"And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord " (Acts 22:16).

There are several different interpreations of exactly what Ananias meant when he told Paul to be baptized and wash away his sins. Stanley D. Toussaint writes, "what then do the words 'wash away your sins' mean?...these words must refer to the symbolism of baptism. Baptism is a picture of God's inner work of washing away sin (cf. 1 Cor. 6:11; 1 Peter 3:21) " (Valvoord & Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary; New Testament, [ChariotVision Publishing, 1983], p.418).

This idea makes no sense whatsoever. If baptism is a picture of the Lord's inner work of washing away sin then why would the picture itself show the one being baptized as the one who is washing away sins?

Sir Robert Anderson provides the correct interpretation, saying that "The Apostle records the words which Ananias addressed to him (Paul) at his conversion: 'Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord'...His meaning again is clear: 'Arise and be baptized, and turn away from your evil courses, calling on His name'" (Anderson, The Bible or the Church? [London: Pickering & Inglis, Second Edition], pp.230-231).

This is in regard to changing one's way of living or to change one's mind about doing works which bring death ("repentance from dead works"-Hebrews 6:1). This is speaking about cleansing oneself from evil deeds. When the Jew submitted to the rite of water baptism he was pledging to change his life for the better. That is why John the Baptist said the following to the Pharisees and Sadducees:

"O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits befitting repentance " (Mt.3:7-8).

John the Baptist was telling them that since they were pledging to change their way of living then they should exhibit a real change in their lives. That is the meaning of the words "ye washed yourselves" and "cleanse ourselves" in the following verses:

"And such were some of you: but ye washed yourselves, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God " (1 Cor.6:11; RV, Marginal Note).

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God " (2 Cor.7:1).

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