Take Two Aspirin for Your Headache
By Bro David Petersen
Below is an email sent in asking a question that is answered by this article.
Dear Bro Petersen,
I am confused. I read the link about being saved and the link about baptism. On the link about baptism, you say, "being saved is a prerequisite for baptism," (i.e., you are saved before you are baptized). However, Peter told the people in Acts 2 to "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins."
Here's my point of confusion: I equate forgiveness of sins as being part of salvation. I'm assuming that you would agree with this since without forgiveness of sins we all stand condemned. If Peter taught that repentance AND baptism brings forgiveness of sins, then how is it you say that salvation (including forgiveness of sins) is a prerequisite to (i.e., happens before) baptism? That would seem to me that you are saying that forgiveness of sins comes before baptism when Peter said that repentance AND baptism takes place in order to receive forgiveness of sins.
Can you please explain what you are saying in light of what Peter taught in Acts 2?
Sincerely,
Craig S
Dear Craig,
Hello. Thanks for your feedback. I appreciate your concern and respect for the authority of the scriptures. Please see my article below in response to your question. I hope this helps. God bless!
Acts 2:38
38 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.
KJV
The answer to your question revolves around the meaning of the Greek word “eis” which is translated “for” in Acts 2:38.
In a nutshell, the question is does “for” mean “in order to” or does it mean “because of”? If you insert these phrases into the verse in place of the word “for” you would have 2 possible translations. Let’s look at each in turn:
- “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ in order to receive the remission of sins.”
- “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ because of the remission of sins.”
My position is that the latter translation, “because of,” is correct in the case of Acts 2:38. When they heard his message, Peter’s listeners were “cut to the heart” or greatly moved. In other words, they repented in their hearts. Peter then commands his listeners to be baptized because of having received the remission of sins, not in order to get the remission of sins.
Let us consider the first case where the word “for” can mean “in order to.” I readily recognize that the term eis is sometimes used in this sense in the New Testament. For example, you could say “I’m going to the store for milk.” In that case, “for” would mean “in order to get.” However, that is not the only usage and interpretation of eis in the New Testament.
Now let’s look at the second case above. Consider the sentence “Take two aspirins for your headache.” What is this declarative sentence saying? Do you take aspirin in order to get a headache or because you already have a headache? Obviously, the natural meaning of this sentence is the former: You take aspirin because you already have a headache, not in order to get a headache. The use of the word “for” in Acts 2:38 is similar to this in its usage.
Let’s take a look at one New Testament example where eis is obviously used in the “because of” sense.
Matthew 12:41
41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because <eis> they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. KJV
In Matthew 12:41, it is obvious to us, as it was to the translators, that the men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment “because” they repented, not “in order to” repent. The point is that this verse shows beyond a reasonable doubt that eis can mean “because of.”
Some other verses where the Greek preposition eis does not mean “in order to obtain” are Matthew 3:11, 28:19, Acts 19:3, Romans 6:3, 1 Corinthians 1:15, 10:2, 12:13, and 1 Peter 3:21.
In Acts 2:38, the use of the word eis is not as clear as it is in Matthew 12:41. In cases where Greek grammar is not definitive, we let the clear teachings of scripture guide our interpretation. Employing this methodology, we see overwhelming scriptural support for the teaching that salvation comes by trusting on the Lord Jesus Christ without baptism.
Here is an excerpt from A.T. Robertson’s commentary on Acts 2:38. Robertson is widely considered to be one of the foremost Greek scholars and is widely read.
“My view is decidedly against the idea that Peter, Paul, or anyone in the New Testament taught baptism as essential to the forgivenss of sins or the means of securing such forgiveness. So I understand Peter to be urging baptism upon each of them who had already turned (repented) and for it to be done in the name of Jesus Christ on the basis of the forgiveness of sins which they had already received” (Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament).
According to Robertson, eis can be used in either way depending on the context of the verse.
Again, the clear teaching of scripture determines meaning where grammar is ambiguous.
As with any single verse or passage, we discern what it teaches by first filtering it through what we know the Bible teaches on the subject at hand. In the case of baptism and salvation, the Bible is clear that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by works of any kind, including baptism (Ephesians 2:8-9). So, any interpretation which comes to the conclusion that baptism, or any other act, is necessary for salvation, is a faulty interpretation.
We could cite many scriptures to support the teaching that baptism is not necessary to salvation. See for example John 1:12, 3:16, Acts 16:31, Romans 3:21-30, 4:5, 10:9-10, Ephesians 2:8-10, Philippians 3:9, and Galatians 2:16.
Let’s look at two such examples in detail. Consider the thief on the cross.
Luke 23:42-43
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
KJV
Here, the repentant thief trusted in Christ and was on his way to paradise without ever being baptized because baptism is not necessary for salvation.
Another good example is Paul and Silas’ response to the Philippian jailer:
Acts 16:30-31
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
KJV
Paul and Silas would have been remiss, even negligent, in not mentioning baptism to the jailer if baptism were necessary for salvation.
What did Peter teach in his sermons regarding the way of salvation? In Peter’s next two sermons to unbelievers, he associates the forgiveness of sins with the act of repentance and faith in Christ and doesn’t even mention baptism (Acts 3:17-26, 4:8-12).
In Acts 10:43, Peter told Cornelius that “through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.” At this point, he has said nothing about being baptized, yet Peter associates believing in Christ with the act of receiving forgiveness for sins. Then the “Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message” (Acts 10:44). It is only after they had believed and, therefore, received forgiveness of their sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit that Cornelius and his household were baptized (Acts 10:47-48). The context and the passage are very clear; Cornelius and his household received both forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit before they were baptized. In fact, the reason Peter allowed them to be baptized was that they showed evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit “just as Peter and the Jewish believers” had. In other words, salvation is a prerequisite to baptism.
Please consider one last item. Notice that the question that the men asked in Acts 2:38 is not “What must we do to be saved?” but rather “what shall we do?” This question was asked in response to Peter’s scathing sermon. “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.” When they heard this convicting message, it “pricked them in their heart.” The question “what must we do” is not just asking how to be saved, but is also asking for a complete course of action. “How shall we change our lives?” Essentially, Peter is telling them that they should be saved and then be baptized as evidence of repentance from their old attitudes and lifestyle. He is commanding them to show evidence of their repentance and salvation by being baptized.
Baptism is a good thing for believers to do. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it is essential in order to live a victorious (not sinless) Christian life, but it is not essential to salvation. On the contrary, salvation is essential to baptism. In baptism, believers publicly identify themselves with the Lord's death, burial, and resurrection. Salvation must take place first or this picture would be utterly meaningless for the person being baptized. In baptism, believers are graphically picturing their own death, burial, and resurrection by being immersed in water. In other words, baptism is the external evidence of their internal salvation. Baptism is not part of salvation. Instead, it outwardly illustrates the salvation that has already taken place inwardly when the believer trusted Christ as their savior. By baptism, we declare to the world that we are already raised to walk in a new life in Christ.