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November 1, 2005, Vol.4, No.21. Baptism Part 5 Keith Sharp Acts 22:16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. The author comments on Acts 22:16: Baptism of itself could no more wash away sins than could the blood of animal sacrifices under the law (Hebrews 10:4). Only the blood of Christ could achieve this (Hebrews 10:10,22).... But baptism in water signifies this Spirit-baptism and therefore submitting to it in the name of Christ is a confession of the faith through which the polluted nature is washed clean (see Acts 15:9). (72-73) No, baptism "of itself" cannot wash away sins. Yes, only the blood of Christ can cleanse us from sin. But, when "our bodies" are "washed in pure water" (in contrast with the water, scarlet wool and hyssop of the law), "our hearts" are "sprinkled from an evil conscience" by the blood of Christ (Hebrews 10:22). It’s not a choice of blood or water. We reach the blood through the water. There is not one passage in the entire Bible that even remotely hints that water baptism "signifies Spirit-baptism." Once again, his evangelical theology blinds Mr. Lane to clear statements of Scripture. Acts 22:16 is so clear and simple it takes the help of a theologian to misunderstand it. The order is "Arise," "be baptized," "wash away your sins," "calling on the name of the Lord." Evangelical theology teaches, Call on the name of the Lord, your sins will be washed away, you should (not must) then be baptized, and then arise. Evangelical theology is precisely backward to the Scriptures. Water won’t wash away sins, but the blood of Christ won’t cleanse your soul of the stain of sin until you are baptized. The Household of Cornelius Concerning this case of conversion, Mr. Lane comments: Further, there is unmistakable evidence that they not only ‘heard the word’ but were brought to repentance and faith through the work of the Holy Spirit. (75) Of course they were brought to repentance and faith by the work of the Holy Spirit. But how does the Holy Spirit bring people to repentance and faith? Evangelicals assert that faith is given directly by a miraculous act of the Holy Spirit in answer to prayer. Thus, they teach sinners to pray for faith. But without faith our prayers are vain (James 1:5-6). Thus, evangelical theology places sinners in the unfortunate vicious cycle. Sinners must pray for faith, but unless they already have faith their prayers are vain. Such is the vanity of human philosophy. The simple truth is that the Holy Spirit revealed the Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:12-13; Ephesians 3:1-7). When this word is preached, those who are noble of heart are led to believe and repent (Acts 17:10-12). The Word of God revealed by the Spirit of God has divine power to save the soul (Romans 1:16-17; James 1:18,21; 1 Peter 1:22-25). There is no evidence whatsoever that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit led Cornelius and his household to faith and repentance. Rather, Peter later explained of this very case, "Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe." (Acts 15:7) As Mr. Lane recognizes, as the result of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the household of Cornelius spoke in tongues (Acts 10:46). Unless one is willing to teach that all saved people should speak in tongues as evidence of their salvation, he should not use this as an example of how to be saved. Rather, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Gentile household of Cornelius as divine proof that God accepts Gentiles on an equal basis with Jews (Acts 11:15-18; 15:7-9). This was a unique, nonrepeatable event. Cornelius and his household were saved in the same way all people must be saved: they heard Peter preach the gospel (Acts 10:36-43; 15:7), believed (Acts 15:7-9), repented (Acts 11:18) and were baptized (Acts 10:47-48). Cornelius and his family were saved, not by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, but by hearing the Word of God (Acts 11:13-14). Of this case, Mr. Lane asserts, "Not that baptism brought them salvation - it hardly needed to, since they were already saved." (75) But then he recognizes, "To refuse baptism is to refuse a command of Christ." (Ibid) You mean one can be saved while refusing a command of Christ? (1 Peter 2:7-8) The Philippian Jailer And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household (Acts 16:30-34). Mr. Lane reasons: The gospel was proclaimed to the gaoler and his household (verse 32). But we notice that Paul only did this after he had called on him to believe and given him the assurance this was sufficient for salvation (verse 31). Is this not putting the cart before the horse? Does it not even imply that man is saved by his own act? (79) He adds, "We may be sure the gaoler and his household were in a state of salvation when Paul proceeded to baptize them" (80). As before, the writer’s theology causes him to bring confusion into a clear passage. Certainly we must do something to be saved. "And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation.’" (Acts 2:40) Why exhort people to be saved if there’s nothing they can do to be saved? If our salvation is entirely up to God, and there’s nothing we can do to be saved, why isn’t it God’s fault if we’re lost? In fact, faith itself is a work we must do (John 6:28-29). Of course, if the jailer and his household were saved at the point of faith, it was "putting the cart before the horse" to speak the Word of the Lord to them after having already called on them to believe. But the problem is with Mr. Lane’s theology, not the Scriptures. The jailer urgently asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30) In reply, Paul and Silas told him, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household" (verse 31). Now, that certainly proves that faith is essential to salvation. But why would his household be saved as the result of his believing? The fact is, they have not finished answering his question. In further reply, "they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house." (verse 32) What did they tell them to do? It doesn’t say. How can we know? Look at what they did in response to the word of the Lord spoken by Paul and Silas. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household (verses 33-34). He and all his household were baptized. That’s how all his family were saved. Only after his baptism did he rejoice in his salvation. Only after they were baptized is it said they believed. The saved believer is the baptized believer.
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