A Word to You

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Acts 2.39

A Reformed believer looking at this text might seize on the line, “And to your children,” and try to make a case for covenant theology and infant baptism. A modern-day fundamentalist might see “and to them that are far off,” and promote some missionary endeavor. A Calvinist would likely point out the line, “even as many as the Lord our God shall call,” to show the sovereignty of God’s grace in the promise. 

But I ask you, have you looked at the first part? “The promise is unto you.” It is of no importance what God has said to others until you have submitted to what God has said to you. The promise is to you. What have you done with it? Have you repented and been baptized according to the promise? Do not move one word further into the text until the part about you is settled. Do not allow Satan to occupy your mind with questions about others until the question about you has been answered. 

Here is a promise to you. Does not your heart rejoice that God has made a promise to you? Can you not see how gracious He is to promise the forgiveness of sin on such simple terms? Can you refuse such a promise in any point? Will you refuse to repent in the face of such mercy? Will you ignore the simple directive to be baptized when it comes from One so ready to forgive all your offenses against Him?

I wonder: If Christ Himself were to appear to you and say, “So and so, repent and be baptized in My name for the remission of sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” would you then refuse? Well, He has not appeared to you, but He has recorded His word in the Bible and you have now seen and heard it. The promise is to you. What will you do with it?

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