Thoughts on Peter's Response to the People in Acts 2

     Finished translating Acts 2 this morning. While there's a lot in Acts 2 to comment on, the thing which stood out to me this morning was Peter's answer to the people when they asked what they should do. He responded, literally, "Change your mind, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the letting go of your malfunctions and get the gift of the Holy Spirit."

     Notice he didn't say "just believe in Jesus." At that point after his sermon, it was probably redundant for him to tell them to believe in Jesus anyway, but still, "just believe" was not what he said. Another point to consider is that the text says "the Lord was adding those being delivered (saved, rescued) day by day..." Not "adding those having been saved" but "those being saved," that is, "those who are in process of, not having completed that process."

     One of the posts on the FB group I've become a part of was asking about whether or not baptism was necessary. Nearly every response in the comments was a resounding "no." Usually, the thief on the cross was cited as an example.

     But I have to ask the question, is that how Peter would have answered? Is that how Paul would have answered? Or would they also have questioned the very notion of "what is the bare minimum I need to do to be 'saved?'" Or, "How do I escape hell without actually changing anything?"

     These questions are born of a faulty understanding of what the salvation offered by Jesus Christ really means, and what's involved. Jesus Christ died for us. Justification is taken care of without our input. This is true. But there is also the salvation or deliverance from one's own Hamartia malfunction in the here and now, and this requires a change of mind and baptism.

     Why? Because baptism is what joins us to Jesus Christ, making us one with Him. Those aren't my words or thoughts, they are what Paul himself said in Romans 6. Every reference to baptism in the New Testament talks about it being for salvation and the release or letting go of our malfunctioning behaviors. This is usually translated "forgiveness of sins" but literally, it means "letting go of or detaching from malfunctioning behaviors." 

     What if we're not talking about God letting go of our sins, but us letting go of them through union with Jesus Christ? What if union with Christ through baptism and submission to Him, literally changing your mind, is the only way to actually let go of them and not do something "sinful?" What if getting the Holy Spirit refers specifically to getting the Spirit of Christ through union with Him which is accomplished at baptism into Jesus Christ? What if that's what Peter was talking about and we missed the point because of our English translations (taking cues from the Latin) and theological biases rooted in medieval Catholicism and the Reformation?

     You can believe in Jesus all you want, but you can't take the next step of His salvation without baptism. You can't stop sinning unless you're joined to Him.