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Acts Chapter 2
In this chapter of the birth of the Christian Church, we have the clearest Bible Teaching on how a lost sinner is born-again, and becomes a child of The Living God.
Acts chapter 2 records the first “sermon” that is preached, which is by the Apostle Peter. Here we have Peter preach on the Deity, Life, Death and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In his sermon, Peter quotes extensively from the Prophet Joel, where we read, “and it shall be, everyone whoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord, shall be saved” (v.21, literal Greek)
The quote is from Joel 2:32, which has “Yahweh”, and Peter here uses it for Jesus Christ, which Paul also does in Romans 10:13. Clear evidence that the Apostles believed Jesus Christ to be Yahweh, the Eternal, Unchanging, God!
It is clear that those who heard this Gospel Message, and were convicted by God the Holy Spirit, were to “invoke”, the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.
After Peter had finished this message, those who were present, we are told, “were cut to the heart (κατενυγησαν την καρδιαν)” (verse 37), that is, their hearts were “pierced, stung sharply”, by the convicting of the Holy Spirit, through the preaching of Peter. Jesus Himself says in John chapter 16, “And when He (the Holy Spirit) is come, He will reprove (ἐλέγχω, to convict, find fault with) the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me”. Here in Acts is the fulfilment of these words of Jesus
After their “conviction” by the Gospel Message, we are told that they, “said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (37). There are some who suppose that the sinner must “do” nothing themselves. It is very clear that these sinners asked what must they DO. Neither Peter, or any of the other Apostles, say to them, that they must not “do” anything, but simply have “faith”. Instead, in the next verse we have Peter’s response. “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” (38-39). It must not be assumed from Peter’s reply, that the sinners sins are somehow removed in water baptism, which is taught by some. It is the “repenting” which is of their sins, that gets their sins forgiven. This is what the Lord Jesus says in Luke 24:47, “and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His Name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” The word “remission” is from the Greek ἄφεσις, which denotes, “release, as from bondage, pardon, forgiveness”, as though they had never sinned.
We are told here, that when these sinners repented of their sins, and received forgiveness from the Lord, that they would also “receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit”. In chapter one of Acts, Jesus tells the Apostles, that not many days later, they would be “baptized with the Holy Spirit” (v 5). This was fulfilled in chapter 2, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (v 4). This is the “Gift” of the Holy Spirit, which Peter speaks of. The receiving of this Gift, we are told in Acts 1, gives “power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (v 8). This Gift of the Holy Spirit is given to the repentant sinner, when they believe in Jesus Christ, as we can see from Ephesians 1:13-14, “In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory”. This is what Jesus says in John chapter 3, of being “born of the Spirit” (v 5). The “sealing” by the Holy Spirit, is that of “ownership”, and is the “guarantee (ἀρρᾰβών, pledge)” for the believer upon hearing and believing the Gospel Message.
“This verse in Greek has the main verb “you were sealed,” which is preceded and modified by two aorist participles, “having heard” and “having believed”; the three may be related in the following manner: “you heard…you believed…and then/so you were sealed.”
The action of believing and sealing by the Spirit, happen simultaneously.
“after listening to the message of truth, the gospel. . .having also believed" These are both aorist active participles.”
“In whom also. In the Lord Jesus. A little different translation of this verse will convey more clearly its meaning. "In whom also ye, having heard the word of truth, (the gospel of your salvation,) in whom having also believed, ye were sealed," etc. The sealing was the result of believing, and that was the result of hearing the gospel.”
Here in this chapter we are told, that sinners first hear the Gospel Message preached. Then they are “convicted” by the Holy Spirit, through the preaching of the Gospel. Their response is that they “need to do” something about their conviction. They ask the Apostles, what they must “do”, and are told by Peter, that first they need to “repent”, which brings about the “forgiveness” of their sins, and get right with the Lord. This also ensures that they receive the “Gift of the Holy Spirit”, Who is the “seal and guarantee” of their salvation. The order of events here is very important. There is no mention that any of these people were “made alive”, prior to their hearing the Gospel Message. Rather, they were “convicted” by the Holy Spirit, and then they asked how they could get saved. It is only after they had believed in the Message preached by Peter, and had repented of their sins, and received forgiveness, that they received the “Gift of the Holy Spirit”.
“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together (συνεζωοποιησεν) with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:13)
“The aorist participle in the course of a narration sometimes expresses a simultaneous action…Col. ii.13” (G Winer; A Treatise on the Grammar of New Testament Greek, p.430)
“χαρισάμενος: “forgiving”. Forgiveness is contemporary with quickening” (Expositors Greek Testament)
“Paul identifies our being made alive with Christ as being caused by, or synonymous with, or simultaneous to, God’s having forgiven us our trespasses” (College Press Commentary)
Here Paul tells us that the sinner is “made alive” in Jesus, at the same time that they are forgiven ALL of their sins (πάντα τὰ παραπτώματα).
It is very clear from the Holy Bible, that ALL sinners MUST "REPENT and BELIEVE in the Gospel", in order for them to get saved. Regeration IS being born-again, and CANNOT precede salvation as some falsely teach.
This is the ONLY Way for all sinners to enter heaven.
