Those convicted of killing the Christ asked the question, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). They felt the sting of Peter’s sermon and understood something would be required of them. Another with a heart that had been broken asked a very similar question “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30). Brother Winkler used to analyze this question in this way:

  1. “What”— something is required.
  2. “Must”— something is mandatory.
  3. “I”— something is personal.
  4. “Do”— something must be done, not felt or experienced.
  5. “To be saved”— the goal or object of the inquiry.

In both Acts 2 and Acts 16 baptism was a part of the answer. And though baptism is absolutely essential to the salvation of the soul, there is something else that is equally as essential. Those present on the Day of Pentecost were told to repent. The jailor of Philippi gives us a picture of a man who had repented when he went from being the one who allowed Paul and Silas suffer in their cell to gently washing their blood-stained backs (Acts 16:33).

Repentance entails more than sorrow of the heart. It demands a change in conduct. Peter demanded those on the day of Pentecost save themselves from their “untoward” generation (Acts 2:40). Surely they could not have saved themselves from that crooked, perverse group of people by continuing to live and act just like them. It is far too hard to distinguish many Christians from the world today because they have never changed their conduct—they have never repented.

Preacher friend, what is your preaching calling your listeners to do? Have we become so politically correct that we fear to call on people to save themselves from our own perverse generation? Have we been convinced by religious friends that it is more important for people to leave our assemblies feeling good about themselves than being saved from their sin? What have we accomplished when a sinner leaves feeling good about himself and his sin?

We must challenge those who hear us to bring forth “fruits meet for repentance” (Matthew 3:8ff). It is not enough just to say we are Christians, we must live like we are.