IS INTELLECTUAL DISHONESTY COMPATIBLE WITH CHRISTIANITY?  by steve finnell

Is it possible to teach God's truth about Jesus Christ and be intellectually dishonest?

Example: Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.(NASB)

Would it be intellectually honest to say that baptized for the forgiveness of sins actually means you are baptized because your sins have already been forgiven?

Would it be intellectually honest to say that to repent for the forgiveness of sins actually means you have repented because your sins have already been forgiven? [Repentance is the intellectual commitment to turn from sin and to repent of unbelief and to turn toward God]

When you take an aspirin "for" a headache you are not taking an aspirin because your headache has already been cured.

To say that "for" in Acts 2:38 does not mean "in order to" is being intellectually dishonest.

Matthew 26:28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins, (NASB) 

It would be intellectually dishonest to assert that Jesus shed His blood because the sins of men had already been forgiven. Jesus shed His blood "for" [in order to] the forgiveness of sins.