Acts 2:36-39

Introduction:

1. Because the wages of sin are death (Romans 6:23), and because all have sinned (Romans 3:23), this is truly life’s most important question.

2. Sadly, the religious world gives conflicting answers.

3. The Bible gives only one answer, but it is not all stated in one place.

Discussion:

I. Faith

A. Without faith we cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6).

B. We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).

C. Faith comes by hearing God’s word (Romans 10:17).

D. Biblical faith is quite different than most think.

E. In the Bible, faith/belief is described as the antithesis of disobedience (cf. John 3:36; Hebrews 3: 16-19; 4:2,6).

F. Biblical faith is obedient faith (Romans 1:5; 16:25-26).

II. Repentance

A. Repentance is essential:

1. Without it we will perish (Luke 13:3-5).

2. It is commanded to all people everywhere (Acts 17:30).

3. It is a condition of remission/forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).

B. Godly sorrow is the catalyst of repentance (2 Corinthians 7:8-10).

1. Christ’s rebuke through Paul made the Corinthians sorrowful in a godly manner.

2. This godly sorrow produced repentance leading to salvation.

III. Confession

A. There are no closet Christians (Matthew 10:32-33)

B. This too is a condition of salvation (Romans 10:9).

C. It is an outgrowth of faith and repentance.

D. How can we show forth His praises short of confessing Him as Lord? (Matthew 5:16; 1 Peter 2:9)

E. We confess Christ in both word and deed.

IV. Baptism

A. Most of our religious neighbors deny the essentiality of baptism.

B. A straight-forward reading of the NT says otherwise.

1. Jesus declared belief and baptism as conditions (Mark 16:15-16).

2. Peter paired repentance and baptism as conditions for sins to be forgiven (Acts 2:37-38).

3. Paul was told to arise and be baptized and wash away his sins even after three days of displayed faith (Acts 9:1-9; 22:10, 16).

4. He later taught the mechanics of baptism in plain terms:

a. It places us in Christ where all spiritual blessings are (Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:26-27; Ephesians 1:3).

b. It unites us in Christ’s death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-8).

c. This explains how we obey the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:8).

5. Peter explicitly said baptism now saves us (1 Peter 3:20-21).

C. It seems the question is simply who we believe, God or man.

V. Faithfulness

A. All the above is not the end; it is only the beginning.

B. Christ is to live in us as we live by faith (Galatians 2:20; Romans 1:16-17).

C. The final element of baptism is the likeness of His resurrection and newness of life (Romans 6:4; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

D. We must not turn back to a life of sin (2 Peter 2:20-22)

E. To do so is to crucify the Lord afresh (Hebrews 6:4-6).

Conclusion:

1. Paul was very direct concerning the Lord’s condemnation of those who preach a different gospel (Galatians 1:6-9).

2. Only the gospel of Christ can save a lost soul (Romans 1:16).

3. Therefore, take the principles named above, be like the noble Bereans (Acts 17:11), and search the Scriptures to see if these things are so.

4. If you find they are so, understand the gospel must be obeyed (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9) and get down to our Father’s business (Luke 2:49).