VI. So what do I do now?
A person being convicted that the Bible is the true Word of God may find themselves
asking the question, "What do I do now... is there any hope for me"?
Pastoral Response
First of all, you need to thank and praise God for bringing you to the point of
even desiring to ask this question! By nature, we are lost and dead on our sins and
therefore would never desire to seek God or to understand spiritual things. The very fact
that you or I or anyone shows even the slightest concern as to the destiny of our eternal
souls minimally means that the Holy Spirit of God is beginning to work in your heart, mind
and soul, and may very well mean that the Lord is already accomplishing within you His
great work of salvation! Indeed, if infact you feel a great sense of conviction due to
your own sinfulness as well as a sincere desire for God to have mercy on your soul, you
must believe and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for your salvation. Such true,
saving faith will render you "justified" or "not guilty" before God,
and according to the promises of God's Word, your soul will be saved.
Supporting Verses
Acts 2:37-38
37. Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart,
and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do?
38. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Historical Context (Acts 2:37-38)
Peter is speaking these words to many Jews who had gathered in Jerusalem in order to
celebrate the anual pilgrim feast of Pentacost. The Holy Spirit had descended upon the
disciples in a supernatural manner which enabled and empowered them to speak the Gospel in
many different languages which they themselves had never learned. This supernatural
manifestation of speaking in tongues caused many in the crowd to conclude that the
disciples were drunk. This of course was not the case but rather gave them opportunity to
call the crowd to repentence and faith in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Study Questions (Acts 2:37-38)
1. What is Peter's response to the heartfelt cry of the crowd; 'Brothers, what shall we
do'?
2. What do you understand by the term 'repent'?
3. What do you understand by the command to 'be baptized'?
4. Do you believe that Peter is referring to physical or spiritual baptism in this
text?
5. What role do you suppose the Holy Spirit plays in the forgiveness of our sins?
Cross References (Acts 2:37-38)
Matthew 3:1-11, Ephesians 4:4-6
Commentary (Acts 2:37-38)
First of all we must understand that in order for us to respond to the commands of
Peter to repent and be baptized, God by his grace and Spirit, must be working in our
hearts, mind and souls. When He enables us to repent of our sins, this involoves a
two-fold turning, namely, a turning away from sin and a turning to God. Similarly, Peter's
command to be baptized can only be accomplished by the sovereign grace of God in the
washing away of our sins through the shed blood of Christ on Calvary, a washing or
cleansing that is symbolized or typified in the Sacrament of baptism. Therefore, the true
cleansing being referred to by Peter's use of the term baptism is accomplished solely by
the person of the Holy Spirit.
John 3:1-8
1. There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of
the Jews: 2. The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou
art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God
be with him. 3. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except
a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4. Nicodemus saith unto him, How
can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and
be born? 5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water
and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6. That which is born of the
flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7. Marvel not that I said
unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest
the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every
one that is born of the Spirit.
Historical Context (John 3:1-8)
This encounter with Nicodemus occurs rather early on in Jesus' earthly ministry. He has
only recently called His first disciples to follow Him, and already Jewish opposition
against Him is begninning to take root. In fact, perhaps this is why Nicodemus comes to
Jesus at night, himself being a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council.
Study Questions (John 3:1-8)
1. Does the phrase born-again strike you as being odd?
2. What do you suppose the term 'born-again' means?
3. Can anyone control his own physical birth?
4. Can anyone control the work of the Holy Spirit in spiritual birth?
5. Is a spiritual re-birth absolutely essential for salvation?
6. What do you suppose is the point of Jesus' analogy between the flesh and the Spirit
in verse 6?
Cross References (John 3:1-8)
Ezekiel 36:24-27, Psalms 51:10-10
Commentary (John 3:1-8)
It is amazing to realize how blind a religious leader in Israel could be to spiritual
things! Yet by nature, this is true for each and every one of us. Unless the Holy Spirit
illumines our spiritual hearts, eyes, minds and ears, we cannot see or hear or understand
spiritual things. This essentially is what Jesus meant when he told Nicodemus that we must
be born-again; that is, the Holy Spirit must renew our hearts and quicken our spiritual
senses in order for us to believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and so be saved.
Ephesians 4:17-24
17. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye
henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18. Having the
understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is
in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19. Who being past feeling have given
themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20. But ye
have not so learned Christ; 21. If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by
him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the
old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23. And be renewed in the
spirit of your mind; 24. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness.
Study Questions (Ephesians 4:17-24)
1. What are some evidences in a person's life that would indicate to you that they are
unsaved?
2. What are some evidences in a person's life that would indicate to you that they are
saved?
3. What do you believe Paul means by the term 'old self'?
4. What do you believe Paul means by the term 'new self'?
5. What are some characteristics which are noted as to what it means to be created in
the image of God?
Cross References (Ephesians 4:17-24)
Colossians 3:5-10
Commentary (Ephesians 4:17-24)
Paul sets forth the difference between the Christian and the non-Christian, between the
saved and the lost, by using the analogy of light and darkness. The darkness is a
reference to the life of the unsaved with all of its sin, sensuality and desire to live
only for self or for things of this world. The light refers to those who have been saved
by grace through faith in Christ, and now are increasingly living to please God and to
live according to His will as revealed in His Word. The life of the Christian, therefore,
will be characterized by increasing righteousness and holiness.
Acts 16:22-31
22. And the multitude rose up together against them: and the
magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat [them]. 23. And when they had
laid many stripes upon them, they cast [them] into prison, charging the jailor to keep
them safely: 24. Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison,
and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and
sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26. And suddenly there was a great
earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the
doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. 27. And the keeper of the prison
awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and
would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28. But Paul cried
with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29. Then he called for
a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30. And
brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31. And they said, Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Historical Context (Acts 16:22-31)
It is interesting to note the Philippi was a leading Roman colony and a key city in the
trade of the ancient world. Yet when Paul sought to find a group of believers with which
to fellowship on the Sabbath day, the most he could find was a group of women gathered for
prayer near the river. God graciously opened the heart of a woman named Lydia and caused
her to believe, making her the first convert in the city. Shortly thereafter, God used the
providential placement of Paul and Silas in prison to bring about the second convert in
the city, namely the Philippian jailor. God also miraculously displayed the way in which
He works through family lines in his plan of salvation by enabling the jailor's entire
family to believe and be baptized. This household salvation greatly encouraged Paul and
Silas to press on to other cities in the course of their missionary journey.
Study Questions (Acts 16:22-31)
1. What was it that caused such fear and trembling in the heart and life of the jailor?
2. Do you believe he was mostly concerned at this point about his physical or spiritual
well-being?
3. Are you most generally concerned about your physical or spiritual well-being?
4. Is it physical or spiritual salvation that we ought to be most concerned about and
why?
Cross References (Acts 16:22-31)
Joshua 24:14-15
Commentary (Acts 16:22-31)
The encounter of Paul and Silas with a hostile crowd in Philippi beautifully
illustrates for us the hostility with which the Gospel of Jesus Christ is often met. The
persecution which the Apostles met was a foreshadowing of the increasing persecution of
Christians throughout the world today. Yet, in his grace and mercy, God uses even such
opposition to open greater doors of opportunity for his people to share the Gospel with
those who otherwise may never hear as Christians continue with a bold witness for the
faith.
Conclusion |
