Episode 29
Baptism: The Great Debate - Is It Essential for Salvation?
Today, we dive deep into a theological conundrum that has sparked passionate debates throughout history: the role of baptism in salvation. This episode navigates through the often contentious beliefs surrounding Acts 2:38, where Peter instructs believers to be baptized for the remission of sins. I share insights on how this verse has been interpreted differently, with some arguing baptism is merely symbolic, while others assert its necessity for salvation. Our discussion takes us through the nuances of scriptural language, particularly the significance of the Greek preposition "eis," exploring whether it indicates a requirement for salvation or a response to already forgiven sins. So, let’s unpack these ideas together and see if we can arrive at a clearer understanding of what faith and baptism really mean in the context of salvation—without losing our heads in the process!
The podcast delves into the intricate theological debate surrounding the role of baptism in salvation, a topic that has stirred much discussion over the years. The speaker passionately argues that baptism is not merely an optional rite, but rather a critical component of the salvation process as outlined in Acts 2:38. This verse, which instructs believers to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, serves as a cornerstone for the speaker's argument. Throughout the episode, the speaker addresses common counterarguments, emphasizing the importance of not cherry-picking scripture to support preconceived notions. Instead, he encourages a comprehensive examination of the biblical text to understand the true nature of faith and baptism as interlinked acts of obedience to God. The discussion also touches on the distinction between meritorious works and works of faith, asserting that baptism should not be viewed as a mere legalistic requirement but as a heartfelt response to God’s grace. By exploring various passages, including Ephesians 2:8-9, the speaker illustrates the necessity of baptism for salvation, urging listeners to reconsider their perspectives and approach to this vital aspect of their faith.
Takeaways:
- The debate surrounding baptism's role in salvation has persisted for years, highlighting differing theological perspectives.
- Acts 2:38 is often invoked in discussions about baptism, emphasizing its importance for the remission of sins.
- Many argue that baptism is merely a symbolic act, but the New Testament suggests it’s tied to faith and obedience.
- The relationship between faith and baptism is crucial; one cannot truly have faith without the act of baptism demonstrating that faith.
Transcript
Well, good day to you, and thank you so much for joining us in our study this morning.
Speaker A:I am very excited to share with you some thoughts from God's Word.
Speaker A:It's been a topic of great debate over the years.
Speaker A:A theological topic, I think, that really defines a person's mindset about salvation and what's required.
Speaker A:It's very common for people to say that baptism has no place for the remission of sins or is not important for salvation.
Speaker A:It's important, maybe some would even say, but not for salvation.
Speaker A:I'd like to study with that with you, and I hope that you'll keep an open mind and don't get angry with me.
Speaker A:I just want to share some thoughts with you, and you're certainly welcome to share them with me, and perhaps together we can benefit from it.
Speaker A:First of all, let me just start with Acts 2:38.
Speaker A:It's the one that gets the most attention.
Speaker A:Peter said to them, repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission or forgiveness of your sins, and you'll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:It has been said by many people that, well, they'll mention this, or someone will mention this verse, but immediately, and this is a problem with Bible study.
Speaker A:Rather than dealing with the verse that's been presented, we just go to another one to try to just discredit everything that's been said or bring up another verse that proves our point.
Speaker A:And so we've got people that use verses to prove theirs, and others use verses to prove their point, and no one gets anywhere because they're not really addressing the verses that have been already mentioned.
Speaker A:So let's just take this one.
Speaker A:It's very common, though.
Speaker A:It's very common for someone to say, well, Ephesians 2, 8, 9 says that by grace are ye saved through faith, and not of yourselves.
Speaker A:It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.
Speaker A:And this is a real problem in light of the fact that Paul taught in many places, especially Romans and Galatians, that baptism is a work of faith, not a work of the law.
Speaker A:I understand that there are those who teach a sort of meritorious works with regard to baptism.
Speaker A:And if that's the attitude that some have, I would definitely say that that's not the proper response.
Speaker A:But baptism need not be a meritorious work.
Speaker A:Not all works are meritorious.
Speaker A:Not all works are works of the law.
Speaker A:There are works of faith.
Speaker A:And so they'll just bring up that passage and say, you see there, it's Very clear that baptism isn't necessary for salvation.
Speaker A:If you think so, then you've just come to a faulty interpretation.
Speaker A:And so they began to.
Speaker A:And there's, you know, there's arguments made for that.
