Acts, the Mikveh & the Blood: How the Bible Defines Remission

BrotherJJ · Jan 21, 2026

Understanding baptism through the lens of Jewish purification, apostolic preaching & the New Covenant High Priest.

Under the Mosaic Law, Israel practiced many ceremonial water‑purification immersions (Ex 30:19–21, 40:12, Lev 6:27, 13:54, 14:8–9, 15:16; 16:4, 22:6). Every Israelite understood these washings. Someone who was impure/unclean before immersion was considered pure/clean after immersion. These were ceremonial purifications, not forgiveness rituals

A mikveh full immersion purification ritual expressed: I acknowledge I've been in an unclean state, I'm turning away from that state, I'm returning to covenant faithfulness, I'm restoring my ritual status before God & community
(NOTE: Sources — Jewish Virtual Library; Topical Bible; Sefaria; Rabbi Samson R. Hirsch)

Unclean > immerse > clean. Impure>→ immerse > pure.

Out of fellowship > immerse > restored. These immersions never removed sin. They restored ritual purity, not forgiveness.

John, Jesus, & Peter all spoke Aramaic & Hebrew, where repent meant Israel, return to God: Strong's Hebrew: 7725. שׁוּב (shub) -- Return, turn back, restore, repent repent not "get in water to be saved."

This is exactly how the Jews interpreted baptism.
John 3:25 says a dispute arose between John's disciples & a Jew "about purification". The debate wasn't about forgiveness or salvation, it was about purification. That's the category mikveh immersion/baptism expressed.
(NOTE: John the Baptist, his disciples, & Jesus' disciples all performed the baptism of repentance (Acts 19:4). This was a Jewish purification immersion ritual, unrelated to remission. John 3:25 confirms the crowds understood these baptisms as purification washings, preparing Israel to return to God & believe in the coming Messiah.)

John the Baptist's mission was to prepare the way of the Lord (Lev 17:11, Mal 3:1, Matt 3:3, Mark 1:2–3). His "baptism of repentance" was preparatory, not remissive. In Hebrew & Aramaic, repent means return, turn back, restore-Israel, return to God. When the people confessed their sins, they were acknowledging that they had turned away from the Lord & through immersion they became pure/ceremonially clean = Mosaic purification washings,

Acts 19:4 confirms this: "John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on Him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus."
(NOTE: John preached to Israel > return to God & believe in the One coming after me, the Messiah. Through whom sin remission would be realized. Only Christ can remit & pardon sins; John's baptism never could/did.)

Acts & the Purification Pattern

Acts 2:38
Repent & 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.
(NOTE: Repent = return to God. Be baptized = purify yourself (unclean > clean). Remission comes by calling on the Messiah, not by water. Peter is speaking to Israel, using the same purification categories they ALL knew)

Acts 22:16 “Be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
(NOTE: The water is the ceremonial purification act. The actual removal of sin happens by calling on the Lord. The washing is symbolic, the calling is effective.)

Acts 8:12 “But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”
(NOTE: They believed, then they purified themselves through baptism & then they called on the Messiah for remission. Faith precedes baptism & remission is tied to Christ, not water.)

Water baptism does/did not remit or pardon sin. "Nothing external removes sin."

Scripture is clear:
"Without shedding of blood there is no remission" (Heb 9:22).

Jesus said, “This is My blood" > shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt 26:28).

He washed us from our sins in His own blood (Rev 1:5).

The Foreshadow and the Fulfillment

In Lev 16:21, Aaron laid both hands on the substitute, confessed the sins of the nation & transferred those sins onto the innocent victim. That was the foreshadow.

Jesus is the fulfillment.

Hebrews identifies Jesus as our great High Priest (Heb 4:14), called by God after the order of Melchizedek (Heb 5:10). Under the Old Covenant, the pattern was sin-imputation by the high priest.

Jesus is the mediator of the New Testament (Heb 9:15 & 12:24), our great High Priest (Heb 4:14) & the One who offered Himself as the sacrifice (Matt 26:53). The risen Christ is the New Covenant High Priest who performs the real sin-transfer.

When we call on the name of the Lord (Acts 2:21 & Rom 10:13) & place our faith in Jesus' sin-atoning death & resurrection, He forgives all our sins (Heb 10:10–18) & imputes our sins onto Himself (Heb 10:10; 2 Cor 5:19; Rom 4:8, 11, 22–24). At that same moment, He places His forever (Jn 14:16), salvation‑sealing (Eph 1:13–14; 4:30; 2 Cor 1:22; 5:5; 2 Tim 1:14) Holy Spirit in you.

Anyone can dunk someone into water. Only Jesus, who knows the true heart, can baptize with/in/by the Holy Spirit. Jesus then imputes His righteousness to us (2 Cor 5:21, Ja 2:23 & Isa 61:10), the righteousness pictured as the white robe in Rev 19:7–8 that grants us entrance to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Salvation Across the Ages

Before the incarnation, God required FAITH in the promised Messiah who would come (Gen 15:6 & Isa 53). During Jesus' earthly ministry, people were called to BELIEVE that He was the Messiah (Jn 20:31). After His death & resurrection, salvation is accessed through FAITH in His finished, sin‑atoning work death & resurrection.(Rom 3:25–26 & 1 Cor 15:1–4). In every era, salvation has always been by FAITH in God's Messiah & never by ritual, never by water, never by external acts.

The Gentile Timeline

Peter opened the door to Gentiles in Acts 10 (AD 37–40), but the church did not immediately begin a Gentile mission. Acts 11:19 shows that years after Cornelius, believers were still "preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only." The 1st intentional, Spirit‑commissioned Gentile mission begins in Acts 13 (AD 47–48), when Paul declares, "We turn to the Gentiles."

Acts records a deliberate 7–10 year gap between Gentile inclusion & Gentile evangelism, proving the early church was still operating inside Jewish categories long after Pentecost. This matters: salvation history unfolds in stages & neither John's baptism nor early Acts water rituals were ever the means of remission.

Water never remitted sins in the Law, in John's ministry, in Jesus' ministry, or in Acts. Water purified the ceremonially unclean > only blood removes sin (Lev 17:11). John's baptism was preparatory, not remissive. Peter's call in Acts 2:38 follows the same Jewish categories: repent (return to God), be baptized (purify yourselves) & call on Christ for remission (Acts 22:16 & Acts 10:43).

Even after Cornelius, the Jerusalem church continued preaching "to Jews only" (Acts 11:19) & the 1st Gentile mission did not begin until Paul in Acts 13 The timeline is unmistakable: God has always saved by FAITH in His Messiah, with the content of that FAITH expanding as He revealed more. Remission is found in faith placed in the Lord Jesus death & resurrection!

Two sacraments every believer should partake in:

Water Baptism, a public identification with Jesus death & resurrection. An act of obedience/a gateway to discipleship. This undertaking is an outward physical expression, of the inner spiritual transformation activated, when Christ baptized you with His eternal life giving Holy Spirit.

Communion, both these actions are acts commanded by the Lord Himself. Neither action is the doorway leading to eternal salvation. These events follow the salvation sealing Holy Spirit baptism, performed by Christ alone. See Matt 3:11, Lk 3:16, Mk 1:8, Jn 1:33, Acts 1:4-5, 2:38, 10:45, 11:16)

Finally:
The only thing that removes sins stain from the soul is:
FAITH placed in the finished, sacrificial, sin‑atoning work of our great God & Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Linda426 · Feb 5, 2026

Finally:
The only thing that removes sins stain from the soul is:
FAITH placed in the finished, sacrificial, sin‑atoning work of our great God & Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

The Devil believes that and knows the
Bible too, and shudders, but Hes not
Obedient, we are to be obedient, hating our sins, and loving all that is good, as Jesus says
In His Word, if you love me you Will obey me,
And faith by itself with nothing on our part
In which to want to obey God has no merit
By itself.

