Verse 6
But rise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
The question Paul asked of Jesus, saying, "What wilt thou have me to do?" is not given here; but the answer to that question is given, and thus there is no doubt that Paul asked it. Taken together, the question and answer here are among the most significant in the New Testament.
Perhaps everyone, at one time or another, has entertained the thought of how wonderful it would be to see the Lord face to face and ask him what to do to be saved. Paul had that privilege here; and what Jesus commanded him to do illuminates all men. The Lord did not ignore the commission he had given his church, nor bypass the preaching of his faithful evangelists on earth, nor pause to give even so important a person as Saul of Tarsus any personal word from heaven on what to do to be saved. Jesus Christ, speaking from the right hand of the Majesty on high, referred the inquiring sinner to the gospel as it would be delivered to him by the faithful preacher Ananias. And when Saul received it, it was the same message Peter had given on Pentecost requiring men to believe, repent and be baptized into Christ.
What thou must do ... indicates that whatever message Saul would receive would be neither unessential nor optional, but mandatory. In the sequel to this (Acts 22:16) is recorded the ONLY COMMANDMENT recorded in the New Testament as being to Saul. It reads:
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash way thy sins, calling on his name (Acts 22:16).
In the light of these facts, what an incredible folly is the theological nonsense that would make baptism into Christ either optional or unessential for them who would be saved!
Must ... This is a big word in the New Testament; and, for an examination of its application in a number of areas, see my Commentary on Matthew, under Matthew 18:7. In the passage before us it reveals baptism as one of the "musts" regarding salvation, The familiar heresies setting aside this divine "must" should be rejected.
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