But Peter (standing with the eleven) declared to those listening on the day of Pentecost that this same Jesus whom they crucified was both Lord and Christ. This caused 3,000 souls to become pricked in their hearts. As a consequence, these asked the apostles what they needed to do to be saved. (Acts 2:37) Peter told them that they needed to "repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ" so that they could receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38)
All eight recorded in the scriptures align with Acts 2. It is clear that Peter's instruction -- "every one of you" includes those being water baptized in the new testament side (after the cross). I believe the confusion stems from not diligently searching the scriptures for truth or, sadly, depending on other people for one's understanding and learning of the scriptures. Still, it is critical that we understand why God's plan of salvation includes both repentance and water baptism. Let's begin with John the baptist.
John (the prophesied forerunner of Christ) was known for water baptizing in the wilderness, all the while preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. (Mark 1:4; Malachi 3:1; Malachi 4:5-6; Matthew 3:1) This is why the people went out unto him -- all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. (Mark 1:5; Matthew 3:5)
This is confirmed in numerous scriptures in both the old and new testaments. For example, the Lord of hosts said in Malachi -- "Behold, I will send My messenger and he shall prepare the way before Me, and the Lord whom ye seed, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in; behold He shall come." (Malachi 3:1)
And again in Malachi -- "Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:5-6)
And on the new testament side -- "And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before Him in the Spirit and power of Elias, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (Luke 1:17; Luke 7:24-28; Matthew 11:14)
As we see from the scriptures, "to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" John accomplished and did very well. We know this because Jesus asked the people later on when John was in jail -- "What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously appareled, and live delicately in king's courts? But what went ye out to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. This is [he], of whom it is written, "Behold, I will send My messenger and he shall prepare the way before thee." For I say unto you. "Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the baptist, but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." (Luke 7:24-28; Matthew 11:7; Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 3:1; Luke 1:15)
Jesus was saying here that of all the prophets, John the baptist was the greatest among all of them. It is also important to note that John was filled with the Holy Ghost from birth.
In Matthew's account, Jesus adds to the above, "And from the days of John the baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force, for all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive, this is Elias which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." (Matthew 11:7-15; Luke 8:8; Luke 1:17; Malachi 4:4-6; Luke 1:76; Luke 20:6; Luke 16:16)
In another place, Jesus makes a similar statement to the Pharisees "who were covetous" and derided Him. Indeed, Jesus said, "Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. The law and the prophets until John; since that time the kingdom of God is preached and every man presses into it, and it is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one *tittle of the law to fail." (Luke 16:14-17; Matthew 23:14; Luke 10:29; Matthew 6:2-5; Psalm 7:9; Matthew 11:12-13; Isaiah 40:8; Isaiah 51:6)
John preached repentance but Jesus preached the Kingdom of heaven.
We begin to see this when Jesus was teaching people in the temple. Here was Jesus preaching the gospel when the chief priests and the scribes and elders came upon Him, asking Jesus, "Tell us, by what authority doest Thou these things? Or, who is He that gave Thee this authority?" And Jesus answered and said unto them, "I will also ask you one thing, and answer Me; the baptism of John -- was it from heaven, or of men?" After reasoning among themselves and concerned that either response will suffice, these answered saying that these could not tell whence it was. And Jesus responded by saying, "Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things." (Luke 20:1-8; Acts 4:7; Acts 7:27; John 1:26-31, Luke 7:24-30)
But Jesus -- God manifest in the flesh knew all things. (I Timothy 3:16; John 1:1-18; Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 42:13) And, as such, we see Jesus with John the baptist when Jesus is transfigured. Reading from the Word in Matthew 17:
"And after six days Jesus takes Peter, James, and John his brother, and brings them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here: if Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias."
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him." And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, "Arise, and be not afraid."
And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, "Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead." And His disciples asked him, saying, "Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?" And Jesus answered and said unto them, "Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things." But I say unto you, "That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them."
Then the disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist." (Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-8; II Peter 1:17-18; Mark 1:11; Isaiah 42:1; Matthew 3:17; Matthew 12:18; Deuteronomy 18:15, 19; Daniel 8:18; Malachi 4:5; Mark 9:12-13; Matthew 14:3, 10; Matthew 16:21; Matthew 11:14)
In Mark's account, Jesus further states, "Elias verily comes first, and restores all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that He must suffer many things, and be set at nought [treated with contempt]. But I say unto you, "That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him." (Mark 9:12-13)
And this Elias --- whom Jesus named to be John the baptist. Who did he point to as our Lord God and Saviour declaring "Behold, the Lamb of God?" He pointed to JESUS -- the same Jesus who came to take away the sins of the world. (Matthew 1:21-23) Yes, John repeatedly pointed to Jesus as our Saviour, of whose shoe latchets he was not worthy to untie. The voice of one crying in the wilderness was declaring (as it had been told of the prophets of old) -- "Make straight the way of the Lord." (John 1:23; Matthew 3:3, 11; Isaiah 40:3) "He it is who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchets I am not worthy to unloose." (John 1:27)
Just as was prophesied in the old testament, John was the forerunner to Christ. The voice crying in the wilderness. The greatest among the prophets, and yet John was in jail for a period before being beheaded and his head brought on a platter. Does the story end there, with Jesus abandoning him as some suggest? Of course not.
Because like the thief on the cross, Jesus knew that today John would be with Him in paradise. And as we saw on the mount of transfiguration, Elias (aka John the baptist) stood with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. "And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses and they were talking with Jesus." (Mark 9:4)
John the baptist was no longer subject to the whims and struggles of this world. Even so, when Peter and James and John went up the high mountain and Jesus was transfigured before them, and then Peter suggested building three tabernacles -- one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elias -- but the cloud overshadowed them and they were sore afraid, the voice came out of the cloud saying, "This is My beloved Son -- hear Him." (Mark 9:2-7)
And when Peter and James and John looked around, they saw no man, save Jesus only. (Mark 9:8) The One and Only Jesus who is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus -- the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus of whom John said, "He it is who coming after me is preferred before me." Believe on Jesus today. Be water baptized in His precious name as did the first 3,000 souls saved. Put on His garment of righteousness, by taking on His name -- the name of the Lord Jesus so that you too can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:36-47)
For now, suffice it to say that there is more to come. In the interim, stand in the offering plate with our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ.
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