Look at how God still honors His covenant
To the Jewish people whose forefathers He
Still remains True to, even without belief in
Christ, that Promise is upheld in that
First Covenant, for the sake of those who
Obeyed God still to this day as Jewish people,
God honors Obedience as better then Sacrifice, which is why the True Jew is one
Who is true in his heart, though some will
Never believe Jesus is the Messiah, those who love God and live in accord to His commandments, are still loved by God, albeit
The day is coming when they will know Jesus
Is God as they
Still wait for His Second coming.

BrotherJJ · Feb 5, 2026

Linda426 said:
Finally:
The only thing that removes sins stain from the soul is:
FAITH placed in the finished, sacrificial, sin‑atoning work of our great God & Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

The Devil believes that and knows the
Bible too, and shudders, but Hes not
Obedient, we are to be obedient, hating our sins, and loving all that is good, as Jesus says
In His Word, if you love me you Will obey me,
And faith by itself with nothing on our part
In which to want to obey God has no merit
By itself.

Look at how God still honors His covenant
To the Jewish people whose forefathers He
Still remains True to, even without belief in
Christ, that Promise is upheld in that
First Covenant, for the sake of those who
Obeyed God still to this day as Jewish people,
God honors Obedience as better then Sacrifice, which is why the True Jew is one
Who is true in his heart, though some will
Never believe Jesus is the Messiah, those who love God and live in accord to His commandments, are still loved by God, albeit
The day is coming when they will know Jesus
Is God as they
Still wait for His Second coming.

Hello Linda, the "devil believes” passage isn’t talking about saving faith. James 2:19 describes bare intellectual acknowledgment, not trusting Christ, not calling on Him, not receiving the Spirit. Saving faith is defined in Scripture as believing the gospel and being sealed with the Spirit (Eph 1:13). Demons don’t do that.

Obedience absolutely matters, but obedience flows from salvation, not into it. Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." Love produces obedience; obedience does not produce salvation. That's the consistent New Testament pattern: faith > salvation > obedience.

As for Israel, God honoring His covenant with the Jewish people doesn't mean they have remission apart from Christ. Paul is explicit: they are "beloved for the sake of the fathers" (Rom 11:28), but remission still comes only through Jesus. Peter says, "Everyone who believes in Him receives remission of sins" (Acts 10:43). That's universal Jew or Gentile.

My point was simple: Scripture ties remission to Christ's blood (Heb 9:22, Matt 26:28, Eph 1:7), not to water & not to human effort. Water purifies ceremonially. Blood removes sin. That's the Bible’s own category distinction.

Linda426 · Feb 5, 2026

BrotherJJ said:
Hello Linda, the "devil believes” passage isn’t talking about saving faith. James 2:19 describes bare intellectual acknowledgment, not trusting Christ, not calling on Him, not receiving the Spirit. Saving faith is defined in Scripture as believing the gospel and being sealed with the Spirit (Eph 1:13). Demons don’t do that.

Obedience absolutely matters, but obedience flows from salvation, not into it. Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." Love produces obedience; obedience does not produce salvation. That's the consistent New Testament pattern: faith > salvation > obedience.

As for Israel, God honoring His covenant with the Jewish people doesn't mean they have remission apart from Christ. Paul is explicit: they are "beloved for the sake of the fathers" (Rom 11:28), but remission still comes only through Jesus. Peter says, "Everyone who believes in Him receives remission of sins" (Acts 10:43). That's universal Jew or Gentile.

My point was simple: Scripture ties remission to Christ's blood (Heb 9:22, Matt 26:28, Eph 1:7), not to water & not to human effort. Water purifies ceremonially. Blood removes sin. That's the Bible’s own category distinction.

Yes, only by the blood of Christ can sins be
Forgiven within the New Covenant, yet with
The obedience and love for God the Jews had
Prior to Christ blood, we see how those particular people who died still rested in the
Bosom of Abraham, as when after the Resurrection of Christ He carried such
God fearing souls into heaven, reason being
To make a comparison to just a belief, was
Their heart and their obedience to saving them, since true belief comes from the heart
That obeys God, or it cannot save anyone, just as water by itself without full contrition as truth
Exposed to having no right to repent without it,
When God said we can only worship Him in
Spirit and in Truth, many are led astray from
Such ritualistic forms of an insufficient belief,
Or nothing can be forgiven without truth, before God and man.

Peter having spoken about Remission to all who believe must have the standards to being
Eligible, which is that of Truth and Contrition,
Whereby without there is no true belief.

With regard to even Jews obedience to God
Prior to Jesus coming is why there was no
Entry into Heaven until after the Resurrection,
That speaks to only the blood of Christ saves, though they were already saved by God,
Awaiting in the Bosom of Abraham, not in
Gehenna.

God said if we love Him we will obey Him,
That is the ways in which we show ourselves approved, by obedience, and many just
Take for granted their own understanding
Yet do not obey on even how to honestly
Repent, thats why We must obey as in
Taking a direct order from God, and only
Those who do evils and continue to
Keep truth hidden are still in darkness
Whether they feel their believers, point being,
To obey is where we must begin, so if God tells us, we just either do what He says as to
How to become His follower, or remain
In self deceit.

Many can say they believe but fail in
Obedience, and that is what God says
Is how we know we are believers, in doing
What He said to show our love for Him,
And not in what we wish to tell ourselves
We believe and say a sinners prayer.

BrotherJJ · Feb 5, 2026

Linda426 said:
Yes, only by the blood of Christ can sins be
Forgiven within the New Covenant, yet with
The obedience and love for God the Jews had
Prior to Christ blood, we see how those particular people who died still rested in the
Bosom of Abraham, as when after the Resurrection of Christ He carried such
God fearing souls into heaven, reason being
To make a comparison to just a belief, was
Their heart and their obedience to saving them, since true belief comes from the heart
That obeys God, or it cannot save anyone, just as water by itself without full contrition as truth
Exposed to having no right to repent without it,
When God said we can only worship Him in
Spirit and in Truth, many are led astray from
Such ritualistic forms of an insufficient belief,
Or nothing can be forgiven without truth, before God and man.

Peter having spoken about Remission to all who believe must have the standards to being
Eligible, which is that of Truth and Contrition,
Whereby without there is no true belief.

With regard to even Jews obedience to God
Prior to Jesus coming is why there was no
Entry into Heaven until after the Resurrection,
That speaks to only the blood of Christ saves, though they were already saved by God,
Awaiting in the Bosom of Abraham, not in
Gehenna.

God said if we love Him we will obey Him,
That is the ways in which we show ourselves approved, by obedience, and many just
Take for granted their own understanding
Yet do not obey on even how to honestly
Repent, thats why We must obey as in
Taking a direct order from God, and only
Those who do evils and continue to
Keep truth hidden are still in darkness
Whether they feel their believers, point being,
To obey is where we must begin, so if God tells us, we just either do what He says as to
How to become His follower, or remain
In self deceit.

Many can say they believe but fail in
Obedience, and that is what God says
Is how we know we are believers, in doing
What He said to show our love for Him,
And not in what we wish to tell ourselves
We believe and say a sinners prayer.

Water baptism is not the cause or the mechanism of sin remission.

The risen Christ enters heaven & "in the presence of God," PLACES HIS OWN BLOOD, "on the heavenly alter made without hands," & "obtains eternal redemption" for all that will trust in His sacrificial sin atoning payment. (Heb 9)

Lev 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul

Heb 9:22 Without shedding of blood there is no remission

Matt 26:28 Jesus said, “This is My blood > shed for many for the remission of sins

Rev 1:5 He washed us from our sins in His own blood

Rom 3:25 God set Jesus to be a propitiation/sin atonement through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins

Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins

Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins

Act 10:43 through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved

Calling on the Lord Jesus & by placing Faith in His finished sacrificial sin atoning payment is the cause & mechanism of sin remission.

FAITH in the Name/Person SAVES, the BLOOD is sins removal agent & Jesus Holy Spirit Baptism (1 Cor 12:13 & Col 2:11) FOREVER (Jn 14:16) SEALS (Eph 1:13-14, 4:30, 2 Cor 1:22, 5:5) the believers eternal life.

