1010RD pointed out your errors. Let me try and set you straight as well. But on just one issue.
You said; “The thief on the cross was saved without water baptism.”
And I say; “So what?” The thief on the cross was no different than Abraham or Moses or the prophets who also died prior to Pentecost. But after Pentecost when they asked “What must we do to be saved”? Acts 2:38 and many more verses point out the need to be baptized in order to be saved.
Oh???
BEFORE Pentecost, JESUS said, to a few fellas who wanted to know GOD's requirements...
John 6:28-29
Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
Quote:
1010RD pointed out your errors. Let me try and set you straight as well. But on just one issue.
You said; “The thief on the cross was saved without water baptism.”
And I say; “So what?” The thief on the cross was no different than Abraham or Moses or the prophets who also died prior to Pentecost. But after Pentecost when they asked “What must we do to be saved”? Acts 2:38 and many more verses point out the need to be baptized in order to be saved.
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Just a few of the many post-Pentecost Scriptures that teach that we receive the free gift of eternal life by faith in Christ as Savior:
Acts 16:31
BELIEVE in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved
Acts 10:43
Every one who BELIEVES in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.
Ephesians 1:13
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation — having also BELIEVED, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.
Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through FAITH; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Romans 5:1
Therefore being justified by FAITH, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
Romans 5:2
Through him we have also obtained access by FAITH into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Romans 4:5
But to him who does not work, but BELIEVES on him who justifies the ungodly, his FAITH is counted for righteousness.
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Does Acts 2:38 teach baptismal regeneration and salvation by works?
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Here’s some helpful commentary from Dr. Robert Dean of http://www.deanbible.org -
Hebrews series - Lesson 60 - excerpt from transcript:
... This is an extremely complex Greek construction in this passage. And it is poorly translated in the English. It makes this phrase in the middle “let each of you be baptized in the name of Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” as if that is a second command after repent. Actually repent is a second person plural imperative. That means – y’all repent.
Do you see in that last phrase? That is a second person plural. Am I making myself clear? The “you” in the middle - what do you think that “you” is? That is a singular you. It starts with a second person plural (repent). Then it goes to a second person singular; then it goes back to a second person plural. To make it a little clearer in the English it is…
Literal translation: Repent and each of you will receive the Holy Spirit. Then be baptized in the name of the Holy Spirit on the account of the forgiveness of your sins.
That is how it should be understood. It has the idea of on the account or because of the forgiveness of your sin. We receive forgiveness when we put our faith in Christ. That is what Peter is saying here by repent. He is indicating changing your mind about who Jesus is. He just got finished talking to the Jews about how they crucified Jesus as the Messiah and rejected Him. Now they need to change their minds and accept Jesus as their Savior. As a result of that they too would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit just as they did and then subsequent to that “let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.”
So death-bed conversions are out of the question then?