"All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect,
thoroughly furnished unto all good works," (2 Tim.3:16-17).
"The
law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is
sure, making wise the simple," (Psa.19:7).
"Add
thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar,"
(Prov.30:6).
Common
sense can have a miraculous effect on one's understanding when they will use
it! Consider the attacks on the Greek
word eis by denominational preachers who insist the this term
"can" on occasion mean "because of." As it turns out, the most prominent passage,
and in fact the only passage of interest in which this little term is
used is in Acts 2:38, for it is Peter's usage of eis in this place which
mortally confutes the "faith-only" doctrine, i.e., the survival of
this false doctrine depends solely upon its proponent's ability to forge
Peter's statement into anything other that what it plainly says, and here is
where simple common sense rules! I feel
comfortable in saying that all who study the Bible understand and respect the
fact that it is inspired as seen in the passages above. Jesus sent the Comforter, aka., the Holy
Spirit, upon these men to bring all things to their remembrance, and even as
Paul said, "...the things that I write unto you are the commandments of
the Lord," (1 Cor.14:37).
Common sense then, forces me to ask some rather simple questions like:
since the Holy Spirit had at least 18 Greek words to choose from, which are
translated "because," and actually do mean "because,"
why then, if He intended for Peter to convey the idea that baptism was
"because of," the remission of sins, would He inspire Peter to use eis,
a word that does NOT mean "because of," nor has it ever meant
"because of"? Why would the
Holy Spirit use eis instead of any one of the 18 words listed below,
especially since it would take man some 18 centuries to figure out that eis
(which was never used as nor has ever meant "because of") actually
does mean "because of"? I
strongly suggest that the "faith-only" proponents are guilty of
accusing the Holy Ghost of a blunder for using this term (eis) which does
not mean "because of," while there are some 18 terms which do in fact
mean "because of"! I also
suggest that the sheer number of words which are translated "because,"
contrasted with the one single little term eis reinforces the fact that
it does NOT mean, "because of," and that Holy Spirit did not intend for Peter to say that baptism is because one is already saved!
(1) G3754
ὅτι
hoti
Total KJV
Occurrences: 204
because, 183
Mat_2:17-18 (2), Mat_5:36,
Mat_7:14, Mat_9:36,
Mat_11:20, Mat_11:25,
Mat_12:41, Mat_13:11,
Mat_13:13, Mat_14:5,
Mat_15:32, Mat_16:7-8
(2), Mat_20:7, Mat_20:15, Mat_23:29,
Mar_1:34, Mar_3:30,
Mar_4:29, Mar_6:34,
Mar_7:19, Mar_8:2,
Mar_8:16-17 (2), Mar_9:38, Mar_9:41,
Mar_11:18, Mar_16:14,
Luk_8:30, Luk_9:49,
Luk_9:53, Luk_10:20,
Luk_11:18, Luk_12:17,
Luk_13:2, Luk_13:14,
Luk_15:27, Luk_17:8-9
(2), Luk_19:3, Luk_19:17, Luk_19:21,
Luk_19:31, Joh_1:50,
Joh_3:18, Joh_3:23,
Joh_5:16, Joh_5:18,
Joh_5:27, Joh_5:30,
Joh_6:2, Joh_6:26
(2), Joh_6:41, Joh_7:1, Joh_7:7,
