Saul, whose name was later changed to Paul, was a persecutor of the church. Upon one such crusade, as he was on his way to Damascus, Jesus appeared to him in a great light. The confrontation convinced Saul that Jesus was indeed the Christ. In deep remorse, Saul neither ate nor drank for three days. Jesus then told a disciple named Ananias to go to Saul. It was during that meeting Saul was told, “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
This is what the Scriptures say, but what does it mean? It means: (1) Saul had believed on Jesus; (2) but he still had sin; (3) and it took his obedience in baptism to cleanse him from his sins. So, it means what it says, and it says what it means.
However, many today have been told that Saul’s sins were washed away at faith and before baptism. But, if Saul was already saved and his sins were already forgiven before and without baptism, then: (1) Saul did not know it, because he did that which Ananias told him to do (Acts 9:18); (2) Ananias did not know it, because he told Saul to be baptized for the very purpose of having his sins removed (Acts 22:16); (3) Jesus did not know it, because He told Ananias what to say; (4) the Holy Spirit did not know it, because He inspired the writing of Acts 22:16. If Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the two people who were the very ones involved in this incident knew that one’s sins are not removed until one is baptized, then why would we possibly want to believe what some man today says to the contrary?! Since we are going to be judged by the words of Jesus (John 12:48), we must believe and follow what He says.
Saul was baptized for the purpose of having his sins removed. It is crucial for people today to realize that one must be baptized for that purpose! If a person was told to believe to be saved from sin and be baptized later for some other reason (such as: to join the church), then one was not baptized for the purpose of having his sins washed away. Thus, his sins were not washed away, nor are they yet.
While one is still living, it is not too late to heed the words of Jesus. “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins.”
Gary Henson