There are many Mid Acts dispensationalists who teach that submitting to the rite of water baptism was required for salvation in the previous dispensation. Cornelius Stam, the founder of "The Berean Bible Society", stated that "In the 'great commission' to the twelve, water baptism was required for salvation and miraculous signs were the evidences of salvation (Mark 16:15-18, Acts 2:38)" (Stam, Things That Differ, [Berean Literature Foundation, 1985], p.78).

Pastor Stam also wrote that "while works never did or could save as such, they did once save as expressions of faith" (Ibid., p.15).

Today on the website of the Berean Bible Society we can see there has been a sharp departure from Stam's original teaching. Now we see that the simple rite has been changed into "baptismal regeneration." Speaking of the events surrounding Cornelius and those in his household Pastor Ricky Kurth writes:

"Obviously, God knew that as true believers they would be baptized, and so gave them the remission of sins before they were baptized. We know from the earlier case of the thief on the cross that this is how 'baptismal regeneration' always worked when it was a part of God's program" [emphasis added] (Kurth, Secure or Not Secure?, "Berean Searchlight", March 2004).

This study will address all of the verses which are mistakenly used to prove baptismal regeneration or eternal salvation as a result of submitting to the rite of water baptism.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit " (Acts 2:38).

The "baptism of repentance for the remissions of sins" is a "type". The "types" are "illustrations" of spiritual realities.The Lord uses things from the "earthly" sphere in order to teach spiritual truths. Andrew Jukes says: "The Types are, in fact, a set of pictures or emblems, directed from the hand of God, by which He would teach His children things otherwise all but incomprehensible" (Jukes, The Law of the Offerings, Kregel Publications, 1966, p.13).

Here is the "type": "Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins " (Mt.3:5-6).

Here is the "antitype": "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (1 Jn.1:9).

We can understand the the "baptism of repentance" was for a people already redeemed by the blood and already under the blood of the covenant. First we will look at the "types" in regard to the "redemption" of the children of Israel.

We will first go to the Scriptures that show the children of Israel in bondage in Egypt, as slaves and forced to work from morning until night. They had fallen under Egypt's doom as a death sentence went out against all the inhabitants of that land. The Lord said: "About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt. And all of the first born in the land of Egypt shall die " (Ex.11:4,5).

However, a "way of salvation" from this death sentence was proclaimed. A lamb was to be killed in every household (Ex.12:5,6), and then the blood of that lamb was to be sprinkled upon the door posts of the houses. Then Moses told the children of Israel the Gospel message that he had received from God: "When He seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not permit the destroyer to come into your house to smite you " (Ex.12:23).

So the children of Israel were spared the death sentence when they killed the lamb and placed the blood of that lamb upon the door posts of their houses.

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