***Peter preached the Holy Spirit brought conviction then Peter said repent be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit.
Without conviction and repentance their can not be the baptism of water and Spirit.
How many do you know followed that prescribed order? ***
We do know by reading that Cornelius the Gentile was given the Holy Spirit BEFORE he was baptized. Peter even asked his fellows if they could forbid Cornelius to be baptized, and later had to defend his actions before the elders at Jerusalem.
Look at what point in Peter’s address that the Holy Spirit fell.
Act 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
Act 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
Act 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 10:46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
Act 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
This one act throws all the baptismal demands for salvation into a cocked hat.
To receive the Holy Spirit is not the same as be cleansed from sin. Note however that baptism closely follows conversion in all these cases, and 1 Peter 3:21 is explicit about baptism having salvific nature.
The Protestants are confusing conversion — such as what happened to Cornelius — with being saved. The Holy Scripture and the Church never made this mistake. Baptism saves because it remits original sin and sins already committed. It does not guarantee against future sins and therefore does not guarantee that the baptized person is justified upon death.
I never said that baptism will save a person. I was trying in around about way to say that baptizing babies does not make one saved. Although I do believe that there is a special grace for children until the age of accountability. My point was that there must be repentance and babies don’t even know what that is. In my opinion baptism is a outward sign of a inward work of the H.S. Works do not save neither does baptism.