The holy spirit gospel and gift

THE HOLY SPIRIT GOSPEL AND GIFT
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Acts 2:38 38Peterreplied, "Repent and be baptized,
every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christfor the
forgivenessof your sins. And you will receive the gift
of the Holy Spirit.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
The First Practice OfBaptism As A Christian Rite
Acts 2:38, 41
P.C. Barker
Then Petersaid unto them, Repent, and be baptized... the Holy Ghost. "Then
they that gladly receivedhis word were baptized... three thousand souls." The
sun of the day of Pentecostdid not set without marking the moment of the
inauguration of the rite of Christian baptism - a rite which has never ceasedto
prove the occasionofstir and difference of opinion down the history of the
Church. Baptism, and the baptism of water, was of course a familiar thing to
the minds of the disciples of Jesus. It was in no sense a novelty, for they had
known it from the preaching and the practice of John the Baptist. And with
the originalof even this there canbe no doubt the Jewishnation as such had
long been acquainted. The rite, however, unavoidably invests itself with fresh

dignity and fresh significance from the time that Jesus, in the interval between
the Resurrectionand Ascension, and especiallyin his very parting words
before the latter event, enjoined his disciples to observe it, in the sense, notof
submitting to it themselves at the hands of one another, but of calling others to
it and administering it to them. They are expressly advised by Jesus that in
their own case it would be utterly supersededby the baptism of the Holy
Ghost, which the day of Pentecostwas to bring, and which it now had
brought. "This beginning," therefore, of baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ
may well attract most interested notice. It practically ownedto certainobjects
or requirements, whether more explicit or implicit in their character. And it is
our duty to study it in the appearances itthen offered to view.
I. IT IMPLIED THAT, GIVEN CERTAIN FAVORING CIRCUMSTANCES
AND OPPORTUNITIES OF KNOWLEDGE IN THEIR RELIGIOUS LIFE,
MEN ARE CALLED TO ENTER INTO A DEFINITE AND FIXED
RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST. Once the novel appeal to men was, "Repent:
for the kingdom of heavenis at hand." Now the more permanent appeal has
takenits place:"Repent, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ."
II. IT SUPPOSES THAT THE ENTRANCE UPON SUCH RELATIONSHIP
TO CHRIST BE OF THE NATURE OF A PROFESSION, AND MORE OR
LESS PUBLIC PROFESSION. Notin the retirement of sacredshrine, or of
more sacredcloset, orof most sacredheart alone, must the relationship be
established. There were reasons why a certainkind of notoriety should attend
it. That notoriety might be expectedto have in it:
1. Some share of useful influence on the individual characterofthe person
making profession.
2. Some helpful influence in the founding and holding togetherof the
Christian society.
3. Some tribute of grateful and willing acknowledgmentto him who once was
put to "openshame."
III. IT CONTAINED IN IT A TACIT CONFESSION,IN THE VERY
NATURE OF THE RITE SUBMITTED TO, OF THE TAINT INHERENT

IN NATURE, AND OF NATURE'S NEED OF PURIFICATION. The
indistinctness of prophecy that went before by centuries, and the unequivocal
distinctness of apostolic language in both history and Epistle, give the
description of washing, cleansing, purifying, as the symbolic significance of
the rite of baptism.
IV. IT DID NOT, TO ALL APPEARANCE, ASK FOR ANY
INQUISITORIAL ELEMENT OR SEARCHING INVESTIGATION ON
THE PART OF THE ADMINISTRATORS OF IT. It would seemimpossible,
in the nature of the circumstances describedin the history before us, that even
apostles, under the highestamount of inspiration, could have done more than
acceptsimply the professionof those who offeredthemselves for baptism. The
guarantee they took of the very repentance which they urged and preached as
the deepestmatter in question, was only that which belongedto the fact of the
people's willingness and desire to be baptized. That was indeed a greatand
open change of mind, or repentance, which brought the people to this point. It
seems impossible to imagine that baptism was now acceptedas anything but
the very first step toward holiness of heart and life. Those who were baptized
did thus much - they "settheir faces Zionward." These are the appearances
that invest the first occasionofthe observance oruse of baptism as a
Christian rite. These appearances by themselves scarcelyamount to the
assertionofa permanent institution; and they can scarcely be accountedas
speaking with authority the subjects, or the convictions, or the methods of its
administration for all time and all circumstances, evenupon the supposition
of its permanent obligation. They are not, therefore, the less interesting; nay,
they may kindle keenerand more observantinquiry. But they need such
inquiry, and they must be interpreted under the light of Christ's ascending
commissionto his disciples, of obedience to which this is the first possible
occasion, and in the light of the succeeding history of Christ's followers during
the apostolic period. At present baptism may be said to hold the place of an
initiatory rite. Through that first Christian baptism three thousand persons
were introduced into the ranks of those who believed in Christ as the Messiah,
and who were prepared to become learners in his school, and to put in
practice (as was immediately seen) his principles. They no longerare of those
who believe in sacrificesand ceremonialobservancesinnumerable for "the

remissionof sins," but "in the Name of Jesus Christ." And they are
introduced within the covenantof promise - that covenantthe abiding
promise to which was "the gift of the Holy Ghost." - B.
Biblical Illustrator
Then Petersaid, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of the
Lord Jesus.
Acts 2:38
Peter's direction
Lyman Abbott.
In getting the exactmeaning of Peter's directions to these inquirers, observe
—(1) "Repent" is literally to perceive afterwards, and hence to change the
mind, including one's view of life and truth, and hence one's purpose. Here it
means an entire change of opinion respecting Jesus Christ, from regarding
Him as an impostor to reverencing Him as both Lord and Christ; but it also
includes all that change of inner life and purpose which follows thereon. The
Roman Catholic translation, "Do penance," making the direction merely the
observance ofcertain legalrites, is equally inconsistentwith the original
Greek and with the spirit of the entire passage.(2)"Be baptized" follows in
order the direction to repent. Baptism is not a regenerating ordinance, but a
sign and symbol of repentance, and a public confessionofChrist.(3) "Eachof
you," shows that the repentance and baptism must be a personalact. The
multitude could not have been baptized under this direction, as some of the
converts under Xavier's preaching were baptized in India, by being sprinkled
altogetherin a multitude, or as some of the northern people were baptized in
earlier times, by being made to pass through the river in a greathost.(4) "In"
(upon) "the name of Jesus Christ," is upon the name of Jesus Christ as the
foundation of the baptism, i.e., with an acknowledgmentof Him in that actas

being what His name means, the sinner's only hope, his Redeemer, Justifier,
Lord, and Final Judge.
(Lyman Abbott.)
St. Peter's prescription
BP. Brownrigg.
I. THE MEANS HE PRESCRIBES.
1. Repentance;that is the first ingredient in the cure. It is the primitive
original grace, evenbefore faith itself, as it serves to justify. All the promises
are made only to the penitent.(1) See the necessityof this spiritual medicine.
As when a loving father shall command his sick child to use such a medicine to
save his life, should the child refuse it, he sins not only as a disobedient child
againsthis father, but as a desperate creature againsthis own life.
Impeniteney is the damning sin. All sins deserve damnation, but it is
impenitency which doth actually castus. As he that hath eatenpoison hath
done that which in itself is deadly; but yet there is an antidote that can cure it;
now to refuse the antidote is more desperate. Other sins are againstour duty;
but impenitency is againstour recovery. Still the Scripture promises this as a
necessarycondition for obtaining mercy (Acts 5:3).(2) It is a proper cure for
sin this penitential sorrow. To speak truly, sorrow and remorse, it is goodfor
nothing but to destroy sin. God, when He implanted this affection in our souls,
intended it only for this purpose, to purge and cure our spiritual maladies(3)
See the efficacyof this prescript, the strength and virtue of this balm of
Gilead. It is able to work strange cures, to recovermen of desperate maladies.
As no sin is so small but it needs repentance, so no sin so greatbut may be
done awayby this grace of repentance.(4)Take notice ofthe seasonableness of
this prescription. They were already deeply castdown with sorrow and
anguish, they were prickedat the heart, pierced. One would think some other
course were more seasonable.No, no; St. Peteris right, he sees their souls are
in perplexity, and yet he calls upon them to repent; they are in sorrow, and yet
they must sorrow if they mean to be eased. There is indeed a large difference

betwixt that sorrow which they alreadyfelt and that penitential sorrow which
St. Peterenjoins them. Their former sorrow, it was a legalsorrow, wrought
into them by the terrors of God's law and the sense of their sin; but the
sorrow St. Petercommends to them is an evangelicalsorrow, a sorrow
wrought by the gospeland a gift of Christ.(5) Their former sorrow and
compunction, it was a pang and passionof sorrow that seized them, whether
they would or no; but the penitential sorrow that Peterexhorts them to, it is a
voluntary, willing sorrow to which they must stir up and provoke
themselves.(a)Look upon it in the original, it is a grace, and that is seatedin
the will, it serves to enable it and to make it willing.(b) Look upon it in the
exercise, so it is a duty; God requires and expects repentance. Now, God
requires our actions. Sufferings are not commanded but inflicted; but duties
are, enjoined, and we must willingly perform them.(c) Look upon it in the use;
so it is a condition upon the performance of which Goddoth covenant with us.
A true penitent must provoke himself to sorrow, praying that he may sorrow;
grieving that he cannot grieve, never repenting that he hath repented.(6)The
sorrow they felt before, when their hearts were pricked, differs from the
sorrow to which St. Peterexhorts them; that was dolor, the pain of the
disease;but this he requires of them, it is the smart that comes by the cure
and medicine. It is not every stroke ofconscience, nor every pang of sorrow,
that is true repentance;we may feel all these, and feelthem in extremity, and
yet the bitter pill of repentance must be taken down for all that. That is the
first means, a spiritual purging. Come we —
2. To the secondmeans which St. Peterprescribes them, that is a spiritual
bathing; that is the sacramentof baptism.(1) The sacramentalaction;they
must be baptized. This outward, external, bodily ceremony of washing in
water, it is of Divine institution, and so necessary. Let the means be what it
will, if Christ sends us to it, it shall be effectual. PurposelyChrist uses these
bodily means as specialconveyancesofspiritual grace;even amongstmen we
see outward evidences and seals are accountedstrong assurances.We are not
content to have estates passedoverto us by bare word; but writings and seals,
livery and seisin, are all requisite. PurposelyGod employs very mean
instruments that our faith may only depend upon His power, and that our
thankfulness may ascribe it only to His glory. In particular, Christ prescribes

