Reconcile Peter & Paul

[JustAsIam77]

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and 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.

1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ sent me, (Paul), not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

 

[JustAsIam77]

Thinking out loud, could disciples of Jesus prior to His death preach the same Pauline gospel of grace based as it is on the death and resurrection of Jesus, when they didn't believe Christ would die or be raised again. (Lu. 18:31-34)

 

[Vince53]

Peter preached correctly that we are to be baptized (immersed) in connection with the remission of sins. Paul preached, correctly, that baptism is not part of the Gospel.

 

[Webers_Home]

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Baptism serves the purpose of identifying one's self with a significant personality. Take the case of Yhvh's people under Moses' command. They were baptized unto Moses during the Red Sea crossing, yet nobody got wet, there wasn't even any mud to dampen their sandals. (Ex 14:21-22, 1Cor 10:2)

Oftentimes, properly identifying a speaker's audience gives you a clue to their purpose for baptism. In Peter's case, his audience was predominantly Jews who had come to Jerusalem for the feast of weeks (Pentecost). They would be familiar with John the Baptist's baptism which was a baptism unto repentance rather than unto salvation (Mtt 3:11) and as Peter's call was unto repentance, JB's kind of baptism was appropriate for that crowd. It also served to identify them with Jesus rather than Moses.

However, Paul was correct in holding off on baptisms because according to Jesus, it is essential that a Gentile audience believe the Gospel prior to baptism.

†. Mrk 16:15-16 . . And Jesus said unto them: Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to everyone, everywhere. He that believes and is baptized shall be spared; but he that disbelieves shall be damned.

The lesson is obvious. Baptism alone saves no one; nor should anyone be permitted to be baptized till such a time as they believe the Gospel first. And since belief in the Gospel has the priority, then it's no wonder Christ sent Paul to preach to the Gentiles rather than baptize them.

Billy Graham was one of the most effective evangelists the twentieth century ever produced; yet didn't baptize at his crusades; but rather, left that particular chore to local churches because any dweeb with a collar on backwards can perform a ritual.

C.L.I.F.F.
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[JustAsIam77]

Many thanks for the excellent replies, it's very helpful.

 

[JohnDB]

Webers Home had some great input....but there is more.

Priesthood of every believer is the real issue at hand. Jews (whether hellenistic or converted and adopted) knew the scriptures and the major tentants of YHWH worship...your average "Gentile" knew nothing except for what they had originally been shown and trained in.

Up to the time of John the Baptist your average Jew couldn't handle the scriptures or repeat them to tell someone else. Only a Rabbi or Levite had the right to do so. Granted the Jews all knew the scriptures but outside of the synagogue and the supervision of Levites or rabbis they couldn't retell them. Allowing those unschooled in things of God is a horrible mistake and one today many are guilty of today. People don't tell what they really know but only think that they know. (a grevious error)

This is why Paul later tells some of the Gentiles that they all shouldn't presume to be teachers when they were really ignorant of the principles standing behind many of the scriptures said in the manner they were said.

Being a believer and being really knowlegeable enough to teach and lead others are two different and were two different things in the Bible times...

Having all kinds of facts committed to memory also doesn't make one a teacher/leader. But the ability to put them together in a fashion that is recieved well by others is. This telling ability also has got to be independant of other proclaimers of the Gospel. Otherwise you are being a disciple of a teacher and not Jesus.

 

[Baptist Christian 1611]

I have heard Acts 2:38 explained, "be baptized every one of you for the remission of sins", that the word "for" in this verse means because of. That would make perfect sense and fall right in line with Paul's teachings.