Water is a obedience response.

Rom 1:5 "Through him we received grace" & apostleship "to call all the Gentiles to the obedience" "that comes from faith" for his name’s sake
(NOTE: Obedience flows from Faith)

Rom 16:26 Now revealed & made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, "so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience," "that comes from faith"
(NOTE: A Gentiles obedience is a direct result of their Faith)

Water baptism isn't the 1st breath of one's new spiritual life/birth. Water baptism is an outward representation. A public statement of belonging to the Lord, self denial, when immersed (buried emblem) & rise up (resurrection emblem). Water baptism isn't about getting saved, it's a response to salvation.

You're publicly partaking in a commanded act of obedience/a gateway to discipleship. This undertaking is an outward physical expression, of the inner spiritual transformation you received, when Christ baptized you with His eternal life giving Holy Spirit.

Jesus also commanded partaking in communion. Although both these actions are commanded. Neither action is the doorway leading to eternal salvation. These events follow the salvation sealing Holy Spirit baptism, performed by Christ alone. See Matt 3:11, Lk 3:16, Mk 1:8, Jn 1:33, Acts 1:4-5, 2:38, 10:45, 11:16)

Linda426 · Feb 5, 2026

All true and valid biblical references, however, out of faith is not what begets obedience,
Out of loving God to asking for repentance,
Is.
God wants a heart that is Contrite in Spirit, because He said He cannot despise a contrite heart!

That tells us that until or if we are truly
Contrite can we then trust in His Saving Blood.

With all of these true and valid scriptures we have to first go by what God dictates as
To what we must do To Not Be Despised if
We want to Repent.

That line comes from Psalm 51:17.

KJV:

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Now when we look at one of these many
Definitions of what contrite means, Noone can receive repentance without a crushed and
Broken Spirit, Honesty that speaks to the
Very nature of its sins, Openly, lest it be
Covering up what is then despised, as only
Contrition which is honest can fully Trust
Or they are in self deceit.

It speaks to what such an honest contrition
Of what God cannot despise or Reject, as
Inferred to what He does Despise, and this
Is how we can individually know if such
Lies still say Satan is Our Master or not.

None of these scriptures can help an
Unrepentent, reprobate mind, until this
Is fully recognized, does this make sense
As to why we need to be held accountable
Depending on who we need to be accountable to, as in what needs to be depending on circumstances.

Without our first having a broken spirit,
We cant trust Christs blood to even forgive
Us.

Ponder on this and let me know what
You think.

Jan001 · Feb 14, 2026

BrotherJJ said:
Water baptism is not the cause or the mechanism of sin remission.

According to Jesus Christ, it is.

Just as Jesus used his saliva as a conduit to heal the deaf and mostly mute man (Mark 7:32-34) and also to heal the blind man (Mark 8:22-25), Jesus uses the water of baptism as a conduit to wash away Adam's sin and all personal sins from a person's soul at the time of his baptism, which he commanded in Mark 16:15-16 and Matthew 28:19.

The water baptism that Jesus commanded is what saves us and gives us the Holy Spirit of Grace to dwell with us, thereby making us his disciples.

John 3:5
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Matthew 28:18b-20a
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

Mark 16:15-16
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved

When the Gentiles received an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 10, it did not forgive their sins. It prepared/purified their hearts for receiving the water baptism that literally forgave their sins. Peter commanded that these Gentiles be baptized so that their sins could be forgiven, thereby making them disciples of Christ. Matthew 28:19

Acts 10:47-48a
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.

Which baptism is the baptism that literally forgives sins? It is the baptism that Jesus commanded.

Acts 22:16
And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Titus 3:4-5
But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 28:19

Which baptism actually seals a person with the Holy Spirit, thereby making him Jesus' disciple?

It is the baptism that Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:19:
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Mark 16:15-16

It is the baptism that Jesus commanded that seals us with the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Through the application of the baptismal water, accompanied by the words that Jesus commanded, the Holy Spirit applied the merits of Jesus Christ's sacrificial blood to the person's soul, sanctifying it by washing away/forgiving all the sins upon it, which makes the person righteous. The Holy Spirit seals his soul, and so it is now a worthy temple for the Spirit of Grace to dwell in. It is the Holy Spirit’s continued presence that keeps the person righteous/saved. It is his indwelling presence that gives the person his hope of eternal life. John 3:5, Titus 3:7

Peter states that it is the water of baptism that now saves us under the new covenant. Previously the flood waters saved Noah in his ark from perishing like the rest of mankind.

1 Peter 3:20b-21
...the days of Noah while the ark was being built, in which a few, that is eight souls, were brought safely through water.
This water prefigures baptism, which now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the body but the answer of a good conscience to God—by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

We now have a good conscience toward God because the water baptism that Jesus commanded is what gave us the Holy Spirit to dwell within us, sealing us so that we have hope of eternal life. Ephesians 1:13–14, Ephesians 4:30, 2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5, 2 Timothy 2:19

It seems to me that attributing salvation and the sealing by the Holy Spirit to the unbaptized Gentiles in Acts 10 is misguided. It contradicts Jesus’ own words.

An outpouring of the Holy Spirit's grace into a person's heart to prepare him for baptism is not the same as the actual purification of his soul and sealing by the Holy Spirit that he receives through the water baptism commanded by Jesus Christ. Mark 16:15-16, John 3:5

Titus 3:4-5
But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

Mark 16:15-16
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved

Jan001 · Feb 14, 2026

1 Corinthians 1:11-15
My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name.

To be baptized in God's name (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is what matters for salvation.
It does not matter at all which Christian man baptized you!

Matthew 28:19
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

God is three divine persons. These three divine persons have divine names corresponding to their relationship with each other. Their divine names are Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, respectively.

The Son is also a human being, and so he was given another name, Jesus, aka Jesus Christ, which means "Yahweh saves" or "the Lord is salvation." Matthew 1:21

Jesus commanded his apostles to make disciples for him by baptizing them in God's three divine names, not in his human name alone.

Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. See also Acts 10:48.

Why did Peter say to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ?

John the Baptist had previously preached a "water baptism for the repentance of sins." Peter was now preaching the "water baptism for the forgiveness of sins." This new water baptism which literally forgives sins became known by its idioms to differentiate it from John's baptism. Acts 13:24

One of the idioms that was used:

Acts 19:3-5 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Other idioms that were used:

Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Acts 22:16
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.

When the apostles actually baptized people, they called upon his divine name, Son, along with the other two divine names, Father, and Holy Spirit, according to Jesus' command in Matthew 28:19 and Mark 16:15-16. They did not baptize using the human name of Jesus or any of the other idioms.

Linda426 · Feb 14, 2026

Jan001 said:
1 Corinthians 1:11-15
My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name.

To be baptized in God's name (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is what matters for salvation.
It does not matter at all which Christian man baptized you!

Matthew 28:19
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

God is three divine persons. These three divine persons have divine names corresponding to their relationship with each other. Their divine names are Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, respectively.

The Son is also a human being, and so he was given another name, Jesus, aka Jesus Christ, which means "Yahweh saves" or "the Lord is salvation." Matthew 1:21

Jesus commanded his apostles to make disciples for him by baptizing them in God's three divine names, not in his human name alone.

Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. See also Acts 10:48.

Why did Peter say to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ?

John the Baptist had previously preached a "water baptism for the repentance of sins." Peter was now preaching the "water baptism for the forgiveness of sins." This new water baptism which literally forgives sins became known by its idioms to differentiate it from John's baptism. Acts 13:24

One of the idioms that was used:

Acts 19:3-5 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Other idioms that were used:

Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Acts 22:16
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.

When the apostles actually baptized people, they called upon his divine name, Son, along with the other two divine names, Father, and Holy Spirit, according to Jesus' command in Matthew 28:19 and Mark 16:15-16. They did not baptize using the human name of Jesus or any of the other idioms.

