Excuse me sir, but I am not the one depending on lame sarcastic humor to make my points:

You are the jester in this court.


Anyway, are you completely illiterate?!? You seem to like to muddy the waters and complicate the matter, but our focus here is baptism. Simple matter. Stay focused. Take note of the thread title and subsequent posts.

No one has said that the Gospel is nothing more than Acts 2:38. That is just your overactive paranoia psychosis on the typical flare.

I can read and I know very well what Peter preached that morning, but what he didn't do is make the simple matter of Baptism complex. In fact, he summed up the HOW and the WHY of Baptism in one sentence.

Acts 2:38 - Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

HOW: In the Name of Jesus Christ!

WHY: for the remission of sins!

Therefore, your short sighted charge is thus proved false!

Could this particular topic (BAPTISM), that we are discussing, (some of us anyway) that Peter addresses to the masses in simple terms, be any clearer?

Peter didn't think so, and neither did the 3000.

Furthermore, the message that Peter preached prior to Acts 2:38 wasn't complex either. A great deal more can be said about both the Gospel and Baptism (the truth of which is certainly good news) howbeit Peter kept it both, very short, and very simple, and to the point. The response to which, in one day, is more than the vast majority of "preachers" see in a lifetime.

Now then, If the HOW and the WHY was contained in Peter's message prior to 2:38, then there never would have been a question put forth which they otherwise would have already been given the answer to.

In other words, these that heard the message, would have never asked:

Men and brethren, what shall we do? (see verse 37)

What was put forth in chapter 2 prior to verse 38 was a brief summation explaining what had just taken place about the third hour, and why. Peter then took the opportunity to preach Jesus and briefly show that he was the Christ by way of the O.T. realized in recent, and then current events.

They were cut to the heart because they had just realized that they had crucified the Christ.

They did NOT ask the question in verse 37 because they had already been told the how and why of baptism. This, again, is what we are discussing aside from your tangent tantrums and short sighted responses.

Lastly, but I am almost sure that I'll have to explain it all again, a clear analysis of Acts 2 will answer your jestered demand:

Consider, Peter's words prior to v38 had already been received. How do we know? The response and proof is in v37. They asked a question in response. (remember...not already having an answer)

Peter's words in v38 were received gladly by 3000. How do we know? The response and proof is in v41. They responded by simple obedience to a simple command of Baptism (THREAD TOPIC) containing both the how and the why.

There is no question that all that he said was heard, but not all responded by obedience to a command, only those that gladly received the command were baptized and added unto the church. Others may have thought that he was out of line to command such a thing. Perhaps some, that didn't receive it gladly, forsook him as a man of Jim Jones and a vinegar bath, in essense.

Perhaps, perhaps nothing....certainly even today the gospel goes forth, and even though ACTS 2:38 is contained therein, there are still those that think you are of jim jones and with a vinegar bath to cite it as a requirement!

Thus the Gospel, apart from and/or containing Acts 2:38, itself only goes so far with some, no matter how well it is preached and received. Verily, obedience to Acts 2:38 is the Truth nevertheless, and those that receive and obey the command gladly are added unto the church daily such as should be saved.