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Peter's Preaching and the Apostle's Preaching
It is not uncommon to hear people express doubts about the harmony of the preaching andteaching found in the New Testament often doing so by making the claim that the variouswriters of the New Testament differed in what they taught. Often those who make suchclaims will pit Paul against James or Peter against Paul. The truth is the scriptures do not belong to Paul, or James, or Peter, or to any other writereven if their name happens to be attached to a letter. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction inrighteousness." (2 Tim. 3:16 NKJV) The scriptures came by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.God used men's tongues and pens to give us the message of inspiration. To say that oneNew Testament preacher/writer contradicted another is to say that God himself isinconsistent and says and teaches one thing at one time and another thing at another time.It is to say there is more than one gospel which is the very thing scripture denies.One can "pervert the gospel of Christ" (Gal. 1:7 NKJV) but you cannot make two gospels outof one. Paul says, by inspiration, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any othergospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed." (Gal. 1:8 NKJV)One gospel was preached by inspiration. Jesus commanded the apostles, "But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worrybeforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour,speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit." (Mark 13:11 NKJV) I quote thatpassage for I want you the reader to have it in mind for I want to take a look at a specificinstance of just such an occasion and the preaching that was done on that occasion. I wantto examine the sermon Peter and the apostles gave in Acts 5 with a view of showing itsharmony with Peter's first gospel sermon in Acts 2 and thus the agreement in preaching thegospel among all the apostles including one yet to come – the apostle Paul who will not beconverted until chapter 9 in the book of Acts.In Acts 5 we have the apostles arrested and imprisoned (Acts 5:17-18). That night while inprison an angel came to their rescue releasing them and instructing them to go to thetemple and resume their teaching (Acts 5:19-20). This they did but once again wererearrested and brought before the high priest and the Jewish council (Acts 5:27).Which of the apostles actually was the spokesperson for the group in Acts 5 we are not toldbut the text says "then Peter and the other apostles answered" (Acts 5:29 NKJV) so we canbe certain that all the apostles were in agreement for the answer made is attributed to all of them. The entire discourse as recorded follows: "But Peter and the other apostles answered andsaid: 'We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whomyou murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince andSavior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses tothese things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.'"(Acts 5:29-32 NKJV)Let us examine this sermon starting by talking about "obedience." As it relates to the gospelbeing preached it is the last use of the word "obey" in this discourse that is of greatest
 
interest in determining the gospel being preached. Who receives the Holy Spirit? It is those"who obey Him" – obey God, obey Jesus – as clearly stated in the text. The Hebrew writersays of Jesus, 'He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him." (Heb. 5:9NKJV)Is obedience a part of the gospel? Did Peter preach obedience in his first gospel sermon, thefirst such sermon ever preached to mankind, in Acts 2? He commanded those that day to,"Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remissionof sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38 NKJV) This statementwas made after the Holy Spirit had fallen on Peter (see Acts 2:4) and he was thus speakingby means of the Holy Spirit. Could you do what Peter asked those in that audience to dothat day without being obedient? Of course not! Yes, Peter preached obedience on the Dayof Pentecost just as he and the other apostles are doing this day in Acts 5. They say the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey God (Acts 5:32). One must obey Godthen to have the Spirit. When Jesus returns it will be "in flaming fire taking vengeance…onthose who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thess. 1:8 NKJV) All theapostles were thus in agreement on the need for obedience and this would include Paulwhen he later became an apostle. This was what Peter preached in his second gospel sermon recorded in Acts 3 as well whenhe quoted Moses, "For Moses truly said to the fathers, 'The Lord your God will raise up foryou a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever Hesays to you. And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall beutterly destroyed from among the people.'" (Acts 3:22-23 NKJV) To "hear" does not justmean the physical act of hearing but rather means to obey. To obey meant to obey what? Well, it meant to obey all things the apostles spoke by theHoly Spirit. What was that as it related to gospel obedience, to making one a Christian? Itincluded what Peter commanded in his Day of Pentecost sermon in Acts 2 preached bymeans of the Holy Spirit. "Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you bebaptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the giftof the Holy Spirit.'" (Acts 2:38 NKJV)Some may be troubled by the fact that faith is not mentioned in that sermon (the Day of Pentecost sermon in Acts 2). My question is does it have to be when it is clearly implied?For that matter no mention of faith is made in this Acts 5 sermon either but it is implied.Where is the man to be found capable of scriptural repentance who does not first believe?Where is the man who is willing to be obedient to baptism who does not first believe? Can aman be scripturally baptized who does not believe? No! When a thing is clearly implied inscripture it does not need to be mentioned.It is said that the Catholics baptize babies who cannot believe. Do they? Where does theBible teach that sprinkling is baptism? Men made sprinkling baptism, not God. In the New Testament a man was baptized when he was buried in water. There was no other way to bebaptized. Secondly, the Bible teaches, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved"(Mark 16:16 NKJV) and not "he who is incapable of believing and is baptized will be saved."One comes from God; the other is a man made doctrine. Besides, babies are pure in God'ssight, sinless, and have no need of baptism.