this sacramentof baptism, and washing in water, that element fitly resembling
those spiritual effects which are wrought in baptism.(a) Waterhath a force of
drawing and killing and suffocating any breathing thing. And this quality of
wateris a fit resemblance ofthe grace ofbaptism. A sinner, coming to this
sacrament, hath all his sins drowned and abolished.(b) Waterhath a power of
quenching; and such a spiritual virtue there is in baptism, it allays the heat of
our natural concupiscence,quenches and extinguishes the boilings and
inflammations of our sinful lusts.(c)Water, it is a cleansing element, it washes
awayfilthiness, and so doth baptism; it purges a sinner from all defilements of
flesh and spirit (Ephesians 4:26).(d) Water hath a fructifying virtue in it; it is
a fruitful element, and makes other things fruitful (Genesis 1:20). So this
sacramentby Divine institution and benediction, it is a fountain of living
water, a font and laver of regeneration. See how abundantly these waters
brought forth. Three thousand were baptized and renewedin one day. That is
the action. Then —(2) The relation of it, which enlivens the actionand makes
it effectual, is that it must be done in the name of Jesus Christ. What means
that? In His name, that is, by His authority. He alone can institute a
sacrament, He alone can make the sealthat must confirm His covenant. In His
name; that is, be baptized in the faith of Jesus His name, through faith in His
name (Acts 3:16). A sacramentwithout faith is a sealto a blank. In the name
of Jesus Christ, that is, in the solemn and holy professionof Christ into His
religion, into the fellowship and communion of His holy profession. In baptism
we take upon us Christ's cognisanceandlivery.
II. THE BENEFITSWHICH UPON THE USE OF THIS MEANS HE DOTH
ASSURE THEM.
1. Remissionof sins. And this will appear —(1) A seasonablebenefit. Men in
their case and perplexity had rather hearof the pardon of their sins, then that
all the goods of the world should betide them. This mercy, it is the sinful soul's
city of refuge. Other means may stupefy and benumb our conscience, andlay
it asleep;only this assurance cantruly and effectually quiet and comfort it,
Thy sins are forgiven thee.(2) This mercy here promised is a full complete
comfort; it is remission of sins in the plural number. As in bodily cures, when
Christ castout one devil, He castout all; sevendevils out of Mary Magdalen;
a whole legion of devils, left not one remaining. So when He pardons one sin

He forgives all.(a) God's love, it is not partial and imperfect, pardoning some
and retaining others.(b) And then repentance, though it be occasionedby
some one sin, yet it bewails all, detests all, forsakes all. A goodChristian will
leave no sin unrepented of.(c) The grace of baptism doth not only sealup the
actualremission of our by-past sins; but it hath a force even for the pardoning
of the sins of our whole life. Not that all our sins past, present, and to come are
actually all forgiven in baptism, but because in our baptism God seals up that
covenantby which He assures us, He will pardon all our sins upon our
repentance;and thus the force of baptism reaches to the pardon of future sins.
2. The receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.(1)Grace is a gift not inbred in us,
not deservedor purchased by us.(2) We must receive it; we are only passive
and receptive of grace. The Spirit is the only agent, we are but receivers of the
gift of grace. To pass by these, consideronly these two things: the order.
Repent and be baptized, and then receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. First,
here is cleansing required, and then beautifying. The Holy Ghost abhors
uncleanliness, will not come near to a defiled soul. The nature of this gift. The
gifts of the Holy Ghost;were of two sorts.
3. Those that are usually called gifts tending to edificationof others;as
tongues and other ministerial enablements. They were the gifts of this day, but
not the only gifts.
4. Others are gifts of personalconcernment, for the goodof the receivers to
further their salvation. And these were promised and bestowedon this day.(1)
The grace ofsanctification;that was the gift and benefit of this day.(2) The
grace ofobsignations and sealing, that was the work and gift of the Spirit that
came this day. This is one greatoffice of the Holy Ghost to ratify and sealup
to us the forgiveness ofour sins and all the benefits of our redemption
(Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30).(3)The grace ofconsolation;that is another
work and gift of the Spirit, that was also the gift of this day.(a) In regard of
our sanctification, so the Holy Ghostis a gift of grace enabling us.(b) In
respectof our assurance, so He is a sealconfirming us.(c) In respect of
comfort and consolation, so He is the kiss of love and peace to rejoice and
comfort us. And this assurancethat Petergives them of their receiving the gift
of the Holy Ghost, it will afford us a threefold meditation.See here —

1. His earnestdesire to have the gift of the Spirit communicated to them.
2. The bounty of God; whom He pardons, those He enriches and stores with
grace.
3. Learn here the duty and obligation of a penitent. If God bestows this rich
gift on us, that very gift obliges us to use it. We must not be contentto have
our sins pardoned, but we must setourselves to perform better obedience.
(BP. Brownrigg.)
The gospel
J. W. Burn.
The crowd, convincedof sin and fearful of its consequences, criedout in an
agonyof remorse and despair, "What shall we do?" Meaning, of course, what
the jailer meant in the full evangelicalquestion. Theywanted to know how
they should escapethe penalty incurred. Very full is this condensedreply of
Peter's. The whole gospelof man's salvationis included in it. No director of a
strickenand bewildered conscience canimprove upon it.
I. THE NATURE OF SALVATION.
1. Remissionof sins. Sin had run them into danger; continuance in sin would
involve them in ruin. The first thing, therefore, was that sin should be
remitted. When a disease breaks outit exposes its victims to a possible or
probable death. To check its ravages does not mean absolutely health; but
there is no averting that fatality until the progress ofthe disease receives a
check. In our case sinexposes us to punishment on accountof its guilt; to
death because ofits power. To forgive the guilt and to counterwork the power
is therefore the first requirement. It is not full salvation, but it is necessaryto
it.
2. The gift of the Holy Ghost. This is the positive side of that which remission
is the negative side, and completes the idea of salvation. To receive the Spirit

is for the sick soul to be restoredto full 'health; it is to lay ourselves open to
His gracious work, whichis
(1)Regeneration, the gift of a new nature.
(2)Adoption, translation into the Divine family and acceptancein the Beloved.
(3)The witness to our sonship.
(4)Progressive sanctification.
(5)The earnestof all the glory and the joy of heaven.
II. THE MEANS OF OBTAINING SALVATION.
1. Repentance. Change ofmind about sin, self, holiness, and God, with
endeavours after a corresponding change in the life and conduct. This will
involve a hatred of sin, a true measurementof our own weakness and
unworthiness, an endeavourafter holiness, a desire after God as the supreme
good.
2. Baptism. Here the rite was a symbol —
(1)Of trust in Christ. "In the name of Jesus Christ."
(2)Of the purity to which the Christian is pledged.
(3)Of confessionofChrist before men.
(4)Of separationfrom the old life of the world, and consecrationto
Christ.These conditions are as inexorable to-day as they were then. All that
the baptism we have already enjoyed in infancy means is obligatory on every
baptized man. Our baptism is vain and our salvationnon-existent unless "the
life we live in the flesh be by the faith of the Sonof God";unless our lives are
pure, unless our confessionof Christ be unmistakable, and unless we are fully
consecratedto our Master's service. Conclusion:
1. How simple the conditions on which God grants His greatestboon.
2. How essentialthat we should comply with them before the gift is
withdrawn.

(J. W. Burn.)
Repentance
C. Hodge, D. D.
This is a turning from sin to God. When genuine it is a fruit of the Spirit, and
secures the further gift of the Spirit. In its widest sense it includes the whole
process ofconversion. It has been well defined to be "a saving grace whereby
a sinner, out of a true sense ofhis sin and apprehension of the mercy of God in
Christ, doth with grief and hatred of his sin turn from it unto God with full
purpose of, and endeavourafter, new obedience."
I. ITS MEANS.
1. From a due sense ofsin. This includes —
(1)A knowledge ofsin.
(2)A conviction of our own sinfulness.
(3)A proper sense ofour own guilt and pollution.The knowledge ofsin
supposes proper views of the holiness and justice of God, and therefore of the
greatness ofthe evil of sin, and that we are absolutelyat God's mercy.
2. It is with apprehension of God's mercy in Christ. Repentance is not possible
as long as we think we are without hope. For despairexcludes repentance. We
must apprehend, i.e., believe —
(1)That God is merciful.
(2)That He can consistentlyexercise His mercy.
(3)That we are, or may be, its objects.
(4)That this is through Christ; because out of Christ conscience andScripture
teachHim to be a consuming fire.
II. THE ATTENDING CIRCUMSTANCES.

1. Grief, i.e., sincere sorrow for having sinned; including —
(1)Remorse.
(2)Self abhorrence.
(3)Self-condemnation.
(4)Shame.
2. Hatred of sin, which includes —
(1)Disapprobation.
(2)Disgust.
III. THE ACT ITSELF.
1. Turning from sin: from its
(1)Approbation.
(2)Indulgence.
(3)Promotion.
2. Turning to God —
(1)As an objectof excellence.
(2)As an objectof enjoyment.
IV. ITS EFFORTS.
1. Purpose. A decisionof the will to obey God in all things.
2. Endeavour to do so.
(1)Continued.
(2)Sincere.
(3)Effective.
(C. Hodge, D. D.)

Repentance:its nature
W. Nevins.
It consists in the heart being broken for sin and from sin.
(W. Nevins.)
Repentance:its beginning and end
J. M. Mason, D. D.
It begins in the humiliation of the heart, and ends in the reformation of the
life.
(J. M. Mason, D. D.)
Repentance:its double aspect
R. South, D. D.
True repentance looks upon things past with a weeping eye, and upon the
future with a watchful eye.
(R. South, D. D.)
Repentance, thorough
S. Rutherford.
I pray you dig deep. Christ's palace-workand His new dwelling, laid upon hell
felt and feared, is most firm; and heaven, grounded and laid upon such a hell,
is sure work, and will not washawaywith winter storms.
(S. Rutherford.)

