What Must I Do?
 

I was talking to my daughter yesterday about some new young people we have been working with and who are very excited about what they are seeing and feeling in the services they have attended.



We got on the subject of Acts 2:38. It's pretty amazing how we can begin to read a statement as one block of text and not see what's in there.

Acts 2:38 was a response to a question. What must we do (to be saved is the understood point of the question.

Peters answers states the following

1. Repent
2. Be baptized in Jesus name for the remission of your sins.

And then you will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

You must do this...
Then you will receive this...


If someone asked what must we do to be a member of your club and I responded...

1. Fill out this information sheet.
2. Pay your dues.

Then you will receive a plaque stating your are a member of our club. There are 2 things that are their responsibility to fulfill. The other is my reaction to their fulfillment of their responsibilities.

So... I am making this thread to simply make this statement.

Peters response to the question of what one must do (to be saved) was this.

1. Repent
2. Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins

That is his response to the question of what one must do. The rest of the verse is his telling of what God promises to do once you do what Peter had instructed.

There is more to say but I'll leave it at that for right now.

Re: What Must I Do?
 

That is true!

Re: What Must I Do?
 

It just can't get any clearer than that! For the life of me, I can't see why people just won't accept those scriptures. Why complicate things, and try and make it harder than it is? So simple....

Re: What Must I Do?
 

Understanding that the answer from Peter on what one must do to be saved is actually narrowed down to two things...

1 Repent
2 Be baptized in Jesus name for the remission of your sins

Makes what the following verse has to say stand out a little more...


The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Re: What Must I Do?
 

They didn't ask what should we do to be saved. That is not correct. They asked what should they do now, after he preached the gospel and told them in verse 21 that if they call on the Lord they will be saved. They were saved then they asked now what...IMO.

Re: What Must I Do?
 

I did make that designation when I first recalled their question... but...

What then were they asking "what shall we do" in relation to?

We have 2 pieces of information to glean what they were asking in relation to. We have their question and we have Peters answer.

What was the understood reasoning behind asking what shall we do in your understanding?

Re: What Must I Do?
 

I think when you, anyone, reads the full chapter it's clear that in verse 21 he tells them to call on the Lord and they will be saved. I believe they accepted Jesus and were saved then were "pricked in their hearts" after they heard him preach the Gospel. I believe when they asked, "What shall we do?" I don't think Peter then tells them a different way to be saved. I think that Peter tells them basically, "Now that you have called on the name of the Lord and are saved now go and be baptized in Jesus name for the remission of sins and then you shall receive the gift of the HS." That's how I see it.

Re: What Must I Do?
 

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized because of the remission of sins...

Re: What Must I Do?
 

JT, if the people were saved, wasn't it redundant for Peter to tell them to repent?

Re: What Must I Do?
 

I'm not toying with you or being smart-alec. I'm actually volleying ideas here...


What you are saying is that people saved just moments before were told to repent?

It seems to me (and this is just me) that repentance would come before salvation since salvation would, IMO, indicate the pardoning of my sins.