An old lady came home from Bible study one Wednesday night and discovered a burglar in her house. She was so surprised to see him that she just instinctively yelled out “ACTS 2:38,” which was the text they had been studying that evening. The burglar froze while the woman called police. When the police arrived and got the man in cuffs, they asked him why he didn’t flee. The burglar replied, “The old lady said she had an axe and two 38s!” 

 

Acts 2:38 is an extremely important text because it explains how one can receive divine pardon. Peter said, “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.” Notice that the Jews were told to be baptized “for the forgiveness of sins.” Other versions render that expression “unto the remission of sins” (ASV), “so that your sins may be forgiven” (NRSV), and “then God will forgive your sins” (ERV). Hence, baptism plays a crucial role in receiving divine pardon. 

 

The Greek preposition “for” (eis) in Acts 2:38 means “in order to obtain.” It looks ahead to a result. Even a Baptist scholar, Edgar J. Goodspeed, recognized that fact in his translation of the text. It says, “In order to have your sins forgiven.” That rendering is precisely the point. One is not baptized because his sins were already forgiven; he is baptized in order to have his sins forgiven. 

 

Baptism is an act of total surrender to God. By doing this, one is sharing in the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-5), he is appealing to God for a good conscience (1 Peter 3:21), and his sins are washed away (Acts 22:16). So, have you done that?