Repentance, universal
J. Spencer.
"If a ship have three leaks, andtwo be stopped, the third will sink the ship. If
a man has two severe wounds, and cures one, the neglectedone will kill him.
(J. Spencer.)
Repentance:a change of course
A captain at sea discovers that, by some mistake, the steersmanis steering the
ship directly for the rocks. How is the danger to be avoided? By scrubbing the
decks, orsetting the men to the pumps? No! these things are goodenough in
their own time, but if the ship is to be saved, one thing must be done — her
course must be changed. So the captainutters a few quick words, and the ship
turns and speeds awayfrom the danger.
Repentance producedby God
You feel that you cannot repent, but cannotJesus make thee repent by His
Spirit? Do you hesitate about that question? See the world a few months ago
hard bound with frost, but how daffodil, and crocus, and snowdrop have come
up above that once frozen soil, how snow and ice have gone, and the genialsun
shines out! God does it readily, with the soft breath of the south wind and the
kind sunbeams, and He can do the same in the spiritual world for thee.
Relieve He can, and ask Him now to do it, and thou shalt find that the rock of
ice shalt thaw, that huge, horrible, devilish iceberg of a heart of thine shall
begin to drip with showers of crystalpenitence, which God shall accept
through His dear Son.
Repentance before joy

As certain fabrics need to be damped before they will take the glowing colours
with which they are to be adorned, so our spirits need the bedewing of
repentance before they can receive the radiant colouring of delight. The glad
news of the gospelcanonly be printed on wetpaper. Have you ever seen
clearershining than that which follows a shower? Then the sun transforms
the raindrops into gems, the flowers look up with fresher smiles and faces
glittering from their refreshing bath, and the birds from among the dripping
branches sing with notes more rapturous, because theyhave paused awhile.
So, when the soul has been saturated with the rain of penitence, the clear
shining of forgiving love makes the flowers of gladness blossomall round. The
steps by which we ascendto the palace ofdelight are usually moist with tears.
Grief for sin is the porch of the House Beautiful, where the guests are full of
"the joy of the Lord."
The magnitude of repentance
C. H. Spurgeon.
Repentance is an old-fashioneddoctrine, which in these days has been
despised;but, if I stand alone, I will bear testimony for it. They say that
repentance is nothing at all — that it is merely, according to the Greek, a
change of mind. That shows whata little Greek they know. A little of such
knowledge is a dangerous thing. A pity that they do not learn more.
Repentance is a change of mind; but do you say that it is only a change of
mind? That is a pretty big "only." A change of mind, a radical change of
mind, from the love of sin to the love of holiness, is that a small affair? It is
always attended with sorrow and regret for past sin: and, if there is a man
here who thinks that he will get to heaven by a dry-eyed faith, he will be
mistaken. He that never mourned for sin hath never rejoicedin the Lord. If I
can look back upon my past life of sin and say, "I have no grief over it," why,
then I should do the same againif I had the opportunity: and this shows that
my heart is as perverse as everit was, and I am still unregenerate. DearMr.
RowlandHill used to say that faith and repentance were his daily companions
as long as he lived, and that, if he had any thought of regretat entering

heaven, it would be to think that he might have to part with his dear friend
Repentance as he went through the gate.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
A repentance not so earnestas it seems
C. H. Spurgeon.
The gondoliers at Venice, when we were sojourning in that queen of the
Adriatic, frequently quarrelled with eachother, and used such high words
and ferocious gesturesthat we were afraid murder would come of it; yet they
never came to blows, it was only their rough way of disputing. Often and often
have we heard men upbraiding themselves for their sins, and crying out
againstthe evil which their follies have wrought them, yet these very people
have continued in their transgressions, andhave even gone from bad to worse.
They barked too much at sin to fall to and destroy it. Their enmity to evil was
mere feigning; like the sword-play of the stage, whichlooks like earnestfight,
but no wounds are given or received. Let those who play at repentance
remember that they who repent in mimicry shall go to hell in reality.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Legaland evangelicalrepentance
There is many a wounded consciencethat is wounded like a sheetof ice
shivered on the pavement, which yet is stiff and cold. But let the sun shine
forth, and the ice is melted, and melted completely; so is it with legaland
evangelicalrepentance.
For the remission of sins
Remissionby God only

As the prince or ruler only has power to pardon treasonin his subjects, so
God only has powerto forgive sin. As no man canforgive a debt but the
creditor to whom the debt is due, so God only canforgive us our debts, whose
debtors we are to an incalculable amount.
Remissionfor the greatestsinners
J. Fleming.
There was once a man who was a very greatsinner, and for his horrible
wickednesswas put to death in the town of Ayr. This man had been so stupid
and brutish a fellow, that all who knew him thought him beyond the reachof
all ordinary means of grace;but while the man was in prison the Lord
wonderfully wrought on his heart, and in such a measure discoveredto him
his sinfulness, that, after much serious exerciseand sore wrestling, a most
kindly work of repentance followed, with great assuranceofmercy, insomuch
that when he came to the place of executionhe could not cease crying out to
the people, under the sense ofpardon and the comforts of the presence and
favour of God, "Oh, He is a greatforgiver! He is a greatforgiver!" And he
added the following words, "Now hath perfectlove castout fear. I know God
hath nothing to lay againstme, for Jesus Christ hath paid all; and those are
free whom the Son makes free."
(J. Fleming.)
Remissiongives confidence under the accusations ofthe law
D. L. Moody.
A man was once being tried for a crime, the punishment of which was death.
The witnessescame in one by one, and testified to his guilt; but there he stood,
quite calm and unmoved. The judge and the jury were quite surprised at his
indifference; they could not understand how he could take sucha serious
matter so calmly. When the jury retired, it did not take them many minutes to
decide on the verdict "Guilty"; and when the judge was passing the sentence

of death upon the criminal he told him how surprised he was that he could be
so unmoved in the prospect of death. When the judge had finished the man
put his hand in his bosom, pulled out a document, and walkedout of the dock
a free man. Ah, that was how he could be so calm; it was a free pardon from
his king, which he had in his pocketall the time. The king had instructed him
to allow the trial to proceed, and to produce the pardon only when he was
condemned. Now, that is just what will make us joyful in the greatday of
judgment; we have got a pardon from the GreatKing, and it is sealedwith the
blood of His Son.
(D. L. Moody.)
And ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost
The gift of the Holy Ghost
I. Barrow, D. D.
1. Among the various reasonable grounds and ends of observing festival
solemnities, the principal are these:(1) The occasionwhichthey afford to
instruct ourselves and others in the mysterious doctrines of our religion.(2)
The engaging us seasonablyto practise that greatduty to God, the
remembering and praising Him for His great favours and mercies.
2. Forthese purposes chiefly did God Himself appoint the Jewishfestivals:
e.g., the Passover. In compliance with which design the Christian Church has
recommended to her children the observationof her chief festivals, continuing
the time and name, though changing or improving the matter and reasonof
those ancient ones. The effusion of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost
correspondedwith the time when the Jews were obligedto "rejoice before the
Lord," for the harvest newly gathered in, and the earth's goodfruits bestowed
on them; and then did God bountifully impart the first-fruits of His Holy
Spirit. The benefit, therefore, and blessing, which at this time we are bound to
commemorate, is in effectthe publication and establishment of the evangelical
covenant, the foundation of all our hopes, and claims to happiness; but more
immediately and directly —

I. THE DONATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THE CHRISTIAN
CHURCH, AND TO ALL ITS MEMBERS.
1. God's gracious designwas to reclaimmankind item their ignorance, errors,
and sins, and to reconcile them to Himself by the mediation of His Son, whom
He sent to instruct them in their duty.
2. To render this successful according to the capacities ofhuman nature, it
was requisite to provide convincing arguments to persuade men of the truth of
these things; means to excite their attention to them; motives to acceptthem;
and a poweralso to retain them firm in their belief, and uphold them in the
performance of the conditions required.
3. To prevent, therefore, the disappointment of His merciful intentions, Godto
the ministry of His eternalwisdom adjoined the efficacyof His eternallove
and blessedSpirit, the which not only conducted our Divine Saviour into His
earthly tabernacle, but did continually reside with Him, and attend Him in the
performance of His miraculous works, attesting the truth of His quality,
commission, and doctrine, and exciting men to notice these things. Nay,
farther, to induce them to comply with these gracious overtures, He faithfully
promised that He would impart the same blessedSpirit, as the continual guide
and comforterof all who should sincerely embrace them, and conform their
lives to His righteous laws.
4. Now although the natural and ordinary manner of this Divine Spirit's
operationis not by violent and sensible impressions, but rather in way of
imperceptible penetration, hardly discovering itself exceptby its results; and
though its proper and principal effects relate to the furthering our
performance of the conditions of our salvation;yet more fully to satisfy the
doubtful, confound the obstinate, and confirm the faithful, Godwas pleased,
after our Lord's ascension, to dispense both to teachers and disciples more
liberal and extraordinary communication of that Holy Spirit, attended with
wonderful effects.
5. The Christian Church therefore obliges us at this time to commemorate
that incomparable gift, then conferredmore visibly on the Church, and still
really bestowedon every particular member who is duly incorporatedinto it.

It is so bestowed, thatis, on eachmember; for the evangelicalcovenant
extends to every Christian, and a principal ingredient thereof is the collation
of this Spirit. This is the teaching of Holy Scripture, the doctrine constantly,
and with very generalconsentdelivered down in the Catholic Church.
II. THE WORTHAND EXCELLENCY OF THIS DIVINE GIFT. That it is
transcendently valuable, we may hence generally collect;that even in our
Lord's esteemit did not only countervail, but in a manner surmount the
benefit of His presence. "Itis expedient for you that I go away," etc. But to
take a more distinct survey of its benefits.
1. We owe to the Holy Spirit our spiritual state and being; our spiritual life,
freedom, and honourable condition.(1) By virtue of this "quickening Spirit"
we are raisedfrom death to an immortal state of life, being "quickened
togetherwith Christ."(2)We are enfranchisedfrom intolerable slavery, from
"the spirit of bondage unto fear," etc.(3)We are also advanced to an
honourable condition, ennobled with illustrious relations, and entitled to
glorious privileges: for thence "we have accessunto the Father, and are no
more strangers, but fellow-citizens of the saints, and of the household of God."
2. Neitheronly relatively and extrinsically is our estate thus bettered, but we
ourselves are answerablychangedand amended by the same Holy Spirit;
being "renewedin the spirit of our mind"; becoming "new creatures, created
according to God in righteousness." Suchdoctrines, as that our happiness
consists not in affluence of temporal enjoyments, but in a disposition of mind
curbing our appetites and quelling our passions;in conformity of practice to
rules distasteful to our sense;in gaining and retaining the love of an Infinite
Being; that naked goodnessis to be preferred before all the pomp and glory of
this world, etc.;such doctrines are indeed hard and harsh to us, absurd to our
natural conceits, andabominable to our carnal minds: of our own accord,
without Divine attraction, we never should come to Christ. His own disciples
struggledagainstsuch doctrines, and without the aid of the Spirit would
scarcelyhave admitted many evangelicaltruths. As for the mighty sagesofthe
world, "the wise men according to the flesh," they were far more ready to
deride than to admit them. Though some few sparks ofDivine knowledge may
have been driven out by rational considerationand philosophicalstudy, yet no

