Part 6 · Deep dive
How do we respond?
Repentance, faith, baptism and following Jesus, as the apostles preached them.
News demands a response. When the crowd heard Peter at Pentecost, they were 'cut to the heart' and asked, 'What should we do?' (Acts 2:37). The answer still stands.
Repent
μετάνοια metanoia — a change of mind and direction
Not merely feeling sorry, but turning from sin to God, with a new mind and a new direction of life.
Believe
πίστις pistis — faith, trust, faithfulness
Biblical faith is not a leap in the dark but trust in a person: resting your whole weight on Jesus and His promise.
Faith includes knowing who Jesus is, agreeing it is true, and personally entrusting yourself to Him.
Be baptized
Jesus commanded His disciples to baptize, and the apostles called new believers to be baptized immediately. Baptism unites us with Christ's death and resurrection and marks entry into His people.
What baptism does
Orthodox and Catholic
Baptism truly washes away sin and gives new birth by the Spirit; infants are baptized. This reflects the near-unanimous view of the early church.
Lutheran and Anglican
Baptism is a means of grace through which God gives forgiveness and new life; infants are baptized.
Baptist and many evangelicals
Baptism is a public act of obedience and confession by those who already believe.
Follow Jesus
Jesus calls disciples, not admirers. 'If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.' This happens within His church: the early believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayer.
How the early church received new believers
The early church
Justin Martyr · c. 155 · First Apology 61
Described converts who believed the teaching, promised to live by it, prayed and fasted, and were then baptized 'in the name of the Father… and of Jesus Christ… and of the Holy Spirit'.
Cyril of Jerusalem · c. 350 · Catechetical Lectures
Taught candidates the creed and the meaning of baptism, urging that faith be sincere and repentance real.
Responding today
There is no magic formula, but Scripture shows what turning to God looks like: admitting your sin, trusting that Jesus died and rose for you, calling on Him as Lord, and seeking out a faithful church to be baptized and to grow.
Key takeaways
- The gospel calls everyone to repent and believe.
- Baptism and life within the church belong to the apostolic response.
- Faith is personal trust in Jesus that leads to following Him.