Thousands were in Jerusalem for this festival. When the Spirit of God was given to the disciples that morning, Peter then preached the first inspired sermon for the Christian church. Thousands were convicted in their hearts, having realized the fruitlessness of their past lives and realizing that Christ was and is the Savior.
Peter spelled out, in no uncertain terms, that there are two conditions. Those two conditions are the same that Jesus spelled out at the beginning of His Gospel—repent and believe. No one can be rightly baptized unless he believes.
So, we see him fulfilling those conditions. Baptism is an ordinance symbolizing faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Once these conditions are complied with, God stands bound by a promise to put within the repentant believer His Spirit. Then, many of His attributes begin to be imparted to us. His love, faith, understanding, goodness, and power—the power to develop the very same things that make up who He is and how He thinks and acts begin to be made available to those who God calls and gives His Spirit of a sound mind to.
This is the beginning of eternal life, and the very character of God. The Holy Spirit in a person changes that person. If there is no change in the person after baptism and the receipt of the Holy Spirit, then that person was most likely just dunked.
In the first inspired sermon, after the Holy Spirit came to convert Peter and the apostles, Peter commanded all to repent, and to be baptized.
But there is no promise that anyone will receive the Holy Spirit until baptized in water—even though God in His wisdom and love may on rare occasions make an exception. The command is, "Repent, and be baptized"—and then, "you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
God commands water baptism. The ordinance of water baptism is not the thing that saves us. While it is commanded "for the remission of sins," yet it is merely symbolic of that which remits our sins, which is, the death of Christ! While at the same time, it pictures His resurrection, by which we are finally saved; it is merely the symbol, not the reality.
If a person who is being called is able to defy the command, or refuse it, or neglect it, or even put off obedience to this command until too late, that would certainly be an act of disobedience which would impose the penalty of sin, and cause loss of salvation.
It is essential to salvation inasmuch as God commands it, and noncompliance is disobedience which would mean loss of salvation.
Thousands were in Jerusalem for this festival. When the Spirit of God was given to the disciples that morning, Peter then preached the first inspired sermon for the Christian church. Thousands were convicted in their hearts, having realized the fruitlessness of their past lives and realizing that Christ was and is the Savior.
Peter spelled out, in no uncertain terms, that there are two conditions. Those two conditions are the same that Jesus spelled out at the beginning of His Gospel—repent and believe. No one can be rightly baptized unless he believes.
Once these conditions are complied with, God stands bound by a promise to put within the repentant believer His Spirit. Then, many of His attributes begin to be imparted to us. His love, faith, understanding, goodness, and power—the power to develop the very same things that make up who He is and how He thinks and acts begin to be made available to those who God calls and gives His Spirit of a sound mind to.
This is the beginning of eternal life, and the very character of God. The Holy Spirit in a person changes that person. If there is no change in the person after baptism and the receipt of the Holy Spirit, then that person was most likely just dunked.
You do not join a church. God calls you into His church. Water baptism is required for those God calls to begin the process of conversion and salvation.
In the first inspired sermon, after the Holy Spirit came to convert Peter and the apostles, Peter commanded all to repent, and to be baptized.
The command is, "Repent, and be baptized"—and then, "you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
