Acts 2:37,38 - Repent and be baptised

2:37

“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart”. We see here an example of the word of God being sharper than any two edged sword (Heb 4:12). We should note that although there had been “signs and wonders” in the disciples speaking all sorts of languages, it is the clear exposition of the truth that cut to the hearts of the people. Yet it was the sign and wonders that drew the people’s attention. The signs and wonders and the exposition of God’s word need to go together, they work in harmony. We should also note the work of the Holy Spirit. It is He who speaks to men’s hearts. We are to speak the truth, but it is the Holy Spirit’s job to cut to the heart of a man. We work together with the Holy Spirit. And how do we know that the Spirit was speaking to people? They asked what they had to do. There was a sign that they were convicted in their hearts, there was a deep response.

2:38

“Repent and be baptised”. Repentance is a key part of the gospel message, sadly this is something that often seems to be forgotten these days. John the Baptist preached repentance (Matt 3:2), Jesus preached repentance (Matt 4:17). The gospel is not just about poor little you or poor little me getting rescued. It is about that, but it is also about sinful, evil little me and evil sinful little you turning from our sins and turning towards Christ. Now there are arguments over the order of things, in particular the order of faith, the work of the Holy Spirit, and our turning in faith and repentance. There is some value in considering these matters, but we can also get obsessed with them. The clear facts are that we need to preach a gospel of repentance and faith in Christ, and every single human being needs to repent and believe. In fact, no one will repent without faith, for faith is a much more solid and effective thing than we often seem to think. Repentance involves recognising the futility of living my life without God, and the utter wrongness of doing so. I will only do that by the Spirit taking the veil off my mind, and seeing the goodness and trustworthiness, and mercy of Christ. Baptism here is not focusing on the act of baptism itself, but on what it signifies. We are baptised in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and here in this verse receiving the Holy Spirit is central, as is forgiveness. Forgiveness would be especially relevant to the earlier charge that they had crucified the Lord.