Jonah and the Whale and Baptism

The people of Nineveh repented AT the preaching of Jonah. Doesn't this prove that Acts 2:38 means that we are BAPTIZED because we are ALREADY SAVED? No!

Dear Mr. Sublett I have been trying to find answers to some questions on water baptism, it seems the more I try to understand your position, the more questions arise. I have been having a couple corespondance with different preachers on this issue. But generaly get the same, well it say's over here, I have read about every argument on both sides of weather or not when in Acts 2:38 Peter says For the remission of sins, does this statment apply to both repentance and baptism. If (and) is in the convolative, or culpalative sense. If eis can be used in the sense of upon recieving the remission of sin's. Such as Mt:12:41 They repented at the preaching of Jonas. This would have them repenting after the preaching of Jonas, or in a sense of (because of it)

Matthew 12:41 reads:

The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. Matthew 12:41

This verse is used to prove that "eis" or "at" really means because of. When the people of Nineveh repented "because of" the preaching of Jonah, we may use this "proof" that Acts 2:38 may mean that Peter said: "Repent and be baptized because you are already saved."

However, our conclusion is that the context proves that they were saved because they believed, repented, confessed their sins and changed their outward direction before God forgave them.

Saved by Repentance Only

It helps me to read the entire context of the Jonah type preaching:

Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. Jonah 3:2

And Jonah began to enter into the city a days journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. Jonah 3:4

So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. Jonah 3:5

At some level they believed "at" the preaching of Jonah. However, they were not saved just because they believed that they were lost. Next, in the process--

For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. Jonah 3:6

And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: Jonah 3:7

But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Jonah 3:8

When the people of Nineveh repented this does not mean that they were saved or rescued from the punishment they had earned from the hands of God. Rather, they simply ceased doing the violence when they heard and believed God. Nor were they forgiven when they "called upon the Lord" or cried unto Him.

Repent is:

Shuwb (h7725) shoob; a prim. root; to turn back (hence, away) .... recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, send back, set again

Now, they have heard the message, believed it, confessed it and repented. They have even "called upo the Lord." Their repentance was not just a change of mind as in "faith only."

Rather, repentance was complete when they turned from their path and "entered into" Jonah's preaching. That is, their lives were conformed to whatever Jonah preached. They identified with the message.

True faith is keeping God's commandments: doing whatever He has commanded us to do. In this case, they "put off the old" garments of their carnal life and "put on" the garments of sackcloth and ashes.

By putting off self they would still be naked. They put on the garments which were identified with repentance. What if they said, "I believe and I repent. Now, you must forgive me?" "Nope. I will not put on the garment" which, in baptism, was identified by Jesus Christ as Christ Himself at the time and place of baptism.

Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. Acts 19:4

Saved by Works Only

Future tense or after their proof of repentance, the king asked and God saw and acted. It is not enough for us to turn toward God: God must turn toward us. We don't ask God to "just believe" that we have repented. Rather, Peter said that baptism is not taking a bath but the time and place where we appeal to God for a clear conscience. If we believe but don't ask we shall not receive. The king understood that they were not saved by repentance only:

Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? Jonah 3:9

And God saw their works (their actions), that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. Jonah 3:10

If we look where Jesus pointed, we could easily conclude that these Gentiles were saved by works! However, we know that the "works" just means their actions. It does not mean that they could do anything to earn God's forgiveness. We don't ask the boss for our pay check: we demand it because we have earned it.

Belief-in-Action is Saving Faith

Therefore, my conclusion is that when the people repented at the preaching of Jonah their repentance means that they turned away from themselves and "turned into" his sermon by "bringing forth fruits meet for repentance" in John's words.

Next, we need to remind ourselves that the "faith only" which is imposed upon Acts 2:38 is not the "means" of salvation as the result of hearing the preaching. Rather, in Calvanism, faith is the supernatural sign looked for as proof that one is signed as a predestinated person who can do nothing to be saved or nothing to be lost. The Jews who rejected the baptism of both John and Jesus were early sign seekers and this example helps show that salvation is based upon our own ability to hear, believe, repent and conform our actions to the requirements of the sermon:

Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign (miracle) from thee. Matthew 12:38

But he answered and said unto them,

An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign;

and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: Matthew 12:39
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whales belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:40

The Jonah-fish event was a model of the death, burial and resurrection as the God event while water baptism is the man event. Jonah going into the belly and coming out was doing the physically impossible. However, the actual event did not bring the salvation to mankind. That "preaching" a certain form of preaching was something God forced Jonah to do as a model to us.