It seems to me that attributing salvation and the sealing by the Holy Spirit to the unbaptized Gentiles in Acts 10 is misguided. It contradicts Jesus’ own words.

Why do you discount anyone unbaptized, in
Still qualifying for Salvation?
You would have to be then saying, “ no jew
Can get to heaven”

We know from scriptures that Righteous Jews
Were in the bosom of Abraham when they
Died, and we know that Paul already wrote
In scripture that God the Father doesnt
Hold it against the jews for not believing
In Jesus, since Paul told us that God honored
The Covenant He made to their forefathers,
So in this we find not only were they not
Baptized, but they dont necessarily have to
Ever believe in Jesus within the Jewish Religion, so we have to examine the words
In scripture to fully understand how God
Can still find those jews Righteous, without
Any belief in Him as Their Messiah, as
Christians claim, right.

The fact that there is a biblical contradiction
To baptism necessary for Salvation will
Hopefully speak to your heart when discounting any others who dont believe
In Jesus, if they dont become baptized.

Once we see a contradiction to anything
We believe, we need to go back and realize that baptism as a means to save in and
Of itself, is not true.

Although baptism can be an integral
Part of Salvation for Christians, by itself,
It does not which was your claim.

Jan001 · Feb 14, 2026

Linda426 said:
It seems to me that attributing salvation and the sealing by the Holy Spirit to the unbaptized Gentiles in Acts 10 is misguided. It contradicts Jesus’ own words.

Why do you discount anyone unbaptized, in
Still qualifying for Salvation?
You would have to be then saying, “ no jew
Can get to heaven”

We know from scriptures that Righteous Jews
Were in the bosom of Abraham when they
Died, and we know that Paul already wrote
In scripture that God the Father doesnt
Hold it against the jews for not believing
In Jesus, since Paul told us that God honored
The Covenant He made to their forefathers,
So in this we find not only were they not
Baptized, but they dont necessarily have to
Ever believe in Jesus within the Jewish Religion, so we have to examine the words
In scripture to fully understand how God
Can still find those jews Righteous, without
Any belief in Him as Their Messiah, as
Christians claim, right.

The fact that there is a biblical contradiction
To baptism necessary for Salvation will
Hopefully speak to your heart when discounting any others who dont believe
In Jesus, if they dont become baptized.

Once we see a contradiction to anything
We believe, we need to go back and realize that baptism as a means to save in and
Of itself, is not true.

Although baptism can be an integral
Part of Salvation for Christians, by itself,
It does not which was your claim.

The righteous people who were in Abraham's bosom were under the Law of Moses when they lived on earth, and so when they died, they were judged according to their obedience to those laws in the Law of Moses.

Jesus' new covenant laws are different than the first covenant laws in the Law of Moses.
His new covenant laws are the Law of Christ. 1 Corinthians 9:21, Galatians 6:2, James 2:8

Jesus claims that we are saved by the water baptism that he commands in Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-16.
We are reborn spiritually by this same water baptism. John 3:5, Titus 3:5
It is wise to obey his commandment about water baptism. 2 Corinthians 2:9, 2 John 1:6

Jesus Christ, exercising his mercy, may save anyone he chooses to save. Isaiah 55:7-9, Matthew 5:7, Exodus 33:19

However, Jesus made commandments for his new covenant preachers/teachers and followers to obey if they want to inherit/enter eternal life. James 3:1
We need to obey Jesus and do as he commands if we want to be approved worthy to enter eternal life to be with his Father. 2 Peter 1:1-11

Whether a person is an atheist, a pagan, a Jew, a Christian, or a Muslim, he will be judged by Jesus Christ after he dies. That is why he alone is the way, the truth, and the life. No one can enter into heaven to be with Jesus' Father unless Jesus approves him worthy to enter. John 5:22, John 14:6, Matthew 10:37, Colossians 1:10

BrotherJJ · Feb 14, 2026

Jan001 said:
1 Corinthians 1:11-15
My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name.

To be baptized in God's name (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is what matters for salvation.
It does not matter at all which Christian man baptized you!

Matthew 28:19
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

God is three divine persons. These three divine persons have divine names corresponding to their relationship with each other. Their divine names are Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, respectively.

The Son is also a human being, and so he was given another name, Jesus, aka Jesus Christ, which means "Yahweh saves" or "the Lord is salvation." Matthew 1:21

Jesus commanded his apostles to make disciples for him by baptizing them in God's three divine names, not in his human name alone.

Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. See also Acts 10:48.

Why did Peter say to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ?

John the Baptist had previously preached a "water baptism for the repentance of sins." Peter was now preaching the "water baptism for the forgiveness of sins." This new water baptism which literally forgives sins became known by its idioms to differentiate it from John's baptism. Acts 13:24

One of the idioms that was used:

Acts 19:3-5 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Other idioms that were used:

Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Acts 22:16
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.

When the apostles actually baptized people, they called upon his divine name, Son, along with the other two divine names, Father, and Holy Spirit, according to Jesus' command in Matthew 28:19 and Mark 16:15-16. They did not baptize using the human name of Jesus or any of the other idioms.

You’re building an entire sacramental system out of category errors that the text itself never makes.

Jesus using saliva to heal a blind or mute man (Mk 7:32–35; 8:22–25) has nothing to do with installing water as a universal conduit of 'salvation. Those were miracles, not ordinances & Jesus never once said His spit was a mechanism of remission.

Scripture is explicit about what removes sin: the blood (Lev 17:11; Heb 9:22; Matt 26:28; Rev 1:5; Rom 3:25; Eph 1:7; Col 1:14). You're trying to make water do what God says only blood does.

Jn 3:5 is spoken before the cross, before Pentecost, before the Church, before Christian baptism even existed.

Jesus immediately defines His own terms: That which is ""born of the flesh is flesh"" & that which is ""born of the Spirit is spirit"" (Jn 3:6).

The contrast is natural birth vs. Spirit birth, not water baptism vs. Spirit baptism. Nicodemus wasn't confused about sacraments. He was confused about re‑entering the womb (Jn 3:4).

Jesus clarifies by distinguishing physical birth (a fetus is surrounded by water/amniotic fluid) from spiritual birth (regeneration by the Holy Spirit). Jesus is not introducing water baptism. Jesus is distinguishing TWO BIRTHS!

One physical & one spiritual. Reading a later sacramental system back into a pre‑cross Jewish conversation is not exegesis - it's retrofitting.

Your reading of Acts 10 reverses the text. Peter does not say the Holy Spirit PREPARED them for water; he says God purified their hearts by faith (Acts 15:9). That the Spirit fell on them ""just as on us at the beginning"" (Acts 11:15). Which Jesus Himself defined as Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 1:5). That is the moment of salvation & sealing (Eph 1:13; 2 Cor 1:22).

Water comes after because they were already accepted by God (Acts 10:47). You're claiming the exact opposite of what Peter explicitly says. Acts 22:16 doesn't teach baptismal regeneration - ""wash away your sins"" is grammatically tied to calling on His name, the same phrase used for salvation in Rom 10:13. Acts 2:38 is spoken to covenant‑bound Jews under the guilt of crucifying their Messiah (Acts 2:36), not Gentiles.

Peter later clarifies that remission comes through believing in His name (Acts 10:43). Titus 3:5 explicitly denies that salvation comes ""by works of righteousness which we have done,"" which includes ritual performance. And 1 Peter 3:21 explicitly says baptism saves ""not the removal of dirt from the body,"" but as a pledge of a good conscience. It's a response of faith & not the mechanism of forgiveness.

Your argument collapses at the same point every sacramental system collapses: you're trying to make water do what Scripture assigns to faith, blood & the Holy Spirit.

The apostles never preached water as the cause of remission; they preached Christ crucified, risen & received by faith (Acts 10:43; Rom 3:21–26; Eph 1:13).

Water is the obedience that flows from faith (Rom 1:5; 16:26), not the act that produces salvation. The Gentiles in Acts 10 were saved, purified, sealed & Holy Spirit‑baptized before they ever touched water.