Joh_7:22-23 (2), Joh_7:30, Joh_7:39,
Joh_8:22, Joh_8:37,
Joh_8:43-45 (3), Joh_8:47, Joh_9:16,
Joh_9:22, Joh_10:13,
Joh_10:17, Joh_10:33,
Joh_10:36, Joh_11:9-10
(2), Joh_12:6, Joh_12:11, Joh_12:39,
Joh_14:12, Joh_14:17,
Joh_14:19, Joh_14:28,
Joh_15:19, Joh_15:21,
Joh_15:27, Joh_16:3-4
(2), Joh_16:6, Joh_16:9-11 (3), Joh_16:16-17
(2), Joh_16:21, Joh_16:27, Joh_16:32,
Joh_17:14, Joh_19:7,
Joh_20:13, Joh_20:29,
Joh_21:17, Act_2:6,
Act_2:27, Act_6:1,
Act_8:20, Act_10:45,
Act_17:18, Act_22:29,
Rom_3:2, Rom_5:5,
Rom_6:15, Rom_8:21,
Rom_8:27, Rom_9:7,
Rom_9:28, Rom_9:32,
Rom_14:23, 1Co_1:25,
1Co_2:14, 1Co_3:13,
1Co_6:7, 1Co_12:15-16
(2), 1Co_15:15, 2Co_7:13, 2Co_11:7,
2Co_11:11, Gal_2:11,
Gal_4:6, Eph_5:16,
Phi_2:30, Phi_4:17,
1Th_2:13, 2Th_1:3,
2Th_1:10, 2Th_2:13,
2Th_3:9, 1Ti_1:13,
1Ti_4:10, 1Ti_5:12,
1Ti_6:2 (2), Phm_1:7, Jam_1:9-10
(2), 1Pe_2:21, 1Jo_2:8 (2), 1Jo_2:11-14
(7), 1Jo_2:21 (2), 1Jo_3:1, 1Jo_3:9,
1Jo_3:12, 1Jo_3:14,
1Jo_3:16, 1Jo_3:22,
1Jo_4:1, 1Jo_4:4,
1Jo_4:9, 1Jo_4:13,
1Jo_4:17-19 (3), 1Jo_5:6, 1Jo_5:10,
Rev_2:4, Rev_2:14,
Rev_2:20, Rev_3:10,
Rev_3:16-17 (2), Rev_5:4, Rev_8:11,
Rev_11:10, Rev_11:17,
Rev_14:8, Rev_16:5
(2) G1223
διά
dia
Total KJV
Occurrences: 248
because, 56
Mat_13:58, Mat_17:20,
Mat_24:12, Mat_27:19,
Mar_3:9, Mar_4:5-6
(2), Mar_5:4, Mar_6:6, Luk_2:4,
Luk_5:19, Luk_11:6-8
(4), Luk_18:5, Luk_19:11, Luk_23:8,
Joh_2:24, Joh_3:29,
Joh_7:41-43 (3), Joh_11:42, Joh_12:30,
Joh_19:42 (2), Act_4:21, Act_8:11,
Act_12:20, Act_18:2,
Act_27:3-4 (3), Act_27:9, Act_28:2
(2), Rom_6:18-19 (2), Rom_8:10 (2), Rom_15:15,
1Co_11:10, Gal_2:4,
Eph_4:18, Phi_1:6-7
(2), Heb_3:19, Heb_4:6, Heb_7:23-24
(2), Jam_4:2 (2)
(3) G575
ἀπό
apo
Total KJV
Occurrences: 53
because, 1
Mat_18:7
(4) G1893
ἐπεί
epei
Total KJV
Occurrences: 22
because, 7
Mat_18:32, Mat_27:6,
Mar_15:42, Joh_13:29,
Joh_19:31, Heb_6:13,
Heb_11:11
(5) G4314
πρός
pros
Total KJV
Occurrences: 91
because, 2
Mat_19:8, 1Th_2:9
(6) G2443
ἵνα
hina
Total KJV
Occurrences: 51
because, 1
Mat_20:31
(7) G1894
ἐπειδή
epeidē
Total KJV
Occurrences: 7
because, 2
Mat_21:46, Act_14:12
(8) G1722
ἐν
en
Total KJV
Occurrences: 536
because, 3
Mat_26:31, Mat_26:33,
Mar_14:27
(9) G2530
καθότι
kathoti
Total KJV
Occurrences: 4
because, 2
Luk_1:7, Act_2:24
(10) G473
ἀντί
anti
Total KJV
Occurrences: 7
because, 4
Luk_1:20, Luk_19:44,
Act_12:23, 2Th_2:10
(11) G1360
διότι
dioti
Total KJV
Occurrences: 14
because, 13
Luk_2:7, Act_17:31,
Rom_1:19, Rom_1:21,
Rom_8:7, 1Co_15:9,
Phi_2:26, 1Th_2:8,
1Th_4:6, Heb_11:5,
Heb_11:23, Jam_4:3,
1Pe_1:16
(12) G3739
ὅς / ἥ / ὅ
hos
/ hē
/ ho
Total KJV
Occurrences: 1105
because, 4
Luk_4:18, Luk_19:44,
Act_12:23, 2Th_2:10
(13) G1752
ἕνεκα
/ ἕνεκεν
/ εἵνεκεν
heneka
/ heneken
/ heineken
Total KJV
Occurrences: 22
because, 1
Luk_4:18
(14) G1063
γάρ
gar
Total KJV
Occurrences: 24
because, 5
Joh_3:19, Joh_10:26,
Act_28:20, Rom_4:15,
3Jo_1:7
(15) G3704
ὅπως
hopōs
Total KJV Occurrences: 7
because, 1
Act_20:16
(16) G5484
χάριν
charin
Total KJV
Occurrences: 8
because, 2
Gal_3:19, Jud_1:16
(17) G1909
ἐπί
epi
Total KJV
Occurrences: 449
because, 1
Rev_1:6-7 (2)
(18) G1537
ἐκ / ἐξ
ek
/ ex
Total KJV
Occurrences: 76
because, 2
Rev_16:11, Rev_16:21