During our study of John's baptism, we noted the importance of his message and that was the message of repentance to prepare the way for the Messiah.
In this study, we will see an important shift in the message--from Repentance to Salvation, and in the timing of water baptism. This baptism is physical and most notably, comes after the message of salvation is received and after the Holy Spirit is given to the one who receives the message.
Looking back for a moment, we remember that John said he baptizes with water unto repentance(which will lead to the remission of their sin) , but He (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." And so it was, that each Jew (Israelite) who received the message of preparation, and was baptized in water, later received the Holy Spirit after the death of Jesus.
So why the shift and why is it important? Because this baptism takes place after the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the message of salvation was opened to the Gentiles (Any peoples who are not Jews). Furthermore, in my opinion, it tells us that water baptism is not a requirement to receive the Holy Spirit, thus salvation, as many teach and believe.
The book of Acts is a book commonly referred to as a book of transition. It records for us the transition from the Old Covenant into the New Covenant. Keeping this thought in mind, helps to keep the teaching on baptism in perspective and I believe, clarifies what seems to be a contradictory teaching.
The first of converted or "saved" Gentiles is recorded for us in the book of Acts. Let's go to Acts 8:26, where we pick up the story.
"Now an angle of the Lord spoke to Philip [a disciple], saying, "arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza."…And behold a man from Ethiopia, a Eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury had come to Jerusalem to worship…He was reading Isaiah the Prophet…So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" "How can I unless someone guides me?"
The place in the Scripture which he read was this: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation, His justice was taken away, and who will declare His generation? For his life is taken from the earth." (Acts 8:26-33)
It goes on to say the Eunuch asked Philip of whom the prophet was speaking. At this, Philip began to share Jesus and the message of salvation to him as they walked along the road. The Eunuch responded to the message. Continuing their walk, the Eunuch saw water and asked Philip if there was anything to hinder him from being baptized.
"Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may". And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."…And they both went down into the water, and he baptized him." (Acts 8:37-38.)
We see here that the requirement for baptism is believing with all one's heart that Jesus is the Son of God. This is confirmed repeatedly throughout the New Testament. Interestingly, we never read again about a baptism of repentance. We only read of baptism that follows receiving the message of Christ. This again, is because the death and resurrection accomplished and fulfilled every law under the Old Testament in which the Jews were required to follow.
"But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preached): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made under salvation." (Romans 9:8-10.)
The second example of a Gentile who was saved is in chapter 10 of the book of Acts.
God came to Peter with a vision to prepare him to go and preach to a Gentile. This God did, because he knew the hearts of his people were stubborn and couldn't imagine they should keep company with Gentiles (This is another story with many other lessons), but suffice it to say, unless God made it abundantly clear, Peter would not have gone, nor would have the men he chose to go with him.
Cornelius was a Gentile man who believed in God, prayed, and did the best he could with the information he had. God saw his heart and He chose to send Peter to preach the Gospel of Salvation to Cornelius and his family. (Read chapter 10 for the complete account.)
Peter goes to his home as commanded--where Cornelius was anxiously awaiting his arrival. Once there, Peter began to preach the message of salvation.
"And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He [Jesus] who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins." While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision [Jews], who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also…Then Peter answered, Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." (Acts 10:42-48)
The account of the Eunuch and Cornelius reveal to us the transition that took place between the Old Covenant-which in short, is having faith in the coming Messiah and the requirements that follow, to the New Testament, which in short, is having faith and trust that Jesus was and remains the Messiah.
The Jews had to wait for the remission of their sins until Jesus resurrected; for those who believed after the resurrection, it was instant. It had nothing to do with baptism.
What can we conclude? It seems that water baptism follows a change of heart and putting faith and trust in Jesus. We also see that having faith in God is not enough. God made it clear to this wonderfully righteous man named Cornelius that He needed to receive the Holy Spirit as a seal and guarantee of salvation, by having faith in Jesus, the Son of God.
It also shows us that all who are sincere in their desire to know the truth about God, will be blessed with those who will help them. It was true for me. It is very encouraging to know that God will send us someone to lead the way to Jesus. The question is-will we respond?
These accounts of Gentiles being converted and baptized are a wonderful example of one of the many things God did by sending His Son to pay the price for the sin of mankind-that is he made a new race of people. He did this by breaking down the wall that separates Jews from Gentiles. For in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, only His children--the body of Christ. (Ephesians 2:1-21)
This subject will be addressed in The Baptism Into Christ - part 5 of this series which will follow shortly.
© Teresa Ortiz
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