Why Acts 2:38-39 is Only a Baptist Passage

Acts 2:38-39 as a Baptist Passage

So to call upon the name of the Lord is entails certainly repentance. You see that right? So they say what shall we do. Verse 38. Peter said of them repent. But then he says and be baptized.

Repent and.

Be baptized. So let's work through this. Now we should say this baptism in the text. Probably blame William Tyndale for this but it's it's immersion. Baptism is just a transliteration. The Greek word is baptizo.

So we have a new English word baptize. But it means immersion. There's a lot of studies. Done on the word, but you really you can't get around the fact that baptism means the immersion. Or our confession says dipping and by that it's to illustrate what?

Immersion is you put the whole body under the whole body comes out out. That is that is baptism now. This verse verse 38 has caused no small controversy in our even in our town. But I'll use Stuttgart, Arkansas as an example, so in Stuttgart, there's a huge Church of Christ building.

As a it's beautiful building at the top of the building. It has these words obey Acts 238. What was it talking about? It's talking about this verse repent and be baptized. Every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit so the Church of Christ argues.

They believe that baptism is a necessary mechanism for the forgiveness of sins. Where do they get that? Well, listen to the verse just listen to it. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.

You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Well, if you're not careful if you're not thinking through this and you don't know the context you just blindsided. Well, this maybe it sounds like case closed, right?

Well, oh, well, what is what does Peter mean? What is this right? Well, I'm gonna make the argument today. Hey, this is really gonna surprise you. I'm gonna make the argument this morning that acts 238 and verse 39.

They are Baptist verses. Kind of like the rest of the Bible, right? Now let me push back the idea that baptism is a mechanism for the forgiveness of sins. I'll do this in a few ways first. We're just gonna take a quick survey if you want to flip here.

You can. I've got them already printed out so I can read them quickly. Just a brief survey of acts a few places that discuss salvation and clearly. Show that baptism is not a necessary mechanism so acts 531 God exalted him at his right hand as leader and Savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

Acts 1043 to him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins. Through his name acts 13 38 and 39. Let it be known to you. Therefore brothers that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

And then acts 1631 and They said believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved you and your household. I'm arguing that it is a it is clear from an understanding of the book of Acts itself that Baptism is not a mechanism.

It's not the mechanism for the forgiveness of sins. Secondly, I'll make a grammatical argument so the text says Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.

So a Church of Christ person would argue you get baptized For the forgiveness of sins in the sense that it's baptism. That is the mechanism for the forgiveness sins. But but the word for is not always Used in that way and I'll give you an illustration.

Let's say oh, wouldn't this be wonderful. Let's say let's say a Huge cold front was scheduled for Thursday or forecasted for Thursday. So Thursday, there's gonna be a cold front. I'm talking about cold front.

It's gonna be a high of 55 Low of 42. I'm just gonna stop and dream for a minute. So you see me on Thursday and the cold front hasn't come yet, but I'm carrying a jacket. I've got a jacket and it's 80 degrees outside, but I've got a jacket and you say brother Quatro.

Why are you why do you have a jacket? I say I've got a jacket.

For.

The cold weather. Now, what am I saying? Am I saying I have a jacket that is going to cause The cold weather, right? So that's the Church of Christ argument. Baptism causes the forgiveness of sin. No.

No, I'm saying I have a jacket. What for the cold weather meaning? The cold weather causes the jacket meaning I have a jacket on the account of the cold weather. Do you understand? That's that's what Peter's saying.

That's the argument. I'm saying but if you don't like grammatical, okay I mean, I think grammatical arguments are helpful and they're good if you don't like that. Okay, I think it can be even simpler and that is listen any average Bible reader.

Just read the Bible in its Context and you understand now remember the context what is happening here next you that who is Peter preaching to? He's preaching to the Jews. So, how could these Jews Demonstrate that they're being cut to the heart was real.

How could they demonstrate this by publicly? Identifying with King Jesus that is baptism is an evidence of true repentance and How far do you really have to read to get that argument? Well first you have to read a whole nother three verses to get to verse 41 look at verse 41.