Look further at Matthew to see that to repent at Jonah's preaching does not mean that they repented just because of his preaching. Again, God did not just say preaching but a form of preaching to which they must turn and enter into in order to be saved:

Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto
it the preaching that I bid thee. Jonah 3:2

Remember, that when they heard the sermon they heard as from God. Look again to see that Matthew used both the word "because" and "at" in the same verse:

The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. Matthew 12:41

To repent and turn into the preaching of Jonah told them what they had to do "future tense" in order to remove the penalty of death. For instance, this word "at" is not "because of" as shown in Proverbs:

How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners (speaking in tongues) delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Pr 1:22

Luwc (h3887) loots; a prim root; prop. to make mouths at, i. e. to scoff; hence (from the effort to pronounce a foreign language) to interpret, or (gen.) intercede: - ambassador, have in derision, interpreter, make a mock, mocker, scorn (-er, -ful), teacher.

Lacown (h3944) law-tsone'; from 3887; derision: - scornful (- ning).

Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. Is.28:14

Turn you at my reproof: behold,

I will pour out my spirit unto you,
I will make known my words unto you. Pr.1:23

Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: Prov 1:25 Prov 1:24
I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock (speak in tongues to you) when your fear cometh; Prov 1:26
And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. Luke 7:29

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. Luke 7:30

If this people go up to do (into) sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. 1K.12:27

The Holy Spirit used the word because and it can mean one of two things depending upon whether one is looking forward or backward:

People condemned because of repentance
Repent for the purpose of condemning people

The Greek for "because" is:

Hoti (g3754) hot'-ee; neut. of 3748 as conj.; demonst. that (sometimes redundant); caus. because: - as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.

However, the Holy Spirit used the word eis (into) to indicate entering into something such as the form of Jonah's preaching. Their act of entering was in order to fully enter.

Eis (g1519) ice; a prim. prep.; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, motion....

in the road or way

Some aurgue (eis) always looks foward, and never backward. But this put's such passages as Mat:3:11 It says I indeed baptize you with water unto (eis) repentance. Which according to their understanding of the greek word (eis) would place baptism in the sense of (in order to receive repentance.) Is it your belief that baptism looks forward to repentance?

The word EIS is not used in Matthew 3:11

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Matt 3:7
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: Matt 3:8

Acios (g514) ax'-ee-os; prob. from 71; deserving, comparable or suitable (as if drawing praise): - due reward, meet, [un-] worthy.

People must evidence that they have repented BEFORE they can be baptized and receive A holy spirit or A clear conscience from God:

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 Ghost. Acts 2:38

Eis is used before and following Matthew 3:11 to prove that Baptism is AFTER repentance. They do not repent BECAUSE they were baptised.

And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Mt.3:10
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Matt 3:11

Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Mt.3:12

No, baptism for the forgiveness of sins can only be valid when one hears and believes the message, turns from self-dependance (as in the Jonah example) and turns into depending totally upon the shed blood of Jesus Christ. One enters into salvation because of the shed blood of Christ. Therefore, entering into is in order to accept the merit of Christ.

His shed blood drained away His total life which given for us; our identifying with and trusting that action brings life back into our dead bodies. Of those who rejected Jesus but wanted whatever John promised, John said that repentance must be proven by turning away from their old actions. John demanded:

And were baptized of him in Jordan,

confessing their sins. Mt.3:6

One may repent of sins but this passage seems to say, in a parallel form, that baptism was their way of confessing their sins.
Remember that in the Jonah story, they turned away from something (repentance) and turned into (at) something.

Bring forth therefore fruits (ripe ones) meet (comparable) for repentance: Matthew 3:8

Before being baptized, prove that you have turned from sin by doing worthy deeds. Matthew 3:8LIV

Our baptism is for, in the because of sense, as fruit or something comparable to show that we have repented and turned into Christ. Our baptism is because of Christ's death and it is in order to our being "being planted alongside" in connection with His fully completed work. Notice that eis is translated of "into" and therefore John's baptism was because they had repented but not in order to salvation in the Christian sense. It confessed their sins but it did not confess the Deity of Jesus Christ.

