Two messages, one for Jews, the other for Gentiles

[placebofactor]

This first part concerns Paul's baptism, and the second part concerns the differences between the baptism of the Jews and Gentiles. Let me begin by asking the question, "Why did Paul have to have his sins washed away in baptism in Acts 22?"

We need to examine the whole context of verse 16. Paul was a Jew as was Ananias. Paul was telling the Jews in Hebrew, in Jerusalem of his conversion. Let’s look at the description of Ananias in verse 12. One would never know Ananias was a Christian who was said to be "A devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,"

After Paul tells them of his conversion, Ananias says to Paul, "Arise and be baptized." Paul as a Jew had in his childhood circumcision been given up to the LORD, therefore now must be given up by baptism to the Father in Christ.

Water baptism for the Jew was an integral part of the ceremonial law, and it primarily symbolized ritual cleansing and consecration to God. John the Baptist was a prophet and forerunner of the Messiah. He had been commissioned by God to baptize the Jewish people in water as a special baptism of repentance to prepare them for the arrival of their Messiah.

This was only a preparatory step in leading them to faith in Jesus. Water baptism identified the individual Jew with John the Baptist as God’s prophet and also symbolized the cleansing with water as an act of repentance, meaning to have a change of mind and return to the ways of the LORD.

Gentiles never had to return to God as did the Jews. The Jews fell away from God; therefore, they had to return to Him. Being baptized in water was an outward sign that, as a Jew they had received Jesus as their Messiah, Jesus being, “The Son of the living God,” as Peter had declared, and as did the Eunuch when baptized by Philip, Acts 8:27.

Part 2.
Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said unto them (Jews), 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.”

Let’s set the context of Acts 2:38. When Peter spoke here in Acts 2, it was a Jewish feast day that was being celebrated. Jews from around the nations had come to celebrate the feast of Pentecost, this being one of the seven feasts listed in Leviticus 23. At Pentecost, a large crowd of Jews had gathered outside the Temple area where Peter, through the power of the Holy Spirit, was addressing them. Regardless of what nations these Jews had come to Jerusalem from, they, by the power of the Holy Spirit were hearing Peter’s message in their native language.

Here in lies the key to understanding this verse. Peter is speaking to Jews only, no Gentiles here. It was a Jewish feast day, a Jewish crowd, a Jewish speaker, and a Jewish message. Pentecost meant nothing to Gentiles. Now let’s take a look at,

Acts 2:36-37, Peter is speaking, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly (all twelve tribes), that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." Peter was accusing these Jews of killing Christ.

Verse 37, "When they heard this they were pricked (cut) in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men, and brethren what shall we do?"

Before we look at Peter's answer, I want to take you to Acts 16. Paul has begun his missionary journey throughout western Turkey. Earlier in this chapter the Holy Spirit directed him over to Greece. One of the first cities he approached there was Philippi where he met Lydia, the first European convert. After the conversion of Lydia, he was arrested and beaten along with Silas, then cast into the lower dungeon of the jail, see verse 25. That setting was completely different than that found in Acts 2. Paul was on Gentile ground, in a Gentile prison, and had a Gentile jailer.

Acts 16:25-29, "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God; and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bands were loosed."

"And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled." The Roman authority would have killed the jailer if any prisoners had escaped.

"But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, do thyself no harm: for we are all here.” They could have fled, but they didn't, because they knew this was God at work.

"Then he (the jailer) called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,"

Why did this Gentile jailer pick Paul and Silas out of all his prisoners? Somehow the Lord let him know that here was the answer to his dilemma. The prisoners were loose, they could have fled, but they stayed.

Acts 16:30, "And brought them (Paul and Silas) out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

Now let’s compare the answer in Acts 2 with Acts 16. In Acts 2, Peter's answer is clear,

Acts 2:38, "Then Peter said unto the Jews, “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,”

Two words are crucial here, “Repent and baptized.” Every Jew there would have to be converted and accept Christ as their Messiah for God to continue his plans for the Jews.

Who initiated that message? It was John the Baptist! His message is, "Repent and be baptized." That message was for the Nation of Israel. Let’s compare this with Paul's response to the Gentile in Acts 16. Paul is not talking to Jews; he's talking to a Gentile. And when this Gentile asks what he must do to be saved? Paul tells him,

Acts 16:31, “Believe on The Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

Does it say Repent and be baptized? No! Repent and be baptized was for the Jews, but this message to them would once more fall through the cracks because the Jews would again reject it.

And because the Jews had hardened their hearts, the Lord turned to the Gentiles through the Apostle Paul. So, the Gentile jailer said, "What must I do?" The answer, "Believe on The Lord Jesus Christ." Again, he never mentions the phrase, “Repent and be baptized.”

