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.

It’s a tender and remarkable moment when Peter stands before the crowd, full of people who are shaken by the realization of what they have done—they’ve misunderstood Jesus and His purpose. Peter, serving as the voice for all the apostles, doesn’t use their regret as a weapon, but as an open door for hope. He calls the listeners to “repent”—to have a complete change of heart, letting go of former, mistaken ideas about Jesus, and now recognizing Him as God’s chosen Savior (Acts 2:38). This isn’t just about feeling bad for past actions, but seeing Jesus rightly with both heart and mind, and letting that truth shape every word and deed (Luke 24:47).

Peter’s guidance makes a gentle but vital distinction: True repentance isn’t simply about misery or shame or being “pricked to the heart.” If repentance is just a heavy guilt, it can never give life. The repentance Peter describes is deeply aware of sin because it’s measured against a God who overflows with love and mercy. It grieves over sin because it’s an offense to a God who longs to forgive and restore (Romans 2:4). This honest turning away leads us to trust Christ for cleansing and, out of that, to live differently.

He goes on to urge everyone who responds in true repentance to be baptized as an outward sign of an inner change (Acts 2:38). Baptism is no empty ritual. It’s a vivid picture—of dying with Christ, being buried, and rising again to new life (Romans 6:3-4). Doing this “in the name of Jesus Christ” is especially meaningful; these were people who once rejected Him, but now they put their trust and identity in Him openly (Matthew 28:19).

None of this, Peter says, earns forgiveness. Repentance and baptism point to the real remedy: the finished work of Christ. Because of Him, forgiveness is given, not bought. And as if that weren’t enough, God promises the gift of the Holy Spirit—God’s presence, power, and help—to all who sincerely turn to Christ (Acts 2:38). So, no matter how far anyone has wandered, God meets them here: with pardon, welcome, and the transforming Spirit.

Verses Referenced:

• Matthew 28:19
• Acts 2:38
• Luke 24:47
• Romans 2:4
• Romans 6:3-4

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