The problem I'm having is you seem to separate water from spirit. Jesus didn't do that. He said "water and spirit". Regarding baptism, the two are never separated in scripture
One is in water. Literally in water. The other no water is used. There is a difference.
HS baptism never was for the purpose of salvation.
Water baptism in Jesus' gospel is for salvation.
Peter would know the liturgical formula for baptism, given directly by Jesus in the Great Commission.
Acts 2:38 is a general instruction to be baptized, because Peter is not in the act of baptizing someone when he said that. Acts 2:38 is not a liturgical formula for water/spirit baptism. It wouldn't be logical. Peter can't be obedient to the Commission and disobedient at the same time by changing the liturgical formula in Matthew 28:19
Acts 2:21,
- And it shall come to pass that whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved,
Just as Paul taught,
Romans 10:13,
- For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved,
Peter preaches that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved in Acts 2:21, quoting Joel.
Now the Jews believe Peter's gospel preaching so in Acts 2:37 they say to Peter,
- Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren,
what shall we do?
Peter already told them that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved
They needed to know HOW to call on the name of the Lord otherwise they would not be asking what they needed to do for murdering their Messiah on a Roman cross.
Peter then explains to them how to call upon the name of the Lord,
Acts 2:38,
- Then Peter said to them, Repent and let every one of you be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
That is the gospel of Jesus Christ in His great commission.
Luke 24:46-47,
- and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem.
Jesus' great commission includes faith, repentance and baptism.
But also confession with the mouth before men.
So we see that Peter teaches how one calls on the name of the lord by believing Acts 2:37, and then by repentance and baptism Acts 2:38. Calling on the name of the Lord is by obeying the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Every person that obeyed the gospel of Jesus did the same otherwise there is more than one gospel, Ephesians 4:5.
This is called creating a false dichotomy, or, either/or thinking as opposed to both/and thinking. Since HS baptism is done directly by Jesus" and gifts of the HS through the laying on of Paul's hands might be a better way to express what you are trying to say. It's BOTH Jesus through Paul, not Jesus either/or Paul
I'm contrasting Holy Spirit baptism with water baptism in Jesus' name.
Spirit gifts is neither.
Spiritual gifts were given to the Christians by the laying on of the apostles hands with the exception of Cornelius.
Holy Spirit baptism was administered directly by Jesus.
With the exception of Paul's Holy Spirit baptism.
It is said of Paul,
Acts 9:17,
- And Ananias went His way and entered the house and laying His hands on him said, Brother Saul the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road as you come has sent me,
that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Paul had Ananias lay hands on him because Jesus instructed him to do so,
This was for the purpose to receive His sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
The rest of the apostles before Paul had no mans hands laid on them to receive Holy Spirit baptism.
Because Jesus was the baptizer of the Holy Spirit not men.
Never did an apostle impart the baptism of the Holy Spirit to other christians by the laying on of hands. They only received gifts of the Holy Spirit. There is a difference.
Acts 2:38 when Peter says,
- And you shall receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit.
This is not Holy Spirit baptism being gifted to ever person that obeys the gospel of Christ.
This is the Holy Spirit giving everyone a gift. Not the Holy Spirit being the gift Himself.
What is the gift? It cannot be miraculous gifts for everyone is not promised miraculous gifts.
We see this said in the next verse,
Acts 2:39,
- For the promise is to you and to your children
and to all who are afar off as many as the Lord our God will call.
The promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit is to all the Lord calls.
That means every single person will receive it.
Question: Does every single person who is saved by God receive miraculous gifts?
No.
To receive miraculous gifts the apostles must lay hands on you.
No apostles today so what is the gift of the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is the gift giver. He Himself is not the gift.
All Christians receive this gift.
What gift do all receive from God that call on His name?
What is promised by God?
1John 2:25,
- And this is the promise that He has promised us---etetnal life.
All the saved are promised eternal life.
This is the gift of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:38.
To prove this is what Peter is teaching look at the conversion of Simon the Sorcerer.
No apostle laid hands on him to impart any gift of the Holy Spirit.
He was given nothing miraculous. Therefore he was saved without Holy Spirit baptism.
Acts 8:13-18,
- Then Simon himself also believed and when he was baptized(in water for the forgiveness of his sins) he continued with Philip and was amazed seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
V.15,
- who then they had come down prayed for then that they might recieve the Holy Spirit,
For as yet
HE HAD FALLEN ON NONE OF THEM. THEY HAD ONLY BEEN BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.
- Then they(apostles) laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
And when Simon saw that through the laying on
of the apostles hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
Saying give me this power also that anyone whom I lay hands on may recieve the Holy Spirit.
We learn that even though Simon believed and was baptized in the name of the Lord. He did not receive Holy Spirit baptism. This proves that is not the gift promised in Acts 2:38. For the gift in Acts 2:38 is for ALL Christians!
John 3:5,
- Jesus answered,
Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born of water(baptism) and the Spirit(by the revelation of the message the Spirit revealed through men like John and the apostles) he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Jesus is not teaching two baptisms that are one in the same in John 3:5.
That would contradict Paul's gospel,
Ephesians 4:5,
- one Lord, one faith, one baptism.
Only one baptism that is required by God to receive His unmerited grace.
That baptism is water immersion, Mark 16:15-16.