Jan001 · Feb 14, 2026

BrotherJJ said:
Your reading of Acts 10 reverses the text. Peter does not say the Holy Spirit PREPARED them for water; he says God purified their hearts by faith (Acts 15:9). That the Spirit fell on them ""just as on us at the beginning"" (Acts 11:15). Which Jesus Himself defined as Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 1:5). That is the moment of salvation & sealing (Eph 1:13; 2 Cor 1:22).

Ephesians 1:13 and 2 Corinthians 1:22 refer to the baptism commanded by Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15-16.

Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 15:8-10
o God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, 9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

This baptism of the Holy Spirit with fire in Acts 15 was not what removed Adam's sin from their souls. This was not the baptism that forgave all the sins on their souls. This was not the baptism that sealed/marked a person by the Holy Spirit.

It is the water baptism commanded by Jesus Christ which literally forgives sins.

Acts 10:47
“Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

If the baptism of the Holy Spirit with fire forgave all their sins, the water baptism commanded by Jesus Christ would have been unnecessary for them to receive.

BrotherJJ said:
Water comes after because they were already accepted by God (Acts 10:47). You're claiming the exact opposite of what Peter explicitly says. Acts 22:16 doesn't teach baptismal regeneration - ""wash away your sins"" is grammatically tied to calling on His name, the same phrase used for salvation in Rom 10:13. Acts 2:38 is spoken to covenant‑bound Jews under the guilt of crucifying their Messiah (Acts 2:36), not Gentiles.

Peter later clarifies that remission comes through believing in His name (Acts 10:43). Titus 3:5 explicitly denies that salvation comes ""by works of righteousness which we have done,"" which includes ritual performance. And 1 Peter 3:21 explicitly says baptism saves ""not the removal of dirt from the body,"" but as a pledge of a good conscience. It's a response of faith & not the mechanism of forgiveness.

Your argument collapses at the same point every sacramental system collapses: you're trying to make water do what Scripture assigns to faith, blood & the Holy Spirit.

The apostles never preached water as the cause of remission; they preached Christ crucified, risen & received by faith (Acts 10:43; Rom 3:21–26; Eph 1:13).

Water is the obedience that flows from faith (Rom 1:5; 16:26), not the act that produces salvation. The Gentiles in Acts 10 were saved, purified, sealed & Holy Spirit‑baptized before they ever touched water.

The water of the baptism that is commanded by Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15-16 is the conduit by which the Holy Spirit applies the merits of the blood of Jesus to our souls. We receive a special mark/seal which cannot be removed. It cannot be removed even if we are later condemned to hell. A Christian who ends up in hell receives a worse punishment than a person who never believed. 2 Peter 2:20, 1 Timothy 5:8, Luke 12:47-49

1 John 5:6
This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.

This cleansing of our sins from our souls by the Holy Spirit makes us righteous, and we become his disciples/followers. When we are baptized as Jesus commanded, the Holy Spirit literally enters our soul/temple; his presence makes us righteous, and it is his continuing presence that is our guarantee of salvation.

John 3:5
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.

Titus 3:5
he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 6:3
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Galatians 3:27
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Ephesians 5:26
that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

The Holy Spirit prepared the Gentiles in Acts 10 to receive the baptism that literally washed away/forgave their sins and made them Jesus' disciples. Matthew 28:48-20, Mark 16:15-16, Acts 10:47

The baptism that Jesus commanded forgave our sins, made us righteous, and gave us the Holy Spirit as our guarantee.

1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

2 Corinthians 1:20-22
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. 21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

Jan001 · Feb 14, 2026

BrotherJJ said:
The apostles never preached water as the cause of remission; they preached Christ crucified, risen & received by faith (Acts 10:43; Rom 3:21–26; Eph 1:13).

[Early Christian writers consistently taught that baptism forgives sins, viewing it not merely as a symbolic act but as a sacramental means of grace through which sins are removed.

Irenaeus (c. 120–202) wrote that baptism cleanses believers from their old transgressions, making them spiritually regenerated like newborn infants, echoing Jesus’ words in John 3:5: “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Justin Martyr (c. 148–155) described baptism as a rebirth in which believers are washed in water “in the name of God, the Lord and Father of all, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit,” explicitly linking it to the forgiveness of sins and regeneration.

Tertullian (c. 200–206) stated that baptism is a corporal act that effects a spiritual cleansing: “The guilt being removed, the penalty, of course, is also removed.” He saw the washing away of sins as a direct result of the sacrament.

Clement of Alexandria (c. 150–215) taught that through baptism, believers are “enlightened,” “adopted as sons,” and “made perfect,” with the act being a “washing by which we are cleansed of sins.”

Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 350) declared, “If any man does not receive baptism, he does not have salvation,” affirming that baptism is essential for forgiveness and entry into the kingdom of God.

Augustine (c. 354–430) emphasized that even infants, who cannot yet believe or repent, are saved through baptism, as they are “ingrafted into Christ” by the grace of God.

These writings, spanning from the 1st to the 5th century, reflect a unanimous early Christian consensus: baptism is the divinely instituted means by which sins—both original and personal—are forgiven, and the individual is spiritually reborn........BRAVE AI]

Linda426 · Feb 14, 2026

Jan001 said:
The righteous people who were in Abraham's bosom were under the Law of Moses when they lived on earth, and so when they died, they were judged according to their obedience to those laws in the Law of Moses.

Jesus' new covenant laws are different than the first covenant laws in the Law of Moses.
His new covenant laws are the Law of Christ. 1 Corinthians 9:21, Galatians 6:2, James 2:8

Jesus claims that we are saved by the water baptism that he commands in Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-16.
We are reborn spiritually by this same water baptism. John 3:5, Titus 3:5
It is wise to obey his commandment about water baptism. 2 Corinthians 2:9, 2 John 1:6

Jesus Christ, exercising his mercy, may save anyone he chooses to save. Isaiah 55:7-9, Matthew 5:7, Exodus 33:19

However, Jesus made commandments for his new covenant preachers/teachers and followers to obey if they want to inherit/enter eternal life. James 3:1
We need to obey Jesus and do as he commands if we want to be approved worthy to enter eternal life to be with his Father. 2 Peter 1:1-11

Whether a person is an atheist, a pagan, a Jew, a Christian, or a Muslim, he will be judged by Jesus Christ after he dies. That is why he alone is the way, the truth, and the life. No one can enter into heaven to be with Jesus' Father unless Jesus approves him worthy to enter. John 5:22, John 14:6, Matthew 10:37, Colossians 1:10

Firsr of all in my first paragraph i believe it should have said, “ disqualified” my apology.
Secondly, Jesus is the way the truth and the life, yes we must obey as did the righteous jews, not from following the Mosaic Law
Since that was why Jesus came, as Jesus said, “ i did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it”, which is what does not exclude the Moral Laws aka the ten commandments, rather, the
Mosaic law, since it only pointed to what was
Sinful with regard to the Spirit, Not the letter of the law.

Such as Jesus teaching on Dietary laws, “ its not what goes into a mans mouth that defiles him, its what comes out of his mouth”, and
With regard to circumsicion, He said, that
It is the heart that needs circumsicion to remove the fleshly heart with that what Jesus called, deceitfully wicked, to a heart in which
Our conscience and Soul obey one master, so we know the righteous jews did not make it
To abrahams bosom unless they obeyed
The ten commandments with their heart.

Jesus is the way we follow, truth is what we are to speak, for all of our lives, this is what it neans when we read Jesus is the way truth
And life, and it seems alot of ppl just put in the name Jesus without that being a lesson hes telling us, since Hes the way we are to follow
And to live the way in truth and the life to come with Him, thats our lesson, so im not sure what
You referred to saying Jesus is the way the truth and the life, but no matter how one interprets it, we follow in what He does.

So as you said, pagan or jew, we are to
Live like him, modeling Him in all of our ways, so Jesus saying we must go through Him to
Get to the Father tells us we must live like Jesus lived, choose what Jesus chose, avoiding sin to be with God the Father who is one with Christ, which again not sure how
You meant that, since if we merely just say we believe and do not emulate Christ we are missing the mark, as Jesus said, their lips say one thing but their hearts are far from me, because our lives are to reflect His life His Choices and to obey the will of the Father
Is where it will lead us, not by our lips but
By our actions.

