For those that left the UPC...

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

But, is Ananias teaching him a truth, as in Acts 2:21 "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." and Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." or is he telling him what to say when he is baptized?

He is commanding him to be baptized

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

He is commanding him to be baptized

That is true, because he said, "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins,..."

He already told him to be baptized, but then he goes on to say, "...calling on the name of the Lord."

In Acts 2:21, the church beginning, they are told, "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

We know that calling on His name is to believe that He is. That is the beginning of faith, but faith alone doesn't save you or the Word wouldn't say, in I Peter 3:21, "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us..." And we wouldn't be instructed to repent.

So, I think that Paul, because of the audience he is addressing, is wanting them to have perfect understanding of who it is they are believing in.

We are debating that it is a, possible, baptismal instruction to Paul that he would utter the words at his baptism and not the person baptizing him. I don't think I can emphatically hold to that view because of the whole context of the chapter and the audience that he is addressing.

IMO, he is teaching them who it is he believes in and whose name he is calling on to be saved. He is identifying that Jesus Christ is the Lord God Almighty and that is what they need to understand and believe. If the context had another scenario besides a group of disgruntled and unbelieving Jews, I may have another opinion of the wording in Acts 22:16.

[Sam]

How many commands in Acts 22:16

1. arise
2. be baptized
3. wash away your sins
4. call on the name of the Lord

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Sam

How many commands in Acts 22:16

1. arise
2. be baptized
3. wash away your sins
4. call on the name of the Lord

It is true that Paul is relating that Ananias is instructing him to be baptized. I agree with that. All I am saying is that when I read chapter 22 and I know who Paul is addressing, I know he is teaching them more than just words to say at baptism.

When he says, "calling on the name of the Lord", he must and is identifying who the name belongs to.

This is very awesome because when you read Acts 9:14;21, Ananias is questioning God about Saul because he is afraid of him - "And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name." ( Acts 9:14)

"But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?" (Acts 9:21)

It is more than a baptismal wording and instruction being given here, IMO. It is about the Mighty God in Christ and prophecy.

Paul is bringing out the fulfilling of prophecy to the audience:

Acts 22:20 "And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. (21) And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles"

He is referencing (to name a few) Isaiah 42:6 - "I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;" and Isaiah 49:6 "And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth."

When they understood what he was saying, which they didn't believe, they came unglued.

"And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live. And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air." (Acts 22:22:23)

More going on here than baptism alone.

[Pressing-On]

I thought this was interesting. Philip is telling the eunuch that, yes, he can be baptized if he acknowledges that he believes, with all of his heart, that Jesus Christ is the son of God.

Jamieson-Fauseet-Brown is saying that "calling on his name" is referring to a confession of faith which proceeds baptism.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Acts 2:16 - be baptized and wash away thy sins-This way of speaking arises from baptism being the visible seal of remission."

calling on the name of the Lord-rather, "having called," that is, after having done so; referring to the confession of Christ which preceded baptism, as Acts 8:37.

"Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Acts 8:35-37)

[Sabby]

Just some thoughts:
Peter commanded the gentile believers to be baptized because God filled them with His Spirit.
JMO: it was very important that these pagan God-fearers were left with the understanding of Who the focus of the gospel is; it wasn't Peter nor the message.
The gospel is in the message, that is, the preaching of Christ and the cross. Had Peter not commanded baptism they may have never been baptized!
(Note: these gentiles already believed the gospel.)
Their baptism was an act of obedience in identifying with the subject of the gospel, Jesus Christ and identified them (not only as Spirit-followers) as Christ-followers.
What if they'd have said, "I don't think baptism is necessary"? That would have shown a repugnant, holier-than-thou self-sufficiency as well as disobedience.
It's a STRONG support of Jesus' name baptism for all Christians.


A talking point answer isn't enough.
The apostles/disciples exercized the Jewish tradition of baptism/washings unto repentance from John until Pentecost. It was done "unto repentance" as disciples, and as disciples of Christ, not John. The day of Pentecost sermon by Peter culminated in the appeal to repent and be washed...in the name of Jesus Christ, promising (according to the scriptures) the Holy Ghost to as many "as the Lord our God shall call".
These disciples baptized according to the revelation of Jesus the Messiah.
It follows then that Paul's calling on the name of the Lord Jesus was not just a confession of Jesus Christ but also an admission to a disbelieving Ananias that "YES, IT'S TRUE! JESUS REALLY DID MEET ME ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS!"
Baptism is a New Testament ordinance ONLY for those that have repented (died to) of sin and believe in the Lord Jesus.
Whether or not a preacher uses the terms, Lord, Lord Jesus, Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, is machs nichts. Identifying with our Lord in repentance in water baptism is all that matters.
And whether or not someone HAS to have the words said over them in baptism is moot. Why on earth WOULDN'T a believer want to have this done in the name "in whom the family in all heaven and earth is named"?
It ain't worth quibbling over. Just do it.