Acts 2:38, commentary and pictures

Peter answered convicted sinners with a command for every one of them to turn from sin and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, with the promise that they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Repentance means recognizing sin and turning sincerely to God in reliance on Christ's mercy and pardoning blood, yet it is itself wrought by the Holy Spirit, so no one need wait until he thinks he has repented before coming to Jesus. Baptism requires repentance and faith and marks entry into new life in Christ, as a public profession by which forgiven believers put on Christ and are admitted to church fellowship. The promised gift was not for Pentecost alone but reaches to the hearers and their children and those far away, to all whom the Lord calls, and belongs to believers now as much as to the first disciples. It is received by those who surrender to God, empty the heart of self and wait humbly upon Him, and it changes character and mind and empowers wholehearted service in carrying the truth to others.

Pentecost Setting and Hearers

The call belongs to the Pentecost account in Acts 2:1-47, concerning the outpouring of the Holy Spirit when the disciples received the Spirit and proclaimed the risen Saviour to people gathered in Jerusalem for a religious festival. At that time the disciples were together in one place in harmony, united with one desire for the salvation of souls, and the Spirit of God worked powerfully and mightily through them as they preached the Word. The apostles spoke in other languages as the Spirit gave them utterance so that listeners understood the message, and this enabling stands as a pattern of the blessing and power God may give later believers.

Peter gave firm, bold testimony that God had made Jesus, whom the hearers had rejected and crucified, both Lord and Christ, addressing people who had rejected Jesus and demanded that Barabbas, a murderer and thief, be released instead. The Holy Spirit carried the apostles' words to hearts with divine power, and the great subject was the Spirit unfolding Jesus and glorifying Him before eyes that before saw no beauty in Him to desire Him. The sermon was preached in demonstration of the Spirit and with power, lifting up Jesus whom God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins, for the glorious inner beauties of Christ's work and character are not discerned with natural eyes but only as the Spirit quickens.

Those pricked in heart asked what they should do after recognizing their guilt in rejecting and crucifying Jesus, and Peter's first answer was that they must repent. His preaching explained the mystery of Christ's cross and other truths about the Messiah and the plan of salvation through Christ's mercy and sacrifice, turning converts from the traditions and superstitions taught by the priests to accept the pure teachings of God's Word. Through that preaching the work went forward, with thousands convicted and converted in a day and three thousand added. The chapter and its call to repentance stand as a lesson to be read, received, shared, and humbly obeyed in conversion, and the experiences of the early church during and immediately after Pentecost are a pattern for God's people in later times.

Repentance and Forgiveness

After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, every convicted person is commanded to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission or forgiveness of sins, and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This was Peter's answer to those pricked in heart over rejecting and crucifying Jesus when they asked what they should do, and those who gladly received the message were baptized. The promise joined to the command extends to the hearers, to their children, and to those far away, to all whom the Lord God calls.

Repentance is bound up with receiving forgiveness, for sin must be recognized and sincerely turned from in reliance wholly on Christ's mercy and pardoning blood before pardon can be received and valued, and His suffering and death make that pardon possible. Repentance itself requires the Holy Spirit's work on the heart, so no one need wait until thinking repentance is complete before coming to Jesus, for the Saviour draws sinners to repentance and when they yield their hearts are softened in penitence. Conversion at Pentecost therefore meant turning from the traditions and superstitions taught by the priests and accepting the pure teachings of God's Word under conviction of the plan of salvation through the mercy and sacrifice of Jesus, by which thousands were convicted and converted.

Repentance for rejecting Jesus as the Messiah was the necessary response to His death and the means by which the nation could be saved from impending ruin, and Peter urged the hearers to save themselves from their corrupt, untoward generation. Even well-behaved children of Sabbathkeepers with no outbreaking sins must repent, believe, and be baptized to have sins blotted out and to become children of God and heirs of heaven, for feeling no deep conviction of sin leaves them in danger and comparing themselves with inconsistent professed Christians does not make them right. Repentance and baptism are first steps in the way to life, a call to humble oneself before God, repent, and be converted.

Genuine response to the message is soul-purifying: sinners repent and pray for forgiveness, those who acted dishonestly make restitution, and affections turn from worldly things toward deeper consecration.

Baptism and Church Entry

Baptism in the name of Jesus signifies repentance for sin and marks entry into a new life in Christ Jesus. It is joined to repentance as the outward sign of inward conversion and of the meaning of the ordinance itself. Repentance and faith are required before a person receives baptism, and repentance and belief are the grounds for proceeding to it. Infant baptism has no support in Scripture.