Here again alor of ppl do not realize we cant just say the name Jesus or put up banners
Or tell ppl about him with our lips and think
We are one with Him and the Father, as the
Road to hell with the best of intentions, doesnt quite meet the mark, thats why we must teach ppl what it means when we say, Jesus is the way truth and life, is telling us Jesus mapped it out for us to walk in, not to tell ppl what they
Likely already read just like we did.

Its teaching those who are lost how to live, just as Jesus said, as He tells us to emulate Him,
Not just tell ppl Jesus is the Way truth and
Life, they likely wont get the message fully
Unless you teach them they are to deny themselves, thats the way to Jesus.

Of course Jesus can exercise His Mercy
And save anyone He wants, but He did teach
Us His Criteria, which is what speaks to our
Knowing exactly what brings about His Mercy,
Which is obedience, and contrition, lest He
Despise the proud He says, so He exercises
His Mercy on those who do what He says to do, not to those who dont.

Nothing in the Word of God tells us we can do whatever we want and pray for Mercy, thats not in the bible, denying our flesh hating
Our sins, living like Jesus, is how He exercises His Mercy, for Jesus is not a man that He can lie, so we know His words are true, we know what His criteria is. Its our choices and will
Forever be our choices.

Finally, yes it is wise to follow in being baptized
To repent of our sins, but that is no guarantee
Of Salvation without obedience and full contrition where there can be no lie left in us,
or we go through a ritual no different then
Taking a shower.

Also, Jesus does not judge anyone.
The Word of God teaches us that we all
Will stand before God the Father and it is
We who give an account of our lives.
At that time we will find out our Eternity
and not a second before that time comes.

Since we can never judge ourselves worthy
We are giving an account of our lives, and
If ppl question that scripture by saying, “ what about the sins He forgives and they are wiped away, and we wont have to stand in judgement
Before God”?

To that we teach them the scripture where
God says we will ALL stand before Him and
Give an account of our lives, what we did evil
And what we did good.
So far noone truly knows amongst the living
Exactly what happens after we give an account, so that if a person asks us the
Above Quoted statement, just reiterate how
God never told us how We know our Salvation after we give an account of our lives as He
Says we will all do, except to warn us, “ to work
Out our own Salvation with fear and trembling”
Which most dont like to hear, but what God is
Telling us is that is what we do on this earth
To work out, the fear and trembling is to
Give us a Holy Fear of God to give us Wisdom,
To know He is no respector of persons, and
Wait for what occurs after we give our account!

He will tell us then im sure!

BrotherJJ · Feb 15, 2026

Jan001 said:
[Early Christian writers consistently taught that baptism forgives sins, viewing it not merely as a symbolic act but as a sacramental means of grace through which sins are removed.

Irenaeus (c. 120–202) wrote that baptism cleanses believers from their old transgressions, making them spiritually regenerated like newborn infants, echoing Jesus’ words in John 3:5: “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Justin Martyr (c. 148–155) described baptism as a rebirth in which believers are washed in water “in the name of God, the Lord and Father of all, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit,” explicitly linking it to the forgiveness of sins and regeneration.

Tertullian (c. 200–206) stated that baptism is a corporal act that effects a spiritual cleansing: “The guilt being removed, the penalty, of course, is also removed.” He saw the washing away of sins as a direct result of the sacrament.

Clement of Alexandria (c. 150–215) taught that through baptism, believers are “enlightened,” “adopted as sons,” and “made perfect,” with the act being a “washing by which we are cleansed of sins.”

Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 350) declared, “If any man does not receive baptism, he does not have salvation,” affirming that baptism is essential for forgiveness and entry into the kingdom of God.

Augustine (c. 354–430) emphasized that even infants, who cannot yet believe or repent, are saved through baptism, as they are “ingrafted into Christ” by the grace of God.

These writings, spanning from the 1st to the 5th century, reflect a unanimous early Christian consensus: baptism is the divinely instituted means by which sins—both original and personal—are forgiven, and the individual is spiritually reborn........BRAVE AI]

You didn't answer the apostles. You jumped to post‑biblical writers.

That proves my point: your doctrine isn't coming from Scripture; it's coming from later tradition.

The apostles never preached water as the cause of remission; they preached Christ crucified, risen & received by faith (Acts 10:43; Rom 3:21–26; Eph 1:13). Every writer you quoted teaches salvation or regeneration without faith — something the apostles never taught.

Scripture is clear: sin is removed by blood, not water (Lev 17:11; Heb 9:22; Matt 26:28; Rev 1:5; Rom 3:25; Eph 1:7; Col 1:14).

Nicodemus a ""leader of the Jews""-legal authority & understood all Mosaic water rituals.

Jn 3:5 was spoken before the cross, before Pentecost, before the Church & before Christian baptism existed!

Jesus defines His own terms: That which is ""born of the flesh is flesh"" & that which is ""born of the Spirit is spirit"" (Jn 3:6).

The contrast is natural birth vs. Spirit birth, not water baptism vs. Spirit baptism. Nicodemus wasn't confused about sacraments. He was confused about re‑entering the womb (Jn 3:4).
Jesus clarifies by distinguishing physical birth (a fetus is surrounded by water/amniotic fluid) from spiritual birth (regeneration by the Holy Spirit).

Jesus wasn't introducing water baptism. Jesus was distinguishing TWO BIRTHS!

Your reading of Acts 10 reverses the text. Peter says God purified their hearts by faith (Acts 15:9), that the Holy Spirit fell on them as at the beginning (Acts 11:15) & that Jesus defined that event as Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 1:5).

That's the moment of salvation & sealing (Eph 1:13; 2 Cor 1:22). Water comes after because they were already accepted (Acts 10:47).

Acts 22:16 ties ""wash away your sins"" to calling on His name, the same salvation phrase in Romans 10:13. Acts 2:38 addresses covenant‑bound Jews under the guilt of crucifying their Messiah (Acts 2:36), and Peter later clarifies remission comes through believing & CALLING on HIS NAME (Acts 10:43).

Titus 3:5 denies salvation comes by ritual works & 1 Peter 3:21 says baptism saves not by the physical act, but as a response of faith, Noah wasn't saved by the water he was SAVED FRM THE WATER!

Your argument fails where every sacramental system fails: you're trying to make water do what Scripture assigns to faith, blood
& the Holy Spirit. The Gentiles in Acts 10 were saved, purified, sealed, and Spirit‑baptized before they ever touched water. Appealing to later writers only proves your view isn't apostolic. When early writers contradict the apostles, I stand with the apostles.

Your argument depends on post‑biblical writers but the apostles themselves preach salvation by remission through faith, blood & the Holy Spirit' baptism, not water. You've abandoned the apostolic gospel. That's your choice, I'm sticking with the inspired word text.

Jan001 · Feb 15, 2026

Linda426 said:
Firsr of all in my first paragraph i believe it should have said, “ disqualified” my apology.
Secondly, Jesus is the way the truth and the life, yes we must obey as did the righteous jews, not from following the Mosaic Law
Since that was why Jesus came, as Jesus said, “ i did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it”, which is what does not exclude the Moral Laws aka the ten commandments, rather, the
Mosaic law, since it only pointed to what was
Sinful with regard to the Spirit, Not the letter of the law.

Yes, Jesus fulfilled all the Mosaic laws perfectly. By fulfilling them, he finished the covenant. He ended it and ratified it by his sacrificial death on the cross.

The Mosaic Ten Commandments were tailored to fit the era that the early Israelites lived in. They had a proclivity towards idolatry, and they considered women to be the property of men, like their livestock was their property. The Sabbath laws in the first covenant were a sign between God and the Israelites only, not any other nations.

Ezekiel 20:12
Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.