Look what it says. So those who received his word were baptized and there were added that day about 3 ,000 souls. And then from Acts 2 41 you have to read a whole nother 25 verses to get down to Acts chapter 3.

Just read this for me right together read this with me right here together. This is one. I mean just think about it. Look at verse 19 Repent therefore, this is same guy Peter repent therefore and turn again that your sins may be blotted out.

The times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send the Christ Appointed for you Jesus whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things. How could Peter preach in one sermon that baptism is a mechanism for the forgiveness of sins?

But in another sit on in another sermon just 25 verses later in in Luke's Putting this together. How could he talk about its repentance? Because the reality is he's not preaching that baptism is a mechanism for the forgiveness of Sins, that's the whole argument.

If you are an average Bible reader and you read the Bible in context and you trust the Holy Spirit. You'll not get confused on this matter. You say well, I'm still not sure. Well good I'm gonna keep pressing you for a minute in first Peter 321.

Peter says this Baptism which corresponds to this he's talking about the flood. Baptism which corresponds to this now saves you now a lot of people want to stop right there and say see no. No, listen, read the whole verse now saved you not as a removal of dirt from the body.

But as an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, what is Peter saying? He's a Baptist. Baptism is an appeal to God from the believer. Baptism points us to Christ.

That's why it's for believers only this is why it's by immersion. It is a sign that we believe the picture of baptism, which is the gospel the resurrection of Christ. You really want to obey acts 238?

Well, this is what we should do preach to people to repent and believe the gospel and as a sign of their repentance that they Will be baptized. I hate to say baptized by immersion. We we do have to say that I really hate having to say that because it's redundant.

It's like be it be immersed by immersion. But we say it for clarity's sake. You understand it had been very easy for the Jews to just verbally say to Peter. Oh, yeah, we believe we believe we believe but Peter was showing that true repentance will lead to a person Willing to publicly identify with the Lord Jesus Christ in believers baptism.

So Sam Waldron, he says it is the teaching of Scripture that baptism Symbolizes a saving response to the gospel and I am arguing you see this. Clearly if we understand the text you see it clearly. In Peter's preaching Now historically, let me say this Baptists have done a great job at defending the biblical position that baptism is not a mechanism for forgiveness of sins.

But I think that.

We're good on that where we're guilty at sometimes is to act like. Baptism is not important at all. No, no, no, no, no, no. Listen to this. Peter puts all this together in our text.

And.

Peter said to them repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ. For the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. I'm arguing that Peter is putting this all together in this way.

I'll just give you kind of three quick points first. He's giving us a precept. A Precept. What's the precept? What is the command? Repent. Okay. In fact, let's just turn back to Luke 24 for a second. Keep axe to but I'm gonna go the end.

Remember Luke. I'm for some of you that are have forgotten or hadn't been here need to know this. Luke writes Luke and axe so in Luke chapter 24. Luke chapter 24, he says this in verse 45. Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures and said to them thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third Day rise from the dead and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations beginning from Jerusalem.

And this is exactly what Peter is doing, right? This is the precept repent. Repent. Peter is carrying out the Commission. He is preaching repentance and there is no hope for salvation apart from repentance from sin.

That's the precept. Secondly the promise. The promise. What's the promise? Forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit by the way, not the gifts of the Holy Spirit but the gift of The Holy Spirit that is who's the gift not what the Holy Spirit can give you.

It's the Holy Spirit himself. Now think about the kindness of God for just a moment, please just hear me for a second. I know we've done arguments grammar and tenses of verbs and I get it. But just listen to me for a moment.

Just consider. You've broken the law of God.

You've you've committed.

Atrocities against a good and Holy God. You've broken his law the things that you've thought this so be you know that just think about this. The Paul gives a long line Of sins in Romans 1 and you know one that you may not expect to see their disobedience to parents.

Children just listen to me for just a second. You understand that when you roll your eyes at your mommy or your daddy or when you disobey what they have said to do that God considers this a heinous offense against him.

Now now not just children, but all the way up consider. We've done these these things. We've broken God's law. We've we've sinned and we deserve judgment, but here's the promise. Forgiveness of sins and the gift of God the Holy Spirit.

