A Question With An Eternal Answer II

FEBRUARY 16, 2022 STUDY NOTES ACTS 2:38 BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES A QUESTION WITH AN ETERNAL ANSWER INTRODUCTION Verse 38 is Peter’s answer to the question of the crowd, Act 2:37 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? Act 2:38 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. His answer has different Theological opinions, various views, and doctrinal differences today There are different views among denominations concerning repentance and baptism Theologians debate the exact meaning of “the remission of sins” There are various views among Christians concerning the receiving of the Holy Spirit Acts 2:38 must be properly understood by those who have received Jesus into their life A verse that must be correctly interpretated by comparing scripture with scripture A suggested view of any part of the verse cannot disagree with another verse of scripture If one verse of scripture clearly and plainly contradicts a view, then the view is incorrect We will break the verse down and consider the various views in search of the correct view THEN PETER SAID UNTO THEM, REPENT There are those today who teach that repentance is not necessary for salvation That theory is called “cheap grace” or “easy believe-ism” by those who believe in repentance The importance of the doctrine of repentance is clearly seen in scripture We need to understand what real repentance is according to the Bible Repentance is not the fear of death, fear of punishment after death, or the fear of going to Hell You can fear the punishment and penalty of sin without a hatred for the sin Fear of the consequences of sin does not keep someone from loving the sin Fear can lead someone to think about repentance, but fear alone is not repentance Conviction alone is not repentance, conviction apart from repentance and faith does not save Reformation alone, a desire to change for the better is not a repentance unto salvation A person cannot change their way of living and become a Christian Because you forsake some particular sin does not mean that you have become a Christian It is the experience of a true salvation that reforms a person’s life (2 Corinthians 5:17) Sorrow alone is not repentance many are sorry they got caught in their sin Others sorrow because of the sin itself and its consequences Real repentance is an agony of the soul because of the truth of sin and the truth of righteousness Penance is not repentance, punishing yourself in some way because of your sin Thinking that something must be done to bring about pain because of the sin Penance is an attempt to personally atone for the sin committed Personal pain does not remove personal sin, only Jesus can remove the quilt and pain of sin Paul shared his personal testimony of salvation with King Agrippa King Agrippa was under conviction, but did not repent or exercise faith unto salvation, Act 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. No one is almost saved you are saved when you repent and receive Christ by faith All-of the above statements are ways Satan seeks to confuse the truth of how to be saved Page 1 of 4 Satan wants people to believe that there are many ways to be saved If “repentance” is a necessary part of salvation, then Satan does not want you to know it Satan does not want you to believe that a true experience of salvation includes “repentance” Biblical repentance is a change of mind, attitude, opinion, and purpose of life Repentance is a change of direction, a turning to God and turning from sin To repent is to change your mind, to change your views concerning self and God Repentance is an obedience to the will of God for your life Turning from everything that is ungodly and desiring everything that is Godly You agree with God, you are a sinner, separated from God and cannot do anything about it You agree with God, you must come to Jesus for forgiveness of sins, and receive a new life Salvation is the greatest need of man, it is the story of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation To be saved is so simple that a child can pray and ask Jesus to come into their heart and be saved But salvation is so great that only God could accomplish it and only God’s Word can explain it Only Jesus can provide it, only the Holy Spirit can reveal it, and only a believer can receive it Only throughout eternity will salvation be fully experienced IMPORTANCE OF REPENTANCE According to scripture “repentance” is important and is within saving faith John the Baptist preached repentance, Mat 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. In the beginning of His ministry Jesus preached repentance, Mat 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Jesus came to call sinners to repentance, Luk 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. The twelve sent out by Jesus preached repentance, Mar 6:12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent. Peter preached repentance, Act 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; Repentance was a strong part of the preaching of Paul, Act 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. God’s desire is for all to repent, 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (Now is the time to repent and be saved, don’t put it off) The Thessalonians Christians are an example of repentance, 1Th 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; They turned to God first, because they saw God, they could see the idols Before they turned to God, they did not understand the truth about idols When they saw the truth of God, they began to recognize the truth of false idols If you study the truth of God’s Word, you don’t have to study false doctrine It is always the truth that reveals the false, it is the light that reveals what is in the darkness The only way you can turn from idols is by turning to God, turning to God for salvation They turned to God in faith and the whole direction of their life was changed Their turning was a single, definite act, once and for all they turned to God to always serve Him When you turn to God your life changes, Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; The grace of God provided for our salvation, the only way to receive salvation is by faith, Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Page 2 of 4 The grace of God that taught us to receive Christ by faith also taught us to repent To turn from the old way of life, “to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts” And turn to a new way of life, “to live soberly, righteously, and Godly in this present world” Salvation is a new life going in a new direction, making a spiritual and moral turn in life You cannot separate repentance and faith, they are two aspects of the same truth Faith without repentance is not scriptural faith, saving faith involves real repentance Faith unto salvation is a once and for all experience, Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (There are many terms identifying salvation in scripture) Salvation is an everlasting life, Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. For the Christian, repentance is not a once and for all experience at the time of our salvation Confession of sin is an act of repentance for those who are saved, Christian will sin, 1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. When we sin, and we will, we must repent and confess, 1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Repentance, faith, salvation, a new life, an eternal heaven, are all possible because of Calvary Following repentance Peter told them to be baptized, Act 2:38 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. Those who believe that you must be baptized to be saved use this verse as their proof text Peter is not teaching that baptism is necessary for salvation when he says repent and be baptized A person is to be baptized because they have been saved, baptism is a result of salvation There is a rule of scripture interpretation that must always be followed in Bible study It is that no verse when correctly interpreted will contradict another verse Biblical principle taught in one passage will not contradict the Biblical principle in other passages So, the question is, how and when is a person saved? And when is a person to be baptized? Is baptism essential to salvation? We must go to other passages to answer our questions Read the following verses concerning salvation and see if the word baptism is found in them Faith is receiving Jesus, Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: It is faith that believes, Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. The Philippian jailer had a question for Paul, Act 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? The answer, Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Paul did not say, believe and be baptized; repentance is within believing) Believe “in Christ” and then be baptized, they were saved and then baptized (Acts 16:32-33) Baptism is only for those who “are already saved,” it is not the means unto salvation A person is not baptized in-order to “be saved,” they are to be baptized because they “are saved” Baptism is a personal testimony of a personal salvation Baptism is the evidence of being a “follower of Jesus Christ” (Matthew 28:19-20) Baptism is a statement of faith, a witness that the believer has received Christ into their life Baptism is a witness of the desire to now live a daily life for Christ Baptism “In the name of Jesus Christ” identifies the Person and work of Jesus It identifies with that which we receive in or through Jesus when we receive Jesus To be baptized in the name of Jesus identifies with all that His name stands for “Believers Baptism” is a good term to explain the meaning of NT baptism Page 3 of 4 Believer’s baptism identifies with repentance and the remission of sins by receiving Christ Believers are baptized because they have turned to God and turned from sin One of the clearest passages of scripture concerning baptism is found in Acts 8 The Angel of the Lord sent Philip to speak to an Ethiopian eunuch, Act 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. The message that Philip preached to him was “Jesus,” which is also known as the “Gospel” After the Ethiopian had heard the Gospel, he had a question, Act 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? Philip answered the question, “who is to be baptized? Act 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The one who is to be baptized is the person who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior, Act 8:38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. Philip baptized the Ethiopian because he believed in Jesus and was saved Jesus gave the thief on the cross the assurance of salvation apart from being baptized, Luk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. The thief on the cross was forgiven of his sins and received eternal life because of faith in Jesus THE REMISSION OF SINS Act 2:38 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. “The remission of sins” means that as Christians we have been delivered from the penalty of sin The word “remission” means “forgiveness,” or the sending away of our sin When God forgives us of our sins it means that our sins have been “sent away,” Heb 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. How far away? Psa 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Notice that the Psalmist did not say from the north to the south There is a North Pole and a South Pole but no east or west pole There is no ending point for east or west, God’s forgiveness is an infinite distance from us When God forgives us, our sins are gone because of the “Amazing Grace” of God, Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; David’s prayer for spiritual cleansing is a good example, Psa 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. (David said, “my transgressions”) Look at what he confessed, Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Psa 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. David was in anguish, his heart was broken because of his sin, he repented of his sins David had the right understanding and the right attitude toward sin, he did not deny or excuse sin Isaiah explains forgiveness, Isa 38:17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. The picture is that spot in the middle of your shoulder blades, you can’t see it or touch it There are a lot of things in life that we would like to “send away” We would like to send away sickness and disease, financial problems, and personal failures But nothing is more important for our daily life than to have our sins “sent away” from God Sunday Morning, we will study the “receiving of the Holy Spirit” Page 4 of 4