external instruction, no interior discourse, couldremove the mists of
ignorance, and awakenthe lethargic stupidity of their souls. Thus is the light
of spiritual knowledge, togetherwith a temper of mind disposedto receive it,
communicated by the Holy Spirit. But farther than this, by the same Divine
poweris imparted vital heat and vigour, active strength and courage. Though
our spirit should be willing, yet our flesh is weak:knowledge therefore and
willingness to do good are not alone sufficient.
3. The continued subsistence and preservationof our spiritual being, and
active powers, the actual use and exercise ofthem, all our discreetconduct, all
our goodpractice, rely on the Holy Spirit. It is true of our spiritual no less
than of our natural life; "if He doth avert His face we are troubled," etc. On
all occasions we needHis direction, aid, and comfort; for "the way of man is
not in himself," etc. Vie are vain and fickle in our purposes, slow in our
proceedings;apt to faint and stumble in our practice;we need therefore this
sure oracle and faithful friend, to guide, encourage, andsupport us; to guard
us in trials; comfort us in afflictions; and impart to us joy unspeakable in
believing and well-doing. So many and greatare the blessings which He
imparts to us.Conclusion.
1. Let us earnestlyinvite this Holy Guestunto us, by our prayers unto Him,
who hath promised to bestow His Spirit on those which ask it, to impart this
living stream to every one which thirsteth after it.
2. Let us willingly receive Him into our hearts, let us treat Him with all kind
usage, with all humble observance. Letus not exclude Him by supine neglect,
or rude resistance;let us not grieve Him by our perverse and froward
behaviour towards Him; let us not tempt Him by our fond presumptions, or
base treacheries:let us not quench His heavenly light and heat by our foul
lusts and passions:but let us admit gladly His gentle illapses;let us hearkento
His faithful suggestions;let us comply with His kindly motions; let us demean
ourselves modestly, consistently, and officiouslytoward Him.
(I. Barrow, D. D.)

The gift of the Holy Spirit
W. Niven, B. D.
I. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GIVEN TO RENEW AND PURIFY THE MORAL
FEELINGS. He awakens the conscienceto a sense ofguilt and danger. He
opens the eyes to see the exhalted purity of the moral law, and to feel the
justice of its righteous condemnation. He affects the heart with the tidings of a
Saviour's love, and creates within the soul that godly sorrow which worketh
repentance to salvation, needing not to be repented of. The work thus begun
in the soul is carried on through the same Divine agency, for the Holy Ghostis
the SanctifierOf all the electpeople of God. It is through Him that we die
daily unto sin and live unto righteousness, thatthe old man with his corrupt
deeds is put off, and that the new man is put on, which, after God, is created
in righteousness and true holiness. Nor are these the only influences which the
Holy Spirit exerts on man's moral nature. Our Lord has promised that He
shall be present with His people under the endearing characterofthe
Comforter. It is His specialwork to heal the brokenhearted, to setat liberty
them that are bruised, and to comfort all that mourn.
II. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GIVEN TO ENLIGHTEN AND GOVERN THE
INTELLECTUAL POWERS. It should never be forgottenthat the Spirit
bestowedupon the first disciples was "the Spirit of power, and of love, and of
a sound mind"; and that He is promised to us also for these greatends that we
may attain to a right judgment in all things, and have powerto accomplishthe
will of God. It is thus that man is to present himself a living sacrifice, holyand
acceptable to God, and is to become a temple of the Holy Ghost, consecrated
in all his faculties to the glory of God, and yielding the powers of his mind, the
energies ofhis body, and the affections of his heart, to the service of Him who
is the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Preserverof men, and to whom alone
all honour, and power, and glory belong.
(W. Niven, B. D.)

The GospelAccording to Peter
W. Clarkson
Acts 2:37-40
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and saidto Peter
and to the restof the apostles, Menand brothers…
That which followed immediately on the preaching of Peter's sermonbrought
out the truths of the gospelquite as fully and forcibly as the discourse itself.
We learn from these verses -
I. THE RANGE OF DIVINE LOVE. (Ver. 39.) Peterdeclared, at this the
outsetof the new dispensation, that the range of God's redeeming love would
be "exceeding broad."
1. It was to go from generationto generation:"to you and to your children."
2. It was to extend to remotestregions:"to all that are afar off."
3. It was to embrace every one whom the summons of the inviting Lord should
reach:"as many as the Lord our God shall call." Thus, at the beginning, the
apostles gave a true idea of the fullness of that "kingdom of God" of which
their Masterhad spokenso much, and which he lived and died to establish.
II. THE FIRST RESULT OF DIVINE TRUTH (Ver. 37.) This was (and is):

1. Spiritual agitation.
2. Earnestinquiry. When they heard this, they were pricked in their heart;
they said, "What shall we do?" This is the simple, natural, constantcourse of
things divine in the heart of man. When the truth of God is faithfully
preached, and when the seedfalls on goodsoil, there is spiritual agitation;the
soul is smitten, the heart pierced; there are "greatsearchings ofheart;" the
old apathy, self-sufficiency, equanimity, is disturbed and brokenup, and the
spirit is troubled with a deep disquietude. It discovers that everything is
wrong: the past is guilty, the present utterly unsatisfactory, the future
clouded. Then comes earnestinquiry: "Menand brethren, what shall we do?"
"Wherewithalshall we come before the Lord?" How shall we be forgiven,
justified, accepted? Whatis the path of reconciliationand peace? Through
what spiritual experiences must we pass? Whatis the way into the kingdom of
God? The soul, thus in earnest, turns to the sacredScriptures or addresses
those who speak in the name of Christ.
III. THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER'S COUNSELTO THE INQUIRING.
(Vers. 38, 40.)
1. Repent; i.e. turn from sin and selfishness to righteousness and holy service;
abandon the old and evil life of folly, thoughtlessness,worldliness, wrong-
doing; put that awaywith shame and sorrow, and enter the opposite path -
turn Godwards, truthwards, heavenwards.
2. Acceptthe Lord Jesus Christ as your Teacher, Lord, Savior;be baptized
into him. Heartily accepthim, and honestly avow him, as your Divine
Redeemer.

3. Separate yourselffrom the sin which surrounds you; "save yourselves,"etc.
(ver. 40); have no participation in guilt, and have no sympathy or fellowship
with sinners, as such.
IV. THE PROMISE OF DIVINE MERCYAND INDWELLING POWER.
These conditions fulfilled, there will be:
1. Remissionof sins (ver. 38).
2. The indwelling of the Holy Ghost(ver. 38). Christ, our almighty Savior, our
Divine Friend, being with us, we shall have above us a reconciledheavenly
Father to whom we canlook up with rejoicing, childlike trust and love; and
we shall have within us a Holy Spirit, cleansing the thoughts of our heart by
his inspiration; sanctifying our nature; empowering us for the burden, the
witness, and the battle of life; preparing us for the companionships and
engagements ofimmortality. - C.
STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
Petersaid unto them, Repent - Μετανοησατε ; Humble yourselves before God,
and deeply deplore the sins you have committed; pray earnestlyfor mercy,
and deprecate the displeasure of incensedjustice. For a definition of
repentance, see onMatthew 3:2; (note).

And be baptized every one of you - Take on you the public professionof the
religion of Christ, by being baptized in his name; and thus acknowledge
yourselves to be his disciples and servants.
For the remission of sins - Εις αφεσιν ἁμαρτιων, In reference to the remission
or removal of sins: baptism pointing out the purifying influences of the Holy
Spirit; and it is in reference to that purification that it is administered, and
should in considerationnever be separatedfrom it. For baptism itself purifies
not the conscience;it only points out the grace by which this is to be done.
Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost - If ye faithfully use the sign, ye
shall get the substance. Receivethe baptism, in reference to the removal of
sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost, by whose agencyalone the efficacy
of the blood of the covenantis applied, and by whose refining power the heart
is purified. It was by being baptized in the name of Christ that men took upon
themselves the professionof Christianity; and it was in consequence ofthis
that the disciples of Christ were called Christians.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Acts 2:38". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/acts-
2.html. 1832.
return to 'Jump List'
Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
Then Petersaid unto them - Peterhad been the chief speaker, thoughothers
had also addressedthem. He now, in the name of all, directed the multitude
what to do.
Repent - See the notes on Matthew 3:2. Repentance implies sorrow for sin as
committed againstGod, along with a purpose to forsake it. It is not merely a

fear of the consequencesofsin or of the wrath of Godin hell. It is such a view
of sin, as evil in itself, as to lead the mind to hate it and forsake it. Laying
aside all view of the punishment of sin, the true penitent hates it. Even if sin
were the means of procuring him happiness;if it would promote his
gratificationand be unattended with any future punishment, he would hate it
and turn from it. The mere fact that it is evil, and that God hates it, is a
sufficient reasonwhy those who are truly penitent hate it and forsake it. False
repentance dreads the consequencesofsin; true repentance dreads sin itself.
These persons whom Peteraddressedhad been merely alarmed; they were
afraid of wrath, and especiallyof the wrath of the Messiah. Theyhad no true
sense ofsin as an evil, but were simply afraid of punishment. This alarm Peter
did not regard as by any means genuine repentance. Suchconviction for sin
would soonwear off, unless their repentance became thorough and complete.
Hence, he told them to repent, to turn from sin, to exercise sorrow for it as an
evil and bitter thing, and to express their sorrow in the proper manner. We
may learn here:
(1) That there is no safety in mere convictionfor sin: it may soonpass off, and
leave the soul as thoughtless as before.
(2) there is no goodness orholiness in mere alarm or conviction. The devils …
tremble. A man may fearwho yet has a firm purpose to do evil, if he cando it
with impunity.
(3) many are greatly troubled and alarmed who never repent. There is no
situation where souls are so easilydeceivedas here. Alarm is takenfor
repentance;trembling for godly sorrow;and the fearof wrath is takento be
the true fear of God.
(4) true repentance is the only thing in such a state of mind that can give any
relief. An ingenuous confessionofsin, a solemn purpose to forsake it, and a
true hatred of it, is the only thing that can give the mind composure. Such is
the constitution of the mind that nothing else will furnish relief. But the
moment we are willing to make an open confession ofguilt, the mind is
delivered of its burden, and the convictedsoul finds peace. Until this is done,
and the hold on sin is broken, there can be no peace.

