Lesson 344

(Lesson 344)(07-24-12) Acts 3:18-23, "But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people."

Herein, Peter declares that the coming of Jesus, the Redeemer, was prophesied from the beginning, and that those prophesies have now been fulfilled.

It is very important to note that Peter again teaches the path to eternal salvation, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out", however Peter's instruction, this time, does NOT include the mention of "baptism". It simply demands a conversion and clearly says the conversion is what blots out our sins. One might ask, 'convert from what?' Those present on Solomon's porch, being devout Jews, were to convert from reliance on the law, to obedience of the new law of faith in the sacrifice of Christ Jesus.

Even today, those who are lost, MUST abandon the law (convert), for salvation's sake, and accept it through the grace of God by the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

This lesson concludes by declaring that without first making that conversion, none can be saved. Peter said, " him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people."~~