Is this baptism really connected to salvation and the Spirit? Jesus’ Great Commission shows it to be “in the name” of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. (“In the name” is more literally “into the name,” signifying a change of ownership, passing into the possession of the Godhead.) In Acts 2, when the Spirit convicts sinners, they cry out, “What shall we do?” The Spirit’s reply through Peter is,
Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Himself (Acts 2:38-39).
The command is universal: “every one of you.” The promise extends to “all who are far off”—even to us today. As to the purpose, why repent? “Repentance [is] for the forgiveness of sins” (Luke 24:47). Acts, the continuation of Luke, repeats the same purpose for both repentance and baptism: “for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38 cf. Mark 1:4.) In the context, the Spirit is telling sinners how to receive the salvation they so desperately need (Acts 2:37, 40).
“Be baptized, every one of you.”
Throughout Acts, the pattern continues, always using enough water for immersion (for that is what the Greek term baptizo means; see John 3:23; Mark 1:5-10). For example, in Acts 8 the Ethiopian learns the Gospel for the first time and responds by requesting baptism.
Beginning with this Scripture [Philip] told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing (Acts 8:35-39).
“Be baptized and wash away your sins.”
Paul’s conversion, as reported in Acts 9, 22 and 26, is especially significant. As Saul, he begins as a rebel. He is given the privilege of seeing Jesus. He calls Jesus “Lord,” and spends three days fasting and praying. Jesus then gives him a vision, and miraculously heals his eyes. At this point, many today would insist that Saul, as a repentant believer, is saved—free from all sin. Yet Jesus’ messenger Ananias then says, “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name” (Acts 22:16). Here is the same basic purpose as in Acts 2. Even Saul—the future Paul, the apostle of grace and faith—is no exception. This is the same Paul who states seven “ones” of Christian unity, including “one baptism.” This is the same Paul who shows that “all” who come to Christ do so through baptism (Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27-28; 1 Corinthians 12:13 cf. Mark 16:15-16; John 3:5; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 2:11-12; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 3:21). That is why baptism is unifying. It is the shared experience of every true Christian.