And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into (eis) the fire. Matthew 3:10

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Matthew 3:11

"With water I baptize those who repent of their sins; but someone else is coming, far greater than I am, so great that I am not worthy to carry his shoes! He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Matthew 3:11LIV

Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into (eis) the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Matthew 3:12

Only those who came unto total repentance by obeying John's command would come into God's grace so that they would not be destroyed. In Acts 2:38 those who had turned unto Christ and were baptized into His purchased price could receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and be added to the body of Christ which is the temple of God.

Using similar language, Jonah turned and came unto God came into His holy temple:

When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in

unto thee,
into thine holy temple. Jonah 2:7

Eis can look forward or backward but it doesn't remove the clear command for baptism. For instance, we might say:

Work for (in order to, into) your pay.
I will pay you for (because of) your work.

Fortunately, we have Christ's command stated in different ways so that we don't depend upon Acts 2:38. For instance, Mark 16:16 makes belief and baptism coordinate: it takes belief (and repentance) as a turning away and baptism as turning into the body of Christ:

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:16

Other examples use a form a parallelism. For instance, one is added to the body of Christ at baptism and those who believed were baptized believers:

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day

there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Acts 2:41

And all that believed were together, and had all things common; Acts 2:44

And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house;

and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. Acts18:8

And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized,

and wash away thy sins,

calling on the name of the Lord. Acts 22:16

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ

have put on Christ. Galatians 3:27

The elements of the gospel message were based upon where people were in the process. In Acts 2:38 the people had heard Peter's sermon, obviously believed and confessed their error and asked what they must do. All they needed to do was repent (change their actions) and be baptized to have Christ remit their sins.

The remission of sins is by or through the shed blod of Jesus Christ. However, we are not asked to have our sins forgiven by the shedding of our own blood as the only way sins were ever forgiven. However, as the Old Testament demanded the shedding of blood and placing a burden upon the sinner, the New Covenant allows us to claim Christ's blood at the time and place of baptism. These are not "rules" of how one works their salvation. Rather, they are the natural steps of hearing a message from god and taking the steps to obey the message.

The equivalent of eis in Hebrew is:

El (h413) ale; (but used only in the shortened constr. form 417 el); a prim. particle, prop. denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i. e. near, with or among; often in general, to: - about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because (- fore, -side), both... and, by, concerning, for, from, * hath, into, near, (out) of, over, through, to (-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with (-in).

Some examples to show that it means unto or into are:

And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life. Genesis 7:15
But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark; for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark Genesis 8:9
At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened, when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt: and the pomp of her strength shall cease in her: as for her, a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity. Ezekiel 30:18


When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in

unto thee,
into thine holy temple. Jonah 2:7

There simply seems to be no way to squeeze the word eis to mean "because of" or "to picture" something in the past. It simply means to go toward or into something. The people of Nineveh went into Jonah's preaching. They condemned the unbelievers in the time of Jesus because they repented.

Oh, the rich message repeating the story of Jesus Who was "In nature God but laid aside His garments of kingly majesty and glory, took on the garments or body of a slave and died and returned to take up His Majesty again. Why are so many reluctant to put off the old man of sin and put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, our body is now dead and the only blood of the new man is in Christ Jesus. Being CLOTHED proves that baptism puts one EIS or INTO Christ:

For as many of you as have been baptized into (eis) Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3:27
for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Galatians 3:27NIV

They did not go down "because" of the water or "to picture" the water.

And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. Acts 8:38

They believed on Jesus Christ and did not believe because of or in order to picture Christ.

Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. Acts 19:4

John was a MAN and he was authorized to baptize people for the remission of sins. However, as our "body" is washed with pure water, only Christ Jesus can "wash our spirits" with His own blood.
They were not baptized because of or just to picture Christ's death but they turned and entered into His organic body in and through baptism:

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into (eis) Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Romans 6:3

Belief or repentance does not picture Christ's resurrection. However, baptism is like or vizualizes His going into the tomb dead and coming out alive.

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into (eis) death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4

----raised from the dead and put on new clothing fit for a resurrection.

