But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Acts 2:16-21)
Too often people try to interpret passages from a 21st century mindset, and they forget to put on their first century glasses. Due to this, many use this passage to promote the idea that simply calling out Jesus’ name will immediately place them into Christ. This logic is flawed, however, when we see how those that heard this sermon reacted. “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, 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” (Acts 2:37-38).
When we think about the way some interpret verse 21, one would imagine that Peter answered the question, “Just say a prayer, believe in Christ and you will be saved!” Yet, that is not the response Peter gave. He told them that they needed to repent and to be baptized for the remission of sins (cf., Matthew 26:28). Those who “gladly received” the apostle’s word did not simply pray to God, but they were baptized (Acts 2:41). The reason for this is because Christ did not command, “He who believes and says a prayer will be saved.” Instead He spoke, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). For this reason, we can never substitute the command to be baptized for some other method.
Despite the simplicity of this subject, there are still many who offer up objections to this biblical doctrine. Denominations argue that the thief on the cross was saved in answer to a prayer and without baptism. First, how could the thief have been baptized by the baptism authorized in the Great Commission since the Great Commission had not been given yet? Jesus didn’t command the “one baptism” until Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15-16. This baptism wasn’t preached until Acts 2:38 – 10 days later! This baptism, the baptism into Christ, was different from John’s baptism (Acts 19:1-7).
Secondly, the thief on the cross was still under the Old Covenant where others had their sins forgiven in like manner (Matthew 9:2; Luke 7:48). Does this negate the baptism that hadn’t even been commanded yet? I think not. After all, “…the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins” (Matthew 9:6).
Denominations also argue that Saul prayed for three days and that he was saved before being baptized because Ananias called him “brother.” First, the term “brother” that we use to address other Christians today is not the only way that it can be used. Our parents may have had a son who we called brother, or it may be that you would address someone else of the same nationality as brother. In fact, Paul had used the word this way in Acts 22:1. “Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.”
Second, how could Paul be saved if he still had sins that needed to be washed away? “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). Third, Paul testified that he himself was baptized into Christ. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” (Romans 6:3). Salvation is, after all, in Christ. “Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory” (2 Timothy 2:10).
Nowhere in the Bible do you read of one praying “into Christ” or believing “into Christ.” Nowhere will you find one who was commanded to be saved through prayer. Therefore, we must follow the plain biblical examples and commands that are given to us all throughout the Book of Acts and the other epistles. Have you been baptized? Have you followed the biblical plan? If not, you should consider doing so as soon as you have opportunity!
