What Must I Do
to be Saved?
The Best Kept Secret
So, what shall we do? That is the very question that a multitude
of people asked Peter and the apostles on the day of Pentecost.
On that day thousands of people had gathered to listen to Peter.
On that day, the people finally understood who Jesus was, they
understood that they had crucified their Savior, and they believed
that he was raised up from the dead!
They asked Peter and the apostles, "What shall we do?"
Brace yourself, because his answer is not what
you have heard a million times before. In fact, you would think that Peter's answer
was the best kept secret
in the bible!
Acts 2: 38-39 Then
Peter said unto them,
Repent, and
be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift
of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children,
and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God
shall call.
So, in response, what did the people
do? Did they act on Peter's answer?
verse 41 And
they that gladly received his word [FIRST] were baptized.
- Peter did NOT say, "Repeat this
sinner's prayer."
- Peter did NOT say, "Invite Jesus
into your heart."
- Peter did NOT say, "Just be a
good person."
- Peter did NOT say, "Believe. Have
faith."
- Peter did NOT say, "Call on the
name of the Lord."
Calling on the name of
the Lord: If you
look in your bible at verse 21 of Acts chapter 2,, Peter said,
"whosoever shall call on
the name of the Lord shall be saved." But, he continued to preach. So, listen to what he said next. There was more! That was not the end of the lesson! In verses
22-36, the people continued to listen to him preach, Then, when
they were convinced, they believed, and his words cut to their
hearts, and then they asked the question, "What shall we do?"
His answer was, "Repent
and be baptized for forgiveness of your sins!"
Why didn't he simply say, "Call
on the name of the Lord?"
The answer is demonstrated in Acts 22 with Saul's conversion.
Jesus appeared to Saul, verse 8, "I
am Jesus" and Jesus told him,
"Go to Damascus and there you
will be told what to do!" You see,
there was something that he needed to do. So, Saul went.
What was he told to do?
Acts 22: 16 And
now, why tarrist thou? (Why do you wait?)
Arise, and be baptized and wash away thy sins,
calling on the name of
the Lord.
You see, it is in the act of baptism
that we call on the name of the Lord.
What is baptism and why is it important?
Baptism comes from the Greek word "baptizo" which
means to make fully wet or immerse.
It comes from the root word "bapto" which means to
cover wholly, to dip, to stain (as with dye) or to wash.
KJV AMG Study Bible explains the verse
Acts 2:38: The main verb in this verse is metanoesate (3340),
meaning "repent." This refers to that initial repentance
of a sinner unto salvation. The verb translated "be baptized"
is in the indirect pasive imperative of baptizo (907) which means
that it does not have the same force as the direct command of
"repent." The preposition "for" in the phrase
"for the remission of sins" in Greek is eis (1519),
"unto." Literally, it means "for the purpose
of identifying you with the remission of sins." This
same preposition is used in themselves with the work and ministry
of Moses. Repentance is something that concerns an individual
and God, while baptism is intended to be a testimony to other
people. That is why baptistheto, "to be baptized,"
is in the passive voice indicating that one does not baptize
himself, but he is baptized by another usually in the presence
of others.
1) Baptism is a new birth.
Have you ever heard that we must be
born again?
John 3: 3-7 Jesus
answered and said unto him, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a
man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into
his mother's womb, and be born?
Jesus answered,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water
and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which
is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto
thee, Ye must be born again.
We have all experienced the physical
birth. But now we must be born again of water and Spirit.
2) Baptism puts you inside
Christ.
Romans 6: 3 Know
ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into
Jesus Christ were baptized into
his death? ... Galatians 3:
27 For as many of you as have been
baptized into Christ...
KJV AMG Bible note: "in Romans
6:3, the word pabtizo (907), means "to be identified
with."
3) Baptism buries you with
Christ so that you can share in his
death and resurrection.
Romans 6: 3-5 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized
into Jesus Christ were baptized
into his death? Therefore we are
buried with him by baptism
into death: that like as Christ
was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even
so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been
planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be
also in the likeness of his resurrection.
Colossian 2: 12 12 Buried
with him in baptism, wherein
also ye are risen with him through
the faith of the operation of God,
who hath raised him from the dead.
4) Baptism saves us...
1 Peter 3: 21 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.
After Jesus died and rose after three
days reappeared "..unto the eleven as they sat at meat,
and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart,
because they believed not them which had seen him after he was
risen. And he said unto them, "Go
ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but
he that believeth not shall be damned."
KJV AMG "baptistheis (907), translated
"is baptized," is an aorist participle but in the passive
voice. This form refers to an act of outward obedience, in this
case baptism... Baptism is a distinct act of obedience apart
from salvation If baptism were necessary for salvation, Ephesians
2:8 and many other verses should have been translated "ye
are saved through faith and baptism."
5) Baptism washes away your
sins... Acts 22: 16 Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins.
and Acts 2: 38 ...be baptized for the remission of sins.
How Urgent is Baptism?
The book of Acts is the book of conversions.
There we find examples of people being converted to Christ. The
following people responded to the Gospel by being baptized.
Example #1 The
Ethiopian Eunuch was baptized immediately upon
hearing the gospel, Acts 8: 26-39 ...they came to a certain water: and the Eunuch
said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou
mayest... and they both went down into the water, both Philip
and the Eunuch; and he baptized him.
Example #2 The
Jailer and his whole family were baptized
the same hour that they heard
the gospel. Acts 16: 33 And he took
them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and
was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
Example #4 Saul was blinded for three
days, but as soon as his eyesight was restored, he got baptized immediately. Acts 9: 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as
it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose,
and was baptized.
Example #5 Cornelius
received the Holy Spirit FIRST, but he still got baptized immediately!
Acts 10: 47-48 Can any man forbid
water, that these should not be baptized, which have received
the Holy Ghost as well as we?
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.
Never once did Peter or any apostle tell anyone at any
time to say a sinner's prayer. Never once did they tell anyone
to invite Jesus into their heart.
What did Peter say? Acts 2:38 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 shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Peter's answer is the gospel of your
salvation! ...
the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed,
ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit... Ephesians 1:13. It was the first gospel message
after the death and resurrection of Jesus. On the day of Pentecost
as recorded in the book of Acts, Christ's church was established.
Those who were baptized were added to the church and they received
the Holy Spirit.
You may be asking yourself, "Why should I care
what Peter said?" The answer
is in Matthew 16:18-19. Jesus said...
And I say also unto thee, That thou
art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give
unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven:
and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven...
There you have it! Jesus gave the keys of the kingdom to Peter. He gave the keys to one person, not anyone
else: not the pope, not
Billy Graham, not your preacher, and not you.
Jesus gave them to Peter and that is why I listened to Peter's
gospel of salvation.
Peter holds the keys! Peter said it, so it is bound on earth and in
heaven. If you want to be sealed by the Holy Spirit, then you
should listen to his answer and then be baptized for the forgiveness
of your sins.
Key #1... Believe
Key #2... Repent
Key #3... Be Baptized for forgiveness
Key # 4... You will receive the Holy
Spirit!
Peter's answer and the answer for every
believer was always the same: "And I said, What shall I
do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, "Arise and be
baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Acts 22: 16.
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