The Lord
said to me…”I will test my people with a Plumbline, Amos 7:8 (TLB)
The
Plumbline is a blog to encourage the Body of Christ.
Acts #7 Peter Calls For Repentance 2:37–40
Acts 2:37-40 (NKJV) 37
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the
rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" 38 Then
Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift
of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to
all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." 40 And with
many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from
this perverse generation."
The response to this Spirit-inspired
prophetic word was immediate. The people were “cut [pierced] to the heart.” No
longer were they saying “What does this mean?” The Holy Spirit’s message stung
their consciences. They recognized their guilt and spoke to Peter and to the
other apostles (who were evidently still standing with him), wanting to know
what they must do.
They did not feel completely cut off, however. Peter had
called them “brothers” (v. 29), and they responded by calling the apostles “brothers.”
Their sin in rejecting and crucifying Jesus was great, but their response shows
that they believed there was hope, there was something they could do. We can
see in this a fulfillment of John 12:32, where Jesus said, “ ‘But I, when
I am lifted up from the earth [on the cross], will draw all men to
myself.’ ”
Peter answered by calling on them to repent, that is, to
change their minds and fundamental attitudes by accepting the forgiveness and
the will of God revealed in Christ. As in Romans 12:1–2, this change means more
than being sorry for one’s sins. It requires a renewing of one’s mind with an
accompanying change in attitude toward sin and self. People who truly repent
abhor sin (Ps. 51). They humble themselves, recognize their dependence on Christ,
and realize they have no good thing in themselves enabling them to stand before
the Holy God.
The repentant ones can then declare their change of heart
and mind by being baptized “in the name” of Jesus Christ, that is, upon the
authority of Jesus, for “the name” here means the authority. Luke does not
explain further; but he often does not explain what is made clear elsewhere.
The authority of Jesus points to His own command given in Matthew 28:19. Thus,
the actual baptizing was done “into the Name” (Greek word, meaning “into the
worship and service”) of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
This baptism would also be “for the forgiveness of … sins.”
How marvelous! What earthly king, president, or ruler has ever forgiven a
traitor? But Christ did and does. This is pure grace and matchless love (see
Rom. 5:8, 10). “For the forgiveness of your sins,” however, is better
translated “because of the release from and forgiveness of your sins.” Our sin
and guilt is removed as far from us as “the east is from the west” (Ps.
103:12)—an infinite distance. They are not only forgiven, they are really gone,
out of existence, never to be brought up against us any more.
It is clear that John baptized no one to produce repentance.
When the Pharisees and Sadducees came to him he demanded that they produce
“ ‘fruit in keeping with repentance’ ” (Matt. 3:8), in other words,
demonstrating true repentance. That is, they must repent first, then he would
baptize them. We are saved by grace through faith, not through baptism (Eph.
2:8).
After repentance, water baptism becomes the “pledge,” or
testimony, of a good conscience that has already been cleansed by the blood and
by the Spirit’s application of the Word concerning Christ’s atoning death and
resurrection (Rom. 10:9–10; 1 Pet. 3:21).
The forgiveness of sins would be followed by a distinct
impartation of the gift of the Spirit. This too was indicated in Old Testament
prophecies (Ezek. 36:25–27; 37:14).
Next, Peter spoke of the promise of the Father (see 1:4). Believers
would also receive the Holy Spirit as a distinct gift after the forgiveness of
their sins. This gift, of course, is the baptism in the Holy Spirit. It must be
distinguished from the gifts of the Spirit that are given by the Spirit (1 Cor.
12 through 14). Jesus, the mighty Baptizer, gives the gift of the Spirit.
Peter goes on to emphasize that this promise of the baptism
in the Spirit was not limited to the 120. It would continue to be available,
not only to them but also to their children (including all their descendants),
and to all who are far away, “for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Thus,
the only condition for receiving the promise of the Father is repentance and
faith. It is therefore still available to all who respond to the Father’s call
to salvation today.
This promise is foundational for the entire message of the
Book of Acts. “Joel’s prophecy continues to be fulfilled or implemented as the
message of salvation is proclaimed and received in a variety of contexts.”
As Paul later said, “Our gospel came to you not simply with
words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction” (1
Thess. 1:5).
The essence of Peter’s pleading was that they should, “be
saved”) or “let yourself be saved”91 “from this corrupt perverse,
crooked, twisted, vicious generation.” Namely, they should turn away from the
perversity and corruptness of those around them who were rejecting the truth
about Jesus and living for self. (See Deut. 32:5; Ps. 78:8 and the words of
Jesus in Matt. 12:39; 16:4; 17:17; 23:33–36; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:41; 11:29;
17:25.) There is no other antidote to the perversity and corruptness of
contemporary society.[1]
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