The Apostle Peter has told the new converts in Jerusalem that they must repent of their past sins, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and receive the Holy Spirit.

Chapter two verse thirty-nine: Here Peter tells the Jews (tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi) that “the promise” is to them, their descendants, AND to “all who are afar off” (from Jerusalem). This refers to the other 10 tribes of Israel among whom they lived back in their home nations. The Jews were to tell their Israelite brethren that their Messiah had come.

“The promise” Peter is referring to was identified in 2:33,38 as God’s Holy Spirit which He would give to true believers. Recall that Jesus had told the disciples to return to Jerusalem and wait there for the Holy Spirit to be sent to them “not many days hence,” and that they would “receive power” when that happened (Acts 1:4,5,8). It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit, operating from within the believer, that he can overcome Satan’s temptation to sin and therefore qualify to sit with Jesus on His throne in the Kingdom of God (Rev. 3:21).

In verse 39 Peter emphasized that forgiveness of their (Jews and other Israelites’) sins was contingent upon their repenting of those sins. The people of that day who knew the Old Testament and had heard Jesus and His disciples speak on the subject knew what sin was–the breaking of God’s Ten Commandment Law. They knew that they had to repent of breaking that Law in order to receive justification–spiritual cleansing and deliverance from their sins (transgressions). When they confessed their sins they confessed to breaking the Ten Commandments. Herein lies the problem with those involved in Catholicism/Protestantism–they reject God-defined sin and therefore have never repented of their sins. Where there is no repentance there is no forgiveness. Consequently their sins have not been forgiven. The church rejects God-defined sin, claiming that He changed His definition for the New Covenant Church. Let us study His own words as spoken through His prophets and apostles in order to determine His Truth.

“I am the Lord, I change not” (Mal. 3:17). The Apostle James tells us that in Him “there is no variance, no shadow (hint) of turning (change)” (Jam. 1:17). If the aforementioned verses are His Truth (which Jesus proclaims-Jn. 17:17), then what He called sin anciently He calls sin now. The Lord tells us what that sin WAS and IS in 1 John 3:4: “To transgress (break) the (10 Commandment) Law is sin, for SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW.” The Institutional Church, having “nailed the Law to the cross,” has taken to herself the right to determine what is righteousness and sin, right and wrong, good and bad. In so doing she has followed in Adam and Eve’s spiritual footsteps. Church people have become their own gods–which is idolatry–the first commandment in the Law they nailed to the cross. Not recognizing God-defined sin, they do not repent of their sins and thereby deny themselves justification–removal of sin by God’s grace. The Lord they reject tells them that the results of their rebellion will be horrific.

The Lord states through the Apostle Paul that those who do not repent of their sins “despise the riches of His goodness.” And because of their “unrepentant heart” they “treasure (store) up” to themselves God’s “wrath until the day of wrath” which will come with “the judgment of God, Who will render to every man according to his deeds.” His wrath will consist of  “indignation, tribulation and anguish”(Rom. 2:1-6,8, 9).

In verse 40 Peter tells the Jews in Jerusalem (and true believers today) to “… save your(our)self from this evil generation (category of people).” They were to separate themselves spiritually from all those who do not believe and obey God. Why? Because leaven (sin) always leavens (infects) the loaf. The loaf does not unleaven the leaven. For this reason God’s true saints are to segregate themselves on the spiritual level from those around them who are not God’s people–not members of His body. It is for this reason that He commands us to “come out of her (the Institutional Church)” and be separate from her, to not get close enough to “touch” those within her. Then, and only then, God tells us, will He be our God and we will be His people (2 Cor. 6:14-18). L.J.