Speaker A:And here's a real common argument.
Speaker A:It's based on the word or the pronoun is translated for the remission of sins.
Speaker A:And the Greek word is has different meanings in different contexts.
Speaker A:There's no doubt about that.
Speaker A:And I'll be the last to argue that it always means one thing.
Speaker A:It doesn't, of course, the argument is, does it mean in order to get or to obtain or require or, you know, achieve or produce?
Speaker A:Or does it mean for or in regard to things already happened?
Speaker A:In other words, are you being repenting and being baptized in order to receive the remission of sins, or are you repenting and being baptized in regard to or because of sins?
Speaker A:In other words, sins already remitted.
Speaker A:Christ was the propitiation for our sins.
Speaker A:He died on the cross.
Speaker A:He took our place, and therefore that's an accomplished feat.
Speaker A:And therefore we repent and be baptized because of sins already being remitted.
Speaker A:That's the argument.
Speaker A:Does it mean because of or in order to get?
Speaker A:And so there's a big debate.
Speaker A:It's been going on for now for many, many years.
Speaker A:And I'm assuming that it will continue to go on.
Speaker A:It's been said.
Speaker A:And one author on the Internet, his very prominent author on the Internet, says, well, this is an example, as when one says, take two aspirins for your headache.
Speaker A:It's obvious to everyone, he says that it doesn't mean take two aspirins in order to get your headache, but instead take two aspirins because you already have a headache.
Speaker A:So, yes, that's true.
Speaker A:It can mean that.
Speaker A:There's no doubt about that.
Speaker A:The Greek word is used many, many times in the New Testament, and it's translated in many different ways.
Speaker A:And you can pick the ones that you like and think that it's the most prominent approach.
Speaker A:And perhaps you would be right to say that.
Speaker A:I think there are Greek scholars like A.T. robertson and others who've maintained that the Greek preposition eis in Acts 238 should be translated because of or in view of, and not in order to.
Speaker A:I understand those arguments.
Speaker A:However, as we think about how the word is used, and no doubt there are possible meanings of the Greek word, what's interesting is if you'll just not take the word for I says it's used, but take the entire phrase for the remission of sins.
Speaker A:Okay, we're going to get even more specific and narrow in on how these phrases are used.
Speaker A:We're not just going to take the word for as it's translated different ways or this preposition ice.
Speaker A:Let's take it all for the remission of sins.
Speaker A:Let's do that and see what we come up with.
Speaker A:Well, there's not all that many.
Speaker A:Not as many as the word is used in other places.
Speaker A:Mark 1 in verse 4 as well as Luke 3, 3 speaks of John's baptism, and in it it says that John did baptize in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance.
Speaker A:Notice, baptism of repentance.
Speaker A:This was a baptism.
Speaker A:He came to prepare the people, to change the hearts of the fathers and the children and prepare them for the kingdom.
Speaker A:Both John and Jesus says, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Speaker A:So the baptism was in accord or in connected with repentance, changing, that is preparing for the coming of the Messiah.
Speaker A:Whereas Jesus is his teaching and preaching.
Speaker A:Or at least being baptized in the name of Christ was a baptism, not of repentance, though repentance was required.
Speaker A:But it was a baptism that was associated with faith in him, that was the response to the Gospel message.
Speaker A:Whereas in John's case it was a baptism of repentance, that is getting people to change their hearts about the King, the Master, and preparing their lives for his arrival as the king.
Speaker A:So a little different emphasis.
Speaker A:But my point simply is it is a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
Speaker A:Now let's think about that a minute.
Speaker A:Same exact phrase.
Speaker A:Not just the same word ice, but same phrase.
Speaker A:Now, was this baptism of repentance, the result of remission of sins, already occurred, already happened, that is, had they already had their sins remitted and now they were just going to be baptized because they were already forgiven?
Speaker A:Why, Jesus hadn't even died on the cross yet.
Speaker A:Or was this in order to obtain or in order to produce?
Speaker A:Now, if you take the logic of many people, John was baptizing in the Jordan for sins already remitted.
Speaker A:You see, you can find this word for used in different ways.
Speaker A:I'm wanting you to see that the entire phrase is used in Mark 1 and in Luke 3.
Speaker A:And clearly he's not talking about sins already remitted, is he?
Speaker A: rase is found over in Matthew: Speaker A:He says, take, drink.