In this chapter of the birth of the Christian Church, we have the clearest Bible Teaching on how a lost sinner is born-again, and becomes a child of The Living God.
Acts chapter 2 records the first “sermon” that is preached, which is by the Apostle Peter. Here we have Peter preach on the Deity, Life, Death and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In his sermon, Peter quotes extensively from the Prophet Joel, where we read, “and it shall be, everyone whoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord, shall be saved” (v.21, literal Greek)
The quote is from Joel 2:32, which has “Yahweh”, and Peter here uses it for Jesus Christ, which Paul also does in Romans 10:13. Clear evidence that the Apostles believed Jesus Christ to be Yahweh, the Eternal, Unchanging, God!
It is clear that those who heard this Gospel Message, and were convicted by God the Holy Spirit, were to “invoke”, the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.
After Peter had finished this message, those who were present, we are told, “were cut to the heart (κατενυγησαν την καρδιαν)” (verse 37), that is, their hearts were “pierced, stung sharply”, by the convicting of the Holy Spirit, through the preaching of Peter. Jesus Himself says in John chapter 16, “And when He (the Holy Spirit) is come, He will reprove (ἐλέγχω, to convict, find fault with) the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me”. Here in Acts is the fulfilment of these words of Jesus
After their “conviction” by the Gospel Message, we are told that they, “said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (37). There are some who suppose that the sinner must “do” nothing themselves. It is very clear that these sinners asked what must they DO. Neither Peter, or any of the other Apostles, say to them, that they must not “do” anything, but simply have “faith”. Instead, in the next verse we have Peter’s response. “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” (38-39). It must not be assumed from Peter’s reply, that the sinners sins are somehow removed in water baptism, which is taught by some. It is the “repenting” which is of their sins, that gets their sins forgiven. This is what the Lord Jesus says in Luke 24:47, “and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His Name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” The word “remission” is from the Greek ἄφεσις, which denotes, “release, as from bondage, pardon, forgiveness”, as though they had never sinned.
We are told here, that when these sinners repented of their sins, and received forgiveness from the Lord, that they would also “receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit”. In chapter one of Acts, Jesus tells the Apostles, that not many days later, they would be “baptized with the Holy Spirit” (v 5). This was fulfilled in chapter 2, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (v 4). This is the “Gift” of the Holy Spirit, which Peter speaks of. The receiving of this Gift, we are told in Acts 1, gives “power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (v 8). This Gift of the Holy Spirit is given to the repentant sinner, when they believe in Jesus Christ, as we can see from Ephesians 1:13-14, “In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory”. This is what Jesus says in John chapter 3, of being “born of the Spirit” (v 5). The “sealing” by the Holy Spirit, is that of “ownership”, and is the “guarantee (ἀρρᾰβών, pledge)” for the believer upon hearing and believing the Gospel Message.
“This verse in Greek has the main verb “you were sealed,” which is preceded and modified by two aorist participles, “having heard” and “having believed”; the three may be related in the following manner: “you heard…you believed…and then/so you were sealed.”
The action of believing and sealing by the Spirit, happen simultaneously.
“after listening to the message of truth, the gospel. . .having also believed" These are both aorist active participles.”
“In whom also. In the Lord Jesus. A little different translation of this verse will convey more clearly its meaning. "In whom also ye, having heard the word of truth, (the gospel of your salvation,) in whom having also believed, ye were sealed," etc. The sealing was the result of believing, and that was the result of hearing the gospel.”
Here in this chapter we are told, that sinners first hear the Gospel Message preached. Then they are “convicted” by the Holy Spirit, through the preaching of the Gospel. Their response is that they “need to do” something about their conviction. They ask the Apostles, what they must “do”, and are told by Peter, that first they need to “repent”, which brings about the “forgiveness” of their sins, and get right with the Lord. This also ensures that they receive the “Gift of the Holy Spirit”, Who is the “seal and guarantee” of their salvation. The order of events here is very important. There is no mention that any of these people were “made alive”, prior to their hearing the Gospel Message. Rather, they were “convicted” by the Holy Spirit, and then they asked how they could get saved. It is only after they had believed in the Message preached by Peter, and had repented of their sins, and received forgiveness, that they received the “Gift of the Holy Spirit”.
“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together (συνεζωοποιησεν) with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:13)
“The aorist participle in the course of a narration sometimes expresses a simultaneous action…Col. ii.13” (G Winer; A Treatise on the Grammar of New Testament Greek, p.430)
“χαρισάμενος: “forgiving”. Forgiveness is contemporary with quickening” (Expositors Greek Testament)
“Paul identifies our being made alive with Christ as being caused by, or synonymous with, or simultaneous to, God’s having forgiven us our trespasses” (College Press Commentary)
Here Paul tells us that the sinner is “made alive” in Jesus, at the same time that they are forgiven ALL of their sins (πάντα τὰ παραπτώματα).
It is very clear from the Holy Bible, that ALL sinners MUST "REPENT and BELIEVE in the Gospel", in order for them to get saved. Regeration IS being born-again, and CANNOT precede salvation as some falsely teach.
This is the ONLY Way for all sinners to enter heaven.