Your logic in regard to water baptism here is flawed. The interpretation of the parable that aligns best with Jesus’ main point is that the wedding garment represents the righteousness of Christ that is received through faith. (Romans 4:5-6; Philippians 3:9). You need to read the parable of the wedding feast in context. The king sent his servants to summon selected guests to the banquet, but they ignored the invitation and others mistreated and killed the servants. This part of the parable represents Israel’s collective rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. Then it depicts the inclusion of the Gentiles into God’s plan, the king expanded the banquet invitation to anyone his servants could. The wedding invitation to those who were not previously invited anticipates the spreading of the gospel to the Gentiles.
False. We become united with Christ through faith and water baptism
signifies this. Believing in/placing faith in Jesus Christ for salvation is the point and time that one receives remission of sins. (Acts 10:43; 13:38-39; 26:18; Romans 3:24-26) Water baptism is a
symbol of this past event.
Before mentioning baptism in chapter 6, Paul had repeatedly emphasized that
FAITH, not baptism is the instrumental cause of salvation/justification (
Romans 1:16,
3:22-30;
4:4-6,
13;
5:1). That is when the old man was put to death and
united in the likeness of His death, which water baptism symbolizes and pictures. Righteousness is "imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised up because of our justification" (
Romans 4:24,
25).
Since believers receive the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection (justification), and that through faith, believers must be spiritually united to Him (delivered and raised up with Him). If baptism is taken as the instrumental cause,
then Paul contradicts what he had established before, namely that justification is by FAITH, not baptism. *Hermeneutics. Paul clearly teaches that what is
signified in baptism (buried and raised with Christ) actually occurs
"through faith."
Christians are "buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him
through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead" (
Colossians 2:12).
Justification on account of union in Christ's death, burial and resurrection is brought about "through faith" - and is properly
symbolized by dipping the new believer in and out of the water.
Remission of sins does not happen at some mystic point in your understanding of baptism. It happens the very moment that we place our faith (belief, trust, reliance) in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.
Acts 10:43 - Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who
believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.
Acts 13:38 - Therefore, let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the
forgiveness of sins; 39 and by Him everyone who
believes is
justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Acts 15:9 - Hearts are
purified by faith.
Acts 26:18 - to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may
receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are
sanctified by faith in Me.
Romans 3:24 - being
justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a
propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the
justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Luke 7:29 - When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they justified God/acknowledged God's justice,
(signified by) having been baptized with the baptism of
John. 30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God's purpose for themselves,
(signified by) not having been baptized by John. Becoming a disciple of John was a heart decision made prior to receiving water baptism.
False. (Acts 10:43-47)
In
Acts 2:38, "for the remission of sins" does not refer back to both clauses, "you all repent" and "each one of you be baptized," but refers only to the first. Peter is saying "repent unto the remission of your sins," the same as in
Acts 3:19. The clause "each one of you be baptized" is parenthetical. This is exactly what
Acts 3:19 teaches except that Peter omits the parenthesis.
*Also compare the fact that these Gentiles in
Acts 10:45 received
the gift of the Holy Spirit (compare with
Acts 2:38 -
the gift of the Holy Spirit) and this was
BEFORE water baptism. (
Acts 10:47)
In
Acts 10:43 we read
..whoever believes in Him receives remission of sins. Again, these Gentiles received
the gift of the Holy Spirit -
Acts 10:45 -
when they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ -
Acts 11:17 - (compare with
Acts 16:31 -
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved)
BEFORE water baptism -
Acts 10:47. This is referred to as
repentance unto life -
Acts 11:18.
*So, the only logical conclusion
when properly harmonizing scripture with scripture is that faith in Jesus Christ "implied in genuine repentance" (rather than water baptism) brings the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit
(Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 10:43-47; 11:17,18; 13:38-39; 15:7-9; 16:31; 26:18). *Perfect Harmony*
Man is justified by
faith (faith plus what? Faith plus nothing/faith alone - Romans 5:1). Man is saved by grace through faith, not works. (Ephesians 2:8,9) Faith alone. You are blinded by the gospel according to Campbellism that culminates in salvation by water. The gospel of Christ is the
power of God unto salvation to everyone that
BELIEVES.. (Romans 1:16) To "believe" the gospel is to
trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of our salvation. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
1
