Bible Study on Acts 2, verses 37 to 41, part 2, it is God's will, His desire that all people be saved

 

First, for a reference to John the Baptist’s call to repentance from sin for the Jews to prepare them to receive their Messiah.

 

Matthew 3:1 ¶  In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2  And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3  For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4  And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5  Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6  And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

 

And now a call from Peter to repent of the official rejection of the Messiah and what they did to Him.

 

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.

 

Then, an important point is made that underscores the argument that while salvation is free to all men and that the Lord would have all men to be saved it is only going to happen to those He calls, who are the ones that He knows will receive Him, rejecting in advance those He knows will reject Him. This is different than traditional Calvinism that says that He made many souls who were created for the express purpose of damning them, that salvation was not an option for them.

 

Verse 39 mentions to all that are afar off. Here is an important cross-reference and a key to interpretation.

 

Ephesians 2:11 ¶  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

 

First, the principle that it is God’s will, His desire that all people be saved;

 

1Timothy 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

 

But, God knows who will receive Him by His foreknowledge of all events in space-time, including thoughts of the mind and intents of the heart. God calls people He already knows will believe Him.

 

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 ¶  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

 

Verses 29-30 in Romans 8 defines why those in verse 28 are called, because God knew. This foreknowledge extends backwards to before the universe was created. We were chosen in Him, to be holy and without blame, because we will trust in His righteousness and not our own to be saved.

 

Ephesians 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

 

So, the reference to God’s calling in Acts is further explained by Paul as God calling those He foreknew would receive Him, not saying that He created specific people to be condemned. Some will still say this is still unfair but in an eternal view of things we all will know that even the most awful of people had a choice. That they did not make the right choice and that God knew they wouldn’t does not put guilt on Him. It put guilt on mankind rebelling against their Creator. We all make a choice. Free will is a Bible doctrine.

 

Deuteronomy 30:19  I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

 

Joshua 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

 

God, not a leather-lunged, wily pulpiteer using clever words, guilt because you won’t see your mama again if you don’t get saved, or group pressure in a so-called revival meeting, added 3,000 actually saved people to their number at this time. These were not people who repeated a formula 1-2-3 repeat-after-me prayer, you know, the A-B-C Admit you are a sinner, Believe on Christ, and then Confess your belief to the preacher and the congregation but people whose hearts were changed by God, their Creator, as a consequence of their belief. One can only imagine those who heard and walked away.