Having been convicted of the crime of executing the Son of God, the perpetrators pled for an answer as to what they could possibly do to have their sin forgiven. They had heard as Peter laid out the case for the Christ (cf. Romans 10:17) and believed what he said about Him (cf. John 8:24). Under the influence of God’s Holy Spirit, Peter had a ready answer for them. His reply was simple, yet astounding: “… Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins …” (Acts 2:38).

Before God ever created man, He foreordained a plan for redeeming him when he sinned. Peter wrote, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” (1 Peter 1:18–20). That plan included Jesus and His precious blood. Jesus understood this, for on the night before His crucifixion He instituted and explained the Lord’s Supper. In doing so He made the statement, “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). Later Paul would write, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).

John spoke of Jesus Christ who “loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood” (Revelation 1:5). The question is not what remits, forgives, or washes our sins away; it is how we come in contact with and appropriate the remittance, forgiveness, and washing. Saul was told, “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). John informs us that Jesus’ blood washes our sins away but Ananias helps us understand when that blood washes our sins away. Our sins are fully washed away by the blood of Jesus when we are baptized! Line spacing?

Now back to Peter on Pentecost. Because the people had heard about Jesus, believed in Him, and were sorrowful for what they had done, they needed to make some changes. They needed to stop serving Satan and start serving the Lord (cf. Romans 6:16-18). That’s why Peter told them to “repent.” They also needed those past sins removed. The only thing that could remove those sins, or any sin is the blood of Jesus. That’s why he told them to be baptized!

Today, we have the same problem that the people of Pentecost had. Because of our sin, we are responsible for crucifying Jesus. Just as God had a plan for redeeming those twenty centuries ago, He has a plan for redeeming us. The two are the same. When we hear about Jesus and believe in Him, we are to repent of our sins, confess our faith (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized to meet the saving blood of Jesus.

Preacher friend, may we never forget God’s simple plan of salvation. May we not be ashamed of it. May we mine the depths of God’s word to understand how amazingly simple yet infinitely brilliant it truly is. And last of all, may we never fail to preach it just as God presented it to us.