Evangelical apologist, Gary F. Zeolla of "Darkness to Light
Ministries," wrote an article entitled, "Questions about Baptism." In an attempt to downplay the salvific role of baptism in Acts
2:38, he wrote that:
"[R]epent" and "be baptized"
in Acts 2:28 [sic; he means v.38] have different grammatical forms so they are not both linked with
"the remission of sins." On the other hand, in Acts 3:19, the verbs
"repent" and "be converted" do have the same grammatical
forms. But baptism is not mentioned. So baptism is to be submitted to AFTER
repentance and conversion.
This is
a rather silly argument, but it does show that the old adage, "a little
Greek is a dangerous thing" is alive and well.
The term
translated as "repent" in Acts 2:38 is μετανοήσατε which is the
imperative aorist active of the verb μετανοεω. The term translated as "be
baptised" is βαπτισθήτω, the imperative aorist passive of the verb
βαπτιζω. The difference (which the apologist does not tell us) is simply
between an active and passive voice. Of course, as repentance is something one
does, while baptism is something that is done to the person, that is the reason
for the difference in voices. There is no hint whatsoever that Acts 2:38
separates baptism from the remission of one's sins, notwithstanding this rather
weak argument.
In Acts
3:19, the term translated as "be converted" is ἐπιστρέψατε, again,
the imperative aorist active, this time of the verb επιστρεφω, "to
turn/return." However, it is simply question-begging to claim that, just
as baptism is not mentioned in this verse, ipso facto, baptism is not salvific,
in spite of texts explicitly tying it into salvation (e.g., Rom 6:1-4).
Furthermore, it is akin to advocates of "no-Lordship" theologies
citing Acts 16:31 ("Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be
saved") as precluding repentance from salvation, in spite of other verses which are explicit in repentance being tied into the salvation formula (e.g., Rom 10:9, 13). Evangelicals, like Zeolla, are guilty of implicitly denying the practice of "tota scriptura" (taking into account the entirety of the Bible's message on a topic) an important element of the Protestant doctrine and practice of Sola Scriptura.
There is
nothing in Acts 2:38 that precludes baptism being tied into the remission of
sins, and a wealth of linguistic and exegetical evidence supporting such a doctrine.