Speaker A:This is My blood, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Speaker A:So I ask you, friends, did Jesus die and shed his blood for sins already remitted, or did he die and shed his blood to receive remission of sins?
Speaker A:Well, it's rather obvious, isn't it, that Jesus died and shed his blood in order to procure in order to obtain the remission of sins.
Speaker A:Without the shedding of blood, there can be no remission of sins, the Hebrew writer says, and if that's not true, I would certainly question why in the world he ever had to die to begin with.
Speaker A:If the sin problem was already met before he died, then it would have certainly been in vain and senseless for him to go to the cross.
Speaker A:And so when Acts 2:38 is read where the same exact phrase is mentioned for the remission of sins, I have to ask the same questions I asked about these others.
Speaker A:The phrase that's found for the remission of sins, if you'll look up the phrase there's one other in Romans 4 in connection with those who sinned in the past, that is a those under the old law, the blood of Christ forgave them too, you see.
Speaker A:But the point simply.
Speaker A:And how someone would say, well, they weren't baptized.
Speaker A:Well, they were living in a different era and a different law.
Speaker A:Obviously.
Speaker A:There's also a point to be made about the distinction between John's baptism and the baptism of Christ.
Speaker A:My point simply is the meaning of the phrase for the remission of sins and how it's most commonly understood and used in the New Testament.
Speaker A:So someone would use the word for and make a big point that the predominant use of the word means because of not in order to.
Speaker A:And I'm suggesting to you that you not just limit yourself to the word for.
Speaker A:That's pretty broad.
Speaker A:There's over a thousand uses of the word in the Bible.
Speaker A:Just look for this phrase for the remission of sins and see how many times it's used to refer to because of.
Speaker A:I think you'll find that it's not found anywhere in that sense, you know, so what are we going to do with all this evidence?
Speaker A:Someone said, well, there's more evidence for the other.
Speaker A:Not for the whole phrase, there's not.
Speaker A:Well, besides the precise meaning of the preposition for, you know, there's other arguments to be made and I'll not look at all of them.
Speaker A:Some of them, I think, are quite senseless on perhaps both sides.
Speaker A:But there is certainly an important difference when you think about the evidence that salvation what's required for salvation is that faith and baptism go together.
Speaker A:They always go together.
Speaker A:I want you to think about that for a moment, and I'm going to ask the question, we're going to answer it.
Speaker A:Why do you think it goes together?
Speaker A: Well, in Mark: Speaker A:He that believeth not shall be damned.
Speaker A:The response after this quote is, well, Jesus didn't say, and he that is not baptized is damned.
Speaker A:It just says, he that believeth not is damned.
Speaker A:Well, this is a lot like saying and this is the reason.
Speaker A:Listen to me for a minute now, please don't get angry with me.
Speaker A:Don't shut me off.
Speaker A:Don't turn the radio off quite yet.
Speaker A:Just think this through with me.
Speaker A:If I just say to you, he that eats his food and digests it will have a healthy system, and he that doesn't eat will not have good health.
Speaker A:Well, it's obvious, isn't it?
Speaker A:Since eating and digestion kind of go hand in hand, right?
Speaker A:As one naturally produces the other, you can't separate them.
Speaker A:If you eat, you're going to digest your food.
Speaker A:That's the logical thought.
Speaker A:Unless you're there's a problem somewhere.
Speaker A:But if it's functioning well and it's by intent, whatever you eat, you're going to digest.
Speaker A:So if you don't eat, you don't have any food to digest, do you?
Speaker A:So, and you're not going to have good health.
Speaker A:There's no point in saying, and if you don't eat and you don't digest your food, you won't have good health.
Speaker A:Well, there's not any point in saying that, because if you don't eat, you're not going to have anything to digest.
Speaker A:The same thing is true with reference to faith and baptism.
Speaker A:If you don't have faith in Christ, you're not going to be baptized to begin with the same illustration or same thought.
Speaker A:Baptism is a work of faith.
Speaker A:It's not the work of law.
Speaker A:Again, not all works are works of law.
Speaker A:Don't misunderstand every time you read the word works that we're talking about any works.
Speaker A:That's not true.
Speaker A:In fact, the Bible even uses the phrase twice in the book of Romans in the first chapter and in the last chapter he uses the phrase obedience of faith.
Speaker A:Faith obeys.
Speaker A:Why?
