Part 3 of the Gospel of Jesus Christ of Nazareth
In Acts 2:37, the people were “cut to the heart” and asked, “What shall we do?” Conviction is good — but it’s not enough. Acts 7:54-58 shows that conviction without obedience can lead to rejection of God’s message.
The answer Peter gave was simple, direct, and urgent:
Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).
Repentance means turning away from sin and toward God — producing fruits worthy of repentance (Luke 3:8-14). It was the message of John the Baptist, of Jesus (Mark 1:14-15), and of the apostles. Without repentance, we will perish (Luke 13:3-5).
Baptism was not an afterthought. Jesus taught it (Mark 16:15-16). Peter would later write that baptism saves (1 Peter 3:20-21). The apostles didn’t soften the truth — and neither should we. Baptism is necessary to obtain forgiveness of sins.
These were commands, not suggestions. The people that day responded — about 3,000 souls were added to the church (Acts 2:41).
Next in the Series → [Promises to Enjoy: Forgiveness, Family, and Joy]
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Friend, your best attempts at obedience are but filthy rags. Baptism saves, precisely because it is God’s gift and promise and not your work. The only obedience that counts is Christ’s, given to you freely when you are baptised into Him. You are righteous because you are clothed in His righteousness. Not a stitch of this eternal garment is spun by your own efforts or “obedience.”
That sounds like the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. God reckoned to Abraham righteousness as a result of his faith. No one said we’re the one working in baptism. Colossians 2:11-13 shows us who is at work in baptism: God! Romans provides a great explanation of what Biblical faith entails which is trust in God and responding to what He instructs us to do to receive His grace.