Tag Archives: 1 Peter 3:21

Baptism and Calling upon His Name

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Baptism and Calling upon His Name by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, November 27, 2009 at 10:54am QUESTION: Is it possible to correlate the Scripture that exhorts us to “call upon the name of the Lord” with 1 Peter 3:21, where Peter says that baptism is our “appeal” to God? In other words, is the exhortation to call upon the name of the Lord, in essence, baptism? MY REPLY: The closest thing to an exhortation to call upon the name of the Lord is Acts 22:16, where Ananias addresses the repentant Saul of Tarsus, “Now why do you delay? Get … Continue reading →

Is Baptism Essential for Salvation?

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Is Baptism Essential for Salvation? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 3:21pm A READER HAS ASKED the straightforward question, “Is baptism essential for salvation?” My straightforward (but qualified) answer is this: “Under normal circumstances, since the Day of Pentecost, YES.” In my book, “Baptism: A Biblical Study” (College Press, 2 ed., 2006) I have shown that the 12 NT texts that say anything at all about the purpose of baptism all testify to its saving significance. Water baptism is clearly described as the time or occasion during which God bestows salvation upon the one being baptized. … Continue reading →

Acts 22:16 and Baptism

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Acts 22:16 and Baptism by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 12:59pm A RECENT INQUIRY: Some Bible versions [e.g., Holman Christian Standard Bible] are translating Acts 22:16 as, “Be baptized and wash away your sins BY calling on his name.” This is different from other versions and can be construed differently in meaning. Can the Greek be translated that way? What is the more accurate translation? And, does the ending relate to what’s happening in baptism or is it a separate action? Thanks for your input. MY REPLY: It is true that a Greek participle can have … Continue reading →