(5) we see here what direction is to be given to a convictedsinner. We are not
to direct him to wait; nor to leadhim to suppose that he is in a goodway; nor
to tell him to continue to seek;nor to call him a mourner; nor to take sides
with him, as if God were wrong and harsh; nor to advise him to read, and
search, and postpone the subject to a future time. We are to direct him to
repent; to mourn over his sins, and to forsake them. Religiondemands that he
should at once surrender himself to God by genuine repentance;by confession
that God is right and that he is wrong; and by a firm purpose to live a life of
holiness.
Be baptized - See the notes on Matthew 3:6, Matthew 3:16. The direction
which Christ gave to his apostles was thatthey should baptize all who
believed, Matthew 28:19;Mark 16:16. The Jews had not been baptized; and a
baptism now would be a professionof the religion of Christ, or a declaration
made before the world that they embraced Jesus as their Messiah. It was
equivalent to saying that they should publicly and professedlyembrace Jesus
Christ as their Saviour. The gospelrequires such a profession, and no one is at
liberty to withhold it. A similar declarationis to be made to all who are
inquiring the way to life. They are to exercise repentance;and then, without
any unnecessarydelay, to evince it by partaking of the ordinances of the
gospel. If people are unwilling to profess religion, they have none. If they will
not, in the proper way, show that they are truly attachedto Christ, it is proof
that they have no such attachment. Baptism is the application of water, as
expressive of the need of purification, and as emblematic of the influences
from God that can alone cleanse the soul. It is also a form of dedication to the
service of God.
In the name of Jesus Christ - Not εἰς eisinto, but ἐπί epiupon. The usual form
of baptism is into the name of the Father, etc. - εἰς eisHere it does not mean to
be baptized by the authority of Jesus Christ, but it means to be baptized for
him and his service;to be consecratedin this way, and by this public
profession, to him and to his cause. The expressionis literally upon the name
of Jesus Christ: that is, as the foundation of the baptism, or as that on which
its propriety restedor was based. In other words, it is with an
acknowledgmentof him in that actas being what his name imports the
Sinner‘s only Hope, his Redeemer, Lord, Justifier, King (Prof. Hackett, in

loco). The name of Jesus Christ means the same as Jesus Christ himself. To be
baptized to his name is to be devoted to him. The word “name” is often thus
used. The professionwhich they were to make amounted to this: a confession
of sins; a hearty purpose to turn from them; a reception of Jesus as the
Messiahand as a Saviour; and a determination to become his followers and to
be devoted to his service. Thus, 1 Corinthians 10:2, to be baptized unto Moses
means to take him as a leaderand guide. It does not follow that, in
administering the ordinance of baptism, they used only the name of Jesus
Christ. It is much more probable that they used the form prescribedby the
Saviour himself Matthew 28:19;though, as the specialmark of a Christian is
that he receives and honors Jesus Christ, this name is used here as implying
the whole. The same thing occurs in Acts 19:5.
For the remission of sins - Notmerely the sin of crucifying the Messiah, but of
all sins. There is nothing in baptism itself that can washawaysin. That canbe
done only by the pardoning mercy of God through the atonementof Christ.
But baptism is expressive of a willingness to be pardoned in that way, and is a
solemn declarationof our convictionthat there is no other way of remission.
He who comes to be baptized, comes with a professedconvictionthat he is a
sinner; that there is no other way of mercy but in the gospel, and with a
professedwillingness to comply with the terms of salvation, and to receive it
as it is offered through Jesus Christ.
And ye shall receive … - The gift of the Holy Spirit here does not mean his
extraordinary gifts, or the power of working miracles, but it simply means,
you shall partake of the influences of the Holy Spirit “as far as they may be
adapted to your case” -as far as may be needful for your comfort, peace, and
sanctification. There is no evidence that they were all endowed with the power
of working miracles, nor does the connectionof the passagerequire us thus to
understand it. Nor does it mean that they had not been awakened“by his
influences.” All true conviction is from him, John 16:8-10. But it is also the
office of the Spirit to comfort, to enlighten, to give peace, and thus to give
evidence that the soulis born again. To this, probably, Peter refers;and this
all who are born againand profess faith in Christ possess.There is peace,
calmness, joy; there is evidence of piety, and that evidence is the product of

the influences of the Spirit. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,” etc.,
Galatians 5:22, Galatians 5:24.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Barnes, Albert. "Commentaryon Acts 2:38". "Barnes'Notes onthe New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/acts-2.html.
1870.
William Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament
38. “Repentye, and let eachone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ unto the remission of your sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost.” As Peter’s introductory sermon is brokenup by the uproarious
wailing of eight thousand penitents, amid whose bitter cries soonmingle the
vociferous shouts of three thousand new-born souls, the one hundred and
twenty take the work into hand, dashing in all directions, preaching and
expounding the wayof salvation, the Holy Ghost wonderfully using their
joyous instrumentality, utilizing the double miracle, empowering every one to
hear in his own language and every disciple to speak fluently in all of the
languages ofthat heterogeneous throng, thus restoring all the confusionat the
Towerof Babel. Sad to say, heretic, Catholic and Protestanthave woefully
perverted this beautiful 38th verse, adroitly turning it to support the Popish
dogma of baptismal regeneration, which has deluded and sent multitudes to
hell. In the E. V. “repent and be baptized” are grammatically and logicallyco-
ordinated — a bald error. In the Greek, “repent” is secondperson, plural
number and imperative mood, applying to the entire multitude, while “be
baptized” is third person, singular, applying only to the subjectof “repent.”
Hence, none are to be baptized but those who have repented. That simple fact

knocks the Popish dogma of baptismal remission beyond the North Pole.
“Repent” is metanousate, from meta, “change,” andnoos, “the mind.” Hence,
it means “change your mind.” You have no right to give this or any other
Scripture a more metaphysicalinterpretation, from the simple factthat the
Bible is not a metaphysical, but a spiritual book. Consequently, unspiritual
preachers in all ages have run it into heresyand nonsense and made it a
passportto hell. When God createdman He put His mind in him. The devil, in
the fall, succeededin knocking it out and putting his old filthy carnalmind in
its place. Hence, change of mind, indicated by the word “repent,” means to get
rid of the carnal mind and receive the mind of Christ. The churches abound in
people as ignorant of repentance as baboons, — hosts of preachers in the same
dilemma. You remember that sermon by John Wesley, which all Methodist
preachers are required to study, captioned “The Repentance ofBelievers”?
That is in harmony with the true meaning of the word. You have the carnal
mind till you are sanctifiedwholly. It is conquered and bound in regeneration,
but destroyedin sanctification. The repentance of a sinner and the
consecrationof a Christian are generallyidentical but specificallydifferent.
They are both a giving up. The sinner in repentance gives up all of his bad
things to the devil and leaves him forever; the Christian in consecrationgives
up all of his goodthings to God to be used for His glory forever. This is what
John Wesleymeant by the repentance of a believer, i. e., his entire
consecrationof all to God for time and eternity. Hence, when repentance has
finished its work you are not only converted but sanctifiedwholly. I heard so
many sermons preached from this text by unconverted preachers when a boy
I do thank God for His mercy which alone protectedme from the horrific
hell-traps they set to catchpoor ignorant people like me. “Miserylikes
company.” They were in the devil’s trap of waterregeneration, and they did
their best to catchall they could. Although repentance not only invariably
secures remissionofsins but prepares you to receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost, the glorious positive side of entire sanctificationand the climacteric
achievementof the gospeldispensationlaunched at Pentecost. If the
Hydrolators (i. e., water worshipers, as abominable in the sight of God as any
other form of idolatry) would only take the whole verse, press and receive the
gift of the Holy Ghost they would come out right after all. But they pervert the
first clause and throw away the second. Consequentlythey have nothing left

but the water. “Forremission,” E. V., does not necessarilymean “in order to
remission,” as the Hydrolators construe it. When I was in California last
winter a man was hung for murder. He was not hung in order to commit
murder, but because he had already committed it. Hence “for remission,” not
in order to getit, but because youhave it. The E. V. is right in harmony with
the Greek. There we have it, “and be baptized every one of you — unto the
remissionof your sins,” i. e., confirmatory of the fact. You can not confirm a
thing till you have it. We see from this wonderful verse which rings out the
keynote of that salient response to the cries of the panic strickenmultitudes,
the two distinct marks of grace in the plan of salvation, i. e., remissionof sins
as a result of repentance and confirmed by water baptism and the gift of the
Holy Ghost, the glorious hyperbole of the gospeldispensation. Mark the word
“gift” here in the singular number. The Holy Ghostconfers gifts on the sinner,
i. e., conviction, repentance, regeneration, justificationand adoption to bring
him into the kingdom. Then when you are truly converted, it is your glorious
privilege to receive from the Fatherand the Sonthe “gift of the Holy Ghost,”
i. e., the Holy Ghost Himself as an indwelling Sanctifier and Comforter. This
was the crowning glory of the Pentecostalexperience,consummating full
salvation. After you have receivedthe “gift of the Holy Ghost,” and thus been
sanctifiedwholly, it is still your precious privilege to receive the greatergifts
of the Spirit, nine in all (1 Corinthians 12), by which you are enabled to save
others, these gifts of the Spirit constituting your impregnable panoply and
preparing you for the Lord’s battle-field.
Copyright Statement
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography

Godbey, William. "Commentary on Acts 2:38". "William Godbey's
Commentary on the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ges/acts-2.html.
The Biblical Illustrator
Acts 2:38
Then Petersaid, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of the
Lord Jesus.
Peter’s direction
In getting the exactmeaning of Peter’s directions to these inquirers, observe--
St. Peter’s prescription
I. The means he prescribes.
1. Repentance;that is the first ingredient in the cure. It is the primitive
original grace, evenbefore faith itself, as it serves to justify. All the promises
are made only to the penitent.
(a) Look upon it in the original, it is a grace, and that is seatedin the will, it
serves to enable it and to make it willing.
(b) Look upon it in the exercise, so it is a duty; God requires and expects
repentance. Now, Godrequires our actions. Sufferings are not commanded
but inflicted; but duties are, enjoined, and we must willingly perform them.
(c) Look upon it in the use;so it is a condition upon the performance of which
God doth covenantwith us. A true penitent must provoke himself to sorrow,
praying that he may sorrow;grieving that he cannot grieve, never repenting
that he hath repented.

