Repent & Be Baptized

Peter replied, “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.  The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.”  With many other words he warned them; and pleaded with them, “Save yourself from this corrupt generation.”  Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

– Acts 2:38-41

Isn’t it Amazing how Peter -a disciple and apostle of Jesus (Yeshua)- called on every one around him to repent and be baptized?  Peter did not tell them to confess with their mouth and believe in their heart that Jesus Christ is their Lord and then they are saved.  No!!  Rather, Peter pleaded with them to save themselves from the corrupt generation through repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins!  Today, most churches do not even speak about repentance and baptism!  Many people have fallen for this lie that they can just confess with their mouth that they are saved without true repentance!  Repentance is the actual turning away from sin!  It is not merely asking God for forgiveness!  And the only way one can truly turn away from their sin is to have a real change of heart!  Additionally, many people have fallen for the mass deception that they can just confess with their mouth that they believe and not go on to be physically baptized (immersed) in water!  The Most Important thing that Peter spoke about repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins is that those who did would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!  The Holy Spirit is God living on the inside of us!  And if we do not have the Holy Spirit living on the inside of us, then we are NOT God’s children!!!  The reality is that many people in churches today are confessing with their mouth that they believe Jesus is their Lord and Savior, yet they do not believe it in their heart because they have not truly repented of their sins!  That means there has been no Real heart transformation!  And what this is producing in a lot of churches is a whole bunch of people who claim they are believers in Jesus, but they do not have the Holy Spirit living on the inside them!  And that is nothing but complete hypocrisy!  If churches are teaching a half-hearted approach to salvation, then the result will be a bunch of half-hearted so-called believers who will be proved to be nothing more than a lie!  With God you are either all in or all out!  He wants all of you and your heart or Nothing!  So choose to walk in true Salvation – repent and be baptized today!