Acts (Part 16) – Acts 2:38 (Part A)

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Acts (Part 16) – Acts 2:38 (Part A)

Acts 2:38 – Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

1. Then Peter said unto them, Repent,
   1. The first commandment of the gospel is to repent (Mat 3:1-2; Mat 4:17; Mar 1:15).
   2. Repent – 1. refl. To affect (oneself) with contrition or regret for something done, etc. (cf. 3.) 3. intr. To feel contrition, compunction, sorrow or regret for something one has done or left undone; to change one’s mind with regard to past action or conduct through dissatisfaction with it or its results.
      1. Jesus came to call sinners to repentance (Luk 5:32).
      2. What do sinners repent of? Sin, of course.
   3. To obey the gospel, we must repent of all sin, not just the sin of unbelief.
      1. This is the repentance that John the Baptist required of his converts (Luk 3:7-9).
      2. Repentance includes turning from sins such as selfishness and covetousness, and instead helping others (Luk 3:10-11).
      3. Repentance includes turning from sins such as theft and fraud (Luk 3:12-13).
      4. Repentance includes turning from sins such as violence, lying, deceit, and covetousness, and instead being content with what one has (Luk 3:14).
      5. Repentance includes turning from sins such as uncleanness, fornication, and lasciviousness (2Co 12:21).
      6. Repentance includes repenting of sin and wickedness (Act 8:22; 1Ki 8:46-47; Jer 8:6; Eze 18:30).
      7. Unbelief is just one of the many sins that we are commanded to repent of (Joh 16:9).
2. and be baptized every one of you
   1. After repentance and belief (Mar 1:15), baptism is the next commandment a child of God must keep (Act 8:12-13; Act 18:8; Act 19:4).
   2. Baptism is the answer of a good conscience toward God (1Pe 3:21).
3. in the name of Jesus Christ
   1. Baptism is to be done in the name of Jesus Christ.
      11. Name – 11. in one’s name, in the name of one: a. In phrases expressing invocation of, reliance upon, or devotion to, the persons of the Godhead. c. Denoting the use of another’s name to give authority or countenance to one’s acts; or implying that the action is done on account or on behalf of some other person or persons. Hence, by contrast to this, in one’s own name.
      12. Invocation – 1. The action or an act of invoking or calling upon (God, a deity, etc.) in prayer or attestation; supplication, or an act or form of supplication, for aid or protection.
      13. To baptize in the name of Jesus Christ is to baptize by His authority and on His behalf, not by one’s own authority (1Co 1:13-15).
      14. This is why baptisms which the apostles did were credited to Jesus Christ (Joh 4:1-2).
      15. Jesus taught that His ministers are to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Mat 28:19).
          • In the book of Acts, it is recorded that the apostles baptized in the name of Jesus (Act 8:12, 16; Act 19:5) and in the name of the Lord (Act 10:48).
          • This is not a contradiction.
          • Jesus Christ came in the Father’s name (Joh 5:43) and He did His works in the Father’s name (Joh 10:25).
          • The Holy Ghost was sent in Jesus Christ’s name (Joh 14:26).
          • Baptizing in the name of Jesus Christ is baptizing by the authority of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
          • To be on the safe side, a minister would be wise to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, because in so doing he is keeping Jesus’ commandment in Mat 28:19 and is therefore baptizing in the name of Jesus Christ.
4. for the remission of sins,
   1. Being baptized for the remission of sins cannot mean that baptism is the means to obtain eternal forgiveness of sins.
      1. First, baptism is a work, and eternal salvation is not by works (2Ti 1:9).
      2. Second, eternal forgiveness of sins happened when Jesus died on the cross (Heb 9:26-28; 2Co 5:18-19; Eph 1:7).
      3. Third, eternal forgiveness of sins happens prior to regeneration (Col 2:13), and regeneration happens prior to belief (Joh 5:24), and belief happens prior to baptism (Act 8:12, 36-38).
         • Therefore, eternal forgiveness of sins happens prior to baptism.
         • Forgiveness of sins → regeneration → belief → baptism
      4. Fourth, the people to whom these words were spoken were already regenerated and had been given new hearts capable of feeling the pricks of the gospel call to repent (Act 2:37).