Page 83 - SoulWinning Crash Course

arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of
the Lord." Campbellites cite this verse as proof that water-baptism "washes
away sins," but again, nothing in the context proves this was a water-
baptism.

The sentence is worded such as that the "calling on the name of the Lord"
was to be simultaneous with the "baptism" and/or the "washing." If all three
things were at the same time, then this matches perfectly the current mode of
salvation (i.e. a believing person confesses faith as explained in Romans 10
and is immediately baptized with the Holy Spirit and thus washed from his
sins), because it wouldn't make sense to confess simultaneously with water-
baptism since you are going under water and would choke on the water with

your mouth open!

If the baptism is assumed to be a water-baptism, then the word "and" in
"and wash away thy sins" must be taken to mean that the "washing" was
AFTER the water-baptism, and thence it means Paul was water-baptized but
did not receive the Holy Spirit until he "called upon the name of the Lord"
AFTER his water-baptism.

So whether the baptism described in Acts 9 and 22 was with water or the
Spirit, the grammar of Ananias' command in Acts 22:16 (and the practicality
of obeying it) shows that water-baptism was NOT the catalyst for Saul's sins
being washed away.

The fact that Jesus Christ was water-baptized shows that water-baptism is
not for the purpose of washing away sins (since Jesus had no sins). Water-

baptism has always been symbolic.

In short, either Saul believed, confessed, and was Spirit-baptized, or Saul
believed, was water-baptized, then confessed and was Spirit-baptized.

* Acts 10:36 "The word which God sent unto the children of Israel,
preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)

37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all
Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John
preached;