Articles
Don’t Get Hung Up
It is very easy for students of the word of God to allow something to become such an obstacle that they refuse to accept what other passages of scripture teach. A classic example of this is dealing with the baptism of Cornelius and his household in Acts 10 & 11. A number of people take issue when they read that the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius and his household while Peter was speaking and then he was baptized in water.
Some have convinced themselves that water baptism has nothing to do with salvation because of this event. The odd thing is that there is no other example of the Holy Spirit falling on anyone while they were hearing the gospel message. It should seem obvious that what happened here was NOT the norm when it comes to conversions. So why would we take something that was out of the ordinary and want to make it common?
When the Corinthians obeyed, we are told that they heard, believed, and were baptized (Acts 18:8). When those in Samaria were converted, they heard, believed,and were baptized (Acts 8:12). Lydia, after she heard and believed, was baptized (Acts 16:14-15). The Philippian Jailer also heard the message, believed, and was baptized (Acts 16:30-33). What is interesting is that when we read about the conversion of Cornelius, he and his household did the very same thing! Yet for some reason, people can’t get over the fact the Holy Spirit fell on them while Peter was preaching.
It would seem to me that I would want to know why the Holy Spirit didn’t fall on everyone else before they were baptized in water. Yet for many, it doesn’t matter that it didn’t happen in any other of the recorded conversions found in the Bible. Because it happened to Cornelius, some have assumed that it happens today.
What I find odd in all of this is that the apostle Peter, and the Jews that traveled with him, were astonished that this happened (Acts 10:45). Why in the world would they be astonished if this is what always happens when people are converted? That should make it clear that this was happening for a reason. But what was the reason? Peter tells us in the very next verse, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” (v. 47).
Peter understood and wanted the other Jews to learn that they were in no position to reject these people from being baptized in water to become a Christian even though they were Gentiles. That’s why Peter wanted to know who could prevent them. In other words, God was demonstrating to them, by having the Holy Spirit fall on them, that God would approve of them being baptized in water. But I would like to know, if they were already saved, why was Peter wanting to baptize them right away? We know because that part of the plan of salvation was common (Jude 3).
When people get hung up on something, answering other questions seems not to matter to them. So, when you ask: Why didn’t this happen with any other conversion? They don’t have an answer. Why is that? Because they want to believe that water baptism has nothing to do with salvation when we are told in many passages that it does (I Pet. 3:21; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3-6, etc.).
Now, if what happened to Cornelius is the norm and he was saved before he was baptized in water, then why was he baptized in water? Some would say, to show he was a Christian. That would be okay if there was a passage in the Bible that taught such, but there isn’t. So why teach that? People have to come up with something because they are hung up with what happened to Cornelius. You see, once you teach one point without Biblical support, then you have to teach another and then another.
The best way to end this article is with the words of Jesus, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mk. 16:16).
