Introduction
There are a few sincere people who believe that the word ‘for’, ‘eis’ in Greek implies that we look back to the words which has been said in a text, rather than looking at the proceeding words.
For example, when it comes to the subject of baptism, they suggest that a person is baptised BECAUSE their sins have already been forgiven, instead of a person being baptised for the PURPOSE of receiving the forgiveness of sins.
The preposition ‘eis’ is used about 1,600 times in the New Testament. It’s rendered ‘into’ 571 times, ‘to’ 282 times, ‘toward’ 32 times, ‘for’ 91 times, ‘unto’ 208 times, ‘in’ 131 times. It’s also used in this sense in John 18 37, “To this end was I born”. John 18:37. KJV. It indicates the purpose.
“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out FOR many for the forgiveness of sins”. Matthew 26:28
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ FOR the forgiveness of your sins.” Acts 2:38
Notice the word FOR has the same significance in both passages. Jesus uses the very same Greek phrase in Matthew 26:28, as we have there in Acts 2:38, ‘eis aphesin hamarition’.
The Lord is not saying that the celebration of the Lord’s Supper is for the forgiveness of sins. He says this cup represents the blood that was shed for the forgiveness of sins, Matthew 26:28. It was the shedding of the blood that was for the forgiveness of sins. “Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness”, Hebrews 9:22.
Professor A. C. Axtell, professor of Greek Language and Literature wrote the following.
‘The preposition eis in Acts 2:38 may be rendered by several prepositions or prepositional phrases as for instance unto, for, in order to, with a view to. The noun which governs denotes the object or end toward which the action expressed in the predicate verbs was to be directed. Or to state it from the other point of view the result which he would obtain who should repent and be baptised’.
The Baptist Professor Albert Harkness, professor of Greek at Brown University, the author of numerous textbooks on Latin and Greek, says the following.
‘In my opinion eis in Acts 2:38 denotes purpose and may be rendered in order to or with a purpose of receiving or, as in the English versions, for, ‘eis aphesin hamartion’ suggests the motive or object contemplated in the action of the two preceding verbs’.
Professor F. F. Bruce says the following.
‘In Acts 2:38 the preposition eis may mean for or with a view to. I remember seeing the suggestion that it might have retrospective force’, that’s referring to something already taken place, but he says, ‘this is such an extraordinary interpretation of this preposition that one can only think that the man in question came to the text with his interpretation readymade instead of deriving it from the context’.
F. Morgan Wynne, of the Baptist College in Oxford says the following.
‘It must mean be baptised in order to receive the forgiveness of sins that the purpose of the baptism is to receive the forgiveness of sins’.
“And so, John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance FOR the forgiveness of sins.” Mark 1:4
John’s baptism was a baptism for the forgiveness of sins. Thayer says, ‘That the phrase ‘eis metonoia’, for repentance or unto repentance, is to mark the end, to bind one to repentance’.
John’s baptism was into the kind of life to which the people were obligated by their repentance. That’s why he commanded them to ‘produce fruit in keeping with repentance’ Matthew 3:8. Once again the ‘eis’ points forward and not backwards.
Thayer on page 94 in his lexicon says the following.
‘That the phrase ‘eis metonoia’, for repentance or unto repentance, is to mark the end, to bind one to repentance’.
C. B. Williams the Baptist professor at Union University translating that verse says, ‘I am baptising you in water to picture your repentance’. And in his footnote he says, ‘that is to picture your turning away from sin to a new life’.
James W. Wilmarth says the folllowing.
‘The baptism as commanded and administered by John was not an emblem of remission previously granted but with repentance a condition of remission promised. This is clear not only from the use of eis but from John’s own words to certain hypocrites, ‘who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come’.
“The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented AT the preaching of Jonah.” Matthew 12:41
In this passage, the word, ‘eis’ is translated ‘at.’ But it doesn’t mean ‘because’ it means ‘at the point of’ or ‘when.’ The people of Nineveh repented ‘when’ Jonah preached to them. Jonah preached and the people believed, and their faith was followed by repentance, Jonah 3:4-5.
The faith came first and then the repentance. What was the evidence of the repentance? Jonah 3:10 says, “God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened”.
When the people believed Jonah’s preaching, they repented and turned to the kind of life required by their repentance. The word ‘turned’ in Jonah 3:10, is synonymous with repentance in Matthew 12:41.
Question
Which way did they turn?
Did they turn backwards?
Was it retrospective or did they turn forward?
Question
The question is, did Christ die because sins have ALREADY been forgiven or was His blood shed for the PURPOSE of receiving the remission of sins? Matthew 26:28.
Were the 3,000 baptised because sins were ALREADY forgiven or were they baptised for the PURPOSE of receiving the forgiveness of sins? Acts 2:38.
If the 3,000 were already saved, why would they cry out, what must we do? Acts 2:37.
If they were already saved, then what saved them? And if they were not saved, how were they saved?
Baptism
Baptism is necessary for salvation because Jesus Himself declares that it brings us into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Matthew 28:19.
Baptism is necessary for salvation because He, Himself has put baptism between the believer and His salvation. Baptism is necessary for salvation because in Acts 2:38, the Holy Spirit, speaking through Peter, puts forgiveness of sins AFTER repentance and baptism.
The point is that salvation must involve the forgiveness of sins. And it’s pretty clear from Acts 2:38 that the forgiveness of sins follows repentance and is preceded by faith.
I’m not suggesting that people put their faith in baptism, I believe that salvation comes through the precious blood of Christ, through the blood that was shed at Calvary for our sins.
However, I do believe that it’s when the believer, repentant, sorrowing for their sins, yields themselves in obedience to the plain command of the Lord in baptism, Matthew 28:19 / Mark 16:16, that the blood of Christ is applied by faith to their soul and they arise from the waters of baptism to walk in newness of life, Romans 6:3-4.
Furthermore, it’s important to note that baptism is the way people come ‘into Christ’. Paul says in Galatians 3:26-27, “For we are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus”. This locates sonship with God. It tells us when we’re a son of God. When we’re in Christ Jesus, then we’re a son of God by faith. “As many as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ”.
Paul says we put on Christ when we are baptised into him and it’s then, in Christ, that we become a child of God by faith, Galatians 3:26-27.
Question
Is a person a Christian who is not ‘in Christ’?
Is a person a Christian who has not ‘put on’ Christ’?
And how does Paul say that you put on Christ?
Conclusion
I don’t know of a single reliable version of the Scriptures which says in Acts 2:38, ‘Be baptised because your sins have already been forgiven.’ This itself should tell us all we need to know concerning the word ‘eis’.
ESV says, “for the forgiveness of your sins.”
The NIV says, “for the forgiveness of your sins.”
The KJV says, “for the remission of sins”.
The NASB says, “for the forgiveness of your sins.”
The MSG says, “be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven.”
The NLT says, “for the forgiveness of your sins.”
The ERV says, “be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Then God will forgive your sins”.
The CEV says, “so that your sins will be forgiven.”
It appears that many sincere people, sincerely read the verses mentioned above but they come to these texts with their minds already made up.
Honestly ask yourself this question, if you were reading Acts 2:38 for the first time, would you conclude that a person is baptised BECAUSE their sins have already been forgiven, or would you conclude that a person is to be baptised with the PURPOSE of receiving the forgiveness of sins?
