Baptism, DOES IT REALLY WASH AWAY SIN??
 

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.

I Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Peter says in Ac. 2:38 " the remission of sins" but in 1 Pt. 3:21 he writes that it does not "put away the filth of the flesh but does provide a "good conscience toward God."

Would a correct interpataion be that baptism allows us to have a "good conscience" to serve God; that it gives us the will (want to), but that it does not "wash away" our sins; it does not "put away the filth of the flesh."


Therefore, remission of sins in baptism=not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but a conscience toward God.

Re: Baptism, DOES IT REALLY WASH AWAY SIN??
 

Not to rehash old arguments, but there are Greek experts who say "for the remission/forgiveness of sins" means "in order to obtain remission/forgiveness of sins" and there are other Greek experts who say "for the remission/forgiveness of sins" means "because of the remission/forgiveness of sins." I don't know Greek so I can't be an authority on it but the authorities don't even agree among themselves.

"answer" can mean "response" so "answer of a good conscience" could also mean "the response of a good conscience" i.e. that a person is baptized because their conscience is already clear with God.

Then there are those who look to the original text and explain how some of the terms are plural and some are singular and when matched up together would render that in modern English as "Y'all repent for the remission/forgiveness of y'all's sins and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ."

Re: Baptism, DOES IT REALLY WASH AWAY SIN??
 

In my opinion, the baptism ritual is a symbolic washing,
just like in the communion ritual the matzo is the symbolic body of Jesus
and the wine is the symbolic blood of Jesus.

I can serve someone communion and say, "This is the body of Christ broken for you and this is the blood of Christ freely given for you," but that does not turn them into the actual body and blood of Christ.

Re: Baptism, DOES IT REALLY WASH AWAY SIN??
 

Baptism in Jesus name, remits our sins to Him, and His blood covers them.

Re: Baptism, DOES IT REALLY WASH AWAY SIN??
 

I know many are bored with this topic but I have never discussed it before.

That is where I am coming from. I am really having a problem when I hear people preach that the water will wash away our sins and many apostolics I know preach this way. But to me that discounts the blood. I think the blood fully effectual to remit sins and baptism cleanses the sin conscience. To say that the water remits sin, to me, cheapens the blood of Christ.

Does that make sense?

Re: Baptism, DOES IT REALLY WASH AWAY SIN??
 

I say just do it!

It is obviously a part of Christian initiation.

If someone is refusing baptism we should ask why. Perhaps, it speaks of a stated faith, rather than real faith in Jesus which is always accompanied by the works found in the New Covenant.

Re: Baptism, DOES IT REALLY WASH AWAY SIN??
 

Remission of sins took place at Calvary when the blood was shed the ONLY way to experience what took place at Calvary in the NT church age is by baptism in Jesus Name. Baptism remits sins for the penitent. It is NOT a ceremonial washing that is what Peter is referring to however he states baptism saves!

Re: Baptism, DOES IT REALLY WASH AWAY SIN??
 

A former pastor of mine, Frank Curts, taught that the blood of Jesus was in His name and if His name was spoken at baptism, His name/blood washed away sins. He taught that there was a difference between forgiveness of sin and remission of sin. He taught that men cannot forgive sin but they can remit sin by baptizing someone in Jesus' name. This teaching was based on John 20:23 in the KJV.

Re: Baptism, DOES IT REALLY WASH AWAY SIN??
 

Sounds good to me!

Re: Baptism, DOES IT REALLY WASH AWAY SIN??
 

To remit and to forgive are the same thing.