How a PREACHER MAKES A Strong Case for ASSOCIATION in Acts 2:38 'A Call to MIND-IN-ASSOCIATION WITH'

BAPTISTS’ AWKWARDNESS WITH ACTS 2:38:A PROBLEM ARTIFICIALLY CREATED BY INVALID ASSUMPTIONS Jeff C. Barger
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?" 38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 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." (Acts 2:37-39, NKJV) Historically, Acts 2:38 has presented an interpretational difficulty for Baptists who believe the Bible teaches that the way of receiving eternal salvation is by grace through faith and apart from any meritorious religious works (Ephesians 2:8-9). This is my position, my conviction. Men have always received eternal salvation the same way, by grace through faith. 1 Acts 2:38, however, seems to make water baptism—which is a work—a condition for receiving eternal salvation. Some, for example, adherents of Church of Christ doctrine, contend that Peter made both repentance and baptism requirements for receiving eternal salvation.The way Baptists attempt to square this verse with their theology is by focusing on the Greek preposition eis which, in verse 38, is translated in the KJV and modern translations as “for.” The primary meaning of the preposition is into. A secondary meaning is with a view to, or, with reference to. The way Baptists typically deal with these words is to make Peter say, “Repent, and let everyone of you (you who have repented and been saved) be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ with a view to, or, with reference to, the fact you have been saved.” This “solution” can work linguistically, but it is rather weak, if not a little embarrassing. The problem Baptists have with Acts 2:38 is artificially created by assumptions. Many assume the question of 2:37—What shall we do?—concerned the subject of eternal salvation. Peterthen, it is commonly assumed, answered the question with an explanation of what the questioners needed to do to be saved. Interestingly, if Peter was telling some people what they needed to do to be saved, he said nothing to them about any need to “believe.” Here, it seems to me, is a serious problem for those who make two conditions for salvation: repentance and faith. Are there two conditions for receiving salvation, or one? (John 3:16)

[jeffbargerbiblestudies]

👍Thanks, Tim. So often in Bible study one gains insight by what is not said. Peter said nothing to his audience about any need to "believe."