Here’s the rest of Paul's message to the Gentiles, "That Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead." We can find this message to the Christian church in I Corinthians 15:1-4. Believe the Gospel, we of the faith must believe, adding nothing to that message.

Search Paul's letters from Romans through Hebrews and you will find nothing about repentance and baptism to be saved.

Galatians 2:7-9, exists because of these two very different messages. “But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision (Gentiles) was committed unto me (Paul), as the gospel of the circumcision (Jews) was unto Peter, for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision (Jews), the same was mighty in me (Paul) toward the Gentiles: And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me (Paul), they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands (they shook hands) of fellowship; that we (Paul and Barnabas) should go unto the heathen (Gentiles), and they (Peter and the others) unto the circumcision (Jews).” This meeting occurred some 20 years after the cross.

2 Peter 3:15, "And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him has written unto you;"

Your thoughts:

[RugMatic]

This first part concerns Paul's baptism, and the second part concerns the differences between the baptism of the Jews and Gentiles. Let me begin by asking the question, "Why did Paul have to have his sins washed away in baptism in Acts 22?"

We need to examine the whole context of verse 16. Paul was a Jew as was Ananias. Paul was telling the Jews in Hebrew, in Jerusalem of his conversion. Let’s look at the description of Ananias in verse 12. One would never know Ananias was a Christian who was said to be "A devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,"

After Paul tells them of his conversion, Ananias says to Paul, "Arise and be baptized." Paul as a Jew had in his childhood circumcision been given up to the LORD, therefore now must be given up by baptism to the Father in Christ.

Water baptism for the Jew was an integral part of the ceremonial law, and it primarily symbolized ritual cleansing and consecration to God. John the Baptist was a prophet and forerunner of the Messiah. He had been commissioned by God to baptize the Jewish people in water as a special baptism of repentance to prepare them for the arrival of their Messiah.

This was only a preparatory step in leading them to faith in Jesus. Water baptism identified the individual Jew with John the Baptist as God’s prophet and also symbolized the cleansing with water as an act of repentance, meaning to have a change of mind and return to the ways of the LORD.

Gentiles never had to return to God as did the Jews. The Jews fell away from God; therefore, they had to return to Him. Being baptized in water was an outward sign that, as a Jew they had received Jesus as their Messiah, Jesus being, “The Son of the living God,” as Peter had declared, and as did the Eunuch when baptized by Philip, Acts 8:27.

Part 2.
Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said unto them (Jews), 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.”

Let’s set the context of Acts 2:38. When Peter spoke here in Acts 2, it was a Jewish feast day that was being celebrated. Jews from around the nations had come to celebrate the feast of Pentecost, this being one of the seven feasts listed in Leviticus 23. At Pentecost, a large crowd of Jews had gathered outside the Temple area where Peter, through the power of the Holy Spirit, was addressing them. Regardless of what nations these Jews had come to Jerusalem from, they, by the power of the Holy Spirit were hearing Peter’s message in their native language.

Here in lies the key to understanding this verse. Peter is speaking to Jews only, no Gentiles here. It was a Jewish feast day, a Jewish crowd, a Jewish speaker, and a Jewish message. Pentecost meant nothing to Gentiles. Now let’s take a look at,

Acts 2:36-37, Peter is speaking, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly (all twelve tribes), that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." Peter was accusing these Jews of killing Christ.

Verse 37, "When they heard this they were pricked (cut) in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men, and brethren what shall we do?"

Before we look at Peter's answer, I want to take you to Acts 16. Paul has begun his missionary journey throughout western Turkey. Earlier in this chapter the Holy Spirit directed him over to Greece. One of the first cities he approached there was Philippi where he met Lydia, the first European convert. After the conversion of Lydia, he was arrested and beaten along with Silas, then cast into the lower dungeon of the jail, see verse 25. That setting was completely different than that found in Acts 2. Paul was on Gentile ground, in a Gentile prison, and had a Gentile jailer.

Acts 16:25-29, "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God; and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bands were loosed."

"And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled." The Roman authority would have killed the jailer if any prisoners had escaped.

"But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, do thyself no harm: for we are all here.” They could have fled, but they didn't, because they knew this was God at work.

"Then he (the jailer) called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,"

Why did this Gentile jailer pick Paul and Silas out of all his prisoners? Somehow the Lord let him know that here was the answer to his dilemma. The prisoners were loose, they could have fled, but they stayed.

Acts 16:30, "And brought them (Paul and Silas) out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

Now let’s compare the answer in Acts 2 with Acts 16. In Acts 2, Peter's answer is clear,

Acts 2:38, "Then Peter said unto the Jews, “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,”

Two words are crucial here, “Repent and baptized.” Every Jew there would have to be converted and accept Christ as their Messiah for God to continue his plans for the Jews.