So the Jesus Christ is the answer to these things the Son of God has taken on human flesh. He's been born under the law. He has stood up to the test of perfect righteousness. He was obedient to the point of death even death on the cross.

He was crucified for sinners. The wrath of God the sinners deserve with every breath fell upon our substitute fell upon Christ. There's been arguments in the last couple of weeks on social media about penal substitutionary atonement that Jesus Christ paid the penalty.

Do our sin? Absorbing. Propitiating I should say the wrath of God in our place and people have been arguing that makes God a God of cosmic child abuse. No, it doesn't it makes of God a God of holiness and love.

This is the reality of the gospel. Jesus Christ died on the cross propitiating the wrath of God against sinners. And then they laid his body in the tomb with the dead and on the third day. He rose again in triumph.

God raised him up. God seated him at his right hand and here's the promise for you. Listen, here's the promise from the text twofold one. Your sins will be forgiven.

Your sins your sins will be.

Forgiven.

Cast away as far as the east is from the west. Don't you love that illustration that the Bible uses it. Don't you understand that if you keep going north eventually north meet south. You got it. You keep going north long enough.

Eventually, you'll start going south and then you'll start going north right. But you head off here going east and you never change.

You just keep going.

East right you keep going east. Whatever direction that is you keep going. You'll never start going west. Just keep going east. Come around the globe. You're still going east. Cuz East never meets West in that sense because your sins are forgiven like that.

You never meet them again in Condemnation. You'll be forgiven. Have you considered the hope for sinners in our verse? You call upon Christ. You're forgiven. You're justified by faith alone. You're credited and clothed with the righteousness of Christ as he cries upon the cross.

It is finished. Listen to me here. I don't know your state some of you this morning, but there really is grace for you. You say I could never believe I could never repent. I could never be a Christian.

I can't do this. Maybe some of your children, maybe some adults. Hey, I want to be a Christian. I don't know how I'll never be a Christian. And I say to you that's true in and of yourself, actually. That's true.

You're left to yourself. You're not going to become a Christian, but guess what? We preach a gospel that is full of grace even for you. Even for you to change even you this is an amazing Reality that those who've offended God are those who God will clothe in his own sovereign grace.

Here again verse 40 and with many other words He bore witness and continued to exhort them saying save yourselves from this crooked generation this crooked generation. All these people telling you and bringing you along these paths.

Hey do these things with me? Hey get drunk with me. Hey sleep around with me. Hey, let's let's let's cheat on our our finances when they do these things with me. This generation will perish. No, Peter says save yourselves from this crooked generation.

Don't you understand that Jesus Christ is coming back and that there is judgment that awaits those who refuse to heed our text who refused To repent who refused to reject the Savior who refused to to leave their sin.

But here the beauty and the promise of the text there's forgiveness of sins. Even you can be forgiven in.

Christ.

But then. That's not all there's another promise. Repent. Be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. You will be given the gift of God himself.

Your sins are cleaned out and a new home is made for God to live within you. Reconciled to God united to Christ by the Holy Spirit your slate wiped clean your heart made new and God Makes that heart his abode.

I.

Mean.

Honestly part of me just wants to stop and let's just sing. Let me make one last argument here. About baptism not being the mechanism. I'm just gonna flip over to Acts chapter 10. I have this one just written down the address if you will.

But listen to this in Acts chapter 10 Verse 47 Peter preaching to the Gentiles Cornelius. He says can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.

Friends in.

No shape form or way is the New Testament trying to teach us that baptism is the mechanism By which we receive these gifts it is not. So you have the precept and you have the promise. Well, then what is baptism?

Well thirdly, let me just mention this you have the picture. That's the whole point be baptized an Outward picture of these inward realities. You've received the forgiveness of sins. You've received the Holy Spirit within you.

Is there anything that can confirm this? Is there anything that will picture this? Is there anything that will show this? Yes, sir. Yes, ma 'am. It's baptism the picture the sign. Outwardly immersed in water because inwardly you've been immersed in the Holy Spirit.

Outwardly signifying death because inwardly you've died to self. Outwardly raised up out of the water because already inwardly you've been brought to newness of life. And the whole act is a picture of the life death burial and resurrection of Christ.

