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;
15:8,
9;
16:31;
26:18).
*Perfect Harmony*
This is where you get into trouble here by cherry picking this verse. You only read this part because it tells you what your itching ears want to hear so then you ignore the rest. In
1 Peter 3:21, Peter tells us that baptism now saves you, yet when Peter uses this phrase,
he continues in the same sentence to explain exactly what he means by it. He said that baptism now saves you-
not the removal of dirt from the flesh (that is, not as an outward, physical act which washes dirt from the body--that is not what saves you),
"but an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (that is, as an inward, spiritual transaction between God and the individual, a transaction that is
symbolized by the outward ceremony of water baptism).
Just as the eight people in the ark were "saved THROUGH water" as they were IN THE ARK. They were not literally saved "by" the water.
Hebrews 11:7 is clear on this point (..built an
ARK for the
SAVING of his household). *The context reveals that ONLY the righteous (Noah and his family) were DRY and therefore SAFE. In contrast,
only the wicked in Noah's day came in contact with the water and they all perished.
So, by Peter saying, "not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience - through the resurrection of Jesus Christ," Peter guards against saving power to the physical ceremony in H20.
Water baptism is not unimportant, but it is still not the basis or means by which we obtain salvation. After seeing what God has said numerous times in scripture about salvation through
belief/faith "apart from additions or modifications" (
Luke 7:50;
8:12;
John 1:12;
3:15,
16,
18,
36;
5:24;
6:29,
40,
47;
11:25,
26;
Acts 4:4;
10:4;
10:43;
13:38-39;
15:7-9;
16:31;
26:18;
Romans 1:16;
3:24-28;
4:5-6,
9: 5:1; 10:4;
1 Corinthians 1:21; 15:1-4;
Galatians 2:16;
3:6 14,
26;
Ephesians 2:8,
9;
Philippians 3:9;
2 Timothy 3:15;
Hebrews 10:39;
1 John 5:4,
13 etc..) I don't understand how someone can say I also must be water baptized in order to be saved.
There are a handful of alleged proof texts that certain people use to try and prove that water baptism is absolutely required for salvation, yet after a careful examination of each of those texts in context will show that none of them prove that baptism is absolutely required for salvation, though they do prove that baptism was an assumed initiatory response to the gospel of salvation.
In other words, those texts prove only that baptism is regularly associated with conversion and salvation, rather than absolutely required for salvation. These Gentiles in Acts 10 received the gift of the Holy Spirit and were manifesting the spiritual gift of tongues from the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12) after believing the gospel but
before being water baptized. (
Acts 10:44-47)
Now baptism was not considered an "optional extra" for these Gentiles; it was a command (
Acts 10:48) that they were expected to obey. However, it was not obedience to this command that saved them, but their believing in Christ for salvation. (
Acts 10:43)
Numerous false religions and cults that promote salvation by works (including Roman Catholicism and Mormonism) teach that water baptism is absolutely necessary for salvation, which says it all for me.
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