Through studying Acts 10, among other baptism related scripture, I had a revelation, which is always awesome to have when one studies scripture.
I had started with 1 Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
I was looking at it from the perspective of immersion and how this may pertain. Dwelling on this, baptism in this case seemed to be a connection or a joining to Moses, or to Christ thru Moses. Also this could be viewed as a dedication or a beginning of their journey.
Then I went to Acts 10, because this gives a solid example of baptism of Gentiles and the Holy Spirit connection.
43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.
Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
The first thing that jumps out is “whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” Just as Abram (Abraham) was pronounced righteous because of his belief, so too, the remission of sin is from belief, calling on the Lord’s name as stated elsewhere. Abraham was not baptized, and yet he received remission of sin. But let’s lay that aside.
Next, we have the Holy Spirit falling on these new believers and they receive the HS into their being. God’s own Spirit can only be received by those who had their sins forgiven. As of yet, they were not baptized by water. So baptism does not forgive or remit sin. Hearkening back to Jesus healing and, what?, forgiving sins, when He did not baptize. To try to make an argument for those who had not received remission of sin, for lack of baptizing, to receive the Holy Spirit, credibility has been flushed.
Next we have Peter say, “Can anyone forbid water”? Can anyone say no to baptizing them? By forbidding it, what would that mean? That they can’t publicly show they are now Christian? That they can’t make a commitment to the faith? Of course they can, but there seems to be more to it.
Now I look up Galatians 3: 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And with it,
1 Corinthians 12: 12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
What jumped out to me was “baptized into Christ” and “baptized into one body”. This what Peter was inferring to by “Can anyone forbid water”. Can anyone deny these people the joining with the body of Christ, the Church. Now this fits well with 1 Corinthians 10:2 . The joining and connecting to the Church, dedicating one’s life and beginning one’s ministry, and making the public statement of faith.
I had started with 1 Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
I was looking at it from the perspective of immersion and how this may pertain. Dwelling on this, baptism in this case seemed to be a connection or a joining to Moses, or to Christ thru Moses. Also this could be viewed as a dedication or a beginning of their journey.
Then I went to Acts 10, because this gives a solid example of baptism of Gentiles and the Holy Spirit connection.
43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.
Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
The first thing that jumps out is “whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” Just as Abram (Abraham) was pronounced righteous because of his belief, so too, the remission of sin is from belief, calling on the Lord’s name as stated elsewhere. Abraham was not baptized, and yet he received remission of sin. But let’s lay that aside.
Next, we have the Holy Spirit falling on these new believers and they receive the HS into their being. God’s own Spirit can only be received by those who had their sins forgiven. As of yet, they were not baptized by water. So baptism does not forgive or remit sin. Hearkening back to Jesus healing and, what?, forgiving sins, when He did not baptize. To try to make an argument for those who had not received remission of sin, for lack of baptizing, to receive the Holy Spirit, credibility has been flushed.
Next we have Peter say, “Can anyone forbid water”? Can anyone say no to baptizing them? By forbidding it, what would that mean? That they can’t publicly show they are now Christian? That they can’t make a commitment to the faith? Of course they can, but there seems to be more to it.
Now I look up Galatians 3: 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And with it,
1 Corinthians 12: 12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
What jumped out to me was “baptized into Christ” and “baptized into one body”. This what Peter was inferring to by “Can anyone forbid water”. Can anyone deny these people the joining with the body of Christ, the Church. Now this fits well with 1 Corinthians 10:2 . The joining and connecting to the Church, dedicating one’s life and beginning one’s ministry, and making the public statement of faith.
