Pastor Jackson Boyett of Dayspring Fellowship (http://www.DSF.org) for this presentation. Bob L. Ross has written four books ("Campbellism, Its History & Heresies," "The Restoration Movement," "Acts 2:38 and Baptismal Remission," & one against the Campbellite doctrine against musical instruments in worship) on Campbellism & its associated sects, a group that had its start during the early 19th century when four primary founding men named Thomas & Alexander Campbell, Barton W. Stone & Walter Scott "discovered" the "Ancient Gospel" which was water baptism for the "remission of sins" & works of righteousness to keep from losing your salvation.
Acts 2:38 is one of the more controversial verses in the Bible regarding baptism and whether or not it is the requirement for salvation. Some use this verse to say that one must be baptized in order to be saved. But when you look at the verse, and others, you will see that it does not teach baptismal regeneration, that baptism saves, or that baptism is necessary for salvation.
First of all, rarely is doctrine ever made from a single verse. We need to look at all of what God's words says about a subject in order to accurately understand what it teaches. I will briefly tackle this verse in the following manner:
In Acts 2:38 the main verb is metanoesate (change mind), the aorist direct imperative (a command) of metanoeo which means to repent (change mind). This refers to that initial repentance of the sinner unto salvation. The verb translated "be baptized" is in the indirect passive imperative (a command to receive; hence, passive voice in Greek1) of baptizo, which does not give it the same direct command implied in "repent." |
