Readings for today: Acts 1-4, Psalms 110
One of the questions I get a lot is what it means, practically speaking, to place one’s faith in Jesus Christ. Is it an emotional response? A mystical experience? An intellectual assent to a set of propositional truths? To be sure, it could involve all these things but fundamentally, it is a conscious decision so surrender one’s life to Christ. I love how the Apostle Peter puts it in the first Christian sermon preached after the miracle of Pentecost. After sharing the good news of the gospel, the people listening ask him how they should respond and here is his answer, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38-39 CSB)
Repent. A conscious, intentional turn in a person’s life away from sin to Christ. Literally, the Greek word for repentance suggests a 180 degree turn. A movement in the opposite direction from how we are currently living. Not just feeling sad for our sin. Not just feeling bad for getting caught. Not just feeling guilt or shame over being exposed. Repentance involves concrete action. It involves a change in behavior. And yes, it often feels very foreign at first - because we aren’t used to following Jesus - but it is a literal act of submission to His will.
Baptism. Once we repent and turn to Christ, we take the step of baptism and through this sacred act receive assurance that our sins are forgiven. Forgiven in the name of Jesus Christ. Forgiven because of what Christ has done for us. All sin. Past, present, and future. Nothing left out. Nothing left behind. Nothing forgotten. Nothing beyond the reach of His grace. We are washed completely clean. We become white as snow in His sight. We are clothed in His righteousness from this point forward.
Holy Spirit. Once we repent and are forgiven, the Holy Spirit empowers us to live a new life. He sets us free from the power of sin. He reorders our priorities. He gives us a new heart and a new spirit. We find ourselves filled with a desire to live according to God’s will. We develop a hunger for His Word. We develop a love for worship. We develop a longing to serve Him and be part of His Kingdom work in the world. We find ourselves walking in light rather than darkness. We find ourselves living with hope rather than despair. It doesn’t mean life will always go well or we will no longer face trials or struggles or suffering. Jesus promises His followers will face all these things and more but what we will find is a supernatural strength to endure. We will experience a supernatural peace that passes all understanding. And all this is from the Holy Spirit who is given to each believer when they come to saving faith in Jesus.
Do Peter’s words resonate as you think about your own faith? I’ve met so many people over the years who thought they were giving their lives to Jesus but never repented. Never received the assurance that their sins were forgiven. Never experienced the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Instead, they raised their hand at an emotional moment at the end of a conference or worship service. They had a mystical experience while climbing a mountain or watching the sun rise over the ocean. They worked through all the arguments for the Christian faith in their own mind and came to the understanding that it was true. Now, none of these things are bad in and of themselves. It’s just that they are incomplete. They are inadequate. They are no substitute for saving faith. Repent. Be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. Receive the Holy Spirit. This is saving faith.
Readings for tomorrow: Acts 5-8