Response to Matt Slick on Acts 2:38, Part 2

The previous post response to Matt Slick's article entitled "Baptism and Acts 2:38" can be found here:

http://g2witt.blogspot.com/2017/05/response-to-matt-slick-on-acts-238-part.html?m=1

As in that, the format is the same: Slick's words are in quotes, followed by my response.

"All people are commanded to repent for their sins.  This is what believers have already done by becoming Christians. "

Except Acts 2:38 says repent and be baptized, for the forgiveness of sins.

Can't say "for the forgiveness of sins" doesn't mean actually to receive forgiveness of sins, to get around that statement connected to "be baptized" for that purpose, then turn around and say "for" is to have sins forgiven in regards to repent in the same context.

"Baptism, then, is the outward identification with being a Christian for those who have already repented."

Except that isn't what the text says. And making mutually contradictory arguments don't begin to demonstrate that at all.

"Also, as the Israelites were 'baptized into Moses' (1 Cor. 10:2), so too, Christians are baptized into Jesus.  That is, they are identifying themselves, publicly, with Christ."

It's having it both ways.

If to be baptized  is to passively receive how is it at the same time us doing something to publicly identify ourselves with Christ?

Can't have it both ways. If baptism isn't what we do (which is true) but is passive reception (also true), then it isn't us giving ourselves to display our faith (and nowhere does Acts 2:38 or any other text suggest that).

If to be baptized  is to passively receive, not our own doing, as he pointed out at the beginning of his article, then to be baptized into Christ is to passively received Christ Himself.

That's why it is stated in the previous blog response, that Slick actually is making our case rather than refuting it by arguing for the phrase "be baptized" means passive reception, not our doing.



"Likewise, in Rom. 6:1-5 where baptism is related to death, burial, and resurrection, it is again an identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. "

Except Romans 6:1-5 doesn't actually say baptism is related to death, burial and resurrection. It says we are buried with Christ in  baptism itself and raised with Him to newness of life.

The text says the exact opposite of what Matt Slick wished it to say.

"That is why it is said of Christians that we have died to sin (Rom. 6:2, 11; Gal. 2:19-20; Col. 2:20; Col. 3:3; 1 Pet. 2:24)."

Paul said we die to sins daily as result of being buried with Christ in baptism and raised with Him to newness of life.

"Justification is the work of God where the righteousness of Jesus is reckoned to the sinner; so the sinner is declared, by God, as being righteous under the Law (Rom. 4:3; 5:1,9; Gal. 2:16; 3:11).  This righteousness is not earned or retained by any effort of the saved.  Justification is an instantaneous occurrence with the result being eternal life.  It is based completely and solely upon Jesus' sacrifice on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24) and is received by faith alone (Rom. 4:5; 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9).  No works are necessary whatsoever to obtain justification. Otherwise, it is not a gift (Rom. 6:23).  Therefore, we are justified by faith (Rom. 5:1)."

While what he stated there is biblically true, he was using that to erect a strawman that those who affirm baptismal regeneration automatically hold to baptism as adding our works to be saved and justified.

The problem is this: he refuted any idea baptism is a good work we do when we are baptized the moment he correctly said at the beginning of his article that to be baptized is in passive sense of us receiving. If we are passively receiving, we aren't doing. That means it isn't our good work when we are baptized.

"Nowhere in the Bible does it state that we are justified by grace and baptism or faith and baptism or faith and anything else."

Complete and utter strawman that Lutherans and other Christians, who historically affirm baptismal regeneration, don't remotely even hold to.

The view is baptism itself God's grace to us by which He delivers forgiveness of sins won by Christ at the Cross to us. Faith passively receives what God gives by His grace in baptism. It is not faith plus baptism, but faith receives passively the benefits God brings us via such outward means, which is delivery of Christ's forgiveness to us.

Luther himself saw baptism as outward means of reception of Christ's forgiveness as in fact safeguarding grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. It's purely God's grace to us.

And there are indeed passages that do  speak of baptism as God's regenerating grace to join us to Christ and to work faith unto us to receive Christ.

For example, Colossians 2:11-13 states to be buried with Christ and raised with Him to newness of life is to made alive with Christ when we are dead in our sins. What does it mean for God to make us alive with Christ when we are dead in sins? Ephesians 2:1-8 answers by saying to be made alive with Christ when we are to be dead in sins is God's grace, and God's grace is what gives us faith as a gift, not of ourselves. Baptism is God's grace. And it is God's grace alone to us to give us faith that joins us to Christ.

More rebuttals to his other claims will be forthcoming.

Here we stand.