Call Upon Jesus for Salvation

R.C. Sproul accurately quipped, “Everybody’s a theologian.” Theology at its core is thinking about God. Even those who vehemently, and arrogantly, proclaim that there is no God, are thinking theologically. They either don’t want God to exist because they don’t want to be accountable to him, or they wrongly conclude that if God is not the kind of God that they desire him to be (in the making of their own minds), he therefore must not exist.

Everyone is doing theology. That theology is bad or good or somewhere in between, but everybody’s a theologian.

Particularly those of us who submit to the word of God as the authority (bc it is from God himself), for eternal life and for how we live life, we are always studying what God teaches in these pages… in the immediate context first, and then by comparing Scripture with Scripture (the context of the whole counsel of God). We are always doing theology, and we are always clarifying that theology in careful articulation of what the Bible teaches, which we call doctrine. (Our articulation of the theology we find in God’s word is what we call doctrine.)

Neither we, nor our Christian brethren, who differentiate by our doctrines, have a corner on perfect doctrine. Church history has proven that we are always reforming, always seeking to grow in understanding and in faithfulness, and always seeking to more accurately articulate a true theology according to what God reveals about himself and his will for us.

Therefore, “Older” theology isn’t automatically better. … Unless by older we are going all the way back to the Scripture itself. The reformers made great strides in moving toward more biblical doctrine, which we have come to codify in Christian history as the five solas: Scripture alone (as authoritative), Christ alone (who accomplished everything necessary for salvation), faith alone (as the only means to receive redemption), grace alone (not because of anything in ourselves, but only by God’s unmerited favor), and glory to God alone (who alone is to be worshipped and revered and given the credit he is due).

Even some of the very reformers that helped toward this valuable end continued in a doctrinal tradition that we will argue today is incorrect: Baptismal Regeneration. More on this later.

So it’s essential that we do the hard work of having our thinking about God grounded in careful study and right thinking from God’s word. Our text for today in Acts 2, especially verse 38, will require of us careful study and deep theological thinking.

After Peter preached the first Christian sermon at Pentecost, this is what happened next:

Acts 2:37–41 ESV

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “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. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Our passage begins with...

“When they heard this, they were pierced” (v. 37a)

What is “this”? … Peter has laid out some key elements of the gospel. We may note that he did not have to convince his Jewish audience of God’s holiness and that he created all things for his own glory and according to his own purposes. Nor did he have to convince them that they were sinners in need of forgiveness.

What he did convince them of is that they had put their Messiah to death on a cross. But that this Jesus of Nazareth rose again (because he his Lord, so death can’t hold him), and that he’s seated in authority on high. Peter has convinced this Jewish audience that the pouring out of the Spirit is evidence that they (the disciples) were eyewitnesses of the Risen, Exalted, and Ascended Christ. Peter has convinced them that the last days have come upon the earth and that soon to come is the day of the Lord, when Christ returns to judge his enemies.

The reality of the gospel Peter declares to them is like a stab in the heart. So they asked Peter and the other Apostles…

“Brothers, what shall we do?” (v. 37b)

Peter answers by saying “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved...” (Acts 16:31). Nope, that’s Paul and Silas giving answer to the Philippian jailer later, in Acts 16.

Peter actually answer here by saying:

“Repent and be baptized” (v. 38a)

I mean, it’s a good thing Peter is an Apostle and that Luke’s text in Acts is the inspired word of God, because otherwise we’d be like, “Peter, you just encouraged a line of doctrinal thinking that will take the church literally centuries from which to break free… and even then, only some will do so.” Ok, so we know better than that. We don’t blame God’s word; we blame ourselves for our ineptitude in understanding and articulating what it teaches.

Given the situation and his audience, and comparing with other calls to conversion, what should we understand that Peter means here?

A.T. Robertson, one of the foremost Greek scholars of his generation, argued that you can’t conclude whether or not baptism is required for salvation from the grammar itself here, but rather that your theological conclusions drawn from other texts will inform what you think Peter intends.

I think that’s right. But we’re not completely flying blind in the context, and we certainly have help from other passages in Acts.

Peter’s sermon has been leading them toward whose name to call upon for salvation (see v. 21), so the question to be answered here is less “What is required for salvation?” and more “Whose name do we call upon?” (v. 41a) The answer Peter gives does include a call to action (repent and be baptized), for each individual, but based upon a response of calling on the name of Jesus Christ to save them, who is able to forgive of their sins. As a result, they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

What Robertson really is getting at though is that we interpret it this way, and not that baptism is required for regeneration (for salvation), because our theology informs us that “no works of our own at all can save us.” We are saved by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

Martin Luther found in studying Romans that Paul conclusively clarifies that righteousness attributed to us can only come by faith in Jesus Christ. It’s God’s righteousness we receive, not our own. Even faith is not our work, but God’s own gracious work in us:

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Or note too that we have an entire letter to the Galatians essentially written to contradict a false teaching that any work whatsoever might be required in addition to the gift of faith. We could add baptism into that category.

Similarly, we are also inclined to look at the other occurrences in Acts and give them explanatory weight over against what it might sound like Peter says here.

The very first comes in first 41 here, where it says that “those who received his word/message...” (eg. believed in the gospel) “… were baptized.”

See also shortly after this in Acts 3:19-20

Acts 3:19–20 ESV

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,

While repentance is given as a condition of (or to be synonymous with) saving faith, baptism is not mentioned at all.

Perhaps what takes place in Acts 10 is even more clear:

Acts 10:44 ESV

While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.

So after this takes place and the evidence of the Spirit is already present, Peter says,

Acts 10:47–48a (ESV)

“Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Just one more example (there are still others): Back to that episode we spoke of earlier in Acts 16, where God miraculously freed Paul & Silas from prison, but they remained behind so that the Philippian jailer wouldn’t kill himself. When he asked how to be saved, they answered,

Acts 16:31 ESV

And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

This would have been a clear opportunity to stipulate that baptism is required for salvation, but it is not. Instead, after preaching the gospel (“the word of the Lord”) to him and his household, they are then baptized (which we are left to presume took place because they had done exactly what Paul said: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”

We can therefore argue that the preponderance of evidence in Scripture which informs our doctrine seems clear enough to us, and that the other examples in Acts seem to indicate that baptism doesn’t save you but is an act of obedience, a public demonstration declaring the fact of one’s belief in Christ alone as the only Lord who can save.

So Peter’s call to repentance is in fact one and the same as calling on Christ by faith (two sides of the same coin - repentance is turning from sin and self-trust, and faith is throwing yourself upon the mercy of God and trusting in him alone), and then baptism is a public display of the sincerity of that faith & repentance.

Application in terms of whether baptism is necessary/required: “Baptism is necessary because we have been saved; baptism is not necessary in order to be saved.” (Deffinbaugh) Does baptism save you? No. Is it required? Yes, because it is a matter of obedience. - “The idea of an unbaptized Christian is foreign to the apostles because they assumed that every true believer would be an obedient believer.” (Cole)

Well, now we can finally continue.

“Everyone of you… In the name of Jesus Christ… for the forgiveness of your sins… and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (v. 38b&c)

Every one of you - Each individual person must decide to either respond in faith and repentance or to continue in their rejection.

In the name of Jesus Christ - Again, on whom should they call for salvation? Who is the Messiah and Lord? - Peter will say soon hereafter before the council (the Sanhedrin), when he and John are being threatened to stop preaching: “This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’” (Acts 4:11)

Acts 4:12 ESV

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

For the forgiveness of your sins - How does this forgiveness occur? How can it? [explain the great exchange]

And if in true sincerity you call on Jesus in faith and repentance, you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. - As we said previously and will see throughout Acts, this is not a guarantee that the Holy Spirit’s indwelling will always manifest itself by filling us to perform miracles as was the case here and in the Apostles, but we can have assurance that the Holy Spirit resides in us as permanent confirmation of salvation. (That’s not all that he does in us, but that is likely Peter’s point here.)

To whom does this offer apply?

“For the promise… is for you… everyone whom the Lord our God calls” (v. 39)

What is the promise to which Peter refers? It is one of forgiveness through Jesus Christ to be restored to God (even though you KNOW you don’t deserve it!)… and thereby receiving the Holy Spirit

Who is is for? It “is for you...” - Again, Peter makes this personal. “and for your children” - for your immediate descendants and generations to come. “and for all who are far off” - Peter is probably here referring to Jews geographically and spiritually further from God, but the reader of Luke & Acts cannot help but hear God’s offer that extends beyond Jews to all peoples of the earth. In fact, “everyone...”

