BAPTISMAL REGENERATION & ACTS 2:38 by anon Baptismal remission or regeneration teaches that a person is regenerated, born again - saved by the act of water baptism. Alexander Campbell, founder of the Church of Christ states: "Immersion, is that act by which our state is changed... Christian immersion, frequently called conversion is an act, inseparably connected with the remission of sins." (Millennial Harbinger, V-1 "Extra") "If so, then, who will not concur with me in saying that Christian immersion is the Gospel in water." (Alexander Campbell, Campbell - Rice debate, p.443) "The New Testament teaches baptism as an act which is essential to salvation..." (Introducing The Church Of Christ, p.107) Alexander Campbell states: "The preposition [FOR] "eis" here means in order to - in order to the remission of sins." (Campbell, Walker debate, 1823 p.124) Acts 2:38 "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ FOR (in order to) the remission of your sins." ? What Campbell failed to mention was that the preposition "eis" has several shades of meaning. In the KJV eis is translated in this way: Against -- 25 times Among -- 16 times At -- 20 times Concerning -- 5 times For -- 91 times In -- 131 times Into -- 571 times That -- 30 times On -- 57 times To -- 282 times Toward -- 32 times Unto -- 208 times Upon -- 25 times In Dana and Manty's, A Manual Grammar Of The Greek New Testament "eis" classified in five of eight categories as: Direction: into, unto, to. Position: in, among, upon. Relation: as, for, against, in respect to. Cause: because of. Purpose: for the purpose of. Some examples of the english usage of the preposition FOR are: I asked the lawyer FOR (in order to get) some advise. I talked to the lawyer FOR (in behalf of) my son. I consulted the lawyer FOR (because of) the trouble I was in. I phoned the lawyer FOR (with respect to) the bill he sent. Other examples: John was beheaded FOR his faithfulness. The criminal was hung FOR his crime. The people laughed FOR joy. Christ died FOR our sins, etc. I took an aspirin FOR a headache. Examples of the "eis" in the Scriptures Matthew 12:41 "The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented AT the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here." "...for they repented "eis" the preaching of Jonah..." "in order to" ? or "because of" the preaching of Jonah? Matthew 3:11 "I baptize you with water UNTO repentance..." The "unto" in the KJV is a translation of "eis". If translated "in order to" the verse does not make sense. "I baptize you with water (in order to) repentance..." ? "I baptize you with water (because of - concerning) repentance..." Acts 2:25 "For David speaketh CONCERNING him (Christ)" "Concerning" is a translation of "eis" If translated "in order to" the error is obvious. "For David speaketh (in order to) him..." ? Luke 5: 12-14 "While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" And immediately the leprosy left him. Then Jesus ordered him, "Don't tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded FOR thy cleansing, as a testimony to them." "...show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded FOR [in order to?, or because of?] thy cleansing, as a testimony to them." It should be noted that the leper was healed before he offered a sacrifice. The offering was "for thy cleansing" or because of - not to obtain it, but a formal declaration in ceremony that it has already happened and testimony to what God has done. Matthew 3:11 "I baptize you with water UNTO (in order to) repentance." ? "I baptize you with water UNTO (with reference to) repentance." "I baptize you with reference to that exercising of it, is what John means. Or, as Tyndale, in his version says, `I baptize you in token of your repentance.' That makes fine sense." (B.H. Carroll, An Interpretation of the English Bible. Vol. 12 p.91) More uses of eis in the Scriptures: Matthew 28:19 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them "eis" the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Mark 1:9 "At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John "eis" the Jordan." Acts 8:16 "...they had simply been baptized "eis" the name of the Lord Jesus." ACTS 2:38 Campbell: "The preposition "eis" here means in order to - in order to the remission of sins." Acts 2:38 is the cornerstone of Campbell's theory re: baptismal regeneration, it says: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ FOR (Campbell, in order to -to get) the remission of your sins." "eis" if translated "in order to" in this verse would in fact teach baptismal regeneration. The verse should be rendered: Acts 2:38 "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ FOR (because of - on account of - in respect to - in reference to) the remission of your sins." "The word "eis" is simply a preposition of reference. Baptism has a reference to remission of sins. It is a ceremonial ordinance, or act, which refers to the remission of sins through Christ's redemption (Matt. 26:28) Remission is procured by Christ; remission is received by faith. (Acts 10:43), and remission is professed by baptism (Acts 2:38)." (Bob L. Ross, The Restoration Movement. p.48) The Scriptures teach that it is by Grace through faith that one is saved. NOT a result of works - including baptism. Eph 2:8-10 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Luke 7:50 "Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." John 3:36 "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." John 5:24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 6:29 "Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." John 6:40 "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:47 "I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life." Acts 2:21 "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Acts 10:43 "All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." Acts 16:31 "They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." Romans 3:28 "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law." Romans 4:5 "However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." Gal 3:26 "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus." THE THIEF ON THE CROSS Luke 23:39-43 "One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." The Church of Christ publication "The Spiritual Sword" States: "The thief lived and died during the period that the law of Moses was still in force." (SS/April 1976, p.35) However, the Scriptures teach that: Gal 2:16 "Know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified." Acts 13:39 "Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses." Romans 4:3 "What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." The thief also believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. CORNELIUS AND HIS HOUSEHOLD Acts 10:44-48 "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said,"Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days. Once again in diametric opposition to the clear teachings of scripture, the Church of Christ teaches that Cornelius and his household "received the Holy Spirit baptism" but were "not saved". (SS/April 1976 p.15) 2 Peter 3:16 "He (Paul) writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction." "Since only people baptized to remit sins are baptized properly, then Mormons, Catholics and Campbellites are the only ones who ever please God. John Wesley and other great saints were ungodly wretches, according to their doctrine. The church of Christ says that a man cannot love God 'til he is baptized (1 John 4:7) and they teach that being born of God is baptism. Thus they baptize haters of God and claim to make them lovers of God. What power in their water. They teach that man and water are the saviour instead of Christ. A man can repent, believe, confess, and live a perfect life, but is still lost unless he is baptized. Then baptism is what saves him, according to their doctrine. Two things are essential to baptism - water and somebody to do it. Then these two things are what saves a man's soul. God does not do it. Christ does not. Grace does not. The cross does not. It is the waters of baptism. Imagine a man shipwrecked alone on an island who finds a New Testament and believes and trusts the Lord to save him, but he cannot go to Heaven because he does not have a Campbellite preacher there to save him. How sad." (R.A. Long, The Truth About The Church Of Christ, p.36) The believer BEFORE baptism: The believer is a son of God - John 1:12,13. The believer has eternal life - John 3:14-16; 5:24. The believer shall never die - John 11:26. The believer has forgiveness of sins - Acts 13:38. The believer is made righteous - Romans 4:5-8. The believer is born of God - 1 John 4:7; 5:1 The believer is justified - Acts 13:39. The believer has peace - Romans 5:1. The believer overcomes the world - 1 John 5:5. ...all this without a single drop of water.