I have believed for some time, now, that John the Baptist's "baptism for the remission of sins" and the same phrase used by Peter in Acts 2:38 were for the benefit of the Jewish assembly. Immersion was used, even back then, in Gentile conversion. A Jew was never to receive this rite because he was born a child of God. I just think that as a Jew stood and listened to the Baptist give that command, he was probably blown away by its implications. It meant that birthright no longer mattered !!! Baptism "for the remission of sins" is an illustration for the Jewish community especially. John
Hi John:
Why would a Jew believe he was
born a "child of God"? God is a Spirit and noone was born of God until the
Church was birthed at Pentecost. The Jews were connected to God because of
the covenant with Abraham but this would not the same as a spiritual
birth.
judyt