2. To the secondmeans which St. Peterprescribes them, that is a spiritual
bathing; that is the sacramentof baptism.
(a) Water hath a force of drawing and killing and suffocating any breathing
thing. And this quality of water is a fit resemblance of the grace of baptism. A
sinner, coming to this sacrament, hath all his sins drowned and abolished.
(b) Water hath a powerof quenching; and such a spiritual virtue there is in
baptism, it allays the heat of our natural concupiscence, quenches and
extinguishes the boilings and inflammations of our sinful lusts.
(c) Water, it is a cleansing element, it washes awayfilthiness, and so doth
baptism; it purges a sinner from all defilements of flesh and spirit (Ephesians
4:26).
(d) Water hath a fructifying virtue in it; it is a fruitful element, and makes
other things fruitful (Genesis 1:20). So this sacramentby Divine institution
and benediction, it is a fountain of living water, a font and laver of
regeneration. See how abundantly these waters brought forth. Three thousand
were baptized and renewedin one day. That is the action. Then--
II. The benefits which upon the use of this means he doth assure them.
1. Remissionof sins. And this will appear--
(a) God’s love, it is not partial and imperfect, pardoning some and retaining
others.
(b) And then repentance, though it be occasionedby some one sin, yet it
bewails all, detests all, forsakesall. A goodChristian will leave no sin
unrepented of.
(c) The grace of baptism doth not only sealup the actualremission of our by-
past sins; but it hath a force even for the pardoning of the sins of our whole
life. Not that all our sins past, present, and to come are actually all forgiven in
baptism, but because in our baptism God seals up that covenant by which He

assures us, He will pardon all our sins upon our repentance; and thus the
force of baptism reaches to the pardon of future sins.
2. The receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.
3. Those that are usually called gifts tending to edificationof others;as
tongues and other ministerial enablements. They were the gifts of this day, but
not the only gifts.
4. Others are gifts of personalconcernment, for the goodof the receivers to
further their salvation. And these were promised and bestowedon this day.
(a) In regardof our sanctification, so the Holy Ghost is a gift of grace enabling
us.
(b) In respectof our assurance, so He is a sealconfirming us.
(c) In respectof comfort and consolation, so He is the kiss of love and peace to
rejoice and comfort us. And this assurance thatPetergives them of their
receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, it will afford us a threefold meditation.
See here--
1. His earnestdesire to have the gift of the Spirit communicated to them.
2. The bounty of God; whom He pardons, those He enriches and stores with
grace.
3. Learn here the duty and obligation of a penitent. If God bestows this rich
gift on us, that very gift obliges us to use it. We must not be contentto have
our sins pardoned, but we must setourselves to perform better obedience.
(BP. Brownrigg.)
The gospel
The crowd, convincedof sin and fearful of its consequences, criedout in an
agonyof remorse and despair, “What shall we do?” Meaning, of course, what
the jailer meant in the full evangelical question. Theywanted to know how
they should escapethe penalty incurred. Very full is this condensedreply of

Peter’s. The whole gospelof man’s salvationis included in it. No director of a
strickenand bewildered conscience canimprove upon it.
I. The nature of salvation.
1. Remissionof sins. Sin had run them into danger; continuance in sin would
involve them in ruin. The first thing, therefore, was that sin should be
remitted. When a disease breaks outit exposes its victims to a possible or
probable death. To check its ravages does not mean absolutely health; but
there is no averting that fatality until the progress ofthe disease receives a
check. In our case sinexposes us to punishment on accountof its guilt; to
death because ofits power. To forgive the guilt and to counterwork the power
is therefore the first requirement. It is not full salvation, but it is necessaryto
it.
2. The gift of the Holy Ghost. This is the positive side of that which remission
is the negative side, and completes the idea of salvation. To receive the Spirit
is for the sick soul to be restoredto full ‘health; it is to lay ourselves open to
His gracious work, whichis
II. The means of obtaining salvation.
1. Repentance. Change ofmind about sin, self, holiness, and God, with
endeavours after a corresponding change in the life and conduct. This will
involve a hatred of sin, a true measurementof our own weakness and
unworthiness, an endeavourafter holiness, a desire after God as the supreme
good.
2. Baptism. Here the rite was a symbol--
These conditions are as inexorable to-day as they were then. All that the
baptism we have already enjoyed in infancy means is obligatory on every
baptized man. Our baptism is vain and our salvationnon-existent unless “the
life we live in the flesh be by the faith of the Sonof God”;unless our lives are

pure, unless our confessionof Christ be unmistakable, and unless we are fully
consecratedto our Master’s service. Conclusion:
1. How simple the conditions on which God grants His greatestboon.
2. How essentialthat we should comply with them before the gift is
withdrawn. (J. W. Burn.)
Repentance
This is a turning from sin to God. When genuine it is a fruit of the Spirit, and
secures the further gift of the Spirit. In its widest sense it includes the whole
process ofconversion. It has been well defined to be “a saving grace whereby
a sinner, out of a true sense ofhis sin and apprehension of the mercy of God in
Christ, doth with grief and hatred of his sin turn from it unto God with full
purpose of, and endeavourafter, new obedience.”
I. Its means.
1. From a due sense ofsin. This includes--
The knowledge ofsin supposes proper views of the holiness and justice of
God, and therefore of the greatness ofthe evil of sin, and that we are
absolutely at God’s mercy.
2. It is with apprehension of God’s mercy in Christ. Repentance is not possible
as long as we think we are without hope. For despairexcludes repentance. We
must apprehend, i.e., believe--
II. The attending circumstances.
1. Grief, i.e., sincere sorrow for having sinned; including--
2. Hatred of sin, which includes--
III. The actitself.

1. Turning from sin: from its
2. Turning to God--
IV. Its efforts.
1. Purpose. A decisionof the will to obey God in all things.
2. Endeavour to do so.
Repentance:its nature
It consists in the heart being broken for sin and from sin. (W. Nevins.)
Repentance:its beginning and end
It begins in the humiliation of the heart, and ends in the reformation of the
life. (J. M. Mason, D. D.)
Repentance:its double aspect
True repentance looks upon things past with a weeping eye, and upon the
future with a watchful eye. (R. South, D. D.)
Repentance, thorough
I pray you dig deep. Christ’s palace-work andHis new dwelling, laid upon
hell felt and feared, is most firm; and heaven, grounded and laid upon such a
hell, is sure work, and will not wash awaywith winter storms. (S. Rutherford.)
Repentance, universal
If a ship have three leaks, and two be stopped, the third will sink the ship. If a
man has two severe wounds, and cures one, the neglectedone will kill him. (J.
Spencer.)
Repentance:a change of course

A captain at sea discovers that, by some mistake, the steersmanis steering the
ship directly for the rocks. How is the danger to be avoided? By scrubbing the
decks, orsetting the men to the pumps? No! these things are goodenough in
their own time, but if the ship is to be saved, one thing must be done--her
course must be changed. So the captainutters a few quick words, and the ship
turns and speeds awayfrom the danger.
Repentance producedby God
You feel that you cannot repent, but cannotJesus make thee repent by His
Spirit? Do you hesitate about that question? See the world a few months ago
hard bound with frost, but how daffodil, and crocus, and snowdrop have come
up above that once frozen soil, how snow and ice have gone, and the genialsun
shines out! God does it readily, with the soft breath of the south wind and the
kind sunbeams, and He can do the same in the spiritual world for thee.
Relieve He can, and ask Him now to do it, and thou shalt find that the rock of
ice shalt thaw, that huge, horrible, devilish iceberg of a heart of thine shall
begin to drip with showers of crystalpenitence, which God shall accept
through His dear Son.
Repentance before joy
As certain fabrics need to be damped before they will take the glowing colours
with which they are to be adorned, so our spirits need the bedewing of
repentance before they can receive the radiant colouring of delight. The glad
news of the gospelcanonly be printed on wetpaper. Have you ever seen
clearershining than that which follows a shower? Then the sun transforms
the raindrops into gems, the flowers look up with fresher smiles and faces
glittering from their refreshing bath, and the birds from among the dripping
branches sing with notes more rapturous, because theyhave paused awhile.
So, when the soul has been saturated with the rain of penitence, the clear
shining of forgiving love makes the flowers of gladness blossomall round. The
steps by which we ascendto the palace ofdelight are usually moist with tears.
Grief for sin is the porch of the House Beautiful, where the guests are full of
“the joy of the Lord.”
The magnitude of repentance

Repentance is an old-fashioneddoctrine, which in these days has been
despised;but, if I stand alone, I will bear testimony for it. They say that
repentance is nothing at all--that it is merely, according to the Greek, a
change of mind. That shows whata little Greek they know. A little of such
knowledge is a dangerous thing. A pity that they do not learn more.
Repentance is a change of mind; but do you say that it is only a change of
mind? That is a pretty big “only.” A change of mind, a radical change of
mind, from the love of sin to the love of holiness, is that a small affair? It is
always attended with sorrow and regret for past sin: and, if there is a man
here who thinks that he will get to heaven by a dry-eyed faith, he will be
mistaken. He that never mourned for sin hath never rejoicedin the Lord. If I
can look back upon my past life of sin and say, “I have no grief over it,” why,
then I should do the same againif I had the opportunity: and this shows that
my heart is as perverse as everit was, and I am still unregenerate. DearMr.
RowlandHill used to say that faith and repentance were his daily companions
as long as he lived, and that, if he had any thought of regretat entering
heaven, it would be to think that he might have to part with his dear friend
Repentance as he went through the gate. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
A repentance not so earnestas it seems
The gondoliers at Venice, when we were sojourning in that queen of the
Adriatic, frequently quarrelled with eachother, and used such high words
and ferocious gesturesthat we were afraid murder would come of it; yet they
never came to blows, it was only their rough way of disputing. Often and often
have we heard men upbraiding themselves for their sins, and crying out
againstthe evil which their follies have wrought them, yet these very people
have continued in their transgressions, andhave even gone from bad to worse.
They barked too much at sin to fall to and destroy it. Their enmity to evil was
mere feigning; like the sword-play of the stage, whichlooks like earnestfight,
but no wounds are given or received. Let those who play at repentance
remember that they who repent in mimicry shall go to hell in reality. (C. H.
Spurgeon.)
Legaland evangelicalrepentance