 
In Acts 5:31 the apostles state that Jesus is the Savior who gives repentance to Israel andforgiveness of sins. How does he do that? Peter has preached this before, saying basicallythe same thing simply phrasing it differently, in the Acts 2:38 passage. God gives manrepentance by giving him motives to lead him to repent. One must first see his need forrepentance, see his own sins so he will feel them in his heart, before he is capable of repenting of them.In both the sermon in Acts 2 and this one in Acts 5 sin is pointed out – there is need of repentance. In Acts 2 Peter says, "you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and putto death" (Acts 2:23 NKJV) Jesus. In Acts 5 the apostles refer to those to whom they areaddressing as murders (see Acts 5:30). In Acts 3:15 Peter says to the crowd gathered therethat they "killed the Prince of life." (NKJV) The point is that apostolic preaching preached about sin and the need to repent. So, we seerepentance was preached by the apostles. It was preached here in Acts 5:31; it waspreached in Acts 2:38; it was preached in Acts 3:19. Preaching the gospel always involvedthe subject of repentance from sin and always will for that is a part of gospel obedience.How did and how does Jesus give to man forgiveness of sins? We could say salvation is thegift of God and is by grace and that would be true. But, is there anything God has askedman to do before he will extend that grace to man and grant to him forgiveness?If you say no then you have immediately rejected the need for both faith and repentance. If we believe faith is essential and if we believe repentance is essential then we must admitman plays a role in his own salvation despite it being a gift and we admit there are thingsman must do. In Acts 2 Peter said one of the things a man must do was be baptized "in thename of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." (Acts 2:38 NKJV)Does Jesus give forgiveness of sins? Yes, but it is conditional. Jesus said, "He who believesand is baptized will be saved." (Mark 16:16 NKJV) Most people want to make that read "hewho believes and is baptized or is not baptized will be saved" but that is adding to thescripture and is not what Jesus taught but what man desires to teach.Peter, by the Holy Spirit, speaking on the day of Pentecost told penitent believers "Repent,and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins;and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38 NKJV)Some say yes that is what the text says but it is not what it means. Evidently, Peter did notknow that for years later he was still saying, "There is also an antitype which now saves us,namely baptism." (1 Peter 3:21 NKJV) If a man is saved he is saved from sin and the onlyway that is accomplished is through God's forgiveness. Peter says baptism saves. He doesnot say baptism alone without faith or repentance. There was no fist fight among the apostles when Peter first preached baptism for theremission of sins on the Day of Pentecost. All the apostles were in agreement with Peter'spreaching. Jesus himself had taught them while still on earth that "unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (John 3:5 NKJV) They had beencommanded at the time Jesus ascended back into heaven to go make disciples and do what?Baptize them! (Matt. 28:19 NKJV) Which ones? Every single one of them. If you say no thenyou are under obligation to tell us which ones were not to be baptized.
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