THE ISSUE OF REBAPTISM At issue is how we are to understand the purpose of baptism as well as the mode of baptism. If baptism if for the purpose of receiving forgiveness from God for past sins, then one does not have salvation prior to baptism - because salvation cannot be granted us while we are still in our sinful state. If baptism is not for the purpose of receiving forgiveness for past sins, then it is not essential to salvation because our sinful state was changed prior to baptism. In this case, baptism is understood as a required rite, but one that only "testifies" to the forgiveness, acceptance, that God has already granted us. One key text in this discussion (but not the only one) is Acts 2:38. Below are several English translation renderings of this text. King James Version - "for the remission of sins. American Standard Version - "unto the remission of sins. New King James Version - "for the remission of sins." New International Version - "for the forgiveness of your sins." Revised Standard Version - "for the forgiveness of your sins." New Revised Standard Version - "so that your sins may be forgiven." New American Standard Bible - " for the forgiveness of your sins." World English Bible - "for the forgiveness of sins." Bible in Basic English - "for the forgiveness of your sins." Contemporary English Version - "so that your sins will be forgiven." Good News Bible - "so that your sins will be forgiven." God's Word - "so that your sins will be forgiven." Young's Literal Translation - "to remission of sins." Modern King James Version - "to remission of sins." International Standard Version - "for the forgiveness of your sins." English Standard Version - "for the forgiveness of your sins." Literal Translation of the Holy Bible - "to remission of sins." New English Translation - "for the forgiveness of your sins." New Living Translation - "for the forgiveness of your sins." Today's English Version - "so that your sins will be forgiven." The Douay-Rheims Bible - "for the remission of your sins." Hebrew Names Version - "for the forgiveness of sins." The Webster Bible - "for the remission of sins." Wesley's New Testament - "to the remission of sins." Third Millennium Bible - "for the remission of sins." The Darby Translation - "for the remission of sins." Page 1 of 4 J. B. Philips Translation - "so that you may have your sins forgiven." New American Bible - "for the forgiveness of your sins." Amplified Bible - "for the forgiveness of and release from your sins." Worldwide English Bible - "Your wrong ways will be forgiven you." Weymouth Bible - "with a view to the remission of your sins." Revised King James New Testament - "for the remission of sins." Modern Literal Version - "for the forgiveness of your sins." Common Version New Testament - "for the forgiveness of your sins." Interlinear Greek New Testament - "for remission of sins." Living Oracles - "in order to the remission of sins." Montgomery New Testament - "for the remission of your sins." The Emphasized Bible - "into the remission of your sins." Covenant Edition New Testament - "to cancel your sins." Christian Standard Bible - "for the forgiveness of your sins." According to these translations, the evidence seems to point to baptism as the point at which sins are forgiven - thus salvation granted. This would help our understanding of two additional texts. First, Mark 16:15-16 shows a connection between belief, baptism, and salvation. Second, Matthew 26:28, which uses the same construction ("for the remission of sins") seems best understood as Jesus sacrificing His life in order to secure, bring into effect the remission of sins. It would seem logical to understand two texts of scripture with the same construction to be understood in the same way. In addition to these thoughts concerning the purpose of baptism, we should consider the examples of people who were being saved as recorded in the book of Acts. What is interesting is that despite some differences in the cases, each involves baptism - as shown in the following matrix. Page 2 of 4 Examples of Conversion BELIEVED REPENTED CONFESSED BAPTIZED PENTECOST Repented Acts 2:14-41 Acts 2:37-38 Acts 2:38-41 SAMARIA Acts 8:5-13 Acts 8:12 Acts 8:12-13 ETHIOPIAN Acts 8:35-36 Acts 8:36-37 Acts 8:37 Acts 8:38 SAUL Acts 9, 22, 26 Acts 22:16 CORNELIUS Acts 10:34-38 Acts 10:43 Acts 10:48 LYDIA Acts 16:16 Acts 16:15 Acts 16:13-15 JAILOR Acts 16:31 Acts 16:33 Acts 16:30-34 One question that is impacted by this information is the question of "rebaptism". Why would someone ever need consider being rebaptized - especially if this person experienced proper mode (burial in water - Rom. 6:1-4)? The question has been poured over by many sincere and scholarly persons over the history of the church. I humbly offer this reasoning for rebaptism. This action is needed in cases where the scriptural mode of baptism (an immersion in water) has not been followed or the scriptural reason for baptism has not been understood. In the latter case, I do not think that a person needs to fully understand all that is involved in baptism. However, there must be a basic understanding of this command as is provided in the teaching of Jesus and His apostles. What is this basic instruction that is to be understood? Based upon Mark 16:15-16 and Acts 2:37-47, one must understand that baptism is for the purpose of being pardoned of all sin and thus saved. Page 3 of 4 The troubling part of this reasoning is clear. Perhaps first is the question of why a person who was immersed - yet thinking that his/her sins were already pardoned - needs to now be re-immersed. This is a fair and reasonable question. It would seem as if the act itself, even without the proper understanding of the act, would suffice. However, there is scriptural precedent to the contrary. Acts 19:1-5 tells of a scene where some believers had been immersed, but their immersion was done without their understanding the proper purpose of it. These individuals were taught to be re- immersed - now that they had a proper understanding of the act. While the circumstances of this case are not identical to those of our time who were immersed with the understanding that they had already been forgiven prior to immersion, there is still precedent that proper understanding of the reason for the act is required to acceptably submit to the command. Page 4 of 4 .