There is many a wounded consciencethat is wounded like a sheetof ice
shivered on the pavement, which yet is stiff and cold. But let the sun shine
forth, and the ice is melted, and melted completely; so is it with legaland
evangelicalrepentance.
For the remission of sins.--
Remissionby God only
As the prince or ruler only has power to pardon treasonin his subjects, so
God only has powerto forgive sin. As no man canforgive a debt but the
creditor to whom the debt is due, so God only canforgive us our debts, whose
debtors we are to an incalculable amount.
Remissionfor the greatestsinners
There was once a man who was a very greatsinner, and for his horrible
wickednesswas put to death in the town of Ayr. This man had been so stupid
and brutish a fellow, that all who knew him thought him beyond the reachof
all ordinary means of grace;but while the man was in prison the Lord
wonderfully wrought on his heart, and in such a measure discoveredto him
his sinfulness, that, after much serious exerciseand sore wrestling, a most
kindly work of repentance followed, with great assuranceofmercy, insomuch
that when he came to the place of executionhe could not cease crying out to
the people, under the sense ofpardon and the comforts of the presence and
favour of God, “Oh, He is a greatforgiver! He is a greatforgiver!” And he
added the following words, “Now hath perfectlove castout fear. I know God
hath nothing to lay againstme, for Jesus Christ hath paid all; and those are
free whom the Son makes free.” (J. Fleming.)
Remissiongives confidence under the accusations ofthe law
A man was once being tried for a crime, the punishment of which was death.
The witnessescame in one by one, and testified to his guilt; but there he stood,
quite calm and unmoved. The judge and the jury were quite surprised at his
indifference; they could not understand how he could take sucha serious
matter so calmly. When the jury retired, it did not take them many minutes to
decide on the verdict “Guilty”; and when the judge was passing the sentence

of death upon the criminal he told him how surprised he was that he could be
so unmoved in the prospect of death. When the judge had finished the man
put his hand in his bosom, pulled out a document, and walkedout of the dock
a free man. Ah, that was how he could be so calm; it was a free pardon from
his king, which he had in his pocketall the time. The king had instructed him
to allow the trial to proceed, and to produce the pardon only when he was
condemned. Now, that is just what will make us joyful in the greatday of
judgment; we have got a pardon from the GreatKing, and it is sealedwith the
blood of His Son. (D. L. Moody.)
And ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.--
The gift of the Holy Ghost
1. Among the various reasonable grounds and ends of observing festival
solemnities, the principal are these:
2. Forthese purposes chiefly did God Himself appoint the Jewishfestivals:
e.g., the Passover. In compliance with which design the Christian Church has
recommended to her children the observationof her chief festivals, continuing
the time and name, though changing or improving the matter and reasonof
those ancient ones. The effusion of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost
correspondedwith the time when the Jews were obligedto “rejoice before the
Lord,” for the harvest newly gathered in, and the earth’s goodfruits bestowed
on them; and then did God bountifully impart the first-fruits of His Holy
Spirit. The benefit, therefore, and blessing, which at this time we are bound to
commemorate, is in effectthe publication and establishment of the evangelical
covenant, the foundation of all our hopes, and claims to happiness; but more
immediately and directly--
I. The donation of the Holy Spirit to the Christian Church, and to all its
members.
1. God’s gracious designwas to reclaim mankind item their ignorance, errors,
and sins, and to reconcile them to Himself by the mediation of His Son, whom
He sent to instruct them in their duty.

2. To render this successfulaccording to the capacities ofhuman nature, it
was requisite to provide convincing arguments to persuade men of the truth of
these things; means to excite their attention to them; motives to acceptthem;
and a poweralso to retain them firm in their belief, and uphold them in the
performance of the conditions required.
3. To prevent, therefore, the disappointment of His merciful intentions, Godto
the ministry of His eternalwisdom adjoined the efficacyof His eternallove
and blessedSpirit, the which not only conducted our Divine Saviour into His
earthly tabernacle, but did continually reside with Him, and attend Him in the
performance of His miraculous works, attesting the truth of His quality,
commission, and doctrine, and exciting men to notice these things. Nay,
farther, to induce them to comply with these gracious overtures, He faithfully
promised that He would impart the same blessedSpirit, as the continual guide
and comforterof all who should sincerely embrace them, and conform their
lives to His righteous laws.
4. Now although the natural and ordinary manner of this Divine Spirit’s
operationis not by violent and sensible impressions, but rather in way of
imperceptible penetration, hardly discovering itself exceptby its results; and
though its proper and principal effects relate to the furthering our
performance of the conditions of our salvation;yet more fully to satisfy the
doubtful, confound the obstinate, and confirm the faithful, Godwas pleased,
after our Lord’s ascension, to dispense both to teachers and disciples more
liberal and extraordinary communication of that Holy Spirit, attended with
wonderful effects.
5. The Christian Church therefore obliges us at this time to commemorate
that incomparable gift, then conferredmore visibly on the Church, and still
really bestowedon every particular member who is duly incorporatedinto it.
It is so bestowed, thatis, on eachmember; for the evangelicalcovenant
extends to every Christian, and a principal ingredient thereof is the collation
of this Spirit. This is the teaching of Holy Scripture, the doctrine constantly,
and with very generalconsentdelivered down in the Catholic Church.

II. The worth and excellencyof this Divine gift. That it is transcendently
valuable, we may hence generally collect;that even in our Lord’s esteemit did
not only countervail, but in a manner surmount the benefit of His presence.
“It is expedient for you that I go away,” etc. But to take a more distinct survey
of its benefits.
1. We owe to the Holy Spirit our spiritual state and being; our spiritual life,
freedom, and honourable condition.
2. Neitheronly relatively and extrinsically is our estate thus bettered, but we
ourselves are answerablychangedand amended by the same Holy Spirit;
being “renewedin the spirit of our mind”; becoming “new creatures, created
according to God in righteousness.” Suchdoctrines, as that our happiness
consists not in affluence of temporal enjoyments, but in a disposition of mind
curbing our appetites and quelling our passions;in conformity of practice to
rules distasteful to our sense;in gaining and retaining the love of an Infinite
Being; that naked goodnessis to be preferred before all the pomp and glory of
this world, etc.;such doctrines are indeed hard and harsh to us, absurd to our
natural conceits, andabominable to our carnal minds: of our own accord,
without Divine attraction, we never should come to Christ. His own disciples
struggledagainstsuch doctrines, and without the aid of the Spirit would
scarcelyhave admitted many evangelicaltruths. As for the mighty sagesofthe
world, “the wise men according to the flesh,” they were far more ready to
deride than to admit them. Though some few sparks ofDivine knowledge may
have been driven out by rational considerationand philosophicalstudy, yet no
external instruction, no interior discourse, couldremove the mists of
ignorance, and awakenthe lethargic stupidity of their souls. Thus is the light
of spiritual knowledge, togetherwith a temper of mind disposedto receive it,
communicated by the Holy Spirit. But farther than this, by the same Divine
poweris imparted vital heat and vigour, active strength and courage. Though
our spirit should be willing, yet our flesh is weak:knowledge therefore and
willingness to do good are not alone sufficient.
3. The continued subsistence and preservationof our spiritual being, and
active powers, the actual use and exercise ofthem, all our discreetconduct, all
our goodpractice, rely on the Holy Spirit. It is true of our spiritual no less

than of our natural life; “if He doth avert His face we are troubled,” etc. On
all occasions we needHis direction, aid, and comfort; for “the way of man is
not in himself,” etc. Vie are vain and fickle in our purposes, slow in our
proceedings;apt to faint and stumble in our practice;we need therefore this
sure oracle and faithful friend, to guide, encourage, andsupport us; to guard
us in trials; comfort us in afflictions; and impart to us joy unspeakable in
believing and well-doing. So many and greatare the blessings which He
imparts to us.
Conclusion.
1. Let us earnestlyinvite this Holy Guestunto us, by our prayers unto Him,
who hath promised to bestow His Spirit on those which ask it, to impart this
living stream to every one which thirsteth after it.
2. Let us willingly receive Him into our hearts, let us treat Him with all kind
usage, with all humble observance. Letus not exclude Him by supine neglect,
or rude resistance;let us not grieve Him by our perverse and froward
behaviour towards Him; let us not tempt Him by our fond presumptions, or
base treacheries:let us not quench His heavenly light and heat by our foul
lusts and passions:but let us admit gladly His gentle illapses;let us hearkento
His faithful suggestions;let us comply with His kindly motions; let us demean
ourselves modestly, consistently, and officiouslytoward Him. (I. Barrow, D.
D.)
The gift of the Holy Spirit
I. The Holy Spirit is given to renew and purify the moral feelings. He awakens
the conscience to a sense of guilt and danger. He opens the eyes to see the
exhalted purity of the moral law, and to feel the justice of its righteous
condemnation. He affects the heart with the tidings of a Saviour’s love, and
creates within the soul that godly sorrow which workethrepentance to
salvation, needing not to be repented of. The work thus begun in the soul is
carried on through the same Divine agency, for the Holy Ghostis the
SanctifierOf all the electpeople of God. It is through Him that we die daily

unto sin and live unto righteousness, thatthe old man with his corrupt deeds
is put off, and that the new man is put on, which, after God, is createdin
righteousness andtrue holiness. Nor are these the only influences which the
Holy Spirit exerts on man’s moral nature. Our Lord has promised that He
shall be present with His people under the endearing characterofthe
Comforter. It is His specialwork to heal the brokenhearted, to setat liberty
them that are bruised, and to comfort all that mourn.
II. The Holy Spirit is given to enlighten and govern the intellectual powers. It
should never be forgotten that the Spirit bestowedupon the first disciples was
“the Spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”; and that He is
promised to us also for these great ends that we may attain to a right
judgment in all things, and have powerto accomplishthe will of God. It is
thus that man is to present himself a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to
God, and is to become a temple of the Holy Ghost, consecratedin all his
faculties to the glory of God, and yielding the powers of his mind, the energies
of his body, and the affections of his heart, to the service of Him who is the
Creator, the Redeemer, and the Preserverofmen, and to whom alone all
honour, and power, and glory belong. (W. Niven, B. D.)
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Exell, JosephS. "Commentary on "Acts 2:38". The Biblical Illustrator.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tbi/acts-2.html. 1905-1909.
New York.

