“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23
Introduction
What must I do to be saved? How do I receive this free gift of God? Indeed, since eternal life is a free gift is there even anything required of me at all to receive it? Various answers to these questions abound, but does the Bible provide explicit answers for us? It does! In fact the book of Acts is very suited to answer these questions because in it we find numerous examples of people (Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles) converting to Christianity. In the following study we will primarily focus on the examples of conversions we find in Acts. But before we look at the text of Acts let’s have some preliminary remarks.
What Truly Saves Us?
First, let us note that we are saved by the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus, on the cross, took our sins upon himself and bore the punishment for our sins (see Matthew 26:26-28; Romans 5:8-11; Colossians 1:19-23). We are saved by the blood of Christ, nothing else. At the root of our salvation is not belief nor repentance nor baptism, but only the atoning death of Jesus Christ, provided for us by the love, grace, and mercy of God (1 John 4:10).
Eternal life is a free gift, we can in no way earn it of ourselves, but has God, the giver of the free gift, told us how we are to receive it? The answer to that is YES. Belief, repentance, and baptism do not, cannot, earn us eternal life with God. But if God has offered us eternal life on the condition of belief, repentance, or baptism, then those things are required of us.
What Is Required Of Us Today?
Second, what is required of us who live after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ is not the same as what was required of those living before those events. So when we search for the answers to the questions above we should focus on finding examples of conversions within our own dispensation (the time after Jesus’ ascension). Since Acts begins with the ascension of Jesus, all of the conversions that it records are from our own dispensation. What was required of those becoming disciples of Christ during the period of Acts is still required of us today.
Now let’s get to the text of Acts.
Conversion of Jews in Acts Chapter 2
The first example of conversion found in Acts is that of about 3000 Jews during the Pentecost following Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension. During Pentecost Jews from various different countries were in Jerusalem. Peter preaches to them and explains that Jesus, whom they had caused to be crucified, is in fact the Messiah and he has risen from the dead and ascended to the Father. After hearing this many of the Jews “were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”” (Acts 2:37-38).
Simple Question, Simple Answer
The Jews who desired to be in a right relationship with God (i.e. to be saved) asked a simple question and received a simple answer: repent and be baptized. Peter not only tells them what to do, but also tells them what the effect of their actions (repentance and baptism) will be: forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. So the Jews believed Peter’s words about Jesus and they were told to repent of their sins and to be baptized. Believe, repent, be baptized.
We’ll continue with more examples in Part 2 of this study.
Studies in the Bible 