Mankind has always had the natural law of God written in their hearts: know, love, and serve God; do not commit idolatry; do not murder; do not commit sexual sins; do not steal; do not lie about anyone; honor parents; and do not misuse God's name. Romans 1:18-25

Linda426 said:
Such as Jesus teaching on Dietary laws, “ its not what goes into a mans mouth that defiles him, its what comes out of his mouth”, and
With regard to circumsicion, He said, that
It is the heart that needs circumsicion to remove the fleshly heart with that what Jesus called, deceitfully wicked, to a heart in which
Our conscience and Soul obey one master, so we know the righteous jews did not make it
To abrahams bosom unless they obeyed
The ten commandments with their heart.

I think you meant to say that the Israelites did not make it to Abraham's bosom unless they obeyed God's commandments.

Linda426 said:
Jesus is the way we follow, truth is what we are to speak, for all of our lives, this is what it neans when we read Jesus is the way truth
And life, and it seems alot of ppl just put in the name Jesus without that being a lesson hes telling us, since Hes the way we are to follow
And to live the way in truth and the life to come with Him, thats our lesson, so im not sure what
You referred to saying Jesus is the way the truth and the life, but no matter how one interprets it, we follow in what He does.

I agree. We cannot just put our faith in Jesus and expect to be granted eternal life after we die. We must strive to live like he lived until we die. 1 Corinthians 11:1

The way to get to heaven is to follow Jesus Christ in his obedience to his father until our death. Philippians 2:8
We must listen to and obey Christ's commandments. Jesus is Truth. The Father is truth. The Holy Spirit is Truth. John 14:6, John 5:30, 1 John 5:6

Linda426 said:
So as you said, pagan or jew, we are to
Live like him, modeling Him in all of our ways, so Jesus saying we must go through Him to
Get to the Father tells us we must live like Jesus lived, choose what Jesus chose, avoiding sin to be with God the Father who is one with Christ, which again not sure how
You meant that, since if we merely just say we believe and do not emulate Christ we are missing the mark, as Jesus said, their lips say one thing but their hearts are far from me, because our lives are to reflect His life His Choices and to obey the will of the Father
Is where it will lead us, not by our lips but
By our actions.

Here again alor of ppl do not realize we cant just say the name Jesus or put up banners
Or tell ppl about him with our lips and think
We are one with Him and the Father, as the
Road to hell with the best of intentions, doesnt quite meet the mark, thats why we must teach ppl what it means when we say, Jesus is the way truth and life, is telling us Jesus mapped it out for us to walk in, not to tell ppl what they
Likely already read just like we did.

Its teaching those who are lost how to live, just as Jesus said, as He tells us to emulate Him,
Not just tell ppl Jesus is the Way truth and
Life, they likely wont get the message fully
Unless you teach them they are to deny themselves, thats the way to Jesus.

Yes.

Linda426 said:
Of course Jesus can exercise His Mercy
And save anyone He wants, but He did teach
Us His Criteria, which is what speaks to our
Knowing exactly what brings about His Mercy,
Which is obedience, and contrition, lest He
Despise the proud He says, so He exercises
His Mercy on those who do what He says to do, not to those who dont.

Nothing in the Word of God tells us we can do whatever we want and pray for Mercy, thats not in the bible, denying our flesh hating
Our sins, living like Jesus, is how He exercises His Mercy, for Jesus is not a man that He can lie, so we know His words are true, we know what His criteria is. Its our choices and will
Forever be our choices.

Jesus will not save the people who willfully and neglectfully disobey his commandments. In my opinion, he can and most likely will save the people who are, to the best of their knowledge and ability, striving to please God. Acts 10:34-35

Linda426 said:
Finally, yes it is wise to follow in being baptized
To repent of our sins, but that is no guarantee
Of Salvation without obedience and full contrition where there can be no lie left in us,
or we go through a ritual no different then
Taking a shower.

The water baptism that Jesus commanded literally cleanses a person's soul of Adam's sin and all of his own sins on his soul at the time of his baptism.
After this water baptism, a person can choose to outrage God by reverting to his sinful lifestyle. If he does not repent before he dies, he will receive God's wrath instead of eternal life. Hebrews 10:29-30

Linda426 said:
Also, Jesus does not judge anyone.
The Word of God teaches us that we all
Will stand before God the Father and it is
We who give an account of our lives.
At that time we will find out our Eternity
and not a second before that time comes.

Jesus Christ will judge every person who has ever lived. The reason is because he is the one who died to redeem mankind. 1 Timothy 2:3-6

John 5:22
For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,

Linda426 said:
Since we can never judge ourselves worthy
We are giving an account of our lives, and
If ppl question that scripture by saying, “ what about the sins He forgives and they are wiped away, and we wont have to stand in judgement
Before God”?

To that we teach them the scripture where
God says we will ALL stand before Him and
Give an account of our lives, what we did evil
And what we did good.

I agree.

Linda426 said:
So far noone truly knows amongst the living
Exactly what happens after we give an account, so that if a person asks us the
Above Quoted statement, just reiterate how
God never told us how We know our Salvation after we give an account of our lives as He
Says we will all do, except to warn us, “ to work
Out our own Salvation with fear and trembling”
Which most dont like to hear, but what God is
Telling us is that is what we do on this earth
To work out, the fear and trembling is to
Give us a Holy Fear of God to give us Wisdom,
To know He is no respector of persons, and
Wait for what occurs after we give our account!

He will tell us then im sure!

We must, indeed, "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling." Luke 9:23

I enjoyed our discussion.

Linda426 · Feb 15, 2026

BrotherJJ said:
You didn't answer the apostles. You jumped to post‑biblical writers.

That proves my point: your doctrine isn't coming from Scripture; it's coming from later tradition.

The apostles never preached water as the cause of remission; they preached Christ crucified, risen & received by faith (Acts 10:43; Rom 3:21–26; Eph 1:13). Every writer you quoted teaches salvation or regeneration without faith — something the apostles never taught.

Scripture is clear: sin is removed by blood, not water (Lev 17:11; Heb 9:22; Matt 26:28; Rev 1:5; Rom 3:25; Eph 1:7; Col 1:14).

Nicodemus a ""leader of the Jews""-legal authority & understood all Mosaic water rituals.

Jn 3:5 was spoken before the cross, before Pentecost, before the Church & before Christian baptism existed!

Jesus defines His own terms: That which is ""born of the flesh is flesh"" & that which is ""born of the Spirit is spirit"" (Jn 3:6).

The contrast is natural birth vs. Spirit birth, not water baptism vs. Spirit baptism. Nicodemus wasn't confused about sacraments. He was confused about re‑entering the womb (Jn 3:4).
Jesus clarifies by distinguishing physical birth (a fetus is surrounded by water/amniotic fluid) from spiritual birth (regeneration by the Holy Spirit).

Jesus wasn't introducing water baptism. Jesus was distinguishing TWO BIRTHS!

Your reading of Acts 10 reverses the text. Peter says God purified their hearts by faith (Acts 15:9), that the Holy Spirit fell on them as at the beginning (Acts 11:15) & that Jesus defined that event as Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 1:5).

That's the moment of salvation & sealing (Eph 1:13; 2 Cor 1:22). Water comes after because they were already accepted (Acts 10:47).

Acts 22:16 ties ""wash away your sins"" to calling on His name, the same salvation phrase in Romans 10:13. Acts 2:38 addresses covenant‑bound Jews under the guilt of crucifying their Messiah (Acts 2:36), and Peter later clarifies remission comes through believing & CALLING on HIS NAME (Acts 10:43).

Titus 3:5 denies salvation comes by ritual works & 1 Peter 3:21 says baptism saves not by the physical act, but as a response of faith, Noah wasn't saved by the water he was SAVED FRM THE WATER!

Your argument fails where every sacramental system fails: you're trying to make water do what Scripture assigns to faith, blood
& the Holy Spirit. The Gentiles in Acts 10 were saved, purified, sealed, and Spirit‑baptized before they ever touched water. Appealing to later writers only proves your view isn't apostolic. When early writers contradict the apostles, I stand with the apostles.