Speaker A:Read Hebrews 11 and you can come up with that conclusion James 2 as well.
Speaker A:James is trying to illustrate the same point.
Speaker A:If you say you have Faith, you're going to illustrate.
Speaker A:In fact, he says, you show me your faith without your works.
Speaker A:Just try it.
Speaker A:You can't do it.
Speaker A:And he says, I, by my works will show you my faith.
Speaker A:Well, he's not talking about works of law there.
Speaker A:He's talking about works of faith in the same way Paul uses it in Galatians 3:26.
Speaker A:He says, for you're all the sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Speaker A:For there's that word for as many of you.
Speaker A:That's a different word for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Speaker A:He's explaining, you see, he's elaborating on the statement, you're all the sons of God by faith.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:Period.
Speaker A:For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ.
Speaker A:Well, now, what's that got to do with anything?
Speaker A:It has everything to do with it, because baptism is an act of faith.
Speaker A:If you want to quibble about baptism, then I'd question your understanding of faith.
Speaker A:You can't separate the two, just like you can't separate them when you read James 2.
Speaker A:They go hand in hand.
Speaker A:So there's no point in Jesus needing to say, and he that is not baptized shall be damned.
Speaker A:Because if you don't have faith, you're not going to be baptized.
Speaker A:Because faith is taking God at His word and.
Speaker A:And acting on a trust, a dependency on Christ as Savior, that he will be true to his word, that he will accomplish what he's promised he would do.
Speaker A:I find it interesting that when we look at all the examples of conversion in the Bible, the people that want to argue about the necessity of baptism will pick one or two out.
Speaker A:Sometimes in looking at these one or two, they'll ignore some very clear statements in those examples and then completely ignore all the other examples of conversion that really don't support their view at all.
Speaker A:I don't want to take them all, and we'll try to examine them.
Speaker A:I won't take all the acts of conversion.
Speaker A:We don't have time for that this morning.
Speaker A:But take, for example, the conversion of Cornelius.
Speaker A:That's one that's used most often.
Speaker A:You know, they'll use the example of Cornelius in the Book of acts in chapter 10.
Speaker A:It's the one that is most often used to support the view that baptism is not important to salvation.
Speaker A:It's an example of a Gentile convert by the name of Cornelius.
Speaker A:It was rather an exceptional case because at that time no Gentile had ever heard the Gospel or never had had the Gospel preached to them.
Speaker A:And so the Bible says that while he was still preaching.
Speaker A:That's Peter.
Speaker A:Now, remember, in chapter 11, we're told that Peter was told he went to the house, Cornelius, because he had to hear words whereby he and his household could be saved.
Speaker A:You can't be saved without the gospel Peter was preaching.
Speaker A:And while he was still preaching, the Holy Spirit fell on that household while he was still preaching.
Speaker A:What value did that serve?
Speaker A:Well, it served a great.
Speaker A:A big value, of course, Cornelius.
Speaker A:I mean, Peter had already, you know, he'd received some evidence.
Speaker A:It was hard to swallow.
Speaker A:He'd received evidence.
Speaker A:But God didn't leave this in the hands of Peter or any other human being.
Speaker A:The Holy Spirit took charge and gave the testimony, the witnesses that needed.
Speaker A:And of course, there were other Jews there, no doubt, for a reason.
Speaker A:So that when Peter went back to Jerusalem and to give an answer to his activity in a Gentile house, they could all say, hey, we saw it with our own eyes.
Speaker A:The assumption that's made, however, is that this man and his household were saved while Peter were still preaching the Gospel to them before and without being baptized.
Speaker A:Well, that's an interesting observation.
Speaker A:And the assumption is that if they received the Holy Spirit, they had to have been saved.
Speaker A:Because Acts 2:38 says, if you repented or baptized for the remission of sins, you'll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:So they had to have been saved.
Speaker A:Well, this is a rather unusual situation, and it's the only one you find in the Bible like this.
Speaker A:And that was because it was an unusual situation where a Gentile was, for the first time, hearing the Gospel.
Speaker A:The receiving the Holy Spirit was for the benefit of Peter and all those Jews who attended him.
Speaker A:That the Gentiles could hear the gospel and be saved.
Speaker A:Peter was convinced.
Speaker A:But notice what happens now.
Speaker A:And this is oftentimes just omitted.
Speaker A:No one ever mentions it at all.
