Twisted Verses about Water Baptism explained

[LW97]

Acts 2:38
This important verse in our study reads, "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.'"

This verse, along with Mark 16:16, is probably quoted more than any other verse by the groups mentioned in the beginning of this study to support the erroneous teaching that water baptism plays some role in our soul's salvation. But does it really teach such? Let's take a close look at it. Some important points about this verse and its three clauses are:

"The American Standard Version (1901) renders Acts 2:38 as follows: Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.​

"... there are three clauses in this sentence, and the modifying phrases must stand in their respective, individual clauses, according to the rules of grammar. Consequently, if 'repent' is in a distinct clause from 'be baptized for the remission of sins,' the modifying phrase cannot modify both 'repent' and 'be baptized'​

"The three clauses are --​

(1) 'Repent ye:'

'ye' -- subject, second person plural number.
'Repent' -- verb, second person plural number, aorist imperative active voice.​

(2) 'be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins:'

'be baptized' -- verb, third person singular number, aorist passive imperative voice.
'unto the remission of your sins' -- modifying phrase.​

(3) 'ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit:'

'ye' -- subject, second person plural number.
'shall receive' -- verb, second person plural number, future, indicative voice.
'the gift of the Holy Spirit' -- direct object of verb.​

"For the claims of Campbellism to be upheld, the first and second clauses would have to be connected so as to allow 'for the remission of sins' to modify both 'repent' and 'be baptized.' However, this presents the following grammatical problem: In the first clause, the person and number of the verb 'repent' do not agree with the verb 'be baptized' in the second clause. 'Repent' is second person plural number; 'be baptized' is third person singularnumber.

"It is a rule of Greek grammar, as it is in English, that the verb agrees with its subject in person and number."​

Ray Summers in his book, Essentials of New Testament Greek (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1950), p.12 states:

"Person is the quality of verbs which indicates whether the subject is speaking (first person), is being spoken to (second person), or is being spoken of (third person) ...​

"Number is the quality of verbs which indicates whether the subject is singular or plural" (emphasis his).​

Another relevant quote comes from Let's Study Greek by Clarence B. Hale (Chicago: Moody Press, 1966), p. 9:

"If the subject of a verb is the person or the group of persons speaking, the verb is in the first person. If the subject of a verb is the person or group of persons spoken to, the verb is in the second person. If the subject of a verb is the person or the thing or the group spoken of, the verb is the third person" (emphasis his).​

"These quotations from 'standard' Greek grammars express the simple fact that subjects and verbs agree with one another.​

"It is evident, then, that repentance and baptism in Acts 2:38 cannot be combined so as to have both modified by the phrase, 'for the remission of sins.' The proper grammatical construction of the sentence forbids it ....​

"The phrase, 'for the remission of sins,' stands and modifies in only one of the three clauses, namely, the second clause ..." (emphasis his).​

To understand Acts 2:38 without any Greek aids, please notice that the "gift of the Holy Ghost" FOLLOWS the remission of sins, according to this verse. Remembering this, note ACTS 10:45. There we see that Cornelius received the "gift of the Holy Ghost" BEFORE he was water baptized! Yet, according to Acts 2:38, one cannot receive the "gift of the Holy Ghost" unless his sins are forgiven! Acts 10 clarifies that the "remission of sins" in Acts 2:38 can ONLY refer to the verb "repent."

It is also commonly believed, because of faulty teaching, that the word "for" as used in Acts 2:38 MUST mean "in order to obtain." However, this is NOT true either! In LUKE 5:13,14 we read of a leper who was immediately healed when Jesus touched him and spoke. After his healing, Jesus told him, "... go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer FOR thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them."
Notice: the man ALREADY HAD his cleansing from leprosy when Jesus told him to go to the priest and bring an offering "FOR THY CLEANSING." If you tried to substitute "in order to obtain" in place of the word "for" in Lk. 5:13,14 it would NOT fit! Similarly, the common remedy, "take two aspirins FOR a headache," refutes the idea that "for" MUST mean "in order to obtain." (No one would take two aspirins "in order to obtain" a headache!)

NOTE: Peter spoke of forgiveness of sins two other times besides Acts 2:38 without mentioning baptism:

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, (Acts 3:19)​

All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." (Acts 10:43)​

Those substantiating truths also helps us better understand what Peter taught about forgiveness of sin, yet clearly without baptism.

IF one had to be water baptized in order to be forgiven (and born again), then he could NEVER get saved unless he could find: (1) enough water to be immersed in and (2) a Christian who was able to baptize him! Unless both were present he could NEVER get saved as would be the case if he was all alone on a deserted island or in a very dry area.​

Galatians 3:27
This verse reads, "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." At this point, it is imperative to state that there are PLURAL "baptisms" referred to in the Bible (Heb. 6:2). Therefore, NOT every baptism refers to water baptism! This verse is one that does NOT. How then do we get "baptized into Christ?" The answer is found in 1 Cor. 12:13, which says, "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body ..." It's NOT "by water" that we are "baptized into one body," but instead "by one Spirit." (See also Titus 3:5.) Galatians 3:27 has NO REFERENCE to water baptism! Also, the "one baptism" of EPH. 4:5 is related to 1 Cor. 12:13, which also has NO connection to water baptism. Furthermore, this "baptism" into the body of Christ occurs at the moment a person has repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). [Reader, is this what YOU have done?]