Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Today’s question is typical of those who have been cut to the heart through Spirit-empowered, convicting ministry. Peter, the same man who wavered before a young maid outside Pilate’s judgement hall is seen here truly living up to his name. He is inflamed with power from on high, the power the Lord promised once the Holy Spirit came upon him and upon the other apostles in Jerusalem, 1. 8. That time had arrived and the man of cowardice was transformed into a man of courage. ‘Who is a pardoning God like thee? And who has grace so rich and free?’ SAMUEL DAVIES. Everyone who has ever failed the Lord should be greatly encouraged by Peter’s restoration and his persuasive oratory as an unlettered fisherman, 4. 13.

Not only should we be encouraged with the Lord’s grace toward Peter, but also His offer of forgiveness to the undeserving crowd. Without question, Peter was opening the door of faith by using the keys of the kingdom for those to whom he had been commissioned, Gal. 2. 7; Matt. 16. 19. The first turn of the key - and always the first - is the call to repentance. It is the same priority that Paul emphasized to the Ephesian elders, Acts 20. 21. The next turn of the key is a call for baptism, the step of identification to demonstrate reality and safeguard against false profession. It confirms the actions of the heart and verifies that sins have been remitted and the Holy Spirit received, 2. 38.

The words of verse 39 are also very intriguing, ‘For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off’, NKJV. It corresponds to the words of a similar group of people who only recently stood before Pilate and defiantly declared, ‘His blood be on us and on our children’, Matt. 27. 25. They were in essence raising their fists to heaven and shouting, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us’, Luke 19. 14. To the nation who had collectively jeered at Him who suffered in their stead came the free offer of salvation through Peter to ‘you and your children and to all who are afar off’. This is ‘love divine, all loves excelling’, and a wonderful example of His amazing grace!