This is exactly friends. I'm not trying to be tongue-in-cheek. I know it's kind of funny to say ha it's a Baptist verse. But I'm just telling you Contextually, this is exactly what Peters preaching repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Now what do you do with someone who rejects this? Any of it the precept the promise the picture. What if someone says I'm not repenting, but I'm a Christian you say not according to the by the way. You understand it doesn't matter your definition or cultures definition or your neighbors definition or frankly I mean no offense to your grandparents and they may have been godly, but in case they weren't not even your grandparents definition.

No, none of those definitions of a Christian matter, you know, what matters the Bible's definition of a Christian and If you say well, I'm a Christian. I'm just not a repenting Christian not according to the Bible.

All right. What if someone says I'm a Christian, but I don't yet have the Holy Spirit, you know, that's not biblical Christianity either. Okay, and what if someone says I'm a Christian, but I refuse to be.

Baptized.

Well, let me say this in the New Testament. Be careful here, but we can work through this in the New Testament. There's not a category of unbaptized Christians you understand. The New Testament pattern unfolds like this you get saved and soon thereafter You receive baptism.

So if you say that you've received Christ, but baptism is not important to you. I'm arguing with you. You're not in line with the Bible verse 38.

I.

Repent be baptized every one of you. And I hate to always be giving the tip of the hat here to the LSB. But it translates it better because it's each one of you each one of you each one of you. Baptism is a command to be followed by each and every individual Christian.

Now, I've got a couple more things. I've got to address.

First.

Baptized it says in the name of Jesus Christ.

Now.

This opens another can of worms. You've probably heard of churches Jesus name only churches oneness Pentecostal ism. They would take this verse so Church of Christ would take this verse and say look this what you have to do.

Jesus name only one is Pentecostal. Take this verse say look you have to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ only. Obviously disagree with that our confession talked about this morning, but I'm gonna explain why first guess what I'm going to talk about.

Context. The preaching here has centered around who?

Christ.

It's all about Christ. Christ is the fulfillment. Christ is the one that is sitting on the throne of David. Christ is the one who has tasted death for all man. Christ is the one who is Bore our burden to Calvary.

Christ is the one who was died But his soul did not see corruption as David promised. Christ is the one who is resurrected from the grave. Christ is the one who is ascended into heaven and Christ is the one who is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty upon the Davidic throne.

It's all.

Christ.

The point here then in Verse 38 you just completely whiff if you say well, that's a form. See that's a formula. Peters giving us a formula. There's a there's a mechanism here. You had to be baptized in the name of Jesus and say it that way.

That's not the that's not the point at all, right? And it's certainly the point is not a Trinitarian heresy. That's that's not to be unkind. But the one is Pentecostal ism if they understand what they believe they set themselves outside of the Christian faith.

Because they deny the Trinity. They would say that Jesus is the Father Son Holy Spirit. That's not true.

Now.

The point is that true saving the point of verse 38 true saving repentance acknowledges the kingship of Christ and that His accomplished work alone is the way whereby we are made fit. For heaven the whole sermon centers around Jesus Christ so it makes perfect sense for Peter to say it this way and then even in the Acts the Apostles are very Careful to distinguish between there's another baptism out there, right.

When you read Acts you understand we'll get through that. There's another baptism out there. What baptism is it? It's the baptism by John the Baptist. So it makes perfect sense that they're drawing a a strong line in the sand here.

It's not the baptism of John the Baptist. You need to be baptized in the name of Christ. That's what that's that's their argument. They're they're they're making an argument. Distinguishing these so you say well, okay.

But why today when you get baptized so Piper's gonna be presented at the end of service as a candidate for baptism. We're gonna vote on her in September and If we approve her as a church that we're gonna vote on or that we're gonna baptize her when she's baptized.

She'll be baptized in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit. Why you do that? Well, I have two reasons one Jesus told us to Jesus told us to baptize that way. Secondly. This understanding of baptism is a whole Bible.

Understanding of baptism, you know when you're really gonna get bad in your theology is when you cherry-pick a verse here or there. And then you try to make everything else fit into the verse that you've cherry-picked.

So we're not cherry-picking a verse here or there. We're understanding the whole Bible has a whole Bible understanding of salvation. Focusing on Christ, but it is a full Trinitarian work. Okay, and one more one more.

