Quote:
Originally Posted by Esaias
The passages you referenced do not say that he did, in fact, receive the Spirit.
Now, you stated you believe he was saved prior to being told to wash away his sins. How can a person who is saved, justified, forgiven, however you define "salvation", how could such a person still need their sins " washed away"? THAT is my point with Acts 22:16. Your doctrine doesn't seem to account for that. Paul needed to wash away his sins, AFTER he was saved according to your doctrine.
Can you explain that? |
Fair enough question.
Perhaps it is not the literal washing away of sins (baptismal regeneration) that is in mind. I think baptismal regeneration has too major problems, and maybe we can discuss that some in detail.
Perhaps the phrase wash away your sins is figurative. Speaking to the symbolism of baptism. The effect it has on our conscious. The outward identification with the church. The parting of ways with the old man, the walking in newness of life. You may not agree with this, but both Peter and Paul seem to teach this.
Peter himself seems to write such in
1 Peter 3:21:
1 Peter 3:21 KJV
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:
1 Peter 3:21 NLT
And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 3:21 ASV
which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ;
Paul in
Romans 6:4 (after spending a ton of time explaining that we are made right with God by faith)
Romans 6:4 KJV
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:4 NLT
For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
Romans 6:4 ASV
We were buried therefore with him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.
Now I think that view is consistent with all that the scripture says about sins being forgiven at repentance. (Note this is also the view, though inconsistently expressed in the UPC manual-sins forgiven at repentance).
Since I answered your doctrine can you tell me how your doctrine accounts for all the times that Jesus teaches (or does) forgive sins in the gospels on the basis of personal faith/repentance, all the teachings of Peter and Paul saying the same thing (examples Peter-
Acts 2:21, 3:19, 10:43,
1 Peter 1:18-23, etc) and Paul (in
Acts 20:21,
Acts 26:18,
Romans 3:21-5:2,
Romans 10:9-13,
Galatians 2:16, etc)?