Speaker A:I mention it only because, again, faith in the message of the gospel being preached is always tied to this, to the requirement of baptism, always.
Speaker A:And this is no exception.
Speaker A:I think the problem is we confuse and we think.
Speaker A:We assume that if they received the Holy Spirit, they had to have been saved without, of course, being baptized.
Speaker A:Well, if that's true, this is the only example that you'll find it that way.
Speaker A:And I'd rather think that the reason they received the Holy Spirit was for the benefit of the Jews and the promise that God is now accepting Gentiles.
Speaker A:And so, you know, and this.
Speaker A:This was a big thing, of course, the Holy Spirit was to be poured upon all flesh.
Speaker A:Joel 2 says not just the Gentiles, Jews, but to the Gentiles also.
Speaker A:Well this was a Gentile convert.
Speaker A:And the Holy Spirit fell upon Peter and the rest of the apostles.
Speaker A:They were sent to Jerusalem for that very purpose.
Speaker A:And now it wasn't just the apostles who had received the Holy Spirit in the preaching of the Word early in Acts 2, but, but now it was a Gentile family, a Gentile man and his household.
Speaker A:Well Peter being convinced, he said this.
Speaker A:Can any man forbid water?
Speaker A:That these should not be baptized?
Speaker A:Who received the Holy Spirit as well as we, what value would that serve?
Speaker A:Because they were believers, they had accepted the message of the gospel and Peter was convinced now the fact that baptism is not required as people would say, well baptism isn't required in this case.
Speaker A:Well why in the world would Peter ever say why would he command them to be baptized?
Speaker A:Why would he say can any man forbid water?
Speaker A:What he's saying is are we going to reject or refuse to preach the Gospel to a Gentile and baptize them?
Speaker A:That's the message.
Speaker A:That's the thought.
Speaker A:You see, this is one of the many examples that are one of the few examples actually that are cited to prove that well Cornelius received the forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit before they were ever baptized.
Speaker A:It's quite interesting given the fact that as I said, this is son of an exception and because it was a Gentile, the first Gentile case of conversion.
Speaker A:But it's also interesting to throw in another little passage and that's in Acts 5:32.
Speaker A:It's very similar to Acts 2.
Speaker A:And it's similar because in Acts 2:38 it says repent and be baptized.
Speaker A:That's something you do or have done.
Speaker A:In other words, you're submitting to this.
Speaker A:Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins and you'll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:We've talked about this gift of the Holy Spirit before.
Speaker A:It wasn't automatic, it was through the laying on of the apostles hands.
Speaker A:That's another subject.
Speaker A:But you'll have this confirmed over in Acts 8 again in Acts 19 and some other points I think that are value to look at when we talk about that.
Speaker A:But at this point let's just consider the two passages, Acts 2:38 and Chapter 5, verse 32.
Speaker A:Chapter 5:32 says the Holy Spirit is given to them that obey him.
Speaker A:Well just like Acts 2:38 says repent and be baptized.
Speaker A:That's something you do, that's something you submit to.
Speaker A:You obey well, Cornelius hadn't even heard anything to obey.
Speaker A:He was hearing it, but he had not obeyed anything.
Speaker A:What had he obeyed?
Speaker A:What had he done in response to what Peter was telling him?
Speaker A:Nothing.
Speaker A:In fact, it says that while Peter was still preaching, the Holy Spirit fell on him.
Speaker A:Wouldn't you say that's an exception to the rule?
Speaker A:If the Holy Spirit is given to them that obey him, and Peter hadn't done anything to illustrate his obedience at all, then that would seem to be a logical conclusion.
Speaker A:If the Holy Spirit is given to them that obey, and he received the Holy Spirit before obeying him, then there must have been another purpose.
Speaker A:And that's what I'm suggesting to you to think about.
Speaker A:And there was.
Speaker A:It was to confirm to those Gentiles and the world that under the Gentiles also had God given the Gospel.
Speaker A:There are other examples.
Speaker A:Examples that one of them is used on occasion to prove that one can be saved without baptism.
Speaker A:And that's the Philippian jailer.
Speaker A:But again, I want to tie in.
Speaker A:I want to emphasize to you, friends, that faith and baptism go together.
Speaker A:And if the faith that you're requiring or that you speak of, that could be the issue.
Speaker A:There is really understanding and defining what faith is.
Speaker A:Because the faith in the Bible is the faith that obeys.
