Does Acts 2:38 teach that baptism is to be done because a person’s sins are already forgiven? This is a question that will continue to face the church, as long as the vast majority of the Protestant world teaches this to be the case. But if we keep this passage in it’s context, the question is easily put to rest.
At the Passover, not quite two months in the past, the Jews had killed Jesus. This fact was so well known, that the two men on the road to Emmaeus, before they knew that it was the Lord whom they were talking with, said to Him concerning this, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have you not known the things which happened there in these days?” Luke 24:18. God accomplished the sacrifice of Jesus before the whole nation of Israel, and as we come to the morning of Pentecost, the means of salvation in Christ have not yet been proclaimed.
That morning, all of Israel is again assembled in Jerusalem. The Spirit has descended upon the apostles; Peter has just delivered his opening discourse, convicting the nation of Israel of the murder of the Messiah. This has pricked the hearts of the Jews, and the question upon their lips is, “Brethren, what shall we do?”
The means of salvation in Christ is unknown to the world; this is most important to keep in view. To the question of the Jews, “What must we do to be saved?” (for this is undeniably the force of their question), Peter speaks the words which throw open the doors of the church, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,” Acts 2:38.
Is it possible that Peter is telling them they must be baptized because they are already saved? If this is true, the exchange would be as follows:
Jews: “What must we do to be saved?”
Peter: “Repent, and be baptized, because you are already saved.”
If this is the case, at what point were they saved? If they were saved prior to this exchange, they certainly were unaware of it; they are seeking forgiveness in their question. If they were already saved, there are only three possibilities:
1. Salvation is universal, with all men being saved whether they like it or not; Matthew 7:21-23 is sufficient to show that this is a most unbiblical notion (and that faith alone is not enough).
2. Repentance is what saved them; but nowhere in Scripture is salvation attributed to repentance (John the Baptist preached repentance, yet no one was saved by his preaching. If they were, why then was it necessary for Jesus to come, and why did John point them to Him?).
3. They were saved when they asked their question (which most closely fits the “faith only” doctrine). But this also is not so; Peter, speaking by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, doesn’t say, “You are already saved by your faith” (for they undeniably had faith at this point that Jesus was the Messiah, otherwise they wouldn’t have asked the question); instead, he gives them two commands, “repent”, and “be baptized” (it is also important to notice that Peter didn’t tell them to ask Jesus to be their personal Savior. If all it takes to be saved is to pray and ask forgiveness, dedicating your life to Christ, why then didn’t Peter say so? Did he teach falsely?).
This only leaves one other option; one so plain and so clear, that it takes work to misunderstand it: "Be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins." We receive forgiveness of our sins when we are baptized.
That this indeed is the case, we need only consider the following: 1 John 1:7 teaches us that it is the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from our sins. This is also the clear, undeniable teaching of many other passages of Scripture (among them, Acts 20:28, Rom. 5:9, Eph. 1:7, Col. 1:14, Heb. 13:12, and Rev. 1:5, " To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood"). The question, then, is naturally this: at what point do we initially contact the blood of Jesus? Scripture has not left us without the answer, "And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord,” Acts 22:16. It is in baptism that we contact the blood of Jesus, it is then that our sins are washed away. This is why Jesus says, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned," Mark 16:16.
Today there are some even in the church who openly (or subtly) teach otherwise, that we are saved by faith alone, prior to baptism. But even the "faith only" advocates unwittingly admit that something is needed in addition to faith in order to be saved; they teach that you must ask Jesus to be your Savior. The problem with this position is that it has absolutely no Scriptural support; it is a doctrine of man.
These are perilous times for the church; many are turning away from the truth. Brethren, let us hold fast to the Head in all things; even more so in this matter. For He plainly teaches us that baptism is essential to salvation.