Does water baptism precede regeneration?

[Waggles]

1Peter 3:20  because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 
21  Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 

accepting the need for water baptism is repentance being put into action - the beginning of doing things God's way and not our own opinions about what we need to do. Jesus and the apostles teach and command water baptism - Peter does specifically state that it does save you - so just do it? Better to err on the side of caution than to be wrong with God. 

Also in the waters of baptism is where the new person confesses their faith and calls on the name of the Lord. When I was asked on a Wednesday night was I going to be baptised? God spoke to me very audibly scriptures - slightly paraphrased:

So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 
but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father and the angels who are in heaven. (Matthew 10:32-33)

I knew in my heart immediately that Jesus had been waiting decades for me to arrive at this point in time and that I needed to make a commitment now. So I got baptised by full immersion in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. I acknowledged Jesus as my Lord and God, my Saviour and Redeemer before other people in the waters of baptism.

Put your own personal opinions aside and as good disciples be doers of the word. As Cornelius said to Peter "Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord." 

Acts 10:47  “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 
48  And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. 

 

[Arrabon]

Thank goodness you guys seem pretty lay back and willing to be cordial, to us with a bit of a different slant on things.

Your kindness is much appreciated .

My name is Arrabon

[Waggles]

4 minutes ago, Arrabon said:

Thank goodness you guys seem pretty lay back and willing to be cordial, to us with a bit of a different slant on things.

It is only because we FEAR God and the Moderator!   

[Arrabon]

30 minutes ago, Waggles said:

It is only because we FEAR God and the Moderator!   

. Too funny.

[Arrabon]

31 minutes ago, Josheb said:

If it is an act as you have just specified then it is in fact work. Your two statements contradict one another. Please either correct or clarify. 

 

Work (definition): "activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result," "a task or tasks to be undertaken; something a person or thing has to do," "be engaged in physical or mental activity in order to achieve a result; do work." 

Act (definition): "take action; do something," "behave in a specified manner."

The "ACT" is a noun of description, not a verb of action. Baptism is an "Act" (Noun) of person surrendering to another who baptizes them.

A person never baptizes themselves, so how can it be possibly be called a work when the baptized person does nothing..

The idea doesn't make sense to me when you read all of the book of Acts and all the baptisms that to you are a work.

Why would God put all that in there?.

[Waggles]

1 hour ago, Josheb said:

Act (definition): "take action; do something," "behave in a specified manner."

this fanaticism about "works" is unscriptural and denies the true intent of what is commanded of us.

obedience to to commandments of God is not works - Paul is referring to our own efforts at good works to appease God, about any claims of our own goodness.

Next people will claim that believing is works, or faith is works.

Ephesians 2:8 - note the Weymouth version 

(ESV)  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
(NENT)  for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
(Weymouth)  For it is by grace that you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves. It is God's gift, and is not on the ground of merit--
(YLT)  for by grace ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you—of God the gift,

Ephesians 2:9  not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 
2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 

Yes it is the grace, the mercy, of God that offers us salvation in believing and acting upon the gospel of salvation - BUT there is clearly a process put in place by God for disciples to do in a correct manner what is satisfactory to God. A template; just as Moses and Noah were both given specific instructions that they were commanded to follow for salvation in their times: 

What must we do?  Acts 2:38

(Weymouth)  "Repent," replied Peter, "and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, with a view to the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
(YLT)  and Peter said unto them, 'Reform, and be baptized each of you on the name of Jesus Christ, to remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,

stop wrestling with the scriptures and just do it. Even Jesus underwent water baptism to show his disciples on how to fullfil all righteousness and then afterwards he was baptised in the Holy Spirit. Just as we as disciples (believers?) must do also. Are we better than our Lord? 

Edited March 11, 2021 by Waggles

[Arrabon]

I think I'll quietly crawl away into the delightfulness and splendor of being saved through water immersion baptism, washed in the blood of Christ 43 years ago and the joy I experience each of my days at 78 years old.

 

Be blessed

My name is Arrabon

[Riverwalker]

7 minutes ago, Arrabon said:

I think I'll quietly crawl away into the delightfulness and splendor of being saved through water immersion baptism, washed in the blood of Christ 43 years ago and the joy I experience each of my days at 78 years old.

 

Be blessed

My name is Arrabon

You were saved by grace, through faith.  The baptism was an outward witness of that inner faith. All for baptism, but it is not the power to save. The grace and mercy of God that we access by faith is.  Just saying.

 

[David1701]

5 minutes ago, Arrabon said:

I think I'll quietly crawl away into the delightfulness and splendor of being saved through water immersion baptism, washed in the blood of Christ 43 years ago and the joy I experience each of my days at 78 years old.

 

Be blessed

My name is Arrabon

Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.  Water baptism follows salvation; in fact, a profession of faith in Christ is required, in order to be eligible for water baptism.

Acts 8:34-38 (NKJV) 

34    So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?"35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?"
37   Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." 
    And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
38    So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.

[Waggles]

34 minutes ago, David1701 said:

Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.  Water baptism follows salvation; in fact, a profession of faith in Christ is required, in order to be eligible for water baptism.

Acts 8:34-38 (NKJV) 

34    So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?"35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?"
37   Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." 
    And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
38    So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.

Wrong wrong wrong - if we have faith and believe then we do it God's way - and the scriptures clearly inform us how real Christians in scripture were obedient to the commandments of God. 

As for your verse 37 that is considered a deliberate interpolation by a scribe - it is not God inspired text - same with the KJV version of 1John 5:7 

the correct wording from the original Greek is:

Acts 8:35  And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this scripture, preached the gospel to him, Jesus. 
8:36  And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Lo, water; what hindereth me to be baptized? 
8:38  And he commanded to stop the chariot; and both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 

Philip preached the gospel of salvation to the eunuch and what did he do? He believed, he repented, he got water baptised - to receive salvation in Christ Jesus. The gospel of salvation is a mutual obligation covenant. 

Edited March 12, 2021 by Waggles