What is the theme of this chapter?
Paul's appeal and defense.
What is the key verse(s) of this chapter? Verse 21
And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’
What can I apply to my life from this chapter (things to do/avoid)?
I can be respectful and tactful when talking to people about Christ, like Paul was when addressing both the Jews and Romans. His words were calculated to pacify his hearers and draw them into sympathy with himself and his point of view. Blunt outspokenness is much more apt to offend than to convince.
Additional observations/questions:
According to verse 16 of this chapter (as well as others — Mk 7:1-5; Heb 9:10), water baptism is a natural symbol for washing or cleansing, not of Christ's death, burial and resurrection like we practice today. This interpretation of baptism can only come from are Romans 6:3-4 and Col 2:11-14, in which there are no references to water at all.
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life (Rom 6:3-4).
In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross (Col 2:11-14).
In Acts 22, Paul relates what took place at the time of his conversion. He was converted when water baptism was still required for salvation (Mk 16:16; Acts 2:37-40). Not that water baptism in itself could wash away sins, of course, but as an expression of faith.
Also interesting to note that later, using the same word "wash" (Gr., apolouo), Paul had written to the Corinthians:
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Cor 6:11).
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:4-7).
No water in these passages either.
Paul's appeal and defense.
What is the key verse(s) of this chapter? Verse 21
And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’
What can I apply to my life from this chapter (things to do/avoid)?
I can be respectful and tactful when talking to people about Christ, like Paul was when addressing both the Jews and Romans. His words were calculated to pacify his hearers and draw them into sympathy with himself and his point of view. Blunt outspokenness is much more apt to offend than to convince.
Additional observations/questions:
According to verse 16 of this chapter (as well as others — Mk 7:1-5; Heb 9:10), water baptism is a natural symbol for washing or cleansing, not of Christ's death, burial and resurrection like we practice today. This interpretation of baptism can only come from are Romans 6:3-4 and Col 2:11-14, in which there are no references to water at all.
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life (Rom 6:3-4).
In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross (Col 2:11-14).
In Acts 22, Paul relates what took place at the time of his conversion. He was converted when water baptism was still required for salvation (Mk 16:16; Acts 2:37-40). Not that water baptism in itself could wash away sins, of course, but as an expression of faith.
Also interesting to note that later, using the same word "wash" (Gr., apolouo), Paul had written to the Corinthians:
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Cor 6:11).
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:4-7).
No water in these passages either.
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