New Birth
 

Do you believe that Acts 2:38 as the New Birth experience is the only hope for salvation?


That repentance from sin is necessary for salvation and a prerequisite of a genuine Holy Ghost baptism?

That baptism must be performed by total immersion in water with the name of Jesus Christ being spoken over the individual being baptized,and that it is for the remission of sins?

That the baptism of the Holy Ghost is ALWAYS accompanied by speaking in other tongues,and is absolutely essential for salvation?

That unless you have obeyed Acts 2:38 in this manner then you are not a part of God's church, that this is the only door of entrance into the Kingdom of God?

Re: New Birth
 

For the record....I intended to make this a public poll. My vote of course was "Yes, that's the only way!"

Re: New Birth
 

5) No.

Re: New Birth
 

I can't vote "that's not the only way," but rather, "that's not the way."

Re: New Birth
 

I have issues with the original post. Where do you get tongues is a must just by reading Acts 2:38???

Re: New Birth
 

This question implies that even if a person does everything right IAW your understanding of Acts 2:38, they could still be lost.

"Now that I have given up smoking. I've given up whore-hopping, I have stopped cursing. I've stopped beating my wife and kids. Now will you please save me God?"

You get saved and then your life changes. The Bible does not prescribe that you change your life so that you can get saved.


because we have to make sure that our belief system allows absolutely no Grace for situations where full immersion is not a possibility for the person who is calling on the Name of the Lord.


Your qualifier actually contradicts one of the commands of scripture (at least as it is translated) for us. Who should call on the Name of Jesus when getting baptized-- the baptizer or the baptize?

Baptism saves in the fact that it is a reflection of a good conscience towards the Lord-- something that a person can't have UNLESS THEY ARE ALREADY SAVED.


No. These signs shall follow them that believe. "Believing" is the point of salvation and the Bible plainly states that there will be multiple signs that follow those who believe.


Speaking in other tongues is just as essential as handling poisonous serpents. Neither one are ESSENTIAL for salvation, but both are signs that will follow the believer, in certain circumstances.

Wrong.


Again, all other Christians are lost EXCEPT the ones who believe the report of a guy who had a vision in the middle of the night at a camp meeting somewhere in California near the beginning of the 20th century...

Re: New Birth
 

JD - sort of strange how Peter seemed to believe it differently than you.
"Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

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."
" For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord."

And Paul as well,
"He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus."

They did not command them to go handle snakes...

Re: New Birth
 

There are three parts to repentance

1. Repent - “To Care,” “Be Concerned”:
The term μεταμέλομαι, metamélomai, literally signifies to have a feeling or care, concern or regret; like nāḥam, it expresses the emotional aspect of repentance. The feeling indicated by the word may issue in genuine repentance, or it may degenerate into mere remorse (Mat_21:29, Mat_21:32; Mat_27:3). Judas repented only in the sense of regret, remorse, and not in the sense of the abandonment of sin. The word is used with reference to Paul's feeling concerning a certain course of conduct, and with reference to God in His attitude toward His purposes of grace (2Co_7:8 the King James Version; Heb_7:21).

2. Repent - “To Change the Mind”:
The word μετανοέω, metanoéō, expresses the true New Testament idea of the spiritual change implied in a sinner's return to God. The term signifies “to have another mind,” to change the opinion or purpose with regard to sin. It is equivalent to the Old Testament word “turn.” Thus, it is employed by John the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostles (Mat_3:2; Mar_1:15; Act_2:38). The idea expressed by the word is intimately associated with different aspects of spiritual transformation and of Christian life, with the process in which the agency of man is prominent, as faith (Act_20:21), and as conversion (Act_3:19); also with those experiences and blessings of which God alone is the author, as remission and forgiveness of sin (Luk_24:47; Act_5:31). It is sometimes conjoined with baptism, which as an overt public act proclaims a changed relation to sin and God (Mar_1:4; Luk_3:3; Act_13:24; Act_19:4). As a vital experience, repentance is to manifest its reality by producing good fruits appropriate to the new spiritual life (Mat_3:8).

3. Repent - “To Turn over,” “To Turn upon,” “To Turn Unto”:
The word έπιστρέφω, epistréphō, is used to bring out more clearly the distinct change wrought in repentance. It is employed quite frequently in Acts to express the positive side of a change involved in New Testament repentance, or to indicate the return to God of which the turning from sin is the negative aspect. The two conceptions are inseparable and complementary. The word is used to express the spiritual transition from sin to God (Act_9:35; 1Th_1:9); to strengthen the idea of faith (Act_11:21); and to complete and emphasize the change required by New Testament repentance (Act_26:20).

When Peter said to repent, the Jews did not go away for a week and see if they could stop sinning, then return to be baptized.

They had a change of heart, a conscious willful change to do things God's way

Yes that is a prerequisite

Re: New Birth
 

So, JD, a person can get saved - they are now a child of God - but they're still cheating on their spouse. So they can honest to goodness believe they are bound for glory - even though they haven't stopped cheating on their spouse. "Oh, someday... when the good Lord gets around to that particular aspect of my life...but until then, I'm saaaaaaavvvveeeddddd!!!!!!!"

Uh, I don't THINK so.

Homey don't play dat.

Re: New Birth
 

Thanks for this posting. In fact, if you didn't understand what I was getting at, you never would have explained repentance.

I've witnessed and experienced that most people's lives don't instantly change in the course of one church service. While blatant sins may stop immediately, there are other sins that don't stop right away. I've also seen where saved people, through unwise decisions, open the door for a sin to get a hold of their life again. It shouldn't happen, but it does happen.

It takes patience and grace to walk this road-- patience with yourself and grace for your brother.

I believe the Bible teaches that a person who is coming to saving faith in Christ will reflect a sorrow for their sins and a desire to please their GOD and Savior.