Acts 2:37 37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 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. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.-----2:37 they were pricked [stung] in their heart—See Zechariah 12:10. The complete fulfillment is still to come (Romans 11). what shall we do?—Realizing their guilt, they genuinely wish to be changed. (Cf. Saul, 9:6.) That these people were convicted deeply speaks of genuine pain. It means to “strike, prick violently, sting sharply, stun.” The crowd was stunned! They asked the question that warms the heart of any messenger of the gospel: “What should we do?” Peter was ready with the answer. 2:38 Repent—lit., “change your thinking.” A change of mind must include understanding and acceptance of Christ’s death and resurrection in payment for sin. and be baptized—This is a visible sign of that inward change. receive the gift of the Holy Ghost [Spirit]—The Holy Spirit is the sign of the New Covenant. In answer to the people’s question, Peter presented a fourfold challenge: 1. Turn from your sins—In other words, “repent.” It is a basic and wholehearted change of mind that results in a change of purpose, direction, and values. The words, each of you, remind the listener (and modern reader) that this message is for all. Everyone needs to make a decision about Christ. His offer is the only effective solution for the sin problem that plagues every descendant of Adam. 2. Turn to God—In addition to turning from sin, people must turn to God. It does no good to turn from sin without turning then to the one who can solve the sin problem. 3. Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins—For believers, baptism is visible proof of repentance and commitment to follow Jesus, the Messiah. The idea of baptism for the forgiveness of sins does not mean that baptism results in forgiveness of sins but rather that forgiveness of sins as a result of accepting Jesus as Savior should result in a baptism—an outward display of an inner conviction. Repentance, not baptism, is what brings forgiveness. 4. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit—Only through the coming of the Holy Spirit into believers’ hearts can they truly experience forgiveness of sin. The “gift of the Holy Spirit” (not multiple or varied gifts but rather a singular gift) is the Spirit himself. The Holy Spirit is a gift from God. As Jesus had promised, he is the Comforter and the one who guides his people. God Save the World, Inc,.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 15:34:03 +0000
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