Those who repent and believe, turning from sin to become Christians, may receive baptism without a prolonged waiting period to prove their future faithfulness. Yet those seeking baptism should understand conversion and the meaning of the ordinance before receiving it, rather than rushing into baptism. Christ, though wholly righteous and spotless, was baptized to give the example of the steps the sinner must take in conversion. Baptism is putting on Christ, baptism into the faith of His death and resurrection.

By it the repentant sinner submits the heart to God, humbly confesses to be a sinner, shows faith in the atonement of Christ by words and actions, and identifies with His followers. The failure of some who profess Christ is no reason to refuse baptism. Those who receive forgiveness are to be baptized, for repentance and baptism in Jesus' name mark the response to the call to forgiveness. Baptism is the public profession by which believers are admitted to church fellowship, and their lives are to reveal a divine change.

Promise of the Holy Spirit

Those who turn in response receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, with forgiveness joined to repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. The promise reaches beyond those first hearers to their children and to those far away, to all whom the Lord God calls. It was given after the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost to convicted hearers who asked what to do, and who were urged to save themselves from their corrupt and untoward generation. It is not confined to Pentecost but provides for the Spirit's continuing work in the church, including special manifestations, as long as people are invited to accept Christ's pardoning love. It belongs to believers now as much as to the first disciples.

The gift is promised to all who believe and to all who accept God at His word, extending to every person who yields to the Spirit's drawing. It can be claimed individually by faith. It is received by those who surrender to divine guidance, wait humbly upon God, and seek His guidance and grace. When the heart is emptied of self and opened to God, the Spirit enters without obstruction. It is given according to each person's capacity to receive and the riches of Christ's grace, and when claimed it brings other blessings, salvation, and power to the ministry of the Word.

The Spirit is promised in connection with conversion and is given to accomplish God's work in each soul converted to the truth. He is given to every repentant soul, working to consume sin and to keep the repentant person from sinning. Receiving the gift makes a difference in character, mind, and intellect. It calls for wholehearted service and living testimony as the light of truth is brought to others, and as at Pentecost God gives converted people the Spirit's power and prepares them for work in His service.

Baptism is connected with receiving the Holy Spirit, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit is needed and may be received. That baptism empowers believers to carry the message of truth throughout the world. The same gift is echoed in Christ's words, Receive ye the Holy Ghost, for Christ gives the Spirit to those who need divine help. He thereby breathes life into them and enables them to overcome corrupting influence and temptation.

Living Out the Call

Those who gladly received the word were baptized that same day, about three thousand souls, and were added to the believers, while the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. The call that brought this harvest was given to hearers pricked in heart who asked what to do after hearing that God had made Jesus whom they crucified both Lord and Christ, commanding every one to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins with assurance of receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, a promise unto them and their children and all afar off whom the Lord shall call, joined to testimony and exhortation to save themselves from the untoward generation. Through that preaching the work went forward with thousands convicted and converted in a day, three thousand souls brought to repentance in one day after Christ's ascension.

Those added joined a worshiping community that continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers. They continued daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favor with the people. This welcome of Peter's message in baptism and devotion to teaching, fellowship, shared meals, and prayer shows what repentance and baptism in Jesus Christ's name for remission of sins and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit forms among those convicted by testimony about Jesus.

Believers revealed Christ's love in tender, thoughtful, self-denying holy words and actions in order to awaken that love in other hearts. They were to cherish willing obedience to the new commandment to love one another as Christ loved, united so closely to Christ as to fulfil His requirements while the power of a Saviour who justifies by His righteousness is magnified, rejoicing in communion with saints with one desire for the salvation of souls under the descent of the Holy Spirit in which a risen Saviour was proclaimed. The Spirit of Christ animated them, uniting them in love and a shared purpose as converts when conviction came through preaching salvation through Christ.

Their experience when truth was preached through the disciples' teaching at Pentecost is an example of what the Holy Spirit can bring about when truth is preached. The Spirit works among God's people, guiding speakers to give words that meet people's needs and lead them to trust God's promises, with the gift of the Holy Spirit promised to all who believe. The disciples carried this message calling people to repentance and remission of sins in Christ's name to people from many nations, and the Holy Spirit empowered their witness. Even those who had heard Jesus in the temple later came forward after His crucifixion and resurrection to carry out their commission, and their message produced mighty results.