Acts 2:38 plus, plus, plus!!!

[Disciple4life]

When I started talking to OP twenty years ago they told me I needed to obey Acts 2:38. So it took awhile but I was baptized in Jesus Name and received the Holy Ghost baptism by the evidence of speaking in tongues.

But then they told me I had to believe that anyone who didn't follow Acts 2:38 was going to hell. I refused and said that anyone who wasn't obedient would answer to God.

To me it seemed they just wanted to keep adding more and more things to the "you have to this or your not saved" list. Eventually I was told that people who wear shorts go to hell to. To me that sounds ridiculous.

My point is that when something is (your strongest argument)your go to doctrine, you shouldn't have to add anything to it.

[RJR]

It sure seems the majority of the NT was written to people who had already experienced the New birth. I wonder if God missed the memo that says, after the new birth there is nothing to be said?

[Aquila]

I firmly believe that the Acts 2:38 is the biblical application of the Gospel. However, there is far more to salvation than repentance, baptism, and Holy Ghost infilling. My experience has been that most Apostolic Pentecostals are largely un-studied when it comes to the doctrines of redemption. Acts 2:38 (repentance, baptism, and Holy Ghost infilling) is only one doctrine of redemption known as "Conversion". There is far more to this that we neglect. Here's a short list of doctrines regarding the larger doctrine of redemption:

1. Election (God's choice of people to be saved)

2. Atonement (Christ's work of satisfying the law for the Elect)

3. Propitiation (Christ's satisfying God's wrath against the sins of the Elect - past, present, future)

4. The Gospel call (inner and outer call of God/Prevenient Grace)

5. Conversion (faith and repentance)

6. Justification (right legal standing/Imputed Righteousness)

7. Regeneration (being born again)

8. Adoption (membership in God's family)

9. Sanctification (right conduct in life leading to Christlikeness)

10. Perseverance (remaining a Christian)

11. Death (going to be with the Lord)

12. Glorification (receiving a resurrection body in sinless perfection)

Each doctrine above adds a different biblical perspective or dimension to our salvation. Notice... silly legalisms aren't a part of it.

[Disciple4life]

Originally Posted by RJR

It sure seems the majority of the NT was written to people who had already experienced the New birth. I wonder if God missed the memo that says, after the new birth there is nothing to be said?

I think there is a lot to be said. But if Acts 2:38 is your go to verse about salvation, why would you have to ad to it?

If I offend someone by wearing shorts, two or three brothers are supposed to come to me in love and try help me see the way to correct myself.

What in the bible do I have to believe or I am going to hell?

[Disciple4life]

The OP chose how to phrase their statement "you have to believe anyone who doesn't follow Acts 2:38 is going to hell".

If they would have said "in error" "lost" or "in need of corection" I might have agreed.

If it was good enough for God to put it in the bible why do we take something in one part of the bible and put it with this from that part of the bible and throw in a little from whey over here in the bible and then make our own conclusion?

[FlamingZword]

Originally Posted by RJR

It sure seems the majority of the NT was written to people who had already experienced the New birth. I wonder if God missed the memo that says, after the new birth there is nothing to be said?

Acts 2:38 is for salvation, that is it nothing else can be added to it.

The rest are instructions written for our growth, not for our salvation.
Salvation is one thing, growth is another thing.

[Disciple4life]

Originally Posted by FlamingZword

Acts 2:38 is for salvation, that is it nothing else can be added to it.

The rest are instructions written for our growth, not for our salvation.
Salvation is one thing, growth is another thing.

[FlamingZword]

Originally Posted by Disciple4life

When I started talking to OP twenty years ago they told me I needed to obey Acts 2:38. So it took awhile but I was baptized in Jesus Name and received the Holy Ghost baptism by the evidence of speaking in tongues.

But then they told me I had to believe that anyone who didn't follow Acts 2:38 was going to hell. I refused and said that anyone who wasn't obedient would answer to God.

To me it seemed they just wanted to keep adding more and more things to the "you have to this or your not saved" list. Eventually I was told that people who wear shorts go to hell to. To me that sounds ridiculous.

My point is that when something is (your strongest argument)your go to doctrine, you shouldn't have to add anything to it.

Those people must really have some great power that they are able to send people to hell for things that the Bible does not even speak about, unless I missed the verse where the Bible mentions shorts.

[FlamingZword]

Originally Posted by Aquila

I firmly believe that the Acts 2:38 is the biblical application of the Gospel. However, there is far more to salvation than repentance, baptism, and Holy Ghost infilling. My experience has been that most Apostolic Pentecostals are largely un-studied when it comes to the doctrines of redemption. Acts 2:38 (repentance, baptism, and Holy Ghost infilling) is only one doctrine of redemption known as "Conversion". There is far more to this that we neglect. Here's a short list of doctrines regarding the larger doctrine of redemption:

1. Election (God's choice of people to be saved)

2. Atonement (Christ's work of satisfying the law for the Elect)

3. Propitiation (Christ's satisfying God's wrath against the sins of the Elect - past, present, future)

4. The Gospel call (inner and outer call of God/Prevenient Grace)

5. Conversion (faith and repentance)

6. Justification (right legal standing/Imputed Righteousness)

7. Regeneration (being born again)

8. Adoption (membership in God's family)

9. Sanctification (right conduct in life leading to Christlikeness)

10. Perseverance (remaining a Christian)

11. Death (going to be with the Lord)

12. Glorification (receiving a resurrection body in sinless perfection)

Each doctrine above adds a different biblical perspective or dimension to our salvation. Notice... silly legalisms aren't a part of it.

Bro Aquila I believe you are right, we need to preach those things, however you must realize that most OP churches haven't got past the Acts 2:38 message, somehow they feel that if that verse is not mentioned, then it was not a good church service.

They would be severely disappointed with me since I have preached many sermons without ever mentioning Acts 2:38.

[RJR]

Eph 2:8..  ..For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

1Th 2:16..  ..Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

Act 11:14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.

2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Mat 24:13..But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Luk 13:23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Oh, and while this is not all, don't forget...

Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;