The crowd
stood frozen—cut to the heart. Peter had just declared the unshakable truth:
Jesus, the very One they crucified, was both Lord and Christ. To call Him
“Lord” (Master, Ruler) was to recognize His divine authority. To call Him
“Christ” (Messiah, Savior) was to acknowledge He was the long-awaited
Redeemer—the fulfillment of God’s promise, anointed to rescue and reign.
Conviction
gripped them. “What shall we do?” they cried. Through Peter’s words, the Holy
Spirit had convicted their hearts. They were so shaken that they knew they must
do something. But what?! The answer was crystal clear: “Repent and be baptized,
every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your
sins.” This wasn’t a suggestion—it was a command. A call to leave sin behind
and turn wholeheartedly to Christ.
Peter’s
sermon at Pentecost was Spirit-powered truth, cutting through religious pride
and self-righteousness. He laid it all out—the prophecies, the fulfillment, the
undeniable fact that Jesus’ death and resurrection were part of God’s divine
rescue plan. And when the people recognized their guilt, they weren’t looking
for rituals or self-help tips. They needed salvation. Peter offered nothing
less: repentance, baptism, and a transformed life. That was the doorway to
forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
It’s
important to see that repentance and baptism work together—but they’re not
interchangeable. Repentance is the inward response to the Gospel. It’s not just
emotion—it’s action. A total change of heart. A turning from sin and a
surrender to Christ. Without repentance, salvation isn’t genuine.
Baptism
follows repentance as the outward sign of inward transformation. It doesn’t
save, but it proclaims—the believer has died to their old life and risen to new
life in Christ. And to Peter’s Jewish audience, baptism wasn’t a casual step—it
was a radical, public allegiance to Jesus.
Here’s the
key: repentance is required of all of us. It’s not just regret—it’s surrender. It
is turning around and changing course. And baptism? It’s a bold declaration
that Jesus has changed you from the inside out. Peter’s words still echo today.
Have you truly repented and surrendered to Christ? If the Holy Spirit is
stirring your heart, don’t wait. Turn to Jesus. Hand Him everything. Be
baptized in obedience.
May the Lord open your heart, grant you the courage to turn fully to Him, and fill you afresh with His Spirit.
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