I never followed the teachings of Luther so I have no idea what he taught.
The baptism that Peter was talking about in Acts 2:38 was a Spiritual rebirth through the word of God. Some people think it is being dunked or sprinkled with water the way John the Baptist did and there is nothing wrong with that for it is an outward appearance to man that you have repented and received Jesus and the Holy Spirit into your life, Matthew 3:11, but Jesus himself never baptized with water, John 4:2, for the baptism of Jesus was for receiving the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) that helps us to know the will of the Father, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12.
There is nothing wrong with immersion in water as this is an outward appearance to others that you have received Gods Salvation and the Holy Spirit. When the Disciples where in the upper room they all received the Holy Spirit, not by immersion of water, but by Gods Spirit falling on them. What about those people who can not be immersed in water that are incapacitated. Peter did not say that it was through water that we receive the Holy Spirit in Acts 10:47, 48 he was saying that others should not forbid a Gentile who wants to be immersed in water, but repentance must come first. After repentance and the Spiritual rebirth, John 3:5-7, we are then baptized in the Holy Spirit and fire through that of Christ baptism according to Acts 2:38, 39, Matthew 3:11.
The baptism of Acts 2:38 is Christ's baptism of the great commission, Matt 28:19-20; Mk 16:15-16, Luke 24:47. Luke's account of the great commission says "
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." This was carried out by Peter in Acts 2, Peter was in
Jerusalem and preached
repent and be
baptized in the name of the Lord for remission of sins.
Christ's baptism of the great commission was;
-commanded (Acts 2:38)
-carried out by men in water (see Acts 8:38)
-saves (for remission of sins Acts 2:38) (Mark 16:16)
-was to be taught to the lost (Matt 28:19-10 teaching them all things I have commanded you)
-lasts till the end of time (Matt 28:19-20)
None of the above is true about any 'baptism with the Holy Spirit", no such baptism exists today.
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Peter in Acts 2 quotes prophecies from Joel and those prophecies were fulfilled in Acts 2.
Joel 2:32 "
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: " Peter quotes this prophecy in Acts 2:21. This prophecy was fulfilled in Acts 2:38:
call upon the name of the Lord>>>>>>>>>>>>>saved
repent and be baptized>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>remission of sin
'Calling upon the name of the Lord' means doing what the Lord says to do (Luke 6:46) in repenting and being baptized Luke 13:3; Mark 16:16.
Joel prophesied "
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh;" .Joel 2:28. Peter quotes this in Acts 2:17 "
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: ..". Peter connected the Holy Spirit falling upon the Apostles with this prophecy of Joel in Acts 2:16 "
But this (HS falls upon Apostles)
is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; " Therefore we have confirmation that the Holy Spirit falling upon the Apostles is tied directly to Joel's prophecy.
Points to note:
--"all flesh" does not mean every person universally nor refers to animals which have flesh. Back at that time they divided humanity into two groups, Jew and Gentile, hence Jew and Gentile make up "all flesh".
--In Acts 2 we have the HS falling upon the Apostles (Jews) and the only other instant of this happening is in Acts 10 with Cornelius (Gentile). Peter (Acts 11:15) ties the HS falling upon the Gentiles to the Apostles as "the beginning" in Pentecost Acts 2.
--therefore we now have "all flesh" (Jew and Gentile) having the Spirit poured out upon them fulfilling Joel's prophecy and bring it to an end, ceased. The 'one baptism' (Eph 4:4-5) is the water baptism of Christ's commission that lasts till the end of time.
--Acts 8:28 the Spirit sent Phillip to water baptize the eunuch. No "spirit baptism" here.
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In John 3 Jesus says to Nicodemus "
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again " John 3:7. The word "must' makes being born again an imperative, a necessity, no exceptions.
If the new birth here in John 3:5 is some kind of 'spirit baptism" and a person has not received this baptism from Christ then who is at fault? How can man be at fault for something out of his control? How can a man be rightly justly condemned for what is out of his control? Yet water baptism has been commanded to man and those men that fail to submit to water baptism, the accountability, responsibility fall upon them, not the Holy SPirit.
There is no verse in the NT commanding men to be 'spirit baptized' as there are commands to be water baptized. Not possible to obey a command to be 'spirit baptized' when such a verse does not exist.
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Jn 4:1-2 "
When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)" Jesus did baptize (verse1). He did not water baptize men Himself personally but water baptized men by having given His authority to water baptize to His disciples to go and baptize men.
