Is Acts.2:38 The One Plan Of Salvation ?

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Falla39

Bro. Aquila, I mean no disrespect, but is that how you have ended up in
in a Baptist church?

Yes, Christ won... and through His effectual calling He broke my self centered, legalistic, pride filled, religious heart to the message of grace.

[Timmy]

When you guys get it figured out, let me know.

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Yes, Christ won... and through His effectual calling He broke my self centered, legalistic, pride filled, religious heart to the message of grace.

A strong delusion sadly.

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Yes it is the plan of salvation. The gospel is the death, burial and resurrection. The plan of salvation is how that is applied to us and how it saves us. In other words, hear the gospel of the work of the cross, and apply it to yourself to be saved by the plan of salvation. Gospel is not plan of salvation. Plan of salvation is application of the gospel. And repentance, baptism and spirit infilling are not sacraments when understood properly. They're application of the work of the cross.

Works for salvation are efforts of self without God's empowerment. Acts 2:38 cannot fall under that category, or else Peter preached salvation by works. Lol.

So we need to know the difference between gospel and plan of salvation.

I have never understood how we can say there is a difference between the "gospel" and "plan of salvation" after reading:

II Thessalonians 1:8 "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:"

I Peter 4:17 "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?"

[FlamingZword]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

I have never understood how we can say there is a difference between the "gospel" and "plan of salvation" after reading:

II Thessalonians 1:8 "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:"

I Peter 4:17 "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?"

The gospel is the message the apostles preached. the plan of salvation is what we must do to get saved.

The 4 gospels tell us the message, the book of Acts show us the way the church implemented the gospel.
we can not use the epitstles or revelation for salvation, since those were letters written to people who already were saved. and since they were already christians they did not need to be shown how to become christians.

the only place that teaches how to become a christian is in the book of acts

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Scott Hutchinson

I'm not starting this thread for contention,and I ask posters who participate in this thread not to personally insult those whom you differ with.

But you do honestly feel Acts.2:38 is the one plan of salvation yes or no, why or why not ?

Doesn't seem that if the NT. church began at Pentecost,Peter's sermon on the death,burial,resurrection of Christ, and His altar call would bear alot of weigh on the question what do I need to do to be saved ?

I believe Acts 2:38 to be one verse in a sermon on salvation that Peter preached. As far as what "saves" us - from Acts Chapter 2:

"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved," Acts 2:21.

And: "And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation" Acts 2:40.

Now, taking the two instances when Peter mentioned "saved" or "save" or any variation of that word (Greek=sōzō) in his sermon, we can put them together and find out what specific "action" will save the lost... "Call on the name of the Lord!"

A few people have latched onto the idea that "save yourselves..." in verse 40, somehow should be tied only to the instructions given in verse 38. Thus, we have the so-called "Three-Step" method also known as "The Water & Spirit Doctrine." My understanding of Acts 2, is that the two references to "sōzō" really belong together - if one is seeking a pithy way to sum up the Gospel message.

Better yet, take the whole discourse together in its complete context and do an exegesis on the whole chapter. Just imho, respectfully.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

My thinking is that as long as we are in the same dispensation as the Apostles were the way of salvation would be the same.

I agree, however, don't forget that Abraham was declared to be "righteous" because he "believed God" (Genesis 15:6). The Apostle Paul goes to great lengths to emphasize the fact that the NT believer is saved in the same manner as Abraham was - by grace through faith (Romans 4:9-12 ESV and many other passages as well).

"Dispensations" aside, anyone who was ever "saved" from anything in the Bible, was saved the same way - by the grace of God through their faith in God's promise of salvation.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by FlamingZword

The gospel is the message the apostles preached. the plan of salvation is what we must do to get saved.

The 4 gospels tell us the message, the book of Acts show us the way the church implemented the gospel.
we can not use the epitstles or revelation for salvation, since those were letters written to people who already were saved. and since they were already christians they did not need to be shown how to become christians.

the only place that teaches how to become a christian is in the book of acts

On the contrary - we MUST use the Epistles "for salvation" because the Epistles contain the only verbatim preaching of the apostles to those who had gotten the Gospel wrong (Galatians 3:1-8).

Romans 1:15-17: "So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."

Why would Paul be eager to "preach the Gospel" to the same people who were reading his letter (The Book of Romans) and were presumably already saved? (Romans 1:6).

Why does Paul tell them that "the Gospel" is "the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth?" Why didn't Paul tell them that they couldn't be saved without first submitting to an "Acts 2:38 experience?" In referencing the salvation that these people already had, why did Paul repeatedly say that this salvation came "by faith" or through "belief" and never said that it came through obedience to and the exacting correctness of a baptismal formula?

Notice something here? And, this is key. To be saved, you don't really HAVE to do anything... you just have to be saved by the Savior. Jesus saves, and NOT we ourselves (Titus 3:5).

What did John the Baptist preach when he gave "knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins?" (Luke 1:77). Did he preach Acts 2:38? If so, why did his disciples have to be later re-baptized in Acts 19? It was as if those disciples of John had never even heard of the "Acts 2:38 message" before.

Did the old man at the Temple, Simeon (Luke 2:30) somehow read a draft of the Book of Acts opened to chapter 2, verse 38, when he said, "mine eyes have seen thy salvation?" No. All Simeon did was to see the Savior.

Of course, when we are saved we don't just fall over dead and go to heaven. We are saved to live a life in this present world. That means that, yes, we DO something. Quite a few things, hopefully. But first, we need to enter into the Christian community and join with the saints of God. How do we do that?

... NOW! We should turn to Acts 2:38. Repent. Be converted. As the UPCI Manual says, Repentance and conversion brings the pardon, forgiveness and the remission of sins. That's salvation! (Psalm 132:1-2 and Romans 4:1-8).

Water baptism in Jesus' name brings the believer into union with the risen Christ (Romans 6:1-5; 1 Peter 3:21-22) and imparts a grace which enables him to have power over sin and, through Jesus Christ, power over "angels and authorities and powers." The baptism of the Holy Spirit leads us into an even longer, but equally important post. I've been too long on this one already.

[pelathais]

... I did want to add that there is a really good Bible study which goes into more detail as to "Where We Find the Plan of Salvation" that is available as a free download (in PDF format) when you click on the following link:

http://www.inchristalone.org/WhereWeFindPlanSal.pdf

Also, this article deals with the question that FlamingZword brought up concerning the "Gospel-Acts-Epistles" methodology:

http://www.inchristalone.org/Preliminary%20Reasons%20GAE%20is%20Flawed%20outlin e.pdf

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

A strong delusion sadly.

Can you put that "respectfully" as Scott had asked at the outset of this thread?