“whom the Lord our God calls” - Whose will is ultimate in salvation? Salvation is all of God and only by his grace - He does use the secondary cause of taking our spiritually dead and stony hearts and giving us a heart of flesh so that we desire to respond to him. And from our perspective to that end we are responsible, but when you rightly understand our depravity and inability, and that salvation is all grace, then you begin to grasp the beginning of the mystery that God is ultimately sovereign in our salvation.

The Apostle John records Jesus as having stated quite plainly,

John 6:37 ESV

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

God’s will is ultimate, even as our wills are conformed by him to respond in repentance and faith. And this verse also shows that once God has done that, he will not undo it. I can’t earn my salvation and I can’t lose it.

But God’s will being ultimate in salvation doesn’t stop Peter from preaching, and from urging his audience to respond:

“And with many other words… ‘Save yourselves’” (v. 40)

Peter evidently continued in a much longer sermon, with further evidence and persuasion. Luke here states with integrity that what he has given us is a summary of the most critical aspects of what Peter preached. This was common practice for historical record of speeches.

Speaking of persuasion, Peter can still say, without being manipulative and without giving people credit for what God must sovereignly do: “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” There is a healthy urgency in our evangelism, assuming that we are witnessing at all to those around us.

And Peter here can speak of the present generation of Jews as particularly crooked, who have not only missed, but rejected and killed their own promised Messiah.

The last days have begun; save yourselves from the judgment coming in the great day of the Lord. - We too must be warning people of God’s just judgment that is coming upon our sin, and that they must repent and call on Christ alone to save them, granting them forgiveness from the just consequences of sin, and restoring them to God.

What resulted that day? And was it because of Peter’s preaching, or the presence of the Spirit, or God drawing people… or all of the above? - God was effectually calling, and he did this through the power of His Spirit, and God chose to use Peter’s preaching of the gospel (as he did so obediently… also in the power of the Spirit).

Again, what resulted that day?

“Those who received his message were baptized… about 3,000 souls”!!! (v. 41)

As an outward public display of the internal working of God to cause them to respond in repentance and faith, they were baptized. - Imagine the excitement, and also the logistics, of baptizing 3,000 people in a single day! But as Craig Keener explains: “The temple mount had many immersion pools that worshipers used to purify themselves ritually; mass baptisms could thus be conducted quickly.” (The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Ac 2:41.)

Bob Deffinbaugh also reminds us: “We are meant to see why Jesus told His apostles (disciples) to wait for the promise of the Father. The Great Commission can never be fulfilled in the power of the flesh. It is the coming of the Spirit that precedes the miraculous growth of the gospel in Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria, and among the Gentiles.”

This great number of conversions was also unique and should not be our expectation for what is normative. However, we may also recall other moments in history where great revivals have occured by the powerful working of the Spirit.

Where does all of this leave us for today?

Call upon Jesus for salvation.

Peter’s public proclamation began due to questions and confusion concerning the phenomenon of these Galileans praising God in people’s native languages (in the power of the Spirit). While his sermon addresses that, Peter does so in the context of answering a more important question they should be asking: Who is the Lord to call upon for salvation? Jesus of Nazareth, who is the Christ (the Messiah). And he is Lord... whom they crucified, but who is risen, reigning from on high, and soon returning.

There can be nothing more important in this life than responding to this message of salvation. God will get all the credit just as he deserves for graciously rescuing you, but we urge you, save yourself from the just judgment that is sure to come, and coming soon. Repent of loving sin and trusting in self, and throw yourself upon the mercy of God through faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. If you do, God himself will make you his own child and give you the gift of the Holy Spirit as a deposit to ensure the completion of this salvation at the last day.

Christians, we must be prepared with an answer to the question, “What shall we do?” (about the condition we find ourselves in because of our sin and the holiness of God and our complicity in the death of God’s Messiah? how that sin debt can be forgiven) We too should pursue obedience in testifying that Jesus is Lord, in sharing the gospel. And we too have the Spirit powerfully at work in us to grant us courage and clarity, and who will effectually bring others to God whom the Lord our God is calling to himself.

PRAY

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