Category Archives: Baptism

Acts 2:38 – God’s Promise

Leave a reply

waterThere’s one other important facet of Acts 2:38 that needs to be pointed out: more than a command, it’s a promise.

We focus on what it tells people that they are to do. Peter’s focus (Luke’s focus, and therefore, the Holy Spirit’s focus) was on the wonderful things that God had to offer to his people. They could receive forgiveness of sins. They could receive the Holy Spirit living within.

“Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” (Acts 2:38–39)

Don’t think of it as a command. Think of it as a promise.

The gift of the Spirit in Acts 2:38

11 Replies

waterAs we’ve seen, in Acts 2:38 the apostle Peter tells the Jews that have gathered that they need to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. He also says they would receive the Holy Spirit.

It’s fair to ask, “Receive the Spirit in what way?” People in the Old Testament had the Spirit of God come upon them and operate through them. Yet John says the Spirit “wasn’t yet” until after Jesus’ crucifixion (John 7:39).

Does Peter mean that everyone will do miracles? Doesn’t seem like it; for some time after this, the only people we see doing miracles are the Twelve (Acts 5:12). In fact, that was long seen as the mark of an apostle (1 Corinthians 12:12). John the Baptist was said to have been filled with the Spirit from birth, yet never did miracles (John 10:41).

Jesus spoke of an indwelling Spirit, a comforter. That seems to be what Peter is talking about, the presence of God living within us (Romans 8:9-11).

Some people have tried to make much of the fact that the word repent is plural, the word be baptized is singular, and the word “receive” (the Spirit) is plural again. They say that Peter was promising the Spirit to those who repented, not those who were baptized. Need we give serious discussion to that? Notice the phrase “every one of you” after the command to be baptized; unless we’re merely trying to be argumentative, we’ll note that all were told to repent and all told to be baptized.

Peter tells them that if they repent and are baptized, they will receive the Spirit. This is the normal way in which God gives his Spirit, at least according to the book of Acts. Everyone who obeys receives the Spirit (Acts 5:32). Are the Samaritans in Chapter 8 and Cornelius in Chapter 10 possible exceptions? Sure. God is still God, as I mentioned yesterday.

But I’m not sure that we’re being told that the Samaritans hadn’t received the indwelling Spirit in chapter 8. What they were lacking certainly seems to have been observable. It seems more likely that they hadn’t yet received tongues or any of the other outward signs. (I discussed this in an earlier post on “Signs of an Apostle“)

And I think it quite possible that Cornelius and family received similar manifestations. Something happened to let those present know that the Spirit had come upon them. It was something so different that it made Peter remember Pentecost (Acts 11:15). Did they also receive the indwelling? Possibly. We can’t really say. Either way, we know that this was an exceptional case.

Just as Peter said that this promise was for “you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call,” so I believe that it remains today. Repent and be baptized, and you’ll receive the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Forgiveness of sins in Acts 2:38

3 Replies

On the day of Pentecost after Jesus’ resurrection, Peter told the crowd they needed to repent and be baptized. We noted three aspects to this baptism:

  • in the name of Jesus
  • for the forgiveness of sins
  • leading to the gift of the Holy Spirit

When you study a language, you learn that prepositions are nasty creatures with a mind of their own. We generalize and try to relate them to a preposition in our own language, but there is never a direct correlation. For example, in English, you dream about someone and think about something. (if we use the “direct correlation” idea) In Spanish you dream with someone and think in something. Serious linguists can explain the choice of prepositions in each case; language learners just have to memorize what preposition goes with what verb in each situation.

Peter uses the preposition eis in Acts 2:38, be baptized eis the forgiveness of sins. Eis, in the direct correlation view, means into. Into the forgiveness of sins? Awkward phrasing, though it does give us a sense of the meaning.

Just to give you an idea of how complicated the possibilities can get, let me share how Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament defines eis:

a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases: — (abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-) ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), …ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).

As usual, context will be our friend here. The crowd feels convicted and asks what they should do. Peter says “Repent and be baptized ___ the forgiveness of sins…” Whatever preposition we choose needs to result in the people being in a state of having their sins forgiven. For the forgiveness of sins. Into the forgiveness of sins. They felt sinful. They wanted to feel clean. Peter tells them how.

At the time of their baptism, does the person have to know that this forgiveness is part of it? Many have made a big deal of proper understanding of the purposes of baptism, leading to many repeat baptisms. I’m not convinced. Peter uses almost the same language in chapter 3:

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that (eis) your sins may be wiped out,” (Acts 3:19)

I’ve never heard anyone make the argument that repentance is invalid if the person didn’t realize at the time that it was for the forgiveness of sins.

One of the results that comes of Christian baptism is the forgiveness of our sins.

Baptized in the name of Jesus

1 Reply

waterIn Acts 2:38, Peter tells the crowd they need to be baptized in the name of Jesus. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus said that baptism was to be “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Which is right?

I think they both are. I don’t think that either was intended as part of a litany to be pronounced while performing baptism. Jesus told his disciples to pray in his name, yet none of the recorded prayers in the New Testament contains the phrase “in Jesus’ name.” Christians are told to do everything in Jesus’ name (Colossians 3:17), to assemble in the name of Jesus (Matthew 18:20; 1 Corinthians 5:4), and to do good deeds in Jesus’ name (Mark 9:41; Matthew 18:5). None of that has to do with a phrase that is to be said out loud.

We can look to the Old Testament concept of “invoking the name of the Lord” to better understand this concept. This was more than saying a name; it was looking to the Lord as God. Solomon built a temple for “the Name of the LORD.” Isaiah could write about the Name of the Lord coming in punishment (Isaiah 30:27).

Being baptized in the name of Jesus is essentially being baptized into Christ. There is little difference in being baptized in the name of the godhead and “calling on the name of the Lord” in baptism (Acts 22:16). More than ritual, it’s relationship. It includes authority, but it’s more than that. It’s about staking your claim as a member of God’s people. It’s about declaring yourself to now be a temple of the Lord.

There’s nothing wrong with saying “I baptize you in the name….” It’s just helpful to remember that there is much more to that act than a mere pronouncement.

Acts 2 and baptism

10 Replies

waterAfter taking a few days to attend the Pepperdine Lectures, I’m ready to continue our discussion of baptism. We come to a watershed moment, the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. Here we see the outpouring/baptism of the Holy Spirit and the first apostolic sermon to non-believers.

Peter drives home his main point in Acts 2:36

“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:36)

The crowd reacts to this, recognizing the truth of Peter’s words. They cry out, “What can we do?” How do we fix this? We’ve killed the Messiah; what now?

Peter’s response:

“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38–39)

So, to break it down, we have baptism

  • in the name of Jesus
  • for the forgiveness of sins
  • leading to the gift of the Holy Spirit

Peter also extends this promise to generations to come and people not physically present. He ends by returning to Joel 2, the passage he had quoted earlier:

“And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls.” (Joel 2:32)

We’ll dig a bit deeper in the next few days. Initial thoughts?