The shedding of the blood of Jesus, His burial and resurrection were bodily and literal. However, they had spiritual effects.
In the same way, baptism is the physical symbol representing the entombment and resurrection of Christ. However, the spiritual effect is that we have clothed, have put on Christ, have confessed our belief, have identified or been hidden into His death, have had our sins remitted, have been saved and have been risen up from the place of the old dead body to have our true citizenship placed in heaven.

Jesus was the sign or visible manifestation of the Infinite Spirit God. He was God manifested in human likeness. And this proves that the visible representation of His life, death, burial and resurrection are likenesses of the True work of the Incarnate God, but they have real Spiritual power. Therefore, baptism may be a symbol but it is an indispensable symbol -- Just as a signed check is a symbol of real money. We would never argue with the Banker that the signed check is just optional or a sign that we already have the money.
While eis is not used in Matthew 3:11, it is clear that the baptism of fire was in order to destroy and not because it was already destroyed. Eis is used in verse 12 and it is clear that the wheat is gathered into the garner and not because of the garner:

Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Matthew 3:12

Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. Matthew 3:13

But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? Matthew 3:14

Jesus must undergo the baptism of repentance to mark the beginning of His priestly role. As Jesus' baptism looked forward to His literal "baptism" of death, burial and resurrection, the people's baptism was to prepare them for the "main" event after Jesus began his dual office as king and priest. Jesus was being "baptized into" that office because it signalled the end of the period where "God winked" at sin and demanded that people turn or repent before they were suitable to receive Christ as their king (ruler) and priest:

And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh (is suitable or proper) us to fulfil all righteousness (make justified or righteous). Then he suffered him. Matthew 3:15

To fulfill is from the Greek:

Pleroo (g4137) play-ro'-o; from 4134; to make replete i.e. (lit.) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), or (fig.) to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc.: - accomplish, * after, (be) complete, end, expire, fill (up), fulfill, (be, make) full (come), fully preach, perfect,

Mt 3:13-17 Matthew Henry
Christ's gracious condescensions are so surprising, that even the strongest believers at first can hardly believe them; so deep and mysterious, that even those who know his mind well, are apt to start objections against the will of Christ. And those who have much of the Spirit of God while here, see that they need to apply to Christ for more. Christ does not deny that John had need to be baptized of him, yet declares he will now be baptized of John.

Christ is now in a state of humiliation. Our Lord Jesus looked upon it as well becoming him to fulfil all righteousness, to own every Divine institution, and to show his readiness to comply with all God's righteous precepts. In and through Christ, the heavens are opened to the children of men. This descent of the Spirit upon Christ, showed that he was endued with his sacred influences without measure.

In the Jonah event, which people use to prove that Acts 2:38 does not demand baptism to bring one into connection with the righteousness of Christ, God forgave their sins because of their works. Now, these were not "works of self-righteousness" nor were they "works of the Law of Moses." However, they were the actions which God demanded for us to take to be a true believer which means "baptized believer."

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Titus 3:5

This was the process which Jesus went through as a human being to do what the Spirit demanded that He do to become the Priest for us. We are all a "kingdom of priests" and we are inducted into our new role when our bodies are washed with pure water and our heart sprinkled from sin.

And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; Genesis 26:4

Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. Genesis 26:5

It was the Law of Moses which has no saving value because it never had value. Paul shows that it was the Covenant made with Abraham which is the model of the New Covenant made with Christ:

And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise (through Abraham) of none effect. Galatians 3:17

For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Galatians 3:18

Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Galatians 3:19

Now, we are back under God's Covenant and not under the Law of Moses. As a result, we are asked to obey. Those who are the true children of Abraham will obey and not try devious means to get out of it:

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3:27

Notice the parallelism: those who are children by faith are those who have been baptized into christ. Baptism is denied to people because of the unnatural and unreasonable fear that to be baptized means that we are doing a work of the Law of Moses or of self-righteousness. Why do we pick on baptism and not on allowing ourselves to hear the word, believe the word, change our lives and "accept Christ?" To "receive" Christ is to put on Christ and the only way this is ever said to occur is to be baptized to skip over the Law of Moses and identify with the faith of Abraham which always obeyed whatever God asked him to do..

Keneth Sublett