Your argument depends on post‑biblical writers but the apostles themselves preach salvation by remission through faith, blood & the Holy Spirit' baptism, not water. You've abandoned the apostolic gospel. That's your choice, I'm sticking with the inspired word text.

Baptism is a regeneration not at all suggestive
Of being mandated for Salvation, its purpose
Is to remove the initial stain of sin from
Our Ancesters, Adam and Eve who sinned against God, but it has no Saving Grace by
Itself as any guarantee for Salvation.

Linda426 · Feb 15, 2026

Jan001 said:
Yes, Jesus fulfilled all the Mosaic laws perfectly. By fulfilling them, he finished the covenant. He ended it and ratified it by his sacrificial death on the cross.

The Mosaic Ten Commandments were tailored to fit the era that the early Israelites lived in. They had a proclivity towards idolatry, and they considered women to be the property of men, like their livestock was their property. The Sabbath laws in the first covenant were a sign between God and the Israelites only, not any other nations.

Ezekiel 20:12
Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.

Mankind has always had the natural law of God written in their hearts: know, love, and serve God; do not commit idolatry; do not murder; do not commit sexual sins; do not steal; do not lie about anyone; honor parents; and do not misuse God's name. Romans 1:18-25

I think you meant to say that the Israelites did not make it to Abraham's bosom unless they obeyed God's commandments.

I agree. We cannot just put our faith in Jesus and expect to be granted eternal life after we die. We must strive to live like he lived until we die. 1 Corinthians 11:1

The way to get to heaven is to follow Jesus Christ in his obedience to his father until our death. Philippians 2:8
We must listen to and obey Christ's commandments. Jesus is Truth. The Father is truth. The Holy Spirit is Truth. John 14:6, John 5:30, 1 John 5:6

Yes.

Jesus will not save the people who willfully and neglectfully disobey his commandments. In my opinion, he can and most likely will save the people who are, to the best of their knowledge and ability, striving to please God. Acts 10:34-35

The water baptism that Jesus commanded literally cleanses a person's soul of Adam's sin and all of his own sins on his soul at the time of his baptism.
After this water baptism, a person can choose to outrage God by reverting to his sinful lifestyle. If he does not repent before he dies, he will receive God's wrath instead of eternal life. Hebrews 10:29-30

Jesus Christ will judge every person who has ever lived. The reason is because he is the one who died to redeem mankind. 1 Timothy 2:3-6

John 5:22
For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,

I agree.

We must, indeed, "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling." Luke 9:23

I enjoyed our discussion.

Thank you

Jan001 · Feb 15, 2026

BrotherJJ said:
You didn't answer the apostles. You jumped to post‑biblical writers.

Actually, the post-biblical writers learned the faith from the faithful men who taught them. Those faithful men learned it from the faithful men who learned it from the faithful men who came before them, all the way back to the apostles who were taught by Jesus Christ. Until the printing press was invented, most people learned the faith from their elders/priests/presbyters in their local churches.

The apostles were the first bishops of Jesus Christ's church. Other bishops such as Timothy and Titus were added as the church grew. Acts 1:16-26, Philippians 1:1, 1 Timothy 3:1, Titus 1:7

2 Timothy 2:2
And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

The Early Church Leaders/writers taught the faith as they themselves were taught, by the faithful men who came before them, all the way back to the apostles.

Jesus instituted his church and he chose its leaders. He gave them his authority, and commanded them to preach/teach his gospel to his disciples. Matthew 28:18-20, Matthew 18:16-18

Jesus never commanded them to write his gospel on parchment or vellum, bind these into a book, and then tell people to read it and interpret it for themselves.

2 Peter 3:15-16
as also in all his (Paul) epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

Is the Bible the pillar and ground of the truth?

No, it is not. Jesus Christ's Church is the pillar and ground of the truth.

1 Timothy 3:15
but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

It would be prudent for people to read the teachings of these Early Christian writers. They learned the faith from the faithful men who taught them the faith, a faith that was taught by faithful men in unbroken succession from the apostles.

[Early Christian writers consistently taught that baptism forgives sins, viewing it not merely as a symbolic act but as a sacramental means of grace through which sins are removed.

Irenaeus (c. 120–202) wrote that baptism cleanses believers from their old transgressions, making them spiritually regenerated like newborn infants, echoing Jesus’ words in John 3:5: “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Justin Martyr (c. 148–155) described baptism as a rebirth in which believers are washed in water “in the name of God, the Lord and Father of all, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit,” explicitly linking it to the forgiveness of sins and regeneration.

Tertullian (c. 200–206) stated that baptism is a corporal act that effects a spiritual cleansing: “The guilt being removed, the penalty, of course, is also removed.” He saw the washing away of sins as a direct result of the sacrament.

Clement of Alexandria (c. 150–215) taught that through baptism, believers are “enlightened,” “adopted as sons,” and “made perfect,” with the act being a “washing by which we are cleansed of sins.”

Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 350) declared, “If any man does not receive baptism, he does not have salvation,” affirming that baptism is essential for forgiveness and entry into the kingdom of God.

Augustine (c. 354–430) emphasized that even infants, who cannot yet believe or repent, are saved through baptism, as they are “ingrafted into Christ” by the grace of God.

These writings, spanning from the 1st to the 5th century, reflect a unanimous early Christian consensus: baptism is the divinely instituted means by which sins—both original and personal—are forgiven, and the individual is spiritually reborn........BRAVE AI]

Good advice to follow if a person wants to inherit eternal life:

2 Thessalonians 2:15
Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.

1 Corinthians 11:2
Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.

BrotherJJ · Feb 15, 2026

Linda426 said:
Baptism is a regeneration not at all suggestive
Of being mandated for Salvation, its purpose
Is to remove the initial stain of sin from
Our Ancesters, Adam and Eve who sinned against God, but it has no Saving Grace by
Itself as any guarantee for Salvation.

I appreciate your heart in wanting to honor what baptism represents & I'm glad you're not treating it as a requirement for salvation.

But even the idea that baptism removes the ""initial stain"" of Adam's sin isn't something the apostles ever taught.

When Scripture speaks about the removal of sin, it always points us to Christ's blood, not water - ""without shedding of blood is no remission"" (Heb 9:22; Lev 17:11; Matt 26:28).

The apostles consistently anchor salvation, justification & regeneration in faith placed in Christ' sin atoning, sinless blood payment that washes away the stain of sin from the believers soul (Rev 1:5) & in life‑giving power of His resurrection, through which the Holy Spirit is given after Jesus was glorified (Jn 7:39) Jesus Himself baptizes believers with the Holy Spirit (Matt 3:11; Mk 1:8; Lk 3:16). No ritual is needed (Rom 3:21–26; Gal 2:16; Titus 3:5).

In the clearest narrative we have - Acts 10 - the Gentiles were saved, purified, Holy Spirit‑baptized & forever (Jn 14:16) sealed (Eph 1:13–14; Eph 4:30; 2 Cor 1:22; 2 Cor 5:5) before they were ever baptized in water (Acts 10:44–48; Acts -15:9; Acts 11:15–17).

Water baptism came afterward as a testimony — a public identification with Jesus’ death & resurrection, a commanded act of obedience & an outward expression of the inward transformation. It’s the 1st step of discipleship, not the cause of salvation.

So while I respect your sincerity, the apostolic pattern is unmistakable: sin is removed by Christ’s sacrifice, received through faith & applied by the Holy Spirit. That’s why I stand with the apostles’ teaching rather than later interpretations.

We hope the site problems here are now solved, however, if you still have any issues, please start a ticket in Contact Us

Acts, the Mikveh & the Blood: How the Bible Defines Remission

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Striving to win the prize...

Striving to win the prize...

Active Member

Striving to win the prize...

Well-Known Member

Striving to win the prize...

Striving to win the prize...

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Striving to win the prize...

Active Member

Active Member

Striving to win the prize...

Well-Known Member

Similar threads