Speaker A:And if it doesn't, it isn't the faith that saves.
Speaker A:Do you see that?
Speaker A:If not, let's drive that point home further with the Philippian jailer.
Speaker A:This is a passage that so many people will quote.
Speaker A:Well, the Bible says, believe on the Lord and your house and you'll be saved.
Speaker A:You see there, we don't need to be baptized.
Speaker A:You just need to believe on the Lord.
Speaker A:Well, two verses later, Paul baptized them.
Speaker A:The same hour of the night, he and his household.
Speaker A:Again, as I say, you can't separate the two, but they're being separated today.
Speaker A:When someone teaches that you don't have to be baptized if you're not baptized, you don't have the faith that saves.
Speaker A:Why?
Speaker A:There is a certain faith.
Speaker A:Demons believe and tremble.
Speaker A:The question is, do they put their confidence in God and obey him?
Speaker A:Baptism is a work of faith.
Speaker A:In Paul's conversion, a good example of this.
Speaker A:Of course, the Lord approached him on the road to Damascus and he was told to go into the city and there it would be told him what he must do.
Speaker A:This blind man was taken by the hand and taken to the city for three days and nights.
Speaker A:He was just hadn't eaten nothing and was praying.
Speaker A:If there is ever an example of someone who was praying or praying through, as it's been said, this was it.
Speaker A:Well, Ananias came to him according to Acts 22, and told him, Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins.
Speaker A:Calling on the name of the Lord.
Speaker A:Here is a sinner's prayer for three days.
Speaker A:And yet a man came to him and said, what are you waiting on?
Speaker A:Why are you tearing?
Speaker A:Get up.
Speaker A:Be baptized and wash away your sins.
Speaker A:Why was he told to do that if his sins were already remitted?
Speaker A:Do you see that?
Speaker A:You see?
Speaker A:And the reason is because the two are connected.
Speaker A:And when you separate them, you show you don't understand the faith that saves.
Speaker A:Because the faith that saves is the faith that obeys.
Speaker A:The very next verse we find.
Speaker A:Let me take you to another passage.
Speaker A:This is a great passage, and this will be the last one we'll have time for.
Speaker A:It's in Acts 8, and we're talking about Philip.
Speaker A:And he was told to meet or run to this chariot.
Speaker A:This Ethiopian was on his way back home and he was reading for the book of Isaiah.
Speaker A:And when he was asked to come up and join him in the chariot because he didn't understand what he was reading, Philip began to preach and preached unto him.
Speaker A:Christ.
Speaker A:We know what he was reading because it's quoted for us there in the text.
Speaker A:Isaiah 53.
Speaker A:Now notice the very next verse says, and they came to a certain water.
Speaker A:And the eunuch said, see here, here is water.
Speaker A:What hinders me to be baptized?
Speaker A:And he commanded the chariot to stop.
Speaker A:And those two men both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch.
Speaker A:And they came up out of the water.
Speaker A:Philip was caught away by the Spirit.
Speaker A:And Philip went on his way rejoicing.
Speaker A:And why wouldn't he?
Speaker A:He'd had his sins washed away.
Speaker A:Now my question to you is, preaching Christ is all.
Speaker A:We're told that Philip did preached unto him.
Speaker A:Jesus.
Speaker A:I have no doubt but that he preached the same thing that Paul taught in Romans 6.
Speaker A:The value of that is so powerful in Romans 6.
Speaker A:17.
Speaker A:Paul would even emphasize the obedience factor when he said that being then made free from sin, you've obeyed from the heart that form of teaching.
Speaker A:And being made free from sin, you became servants of righteousness.
Speaker A:Philip preached Christ.
Speaker A:And the eunuch's first response was, here's water, here's some water.
Speaker A:What hinders me to be baptized?
Speaker A:Philip didn't say why.
Speaker A:Don't worry about that.
Speaker A:All you have to do is just believe on the Lord.
Speaker A:Well, just hold your hand in the air and pray that God forgives you.
Speaker A:And accept Jesus as your personal savior.
Speaker A:And then he goes on his way rejoicing.
Speaker A:No, sir.
Speaker A:He preached Jesus to him.
Speaker A:And the man commanded the chariot to stop so he could be baptized in response to the preaching of the gospel.
Speaker A:Think about it, friends.
Speaker A:Let's not quibble about it.
Speaker A:Let's put them together like the Bible does, and I thank you for listening.
