Acts 9:18

"And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized" "As it were scales" "Luke does not say that actual scales came off his eyes, but that it felt to Paul like something was peeled off his eyes" (Reese p. 361). "Medical writers use the word (scales) for pieces of skin that fall off" (Robertson p. 121). "He arose" The only mode of baptism that requires the personal being baptized to move to the water is immersion. Of course, that is the meaning of the Greek word rendered "baptized". In addition, this word "arose" infers that the baptism being commanded of Saul, is baptism in water, because one does not have to arise to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. "Was baptized" Because up to this point he still had all his sins (Acts 22:16), and baptism is for the remission of sin (Acts 2:38). The essential nature of baptism is also seen in the command to stop delaying (Acts 22:16), even though Saul had only understood that Jesus was the Son of God for three days. This is not something that. person is to put off, for it is the line between being lost or saved (1 Peter 3:21). In view of the fact that Paul submitted to baptism as necessary for salvation, (because that is the language that Ananias used Acts 22:16), we can never interpret any of Paul's later writings as implying baptism is not necessary or that one is saved prior to being baptized.