I have clearly proved my points from Scripture but unfortunately, you just don't have eyes to see.
No you didn't show me. You simply substituted the word baptized for converted in order to make your biased doctrine fit, but it didn't work. Luke 24:47 says
..repentance and remission of sins.. *with no reference to baptism* as well. Acts 10:43-47; 11:17,18; 15:8,9; 16:31 blows your argument out of the water!
No, water baptism is not the cause of our conversion, put the picture. So what do you do with Mark 1:15? -
Repent and believe the gospel. Do you substitute the word baptized for believe the gospel?
The question in Acts 19:2 was, "did you receive the Holy Spirit when you
believed?" *Not when you were water baptized. You did not prove me wrong and completely ignored that the there was a delay in receiving the Holy Spirit until they received the laying on of hands
(exception, not the rule, just as in Acts 8:16-17). Just because they were water baptized first does not prove your point or negate Acts 10:43-47; 11:17,18; 15:8,9; 16:31). Prior to receiving the Holy Spirit (John 7:38-39) believers were still saved through
believing in Him (John 3:15,16,18; 6:40,47; 11:25,26) and not through water baptism.
Again,
exception, just as in Acts 8:16-17, not the rule. There was a delay in them receiving the Holy Spirit only because the laying of hands was required first. You need to rightly divide the word of truth. What does Ephesians 1:13 say?
Only in those cases and there was a reason for that.
There was a delay because the laying on of hands was required first IN THEIR CASE -
exception, not the rule. We must repent and believe the gospel to become saved. Water baptism follows repentance/faith/conversion. If water baptism was absolutely required for salvation, then God would not make so many statements in which He promises eternal life to those who simply BELIEVE (and those who believe have already repented) - John 3:15,16,18,36; 5:24; 6:40,47; 11:25,26; Acts 10:43; 11:17,18; 13:39; 16:31; Romans 1:16; 3:22-28; 4:5; 1 Corinthians 1:21; 1 John 5:13 etc..
Acts 10-16 is CRYSTAL CLEAR. It's you who misuses Acts 2:38 and Acts 19:2-6 and then you try to force all of these other CRYSTAL CLEAR verses to "conform" to your "watered down" gospel. You need to rightly divide the word of truth and harmonize Scripture with Scripture in order to reach the proper conclusion.
No doubt.....the Greek also renders his twist of Acts 2:38 to be false as well.......Baptism is a picture of conversion that has already taken place by faith....Jesus was the SON of God by birth LONG before he was immersed......
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ & you shall be saved.
I give them eternal life and they shall never perish.
God so loved the world that He gave his unique Son that
whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Rom 1:16-17
For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.
[NO WORKS, NO WATER REQUIRED]
Rom 3:21-30
But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that believe; for there is no distinction;
[NO WORKS, NO WATER]
[All them who believer, rules out any other thing essential besides believe.]
for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; 24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God; for the showing, I say, of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus.
[NO WORKS, NO WATER]
Where then is the glorying? It is excluded. By what manner of law? of works? Nay: but by a law of faith. 28 We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yea, of Gentiles also: 30 if so be that God is one, and he shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith.
[NO WORKS, NO WATER]
Rom 4:1
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, hath found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God. For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
[NO WORKS, NO WATER]
Now to him who works, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. 5 But to him that works not, but believeth on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness.
[NO WORKS, NO WATER]
Even as David also pronounces blessing upon the man, to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works, 7 saying,
Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin.
Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say, To Abraham his faith was reckoned for righteousness.
[NO WORKS, NO WATER]
How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision: 11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision: that he might be the father of all them who believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them; 12 and the father of circumcision to them who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he had in uncircumcision. 13 For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith.
[NO WORKS, NO WATER]
For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect: 15 for the law works wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression. 16 For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
[NO WORKS, NO WATER]
(as it is written, A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he believed, even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were. 18 Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20 yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
[NO WORKS, NO WATER]
Rom 5:1-2
Being therefore justified by faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and let us boast in hope of the glory of God.
[NO WORKS, NO WATER]
Rom 9:30:
What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who followed not after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith: but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by works. They stumbled at the stone of stumbling; even as it is written,
Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence:
And he who believes on him shall not be put to shame.
[NO WORKS, NO WATER]
Rom 10:4
For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to everyone who believes.
[NO WORKS, NO WATER]
[EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES rules out anything essential added to faith.]
For Moses writeth that the man that doeth the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby. But the righteousness which is of faith says thus, Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down or, Who shall descend into the abyss? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach.
[NO WORKS, NO WATER]
Cor 1:21
it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe.
[NO WORKS, NO WATER]