 |
Actscelerate.com
Open Any Time -- Day or Night
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Message |
Author |
 Does the Bible teach baptism is an outward sign of an inward work? |
Link |
Well, where does the Bible teach that? Is it a public confession of faith? How public was the Ethiopian eunuch's baptism?
Here are a couple of interesting passages on baptism:
Colossians 2
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Acts 22
16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. |
Acts-perienced Poster
Posts: 11849
10/18/20 2:57 pm
|
|
|
|  |
 |
|
|
| Link... |
Aaron Scott |
Baptism is the first step of obedience once a person is saved.
It may or may not be public. I have had to baptize by affusion on several occasions, some in people's homes.
Baptism is an act of obedience, as well as the symbol of being buried with Christ and resurrected into a new life. |
Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology
Posts: 6032
10/23/20 7:33 am
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Da Sheik |
As with most things, we often go too far in the other direction when we see doctrinal error. I don’t believe the Bible teaches baptismal regeneration. You mentioned the Ethiopian eunuch. He was truly converted. He went on his way with joy. Earlier in the same chapter Simon Magus was baptized. After his baptism he was said to be in bitterness and iniquity. So clearly the water didn’t wash away the sins of Simon.
When speaking to the Corinthians, Paul mentioned that Israel was Baptized into Moses. Clearly this was about identity. In that analogy it wasn’t the Israelites who got wet...it was the Egyptians! So while I could not point to you an explicit statement that baptism is an outward symbol of an inward reality, surely the concept of identity supports the idea.
Back to my original comments, perhaps we have been too quick to minimize the importance of baptism as an example of the obedience of faith. I think the concept of an unbaptized believer would have been unthinkable to the Apostles. |
Acts Enthusiast
Posts: 1860
10/23/20 11:38 am
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Link |
| Da Sheik wrote: | As with most things, we often go too far in the other direction when we see doctrinal error. I don’t believe the Bible teaches baptismal regeneration. You mentioned the Ethiopian eunuch. He was truly converted. He went on his way with joy. Earlier in the same chapter Simon Magus was baptized. After his baptism he was said to be in bitterness and iniquity. So clearly the water didn’t wash away the sins of Simon.
When speaking to the Corinthians, Paul mentioned that Israel was Baptized into Moses. Clearly this was about identity. In that analogy it wasn’t the Israelites who got wet...it was the Egyptians! So while I could not point to you an explicit statement that baptism is an outward symbol of an inward reality, surely the concept of identity supports the idea.
Back to my original comments, perhaps we have been too quick to minimize the importance of baptism as an example of the obedience of faith. I think the concept of an unbaptized believer would have been unthinkable to the Apostles. |
When Peter said to repentant and be baptized for the remission of sins, do you think he meant for sins that had already been remitted? Had the sins of John the Baptist's audience been remitted prior when he said to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins? |
Acts-perienced Poster
Posts: 11849
10/24/20 11:41 am
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Da Sheik |
| Link wrote: | | When Peter said to repentant and be baptized for the remission of sins, do you think he meant for sins that had already been remitted? Had the sins of John the Baptist's audience been remitted prior when he said to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins? |
To begin with, John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance but it was not Christian baptism (Acts 19:1-5 will affirm this). Baptism doesn’t save the Christian any more than Abraham’s circumcision saved him. It was his faith that brought justification. Similarly, it is the Christian believer’s faith in Jesus Christ that brings remission of sins. The water is an outward symbol of the believer’s saving faith much in the same way circumcision was the outward symbol of the faith Abraham already had.
So to answer your question regarding Peter’s statement: Yes, the believer’s sins are remitted prior to his baptism. Paul goes to great lengths in Romans and Galatians to establish this fact. To preach Jesus “plus†anything is actually another gospel. Having said all of that, it seems reasonable that evidence of saving faith is the fruit of obedience. Hence, a new believer in Christ will desire to obey the Lord’s instructions concerning baptism. I know I could hardly wait to be baptized when I was saved. |
Acts Enthusiast
Posts: 1860
10/24/20 4:42 pm
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Link |
| Da Sheik wrote: | | Link wrote: | | When Peter said to repentant and be baptized for the remission of sins, do you think he meant for sins that had already been remitted? Had the sins of John the Baptist's audience been remitted prior when he said to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins? |
To begin with, John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance but it was not Christian baptism (Acts 19:1-5 will affirm this). Similarly, it is the Christian believer’s faith in Jesus Christ that brings remission of sins. |
I do not see them as the same thing, either. But the same phrase phrase 'baptism for the forgiveness of sin' appears in reference to both John's baptism and Christian baptism. (NKJV)
| Quote: | | Baptism doesn’t save the Christian any more than Abraham’s circumcision saved him. It was his faith that brought justification. |
I Peter 4 does baptism doth also save you, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience toward God. In Colossians 2, speaks of circumcision, baptism, and faith.
11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
The water is an outward symbol of the believer’s saving faith much in the same way circumcision was the outward symbol of the faith Abraham already had.
| Quote: |
So to answer your question regarding Peter’s statement: Yes, the believer’s sins are remitted prior to his baptism. |
Since he uses the same phrase (aside from a definite article) in other places in scripture, do those scriptures refer to sins that were already forgiven? In Mark 1:4, did John baptize for the forgiveness of sins that were already forgiven? In Matthew 28:26, is the blood of the covenant for sins that were already forgiven?
Was Ananias in theological error in Acts 22:16, where we read that he says:
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Was Paul in error for repeating such a thing while trying to evangelize his audence?
| Quote: | | Paul goes to great lengths in Romans and Galatians to establish this fact. To preach Jesus “plus†anything is actually another gospel. |
Can you show specifically the verses you have in mind? Do you consider the baptism Christ instructed His apostles to perform to be 'the works of the law'? |
Acts-perienced Poster
Posts: 11849
11/25/20 1:47 pm
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
