More Eis Deceptions
These came from the page, "Answering an Evangelical", it deserves its own section. I answer the evangelical in red.
12. Campbellites claim that the word "unto" in Acts 2:38 (eis in the Greek) always means "in order to obtain" and is always "forward looking." In this way they make remission of sins follow the act of baptism in a cause and effect relationship. Baptism causes forgiveness of sins. The problem with this idea is that Greek scholars do not see this as the meaning of "eis." Liddell and Scott, Thayer, A.T. Robertson, Dana and Manty, Vine, etc... state that "eis" is often used in the sense of "in reference to something already previously existing or accomplished." In this sense, baptism is done AFTER and BECAUSE of remission of sins. Once our sins are forgiven, then you should be baptized. That the Greek scholars are correct is seen from the way "eis" is used in the N.T.:
1. No one ever said it always means :in order to obtain. Eis has several meanings. It does always look forward.
2. It just never means because of. The greek words oti and dia and ek and eiido mean because of.
301 times "because" is used in the KJV, 0 times from eis.
e. I Cor. 10:2: "baptized unto (eis) Moses." Moses existed before the "baptism" in the Red Sea. The people were not "baptized" in order to obtain Moses. Their "baptism" was in response to his leadership.
Whether Moses existed before was not the issue, the issue was whether the relationship with Moses existed before. Crossing the red sea entered them into a new relationship, thus eis is used because they are moving into a relationship not previously had.
a. Matt. 3:11 "baptism unto (eis) repentance." You get baptized because you have repented. You do not get baptized so you can obtain repentance. The order is, "repent and be baptized."
Actually you do get baptized to accomplish repentance, it is an act of repentance towards God's will. Repentance isn't fulfilled without obedience to this command. The greek word "and" allows one word to be a subset of another. The second word flows from the first. Baptism completes repentance.
For proof consider what Paul says about John's baptism,
Consider
Act 19:4
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance,
Clearly Matthew 3:11 is saying baptism is an act of repentance. Not an act because of repentance being past.
b. Matt 12:41: "they repented at (eis) the preaching of Jonah" Obviously, the preaching came first and then the people repented in response to that preaching.
"At" is used in terms of direction, not necessarily time. Example - the batter hit the ball at or toward the shortstop. Repenting at the preaching of Jonah is direction and the traditional usage of eis. It doesn't mean because. They repented in the direction Jonah's preaching led them.
c. Matt. 28:19: "Baptizing them in (eis) the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Ghost"
The Triune God exists before one is baptized.
He is confusing the greek as above since the Godhead existed previously but not the relationship, eis as a preposition is based upon those being baptized being baptized into the Godhead. Thus they were accomplishing the task on the people.
Were they already baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is still future so eis points forward.
d. Mk. 1:9: "baptized of John in (eis) Jordon." Jesus did not come into possession of the Jordon River as He was baptized. The Jordon existed long before baptism was invented.
He confuses the greek here also, the story is being told as if it is presently occuring, thus it modifies the present tense, not past tense. The word came or come is present tense.
Middle voice of a primary verb (used only in the present and imperfect tenses, the others being supplied by a kindred [middle voice] word,