May be a bit off-topic, but this portion of scripture has always been a mystery to me. I've often used it in my mind to help me understand the difference between the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Surely Paul would not have had anything to do with baptizing unsaved
1And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
4Then said Paul, 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.
5When they heard
this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6And when Paul had laid
his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
7And all the men were about twelve.
This is an interesting passage, to be sure.
One of the things it teaches is that it's possible to think oneself aligned with Christ and yet not have the gift of God's indwelling Spirit, without which one cannot be said to belong to Him for it is only those who have His Spirit dwelling in them that are His.
These 12 men had not even "heard if there is a Holy Spirit." Why Paul asked them that question is certainly open to speculation. Regardless, the important thing is how Paul responded to them once he learned they didn't even know about the Holy Spirit - and how they submitted - which is the true response of faith.
Paul was never ambiguous about the purpose and role of Christian baptism. He told the Galatians "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Gal 2:20)
How - or more specifically when was Paul "crucified with Christ?" Well, he clearly explains that in Romans 6, where he unambiguously declares that it is in [Christian] baptism where we are crucified with Him, where we symbolically participate in His death, in His burial, and in His resurrection.
Some like to point to the thief on the cross as "proof" baptism is not part of the salvation process but consider what happened to the thief - he was crucified with Christ; he was buried, and he was raised to be with Christ. He underwent something - at a singularly specific point in time that NONE of us can hope to duplicate in our own lives - except in Christian baptism.
Jesus commanded it (Mk 16; Mt 28).
Peter taught it (Acts 2)
Philip taught it (Acts 9)
Paul taught it (Rom 6)
We have at least 8 examples in Acts where it is explicitly mentioned.
Does baptism [alone] "save" us? No; of course not - and no one teaches that. Jesus saves us. But what is the gospel message? The gospel message is that we are dead in our sins, deserving of eternal damnation but that God, in His infinite love for us, has provided our atonement in the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son, who died for us, bearing our sins in His body on the cross so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds we are healed (I Pet 2). So the question is, and always has been, "brethren, what shall we do?" Well, Peter answers that - "Repent, and be baptized for the remission of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Was Noah and his family "saved" by the waters of the flood? No; of course not. But what does the Scripture say? That Noah and his family were brought through the water - by God - and corresponding to that, baptism now "saves" us (I Pet 3) - the appeal to God for clean consciences.
Baptism is then, in a sense, the very gospel itself inasmuch as it is in our baptism, when we come to Him in repentance, having believed and confessed our sins, having heard the gospel message, realizing in the message are we given the answer to the question - "What must I do?" Consequently are we able to respond with all eagerness - "Look, here is water - what prevents me from being baptized?" (Acts 8:36). Consequently, are we full of rejoicing after being baptized, having believed in the gospel message (Acts 16:33f).
It is not belief if it is not accompanied by obedience - for even some of the religious rulers believed (Jn 12:42); and so do demons believe (Jas 2:19).
Nowhere in Scripture will you find a command, an example, anything to even suggest that we come to Christ merely with a [sinner's] prayer. Likewise, nowhere will you find in Scripture where that baptism is "an outward sign of an inward grace." And if baptism is somehow a work, then so too is the sinner's prayer.
Let it be said - THERE IS NO SALVATION IN BAPTISM FOR BAPTISM'S SAKE! But let it also be said, there is no salvation either in disobedience to Jesus' commands or the apostle's teachings.
"...And to whom did He swear that they should not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief." Heb 3:18f.
"For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;
having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead." Col 2:9ff
Baptism is our entrance into the body of Christ, His church, where we are made complete. Our faith is not in baptism, but in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead, so...
"Brethren, what shall we do?"
I totally respect your opinion, but I can't believe that for a second. Baptism water is no more special than any other water. The benefits of the cross? Eternal life, is that what you mean? Cause in that case I'd definitely say no way. I'm not yet baptised (next month PTL!) but does that make me less of a Christian than my friend who was christened as a baby but doesn't believe, much less go to church?