Though these first two are very serious. We work through these and I'm not just trying to say that. You know, I'm not trying to label everyone not a Christian or whatever. But look Church Christ have a very serious error.

One is Pentecostal ism has a very serious error. Now. There's a third category here. It's less. It's still an error. Less of an error, but it's still a very important error and So, let me address that I need to mention pedo-baptism that is Infant baptism.

Because our text is used to support that. It's not a biblical.

Practice.

By our.

Believers are believers like conservative Presbyterians conservative Anglicans, which that's growing more and more or less and less Conservative Dutch Reformed conservative Lutherans. Hopefully I didn't miss any but people who are actually and really born again, but they get baptism wrong.

Well, some of them will use as a proof text verse 39 for their practice. So look at verse 39. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off. Everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself now first of all.

First of all the word baptism, you can't get around that it cannot mean Sprinkling even John Calvin. He's got a great quote. I don't have it here for you. He's got a great quote. And by the way, he sprinkled babies.

So what we strongly disagree with Calvin on that and He said that you baptism means immersion. Yes, I just wish he would have practiced it. It means immersion, right? You cannot get around that meaning so you cannot sprinkle.

To be faithful to our texts, so that's one problem. But the pedo-baptist that is the infant baptizer. Those who sprinkle infants they argue that look in verse 39 the text says the promise is for you and for your children.

So therefore the logic is what if the promise is is if you're supposed to get baptized and the promise is for you and for Your children. Ah, the logic is then you and your children should be baptized.

Guys.

It's not it's not airtight.

Why?

Because what does the text say? It doesn't actually say it that way unless you just truncated the verse. It actually says it this way for the promise is for you and for your children and. For all who are far off everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.

So this text if this text means that you should baptize your unconverted children then logically it also means what. You have to go baptize the unbelieving nations, right? Baptize the unconverted people who are far off.

Okay, find the unconverted baptize them and then give them the gospel. But what's the problem with that? It's completely backwards to our text. What is verse 41 say so those who what received his word they weren't baptized and then received his word, right?

They received his word and then they were baptized. That's the whole point. Baptism is for believers those who've received God's Word. It is as verse 39 says. For who? Everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.

God doesn't have grandchildren. There are. No there's not a covenant children. That's not a thing. That's not a thing. Okay, your children are not in cover. Your unconverted children are not in covenant with God other than being in the broken covenant of works.

And I'm a covenant of grace. But it they need to be saved.

It's for.

Believers those who receive the effectual call of God and thereby cry out to Jesus Christ in faith and repentance. It's only those that the promise is for only those I'll read the text again quite plain for the promises for you and for your children and for all who are far off everyone who whom the Lord our God calls to himself who is Baptism for it's not for believers and unbelievers.

It's for those who God calls to himself. Those in thereby they call upon the name of the Lord. I heard it put this way. Who should we baptize? Only the true sons and daughters of Abraham. That's who should be baptized.

Well, wait, what does that mean? Galatians 3 7 know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. So who should we baptize those of faith? Circumcision was given to the physical offspring of Abraham, but it was never a sign of the covenant of grace never it was a reminder of one who.

The need of one to keep the whole law and the one who would keep the whole law and that those who broke God's covenant. Would be cut off see Genesis 1714 but here we have baptism. It's not a replacement for circumcision.

Okay circumcision, by the way. It's a kind of a silly argument not to be mean but it's kind of a silly argument because it was only for males.

Anyway, right?

So baptism is a sign of the new covenant and it is only for the true sons and daughters of Abraham. Which are who those of faith not the physical offspring? But those who call upon the name of the Lord because the Lord our God has called them to himself again right from the text for The promises for you and for your children and for all who are far off everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.

Self a lot of work.

We've done a lot of work. Please don't miss the point of the sermon. You spoiler alert, I'm gonna preach acts 238 like a Baptist, right? But it's true, I hope I've shown you that's true. But don't miss the point of the sermon and this next points not going to be as long.

We're talking about the proper response to gospel preaching. Number one conviction of sin. Number two calling on Christ. Number three commitment to church.

You.