Who initiated that message? It was John the Baptist! His message is, "Repent and be baptized." That message was for the Nation of Israel. Let’s compare this with Paul's response to the Gentile in Acts 16. Paul is not talking to Jews; he's talking to a Gentile. And when this Gentile asks what he must do to be saved? Paul tells him,

Acts 16:31, “Believe on The Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

Does it say Repent and be baptized? No! Repent and be baptized was for the Jews, but this message to them would once more fall through the cracks because the Jews would again reject it.

And because the Jews had hardened their hearts, the Lord turned to the Gentiles through the Apostle Paul. So, the Gentile jailer said, "What must I do?" The answer, "Believe on The Lord Jesus Christ." Again, he never mentions the phrase, “Repent and be baptized.”

Here’s the rest of Paul's message to the Gentiles, "That Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead." We can find this message to the Christian church in I Corinthians 15:1-4. Believe the Gospel, we of the faith must believe, adding nothing to that message.

Search Paul's letters from Romans through Hebrews and you will find nothing about repentance and baptism to be saved.

Galatians 2:7-9, exists because of these two very different messages. “But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision (Gentiles) was committed unto me (Paul), as the gospel of the circumcision (Jews) was unto Peter, for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision (Jews), the same was mighty in me (Paul) toward the Gentiles: And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me (Paul), they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands (they shook hands) of fellowship; that we (Paul and Barnabas) should go unto the heathen (Gentiles), and they (Peter and the others) unto the circumcision (Jews).” This meeting occurred some 20 years after the cross.

2 Peter 3:15, "And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him has written unto you;"

Your thoughts:

I couldn't find any specific topic for debate or even an actual question. You say water baptism is only required for Jews and not gentiles. Never heard that belief before and Christians have an insane amount of various beliefs and doctrinal squabbles and theological beefs!

Peter baptized a gentile, Acts 10:44-48. I guess Peter was unfamiliar with your exegesis. Jesus said to water baptize everybody in Matthew 28 and Mark 16 ( appended ending ).

[1213]

This first part concerns Paul's baptism, and the second part concerns the differences between the baptism of the Jews and Gentiles. Let me begin by asking the question, "Why did Paul have to have his sins washed away in baptism in Acts 22?"....
Your thoughts:

I think it would be good to understand the purpose of baptism and what Jesus said about it.

Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teach-ing them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Matt. 28:19-20

The baptizing Jesus taught was about making people his disciples. Then later some disciples made it a condition for forgiveness. But that is not something Jesus said. However, Jesus said:

If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.”
John 20:23

Which means disciples can make conditions to how they forgive. I think it should be freely given, because:

Freely you received, so freely give.
Matt. 10:8

[placebofactor]

This first part concerns Paul's baptism, and the second part concerns the differences between the baptism of the Jews and Gentiles. Let me begin by asking the question, "Why did Paul have to have his sins washed away in baptism in Acts 22?"

We need to examine the whole context of verse 16. Paul was a Jew as was Ananias. Paul was telling the Jews in Hebrew, in Jerusalem of his conversion. Let’s look at the description of Ananias in verse 12. One would never know Ananias was a Christian who was said to be "A devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,"

After Paul tells them of his conversion, Ananias says to Paul, "Arise and be baptized." Paul as a Jew had in his childhood circumcision been given up to the LORD, therefore now must be given up by baptism to the Father in Christ.

Water baptism for the Jew was an integral part of the ceremonial law, and it primarily symbolized ritual cleansing and consecration to God. John the Baptist was a prophet and forerunner of the Messiah. He had been commissioned by God to baptize the Jewish people in water as a special baptism of repentance to prepare them for the arrival of their Messiah.

This was only a preparatory step in leading them to faith in Jesus. Water baptism identified the individual Jew with John the Baptist as God’s prophet and also symbolized the cleansing with water as an act of repentance, meaning to have a change of mind and return to the ways of the LORD.

Gentiles never had to return to God as did the Jews. The Jews fell away from God; therefore, they had to return to Him. Being baptized in water was an outward sign that, as a Jew they had received Jesus as their Messiah, Jesus being, “The Son of the living God,” as Peter had declared, and as did the Eunuch when baptized by Philip, Acts 8:27.

Part 2.
Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said unto them (Jews), 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.”

Let’s set the context of Acts 2:38. When Peter spoke here in Acts 2, it was a Jewish feast day that was being celebrated. Jews from around the nations had come to celebrate the feast of Pentecost, this being one of the seven feasts listed in Leviticus 23. At Pentecost, a large crowd of Jews had gathered outside the Temple area where Peter, through the power of the Holy Spirit, was addressing them. Regardless of what nations these Jews had come to Jerusalem from, they, by the power of the Holy Spirit were hearing Peter’s message in their native language.

