Seabass
Active member
My point being obedience must occur BEFORE salvation in both the case of Naoh in building the ark and in the case of Acts 2:38 with obedience in repenting and being baptized BEFORE salvation. Noah could not be save from the flood BEFORE he build the ark no more than a person can be saved BEFORE repenting and being baptized.True.. the verbs are different.. but the other thing here is the salvation described with the flood, is not an example of eternal salvation. This does get used though as analogous for baptismal salvation.. but actually has zero to do with it. But anyway..
All you gotta do with baptism for the remission of sins, is compare it with the whole host of verses and paragraphs and chapters that have no water baptism attached to eternal salvation. For eg.. most of the book of John.
It's not a verse that just stands all by it's lonesome. That is why it doesn't mean baptism CAUSING salvation.. but because of it.. or in regards to it.. because so many other verses don't mention baptism and ARE about eternal salvation.
Over.
(1)
in Acts 2:38 repent is tied to baptized with the conjunction 'and'. If eise mean 'because' then the verse is saying one repents because one is already saved which makes no sense and is impossible since the impenitent are lost (Rom 2:4-5).
(2)
if they were saved prior to being baptized per verse 38 then why does Peter tell them to "save yourselves" in verse 40 if they were already saved prior to v38? If they were saved prior to v38 can you pinpoint the verse and prove how and why they were saved in that verse.
(3)
Acts 2:41
"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized:"
The logical implication is those who rejected the gospel words as spoken by Peter rejected being baptized. People who reject baptism are rejecting the gospel message. Had those Jews rejected being baptized they would have rejected the gospel and remain lost.
(4)
Peter quotes Joel's propehecy in v21
"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
This prophecy was fulfilled in v38:
whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord >>>>>>>>>>>>>> saved
repent and be baptized >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> remission of sins/saved
a)
calling on the name of the Lord means doing what the Lord says to do (Lk 6:46) Jesus is Lord of those who do what He says. Disobedience to the Lord's commands is sin, unrighteouness hence not obeying the Lord's commands to repent and be baptized leaves one lost. One who continues to not to righteousness continues to not be of God (1 Jn 3:10). One must work righteousness, obey God's commands to be accepted with God (Acts 10:35). So rejecting baptism is rejecting the word, rejecting Christ as Lord leaving one unacceptable with God.
b)
per Joel's prophecy, does one call upon the name of the Lord IN ORDER to be saved or does one call upon the name of the Lord BECAUSE he is already saved? Obviously one calls upon the name of the Lord IN ORDER to be saved. Since the prophecy is IN ORDER to be saved then the fulfillment would also be IN ORDER to be saved, thus:
prophecy -call upon the name of the Lord IN ORDER to be saved
fulfillment - repent and be baptized IN ORDER to have remission of sins/saved