Peter urged the men of Israel who participated in the crucifixion of Jesus to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus. Responding rightly to Jesus as Lord and Christ means repenting and being baptized in his name for the forgiveness of sins, effectively orienting one’s life to God through Christ. Luke writes in order to communicate how sinners experience the salvation worked by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amazingly, this offer of salvation goes out to anyone, of any magnitude of sin. People proffer different sins as the worst of all sins. These men standing before Peter and the others committed the worst of all sin, the literally crucified the Christ of God. They subjected the Lord of glory, the very brightness and radiance of the glory of God, the fullness of his splendor, to public shame and dishonor. In the crucifixion, Jesus received the exact opposite of the honor and glory due his name. Of course, he redeemed his death, and rose in victory, thereby receiving honor and glory in death. However, the sin committed against his stands out as the very embodied of heinous conduct against God.
And yet, when the men asked, “what shall we do?” they received a simple answer, repent, be baptized, and receive the promises of God. What grace! What mercy! Whatever sins you’ve committed against God, the offer of salvation still goes forth. Repent, be baptized, receive forgiveness, receive the Holy Spirit, and enter in the divine life with full expectation of every promise of God.
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