Maysville church of Christ Column
-
.
QUESTION: Mr. Whitlock, please comment on the phrase “for the remission of sins” as found in Acts 2:38. How do we know that the word “for” does not mean “because of” as I have heard preachers say that it does?
ANSWER: Many religions teach that baptism as commanded by our Lord in Acts 2:38 is not “for” the remission of sins, but will say “because of” sins remitted. In other words, they teach that salvation comes before baptism. Does salvation come before the “one baptism” of Ephesians 4?
Let your fingers do the walkin’ and let the Bible do the talkin’. “Peter said unto them, repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ eis aphesis hamartema.” (Acts 2:38). “John came, who baptized in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance eis aphesis hamartema. (Mark 1:4). “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many eis aphesis hamartema.” (Matt. 26:28). Notice please the Koine Greek reading is identical in each verse, “for remission of sins,” and introduces a sentence of purpose not cause.
Why did all Judea and Jerusalem go to be baptized of John? Why was Christ going to shed His precious blood? The answer is not “because of” the fact that men were saved, but for, unto, in order that men might have remission of their sins. In His institution of the Lord’s Supper, did Christ want men to understand that He was going to the cross “because of” the remission of sins or “for, unto” the remission of sins? When those questions are answered honestly, we know the meaning of “for.”
The imminent Baptist scholar J. W. Wilmarth wrote in an article titled “Baptism and Remission” published in Baptist Quarterly in July 1877: “We are gravely told that if we render eis in Acts 2:38 ‘in order to,’ we give up the battle and must forthwith become Campbellites; whereas if we translate it ‘on account of’ or ‘in token of,’ it will yet be possible for us to remain Baptists. Such methods of interpretation are unworthy of Christian scholars. … Away with the question, ‘What ought Peter to have said in the interest of orthodoxy?’ The real question is ‘What did Peter say, and what did he mean, when he spoke on the Day of Pentecost under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit?’ Truth will suffer nothing by giving to eis its true signification. When Campbellites translate ‘in order to’ in Acts 2:38 they translate correctly. Is a translation false, because Campbellites endorse it?” If Christ shed His precious blood “because of” the remission of sins, then lost souls were saved before Christ ever died on the cross! Bible translators are correct to render eis as “for, unto, or in order to” obtain the remission of sins. That is its meaning!
Every verse in the New Testament where baptism and salvation appear in the same verse, baptism always comes before salvation. There is no verse that shows a person saved before being baptized into the name of Jesus “for, unto, in order to” have remission of sins. There are no exceptions, not the first one! If so, where? I will offer $100 to any person who can find that verse in a reliable version of the New Testament.
Please know that a warm and cordial welcome awaits you and your family at all the services of the Maysville church of Christ. The building is located at the corners of Main and Ash streets. We have worship Sunday at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Bible classes are offered Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. and Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m. A free Bible Correspondence course is available and we invite your Bible related questions. Leave a message by calling 405-867-4807, by mail at P.O. Box 562 in Maysville, or by email at jessandterr@yahoo.com. Come and “worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness” (Psalms 29:2) with us, as our guest this Sunday.