Why Acts 2:38?

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by jfrog

That pesky Paul said those who had the Spirit of Christ were saved. Didn't Cornelius have the Spirit of Christ before he was baptized?

Here is what I believe you are all missing. Baptism is plainly stated to be part of salvation. Jesus did not say "he that believeth and is saved shall be baptized". Peter says baptism saves. There are two seals to any given contract or covenant. Spirit baptism is the seal of God and water baptism is the seal of man. I do not believe had Cornelius died of a heart-attack after being Spirit filled (which you are implying is part of salvation I now see) before baptism that he would have been sent to hell. God knows the heart that will or will not follow through with the "seals". Had Abraham refused circumcision after having believed, he would not have believed to the extent God demanded, so God would not have deemed him righteous.

God knows a heart, but we do not. Baptism is part of the church's and the believer's recognition of that believer coming into the Kingdom. it is not an option. In effect, Cornelius had to sign the dotted line still, after God gave his seal. Just because Cornelius received Spirit baptism, did not mean water baptism was unnecessary for his salvation. The church is commanded to baptize people because the church has a part to play in God's work. The church must recognize the believer, and the believer must recognize the church, and baptism is part of that necessary recognition.

Baptism is likened to circumcision! One could be truly born as an Israelite, but circumcision was necessary nonetheless. Similarly, one might be truly born of the Spirit, but water baptism is absolutely essential nonetheless. It is because THE CHURCH is involved in salvation by God.

Baptism is a circumcision, and involves the body of the sins of the flesh.

The bottom line is that we could go on all day like this, disagreeing. But the ONLY WAY the early church baptized and stuck to that mandate so strongly, is because the early church believed baptism was involved in salvation and was not an option. The idea that baptism does not save, despite Peter's words, will lead to people simply never getting baptized, unlike the emphasis upon baptism found in the book of Acts.

It may not be an issue so simplified as with those who think Cornelius was bound for hell after receiving the Spirit before baptism, but neither is it so simplified that baptism has no absolutely essential part in salvation of a person.

Romans 6 is about WATER BAPTISM and the required faith to be had in it.

Col 2:11-12 is about WATER BAPTISM and the required faith to be had in it.

When people disagree, baptism does not remain the mainstay that it was in the early church. IMHO.