Here in lies the key to understanding this verse. Peter is speaking to Jews only, no Gentiles here. It was a Jewish feast day, a Jewish crowd, a Jewish speaker, and a Jewish message. Pentecost meant nothing to Gentiles. Now let’s take a look at,

Acts 2:36-37, Peter is speaking, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly (all twelve tribes), that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." Peter was accusing these Jews of killing Christ.

Verse 37, "When they heard this they were pricked (cut) in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men, and brethren what shall we do?"

Before we look at Peter's answer, I want to take you to Acts 16. Paul has begun his missionary journey throughout western Turkey. Earlier in this chapter the Holy Spirit directed him over to Greece. One of the first cities he approached there was Philippi where he met Lydia, the first European convert. After the conversion of Lydia, he was arrested and beaten along with Silas, then cast into the lower dungeon of the jail, see verse 25. That setting was completely different than that found in Acts 2. Paul was on Gentile ground, in a Gentile prison, and had a Gentile jailer.

Acts 16:25-29, "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God; and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bands were loosed."

"And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled." The Roman authority would have killed the jailer if any prisoners had escaped.

"But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, do thyself no harm: for we are all here.” They could have fled, but they didn't, because they knew this was God at work.

"Then he (the jailer) called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,"

Why did this Gentile jailer pick Paul and Silas out of all his prisoners? Somehow the Lord let him know that here was the answer to his dilemma. The prisoners were loose, they could have fled, but they stayed.

Acts 16:30, "And brought them (Paul and Silas) out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

Now let’s compare the answer in Acts 2 with Acts 16. In Acts 2, Peter's answer is clear,

Acts 2:38, "Then Peter said unto the Jews, “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,”

Two words are crucial here, “Repent and baptized.” Every Jew there would have to be converted and accept Christ as their Messiah for God to continue his plans for the Jews.

Who initiated that message? It was John the Baptist! His message is, "Repent and be baptized." That message was for the Nation of Israel. Let’s compare this with Paul's response to the Gentile in Acts 16. Paul is not talking to Jews; he's talking to a Gentile. And when this Gentile asks what he must do to be saved? Paul tells him,

Acts 16:31, “Believe on The Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

Does it say Repent and be baptized? No! Repent and be baptized was for the Jews, but this message to them would once more fall through the cracks because the Jews would again reject it.

And because the Jews had hardened their hearts, the Lord turned to the Gentiles through the Apostle Paul. So, the Gentile jailer said, "What must I do?" The answer, "Believe on The Lord Jesus Christ." Again, he never mentions the phrase, “Repent and be baptized.”

Here’s the rest of Paul's message to the Gentiles, "That Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead." We can find this message to the Christian church in I Corinthians 15:1-4. Believe the Gospel, we of the faith must believe, adding nothing to that message.

Search Paul's letters from Romans through Hebrews and you will find nothing about repentance and baptism to be saved.

Galatians 2:7-9, exists because of these two very different messages. “But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision (Gentiles) was committed unto me (Paul), as the gospel of the circumcision (Jews) was unto Peter, for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision (Jews), the same was mighty in me (Paul) toward the Gentiles: And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me (Paul), they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands (they shook hands) of fellowship; that we (Paul and Barnabas) should go unto the heathen (Gentiles), and they (Peter and the others) unto the circumcision (Jews).” This meeting occurred some 20 years after the cross.

2 Peter 3:15, "And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him has written unto you;"

Your thoughts:

I couldn't find any specific topic for debate or even an actual question. You say water baptism is only required for Jews and not gentiles. Never heard that belief before and Christians have an insane amount of various beliefs and doctrinal squabbles and theological beefs!

Peter baptized a gentile, Acts 10:44-48. I guess Peter was unfamiliar with your exegesis. Jesus said to water baptize everybody in Matthew 28 and Mark 16 ( appended ending ).

In Matthew 28:19, Jesus is speaking to his disciples, there is nothing about water baptism, it's Holy Spirit baptism he's talking about. Same with Mark. The Gentiles were not part of the church yet. Paul's ministry was still 7 years in the future.

In Acts 10, the Gentiles had already received Holy Spirit Baptism; we know this because they spoke in tongues and magnified God. The Christian Jews with Peter were astonished; they could not believe Gentiles had received gifts of the Holy Spirit. For the Gentiles, water baptism came after the Holy Spirit Baptism. For Jews, water baptism came first, then Holy Spirit baptism.

Even to this day, Christians receive water baptism to show they are members of a church, there are no gifts attached to water baptism, and has nothing to do with salvation. Receiving the Holy Spirit is what counts for salvation.

Acts 19:2-3, Paul asked the Jews in Corinth, "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? They said to him, we have not so much as heard whether there be a Holy Ghost. And he (Paul) said to them, unto what then were you baptized? And they said, unto John's baptism (speaking of water baptism.)"