Did GOD Say . . . ? . . . Acts 2:38

Acts 2:37 

Now when they heard this, 

they were pricked in their heart, 

and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles,

Men and brethren, what shall  we DO ?

 WHAT DID GOD SAY TO DO 

in HIS inerrant , GOD-breathed WORD?

APOSTLE BARNABAS : We Descend into the WATER Full of Sins and DEFILEMENT

THE APOSTLE BARNABAS  70 -130, Eastern writer

JESUS answered,

Verily, verily, I+ say unto thee, 

Except a man be born of Water and of the SPIRIT, 

he cannot enter into the Kingdom of GOD.

John 3:5 

How . . .

did the Pre-Nicene Christians interpret these plain words of CHRIST ? 

From the Epistle of Barnabas, Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 1, Section XI , "Baptism and the Cross Prefigured in the Old Testament,"  page 144 :

[ After Barnabas quotes several passages in the Prophets and Psalms, he says ] . . . Mark how HE has described at once both the Water and the Cross.  For these words imply,

Blessed are they who, placing their trust in the CROSS, have gone down into the Water; . . .

This meaneth that we indeed descend into the Water full of sins and defilement, but come up, bearing fruit in our heart, having the fear [ of GOD ]  and trust in JESUS in our spirit. "

This Apostle and companion of the Apostle Paul, both separated unto the work of the LORD by the HOLY SPIRIT,  did not spiritualize away the "WATER" not did he ignore the cleansing work in our souls effected by the Waters of BAPTISM. 

Why do we ?  

 Verily, verily, I+ say unto thee, 

Except a man be born of Water

and of the SPIRIT, 

he cannot enter into the Kingdom of GOD.

The Words of JESUS CHRIST  . 

 

 

ARAMAIC SCRIPTURES on BAPTISM

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ORDER OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD+

~ ~ Luke 7:29 and 30, from the Aramaic New Covenant Scriptures ~ ~

Here is a word-by-word literal translation* of the Aramaic New Covenant Scriptures of Luke 7:29 and 7:30, regarding the baptism from John the baptist.

What IF JESUS CHRIST said to us...

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ORDER OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD+

In view of Mt 7:21-23,
WHAT IF Jesus Christ said to us:

“You say you have received Christ!
But do you know what I require of you,
to be received by Me?

You say you are led by the Spirit !
My Spirit leads one to obey

what is written...

such as repent and be baptized
for remission of your sins!