the family of God. Having in baptism pledged themselves to
serve Jesus Christ as Lord, it then remained with them to hold
fast the confession of their hope so that they might inherit the
promises.
Following Peter's reply we read then they that received Peter's
word were baptised (immersed) and the same day there were added
unto them about three thousand souls. Here you have the words of
the Lord fulfilled to the letter. You here see illustrated what
it is to be born of water and of the Spirit, also an example of
men believing and being baptised, and a lesson as to how
repentance and remission of sins should be preached. The three
thousand had been saved by grace through faith, they had become
children of God and had been translated into the Kingdom of God's
dear Son.
What took place also agrees with what Paul taught as to his
mission to the Gentiles (Acts 26:18 to 20). Peter opened the eyes
of the Jews so that they saw Jesus as the Saviour of the world,
and they then repented and turned to God. They received
forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them that are
sanctified by faith in Jesus.
Repent and be baptised is synonymous with repent and turn to God.
Baptism is the act in which man as a man turns. Previously his
mind, heart and will may have turned, but in baptism he buries
the old man and comes forth from the water for his whole being,
the new creature, to walk in the new life.
Regarding the New Covenant, we find in Heb. 10:22 how we can come
under its blessing. The conditions, although in different words,
are the same as those in Acts 2. The same ideas are given in
Titus 3:5. Baptism is the washing connected with regeneration by
the Gospel, and we are created anew by the Truth which the Holy
Spirit has given us. It means being born of water and of the
Spirit.
Faith changes man's attitude to God, while the obedience of faith
gives assurance that God's attitude to us has changed, and we are
now recognised in Heaven as being justified by faith through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
JOHN ANDERSON.
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BAPTISM administered to penitent believers is not merely a symbol
without meaning or result. Everywhere in the New Testament it is
vitally connected with the remission of sins and the gift of the
Holy Spirit. Apart from faith, administered to infants, it is a
meaningless rite. But when administered to believers it really
effects and seals all that it symbolises - death to sin and
resurrection to new life.
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'Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death, that
like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the
Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life' (Rom. vi.
4).