The Strand Study Bible

ACTS

ACTS

1784

1. Personal problems (such as, fighting - Prov 23:29) 2. Social problems (such as, poverty - Prov 23:21 and lawlessness - Prov 31:4-6-7 and Isa 5:11-12 & 28:7) 3. Emotional problems (such as, heartache and sorrow - Prov 20:1 & 23:29 and Gen 9:24) 4. Health problems (such as, vomiting - Isa 19:14, wounds without cause - Prov 23:29, and addiction - Prov 23:35) 5. Spiritual problems (such as, fornication and adultery - Prov 23:33 and Gen 19:32-36, and perversion of speech - Prov 23:29) Homer in the Iliad notes: The wine urges me on, the bewitching wine, which sets even a wise man to singing and to laughing gently and rouses him up to dance and brings forth words which were better unspoken. 1

6. Heavenly problems , (such as, God’s wrath - Hab 2:15 -16) 7. Eternal problems , (such as, going to Hell - Gal 5:19-21) NOTE - Dr. S.I. McMillen in None of These Diseases notes:

No drug known to man is more widely used nor more frequently responsible for deaths, injuries, or crimes than is alcohol. 2

It is a good warning for those who will listen. 2:17-18 The reason for HOLY SPIRIT power is for boldness when “ prophesying” (witnessing - Acts 1:4-8 & 19:6, Num 11:26, I Sam 10:6,10 & 19:20-23, Ezk 11:4-5 & 37:1-4, Mic 3:8 and Lk 1:41,67), not speaking in tongues ( Acts 4:13 ). 2:20 Officially, the “ DAY OF THE LORD ” is an extended period of time that begins with the onset of the Great Tribulation and ends 3½ years later with the personal return of Jesus Christ (I Thess 5:1-3 and Rev 3:3 a & 6:5-8 a ). 2:21 This word “ whosoever ” does away with the ideas of unconditional election and limited atonement. Salvation is offered to the entire human race (See - I Jn 2:2), so men do have a choice when it comes to being saved. Salvation is not limited to a few, but is freely offered to “all” (Lk 2:10, II Cor 5:14-15,19, I Tim 2:6 & 4:10, Titus 2:11, II Pet 3:9 and Mt 28:19 a ). NOTE - To say God chooses some to go to Heaven and others to go to Hell is to breach the very nature of God (Ezk 18:23). 2:29 To this day on Mount Zion there is a shrine dear to the hearts of Jews throughout the world. It holds the tomb of David, beloved King of Israel, upon which engraved with golden Hebrew letters are the words, “David the King of Israel lives for evermore.” (Jere 30:9) 2:38 a True repentance is always necessary for salvation. These devout Jews, who had gathered themselves together at Pentecost to celebrate the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, had to repent (change their minds) and agree with God concerning two areas before they could be saved. Like the thief on the cross, they had to agree with God as to: 1. Who they were ( Mt 27:3 ) 2. Who CHRIST is (Lk 23:42) Peter said in verse 36, “ Whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ .” NOTE - In order to be saved, every person must acknowledge two facts: 1. We are “all” guilty of placing Christ on the cross and crucifying him, therefore, we are “all” sinners and in need of a Savior. Hence, we 2:38 b Sadly, there are some religious movements that have tried to use this Scripture to prove that baptism is essential to salvation and thus part of the saving Gospel. It is not ( Mk 16:16 ). The Greek word translated “ for ” here is the Greek indefinite preposition HL9 ( eis ) and means, “ pointing into ,” not “in order that” ( Rom 6:3 ). The people in Acts 2:38 were baptized “ pointing into ” the fact that they had already had forgiveness (remission) of sins through the blood of CHRIST , not “in order that” they might receive remission of sins (be saved). NOTE - Take for example a man that is in jail for murder. Is that man in jail “in order that” he might murder or is he in jail “ pointing to ” the fact that he had already murdered? The question answers itself. While it is true that all men, after they are saved, should be baptized, baptism in itself has never been part of the saving Gospel ( I Cor 1:17 ). 2:41 According to the Bible, “baptism” (meaning “ to dip under; immerse ”) is a rite that is always performed after a person is saved (Acts 8:12,35-37 & 9:17-18 & 10:47-48 & 16:13-15,30-33 & 18:8 & 19:1-5); it has absolutely nothing to do with being saved ( Acts 2:38b and I Cor 15:1 ). NOTE - There are five reasons why every born-again believer ought to be baptized after he is saved: 1. To show that you were glad that you got saved (Acts 2:41) 2. To show that you were sincere (that you meant business) about your decision to get saved ( Acts 8:35-38) 3. To show that you are unashamed to identify yourself with the ONE who died for your sins, was buried, and rose again (Rom 6:3-5) 4. To show that you love Christ (by obeying His commandments - Jn 14:15) 5. To show that you understand the work of the Holy Spirit (His power for witnessing) ( I Cor 12:11b ) cannot save ourselves (Rom 3:10,23, Eph 2:8-9 and Titus 3:5) 2. CHRIST is God ( LORD, Jehovah - Joel 2:32). He is not a god.

1 Bartlett, John. Familiar Quotations , Sixteenth Edition, Little, Brown and Company, 1992. Print. 2 Mcmillen, S.I. None of These Diseases , Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Co. 1967. Print.