3,000 Sinners Saved!

3,000 Sinners Saved! Keith Underhill

The profession, “I’m saved”, is a common one, and there is nothing more important than to be sure of one’s own salvation. Because it is so im- portant the devil loves to deceive people into thinking they are saved when they are not (see 1 Cor. 6:9, Gal. 6:7, 1 Jn. 1:8). We must carefully examine the Bible to understand what true salvation is. One way to do this is to examine the accounts in the Bible of those who were saved. We are going to take some examples from Acts, starting with the sinners in Jerusalem who were saved on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2).

This Day of Pentecost marks the beginning of the Christian church as we know it. The gift to the apostles of speaking in other tongues (languages) brought a great crowd together. Peter had the opportunity to preach (2:14-36). By way of response the crowd desperately asked, “What shall we do?” The inner workings of the Spirit that prompted the question and the two things they were told to do clearly inform us as to the nature of salvation.

SALVATION IS THROUGH CONVICTION OF SIN

Peter had been preaching that the very One they had recently clamoured for the Ro- mans to crucify was none other than “Lord and Christ” (v. 36). When they heard these words they felt an inner pain like a man that has been stabbed. Before, they had stead- fastly refused to believe that Jesus of Nazareth was their promised Messiah (Christ). But now it was clear to them that all their hopes of salvation rested in Him who they had killed. What anguish they felt! They were guilty of judicial murder – Jesus was in- nocent. They had committed blasphemy – they had denied His divine mission. Their act was treasonable – they had revolted against God in His Messenger. 

This conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 16:8-11). Until He works in our hearts we are not aware of our need, so we have no interest in a remedy. We may be sick without feeling it; but as soon as we feel it we look for the medicine! 

This conviction is not part of the saving change in a sinner, as not all who experience conviction are saved. Judas was convicted (Matt. 27:3-5). Jews resisted the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51). There is a grief that does not lead to salvation (2 Cor. 7:10). Are you being convicted in your heart about your attitude to Christ? Of course you have not shouted “Crucify Him!” But at best you have paid Him only lip-service. He commands, “Follow Me”, and you would follow, but... ‘I am not willing to prejudice my education. Surely I cannot be expected to go through life with some corruption. I will get opposition from my family.’ You resolve it by performing some religious duties, but for the most part you live as if there was no Jesus Christ. May the Spirit convict you of your Christ-less life, the very One of whom God bore testimony, “This is My Beloved Son”, and on whom He set His approval by exalting Him to His right hand. You ask, How much strength of conviction is required? Enough to bring you to repentance and baptism. Conviction and guilty feelings are not enough. Herod heard John the Baptist gladly but never repented (Mk. 6:20). Felix was alarmed by Paul’s reasoning but never repented (Acts 24:24-25).

SALVATION IS THROUGH REPENTANCE

Peter’s authoritative response is simple and clear. What must they do having been convicted? “Repent and be baptized” (v. 38). Repentance is often neglected in to- day’s preaching about salvation. It has never been a popular message. More people will follow a message that Jesus is there to fulfil all felt needs, than a message that speaks about dealing with sin. Repentance was the message of John the Baptist (Matt. 3:2), of Jesus (Matt. 4:17), of the apostles (Acts 20:21). Repentance is nothing less than a total change of thinking resulting in a change of direction of life from sin towards God:

• Specifically. Like a volcano sin usually erupts in one particular place. The type of sin depends upon character and upbringing. For those in Jerusalem it was the sin of crucifying Christ. What is your sin? It maybe public such as an immoral relationship, habitual lying, corruption, disobedience to parents. It may be more secret being clouded by an outwardly respectable life, such as pride and self-trust or a love of money. Whatever it is it must be repented of. This is how John the Baptist preached repentance (Lk. 3:7-14). Paul refers to his specific sins (1 Tim. 1:13). Strive to see the evil in your sin, forsake it, and turn to God. In Christ’s name you will be for- given and receive the Holy Spirit to enable you in the fight (Acts 2:38).
• Generally. Repentance is turning from all sin, anything God calls sin, in order to follow Christ. It is a confession before a thrice holy God that your whole life is sin- ful from the depth of your inner being to all your actions (see Gen. 6:5, Ps. 51:5, Jer. 17:9, Matt. 15:18-19). You have done nothing good, so that every aspect of life must be brought into submission to Christ and His will. Christ becomes your light, your shepherd, your very centre. The basic change is that now Jesus Christ is your Saviour and Lord. Do not wait for repentance to come to you from ‘somewhere’. It is your responsibility. God has commanded you to repent. “Save yourselves from this crooked generation” (v. 40), the world of unbelievers.

SALVATION IS THROUGH BAPTISM

Before you reject this as heretical, it is Peter himself who puts baptism together with repentance, forgiveness and the receiving of the Holy Spirit (v. 38). It is not that forgiveness and receiving the Spirit happen at baptism; rather that a professed repentance that does not lead to baptism

is perhaps insincere. There are 2 lines

of evidence:

1. The Bible constantly teaches that forgiveness goes with repentance and not baptism (Mk. 1:4, Lk. 17:3-4, 24:47, Acts 5:31, 8:22, 26:18, Jas. 5:15, 1 Jn. 1:9).
2. Baptism does not automatically lead to salvation. Simon was baptized but was not saved (Acts 8:9-24). Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 16:30-31, Rom. 10:13-14, 1 Cor. 1:21, Eph. 2:8).
3. If you have repented why have you not been baptized according to the command of Christ and example of the early Christians? The baptized person declares, ‘I have turned my back on my old life, and I am now a new person in Christ’. The New Testament knows nothing about an ‘unbaptized Christian’. Peter proclaimed, “Be baptized every one of you” who repents. The 3,000 on the Day of Pentecost all heeded that command and were baptized (v. 41). Possibly you have been ignorant of this until you have read what has been written. Perhaps you have been putting it off. But do not refuse. Surely there is a legitimate question as to whether you are genuinely saved if you are not willing to submit to baptism. What other commands of Christ, who you say is your Lord, will you not be willing to submit to? No, let it be your greatest privilege to identify in baptism with your despised Lord. How pow- erful was the word of God on that day. Let us have renewed confidence and pray it will be again in our day, that we will witness multitudes being baptized.