & john in the laying on of hands as if appearing to give the Holy Ghost themselves. Simon and the Samaritans were following Philip out of fanfare rather than heeding his words to come to & believe in Jesus Christ for salvation. Therefore in spite of water baptism given, they were not really coming to & believing in Jesus Christ for salvation for why they had not received their remission of sins even though water baptized in Jesus's name.
you should be very cautious about making an assertion (unequivocally) like that. It is true they all beheld miracles. But Phillip didn’t go there to put on a dog and pony show. And for you (or anyone) to throw everyone into the same category as Simon, the sorcerer, in my opinion, is a grave mistake.
John 8:12 (KJV)
But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Water baptism is an ordinance for newly saved believers to follow in taking the first steps in becoming His disciples.
the people in Samaria, in Acts Chapter 8 believed Phillip’s preaching about Jesus AND they got baptized. Everyone, except Simon the sorcerer, later received the Holy Ghost. Therefore, I disagree with your position that the believers in Samaria were saved BEFORE they received the Holy Ghost. Instead, I assert it takes it all .. hearing, believing, obeying, water baptism “the Bible way” AND receiving the Holy Ghost “the Bible way”. And, even then, that’s just the BEGINNING. There’s still the matter of going from milk to meat, maturing, witnessing, being pro-active, developing and using our spiritual gifts, being about our Heavenly Father’s business, making our calling and election sure, and enduring to the end.
They were not disciples nor believers in Jesus Christ, but disciples of john the Baptist's. Once Paul figured out what kind of disciples there were since there were disciples of the Pharisees as well as disciples of John the Baptist's see Mark 2:18 , Paul went on to tell them about Jesus Christ was being the One John the Baptist was talking about for why they then believed in Jesus Christ & got water baptized in His name
We don’t know what all Phillip told the Ethiopian eunuch, that resulted in (when he saw a water hole), him saying “what doeth hinder me to be baptized”. Likewise, we don’t know what all Paul told the twelve disciples of John the Baptist. But we do know Paul preached the same (uniform) gospel as Peter, and the rest. AND we do know they got “re-baptized” (but in the name of Jesus) the second time, and they received the Holy Ghost “the Bible way”.
By the way, the Pharisees were NOT disciples of John the Baptist. NOT did they get baptized by John the Baptist. So, that’s another point that we all need to careful about, not to misrepresent, and make an assertion that takes a contrary position.
Not really. Although you were probably taught this above by men, thanks for sharing anyway.
your position may be “not really”. But what you failed to Scripturally refute OR dismantle (above), IS Biblical precedence, complete with Book, Chapter and Verse, that documents the Apostles Doctrine of the “original” (First Century Jerusalem) New Testament Church.
We exhort them to it, like Peter did. To command it would be to cross the line into legalism, as well as to presume to take the place of God, neither of which should be done, and especially the latter.
