Wash Away Your Sins

Wash Away Your Sins

Shelby G. Floyd

May 1, 2008

Saul of Tarsus was the foremost persecutor of the church of Christ shortly after it was established in Jerusalem. (Acts 7:57-60; 8:1.) This movement spread rapidly throughout Judea, Samaria and as far as Damascus, Syria. Saul determined to put a stop to Christ and the church once for all: “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.” (Acts 9:1-2 NIV.)

As he neared Damascus, perhaps the oldest city in the world, he was confronted with Christ who told him to go into the city and he would be told what he must do. (Acts 9:6.) Saul believed in Christ and was penitent, yet there was something he must do.

Christ sent Ananias the preacher and informed him that Saul was a chosen agent to bear Christ’s name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. (Acts 9:15.) He also would suffer greatly for the cause he once persecuted—Saul the Persecutor would become Paul the Persecuted!

When Ananias actually arrived at Straight Street in Damascus, he gave Saul back his eyesight and Saul “…arose, and was baptized.” (Acts 9:18.)

There are only three aspects of baptism: (1) The subject of baptism; (2) The action of baptism; and (3) The purpose of baptism. When Paul gave an account of his own baptism, he related that the preacher Ananias said, “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” (Acts 22:16 ESV). If Paul was saved before his baptism, then he was saved while still in his sins. But Jesus said baptism was to be saved from sin. (Mk. 16:15-16).

The following graphics illustrate that Paul was not saved before his baptism. Paul was a strict, zealous persecutor of the church and he thought he was doing the right thing. But he was lost without Christ—without faith, repentance, confession and baptism.