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
And Petersaid unto them, Repentye, and be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jesus Christ unto the remissionof your sins; and ye shall receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit.
As long as this verse remains in the sacredNew Testament, the terms of
admission into Christ's kingdom shall continue to be understood as faith
(those were already believers), repentance and baptism unto the remissionof
sins. The cavils and controversies ofthe post-Reformationperiod have not
altered in the slightest particular what is so evident here. Space does not
permit any exhaustive reply to the denials which are allegedagainstwhat
Peterdeclared; indeed, no complete answeris possible, because the cleverness
and ingenuity of man have been exhausted in the vain efforts to shout baptism
out of this verse as a God-imposed precondition of salvation. We shall note
only a few.
Note the following from Hervey:
We have in this short verse the summary of Christian doctrine as regards man
and God. Repentance and faith on the part of man; forgiveness of sins, or
justification, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, or sanctification, onthe part of
God![37]
Thus, baptism is left out of the things regarding man's part in the
accomplishmentof his salvation; and, while it is true that Hervey went on to
affirm that all of this is "expressedin the sacramentof baptism," it cannot be
denied that such an exegesisdenies whatis so categoricallyaffirmed here by
inspiration, namely, that a man must repent and be baptized in order to
receive the forgiveness ofhis sins and the gift of the Spirit.

This writer is gladto note a change among modern commentators towarda
more scriptural view of the ordinance of baptism, as evidenced by the
following:
The idea of an unbaptized Christian is simply not entertained in the New
Testament.[38]
In the early church it was the universal practice of the church that the new
convert was baptized immediately.[39]
The rite was first practicedin obedience to a command of the RisenLord ...
dates back to the day of Pentecost... was administered "into Christ," or "in
the name of Christ," signifying that the baptized personpassedinto his
possession. The mode was immersion, and baptism normally coincidedwith
the receptionof the Holy Spirit.[40]
Baptism is the occasionwhenthe Spirit brings to new life him that believes in
the Sonof Man ... We must ungrudgingly recognize that the New Testament
does not permit us to divide betweenthe new life of Christ and the new life of
the Spirit in baptism. (We) should bearsteadily in view that the difficulties
and the misunderstandings that have surrounded this doctrine, through the
change of the context in which the churches have setbaptism, DO NOT
ARISE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT (italics mine, JBC). They should not be
permitted to affectour interpretation of its evidence.[41]SIZE>
Glimpses of the truth appearing in such comments are a vast improvement
over many of the wild allegations ofthe nineteenth century; and it is devoutly
hoped that men will come to acceptwhat is so patently stated in the text
before us, namely, that forgiveness ofsins and the gift of God's Spirit are
promised AFTER both repentance and baptism (also after faith), obedience of
the believerto BOTHrequirements being made an absolute precondition of
salvation.

This text is the grave of the Lutheran heresyof justification by "faith only";
and, since many passagesofthe New Testamenthave been laid under tribute
by holders of that error in their efforts to refute this text, many passages of
the New Testamentshould be studied in connectionwith this. In this series of
commentaries, extensive teaching on this doctrine will be found as follows:my
Commentary on Mark, Mark 16:16; my Commentary on John, John 3:5,8:30,
and John 12:43;my Commentary on Hebrews, Hebrews 1:2,9:14; and my
Commentary on Romans, Romans 3:22,24, andRomans 10:11, etc.
One other common misunderstanding and it concerns this:
Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit ... Here, as Beasley-Murraypointed
out, "The gift of the Spirit will be given in or immediately upon baptism,"
whereas "The Samaritans are evangelizedby Philip and baptized by him
without receiving the Holy Spirit."[42]This, of course, is viewed as a
discrepancyby many; but the problem is resolved in the knowledge that at
Pentecostthose baptized receivedthe gift ordinary of the Spirit, which is the
earnestof our inheritance; whereas, a specialdispensationof the Spirit
"through the laying on of the apostles'hands" is indicated in the case ofthe
Samaritans.
It is a mistake to view the gift of the Spirit as promised to all who were
baptized on Pentecostas anything other than the gift ordinary. "There is no
indication that the apostles laid hands on these new converts that they might
receive the Holy Spirit."[43] As Thomas Scottstated it:
There is nothing to lead us to imagine that they receivedany miraculous gifts
of any kind. There can be no doubt that the gift of the Holy Spirit in view here
is that which all without exceptionreceived... which is bestowedupon all the
members of the family of our heavenly Father.[44]
[37] A. C. Hervey, Pulpit Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B.
Eerdmans, Publishers, 1950), Vol. 18, p. 54.

[38] F. F. Bruce, op. cit., p. 77.
[39] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 50.
[40] A. M. Hunter, op. cit., p. 79.
[41] G. R. Beasley-Murray, op. cit., pp. 278,279.
[42] Ibid., p. 105.
[43] Everett J. Harrison, op. cit., p. 392.
[44] Thomas Scott, Commentary on the Holy Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan:
BakerBook House, 1960), p. 439.
Copyright Statement
James Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliography
Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on Acts 2:38". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/acts-2.html. Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
Then Petersaid unto them,.... Being the mouth of the apostles, andbeing
ready to give advice, and speak a word of comfort to their distressedminds:
repent: change your minds, entertain other thoughts, and a different opinion
of Jesus of Nazareth, than you have done; considerhim, and believe in him, as
the true Messiahand Saviour of the world; look upon him, not any more as an
impostor, and a blasphemer, but as sent of God, and the only Redeemerof
Israel; change your voice and way of speaking of him, and your conduct
towards his disciples and followers;a change of mind will produce a change of

actions in life and conversation:bring forth fruits meet for repentance;and
make an open and hearty professionof repentance for this your sin. And this
the apostle said, to distinguish betweena legaland an evangelicalrepentance;
the former is expressedin their being pricked to the heart, on which they were
not to depend; the latter he was desirous they might have, and show forth;
which springs from the love of God, is attended with views, or at leasthopes of
pardoning grace and mercy, and with faith in Christ Jesus:it lies in a true
sight and sense ofsin, under the illuminations and convictions of the Spirit of
God; in a sorrow for it, after a godly sort, and because it is committed against
a God of love, grace, andmercy, and it shows itself in loathing sin, and in
shame for it, in an ingenuous acknowledgementofit, and in forsaking it: and
this is moreoverurged, to show the necessityof it, as to salvation, for such that
God would not have perish, he will have come to repentance;so to their
admission to the ordinance of baptism, to which repentance is a pre-requisite;
and to which the apostle next advises:
and be baptized everyone of you; that repents and believes;that is, in water,
in which John administered the ordinance of baptism; in which Christ himself
was baptized, and in which the apostles ofChrist administered it; in this
Philip baptized the eunuch; and in this were the persons baptized that were
convertedin Cornelius's house;and it is distinguished from the baptism of the
Spirit, or with fire, the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit mentioned in the last
clause of this verse; and which ordinance of waterbaptism was administered
by immersion, as the places, Jordanand Aenon, where John performed it, and
the instances ofit particularly in Christ, and in the eunuch, and the end of it,
which is to representthe death, burial, and resurrectionof Christ, as well as
the primary significationof the word, show. And this is to be done,
in the name of Jesus Christ; not to the exclusionof the Father, and of the
Spirit, in whose name also this ordinance is to be administered, Matthew
28:19 but the name of Jesus Christ is particularly mentioned, because ofthese
Jews, who had before rejectedand denied him as the Messiah;but now, upon
their repentance and faith, they are to be baptized in his name, by his
authority, according to his command; professing their faith in him, devoting
themselves to him, and calling on his name. The end for which this was to be
submitted to, is,

for the remission of sins; not that forgiveness ofsin could be procured either
by repentance, or by baptism; for this is only obtained by the blood of Christ;
but the apostle advises these awakened, sensible, repenting, and believing
souls, to submit to baptism, that by it their faith might be led to Christ, who
suffered and died for their sins, who left them buried in his grave, and who
rose againfor their justification from them; all which is, in a most lively
manner, representedin the ordinance of baptism by immersion: the
encouragementto it follows,
and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost:not the grace ofthe Spirit, as a
regeneratorand sanctifier;for that they had already; and is necessary, as
previous to baptism; unless it should mean confirmation of that grace, and
stability in it, as it appears from Acts 2:42 they afterwards had; but rather the
extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, particularly the gift of speaking with tongues,
which Christ had receivedfrom the Father, and had now shed on his apostles;
see Acts 19:5.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on Acts 2:38". "The New John Gill Exposition of
the Entire Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/acts-
2.html. 1999.
Geneva Study Bible

8 Then Petersaid 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.
(8) Repentance and remission of sins in Christ are two principles of the Gospel
and therefore of our salvation:and they are obtained by the promises
apprehended by faith, and are ratified by us in baptism; and with our
salvationcomes the power of the Holy Spirit (Ed.).
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Beza, Theodore. "Commentaryon Acts 2:38". "The 1599 Geneva Study
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsb/acts-2.html. 1599-
1645.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Repent — The word denotes change of mind, and here includes the reception
of the Gospelas the proper issue of that revolution of mind which they were
then undergoing.
baptized … for the remissionof sins — as the visible sealof that remission.
Copyright Statement

These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text
scannedby Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-BrownCommentary is in the
public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on Acts
2:38". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfb/acts-2.html. 1871-8.
McGarvey's OriginalCommentary on Acts
This is the first time, under the reign of Jesus Christ, that this most important
of all questions was ever propounded; and the first time, of course, that it was
every answered. Whatevermay have been the true answerunder any previous
dispensation, or on any previous day in the world's history, the answergiven
by Peter on this day of Pentecost, in which the reign of Christ on earth began,
is the true and infallible answerfor all the subjects of his authority in all
subsequent time. It deserves ourmost profound attention; for it announces
the conditions of pardon for all men who may be found in the same state of
mind with these inquiries. It is expressedas follows:(38) "ThenPeter saidto
them, Repent and be immersed, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ,
for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
That the offer of pardon, made to the world through Jesus Christ, is
conditional, is denied only by the fatalist. We will not argue this point, expect
as it is involved in the inquiry as to what the conditions of pardon are. When
we ascertainthe prescribed conditions of pardon, both questions will be
settled in settling one.
Pardon is the chief want of the human soul, in its most favorable earthly
circumstances. The rebelagainstGod's government, though he lay down his
arms and becomes a loyal subject, can have no hope of happiness without
pardon for the past; while the pardoned penitent, humbly struggling in the

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