Page 280 - Bible Writers Theology Original

264 ♦ Bble Writers'Theology Chapter Eight
Pentecost culminated in the command recorded in 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." The command came as an answer to the people present on that day who were "pricked in their
heart" and asked, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37).
When these men heard the message, the Holy Spirit brought conviction in their heart. Salvation was offered to them in a nutshell. For those who believed the message of the apostle, repentance, baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins, and the reception of the gift of t h e
Holy Ghost took place then and there as the saving experience. We read, "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they contin ued steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers" (Acts 2:41-42). This was the birth of the church.
Inthesame manner, whenthepeople ofSamaria "believed Philippreach ingthethings concerning thekingdom ofGod, and the name ofJesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women. (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus)" (Acts 8:12,16).
God sent Peter to the house of Cornelius. The whole tenth chapter of the bookofActsisdedicatedtothisevent. ThisdevoutandGodfearing^ntile had prayers and alms that reached the throne of God, and yet he was not saved (Acts 11:14). He was instructed by an angel of the Lord to call for the apostle Peter, who would tell him what he ought to do to be saved.
While Peterwas preaching Christ to him and his household, he said, "To him (Jesus) give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believethinhimshallreceiveremissionofsins"(Acts10:43). Hiswordwas vindicated by the Holy Ghost, which "fell on all them which heard the word" (verse 44). Then Peter said, "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" (Acts 10:47,48).
Saul of Tarsus, who met and heard from the risen Christ on the road to Damascus, and received the Holy Ghost when Ananias laid his hand upon him, had to call on the Name of the Lord and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ to be saved (Acts 22:16).