“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.”

Often referred to as the salvation doctrine “in a nutshell”, the above Bible verse (Acts 2:38), the apostle Peter’s answer to the query of a convicted crowd on the day of Pentecost 33AD, remains just as potent and true today as it did then, cessationists and other Catholics notwithstanding. However, for the unlearned and contentious and those who do not subscribe to its doctrinal teaching concerning salvation, Acts 2:38 is often dismissed as being just another single, stand-alone reference as they accuse its adherents of placing too much emphasis on it to the neglect of, what they consider to be, other salvation doctrine Bible verses.

It is true that Acts 2:38 is a single Bible verse, but it is also true that it is fully loaded with essential content summarizing the salvation doctrine with its call to obedience and its promise. The “nutshell” metaphor of the verse correctly indicates references to the wider fundamental doctrines of “…the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, (2) Of the doctrine of baptisms…” (Heb. 6: 1-2), to include the receiving the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Php. 1:19), of which Paul said “…if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” (Rom. 8:9). This is why, “…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.” was the definitive answer given by the apostle Peter when questioned by a guilt-stricken crowd saying “…what shall we do?” in response to his preaching of the resurrected Christ and implicating them in his death.

The Acts 2:38 conversion process is the doctrinal threshold to eternal life (Rom. 6:17) which involves 3 distinct events, repentance (death), water-baptism in Jesus’ name (burial), and Holy Spirit infilling (resurrection). In submitting to these steps, the convert enjoins himself to Jesus, following with him as he was crucified (Rom. 6:6, Gal. 2:20), then buried (Rom. 6: 3-4, Col. 2:12), and then resurrected (Rom. 6:4, Col. 2:12). Jesus referred to this as being “born of water and of the Spirit” and being “born again” (Jn. 3: 1-7).

However, and despite its detractors, Acts 2:38 does not stand alone in its doctrinal instruction for salvation, on the contrary. the Acts 2:38 born-again doctrine and experience spreads its roots all the way back to the earliest days of Genesis as Noah’s ark resembles its saving efficacy (IPet. 3: 20-21) and Abraham’s circumcision its severing power (Col. 2:11-12). The three that bear witness in the earth – the Spirit, water, and blood (IJn. 5:8) were all typologically present at the baptism “…unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea“, the lamb’s blood having already sealed the homes of the righteous (ICor. 10: 1-2, Exodus ch. 12). The brazen altar, laver, and the holy place of the tabernacle in the wilderness are all a shadow of the Acts 2:38 doctrine of New Testament salvation.

Also, Acts 2:38 wasn’t just simply preached by Peter on the day of Pentecost, it was unleashed, as subsequent events characterized by Jesus’ name baptism and Holy Spirit infilling are later reported (Acts 8: 12-16 the Samaritan outpouring, Acts 10: 44-48 Cornelius’ household/gentiles, Acts 19: 2-6 the Ephesian disciples of John, Acts 9: 17-18/22:16 apostle Paul’s conversion). However, it’s not surprising that those same eisegetes who isolate and insist that the phrase “believe on the Lord” is the full and complete doctrine of salvation, fail to properly exegete Acts 2:38.

It is significant to note, particularly given our current climate of “cultural Christianity” and its doctrinal dithering, that in his maiden message for the church, Peter, quoting the O.T. prophet Joel, said “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2:21, Joel 2:32). This prophetic quote was stated in the same Acts 2 message (17 verses previous) as Acts 2:38, not as a separate “plan of salvation”, but as one “line upon” other lines and one “precept upon” other precepts, and supporting other lines and precepts itself, and whose lesson plan, if followed correctly, will result in its student being filled with the Holy Ghost- speaking “…in other tongues as the Spirit…” gives the utterance…

“Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. (10) For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: (11) For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. (12) To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing…” Isa. 28: 9-12

It goes without saying that faith is the core spiritual component of salvation and of having a relationship with God, as the writer of Hebrews explains, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Heb. 11:6. And as faith persuaded Noah to prepare “…an ark to the saving of his house” (Heb. 11:7) and faith brought Abraham to God’s non-optional covenant of circumcision (Gen. 17:14), so authentic faith brings today’s repentant believer to the mandatory watery grave of baptism (Mk. 16:16, Jn. 3: 1-7, Rom. 4: 8-11, Col. 2: 10-12).

Also, after the new convert’s submission to the doctrinal directives of Acts 2:38, “…all things are become new.” (IICor. 5:17), and “…newborn babes, (are to) desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” (IPet. 2:2) as we are admonished to “put on the new man” (Eph 4:24, Col. 3:10) until “the end” (Matt. 24:13, IPet. 1:9), as Peter also warns in his 2nd epistle, “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. (21) For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. (22) But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” IIPet. 2:20-22.

But Acts 2:38 – repentance (from sin, to God), water baptism (in Jesus’ name), the infilling of the Holy Spirit (certified by authentic Spirit-inspired glossolalia) is that initial doctrinal point of salvation, and of transition, translation, and transformation whereby one enters into the eternal salvation covenant with God. It is that “before/after” event so-to-speak; everybody remembers where they were when they were “…born of the water and the Spirit.” Therefore, being of such doctrinal significance, this one scripture – Acts 2:38 deserves legitimate scrutiny and requires of the honest “Berean” bible student a fine-toothed-comb analysis whereby one can be assured of the truth that it proclaims.

So, let’s do that, word for word…

(to be continued)

GS