Peter preached repentance and baptism to the nation of Israel; Paul preached faith in the crucified and risen Christ to the Gentile world.
In Acts 2, when Israel asked what to do, Peter answered, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you." In Acts 16, when the Philippian jailer asked what he must do to be saved, Paul answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." Les Feldick teaches that these are two different programs — the Kingdom program under the Law for Israel, and the gospel of the grace of God for the Gentile world.
Acts 2:38 — Peter's command to repent and be baptized every one of you directly answers the question from Israel about what to do.
Acts 16:31 — Paul's command to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ directly answers the Philippian jailer's question about how to be saved.
In Acts 2, when the men of Israel were convicted and asked, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?", Peter answered, "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" (Acts 2:37-38). In Acts 16, the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" and the answer was, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:30-31). Paul himself defined the gospel he preached as "that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles" (Galatians 2:2), and he summarized it in 1 Corinthians 15: "how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). In Galatians he wrote that Christ "gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world" (Galatians 1:3-4).
Les Feldick teaches that Peter's message — "repent and be baptized" — was directed to the nation of Israel, not to the Gentile world. He points out that in Acts 2 the question was "what shall we do?" — with the pronoun "we" showing that God was dealing with the nation of Israel. Les also notes that the message of "repent and be baptized" was not new; John the Baptist began it as the herald of the King, and that message was for the nation of Israel. Les contrasts this with Acts 16, where a Gentile asked Paul, "What must I do to be saved?" Paul's answer — "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" — said nothing about repentance or baptism. Les explains that Paul's message was the gospel: Christ died for sins, was buried, and rose again. When Paul said "believe," he was implying that Christ died for the jailer and rose again (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Les calls this "a change of program," not a contradiction — moving from the Kingdom program under the Law to Gentile ground under grace. He stresses that Paul's gospel was "something totally different than what Peter and the eleven preached to the Jew" — the gospel of the grace of God, not the gospel of the kingdom. Les points to Galatians 2:2, where Paul says he communicated "that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles" — language that would be needless if he were preaching the same thing as Peter. Les also recalls that Peter himself defended Paul, remembering that God saved the Gentile Cornelius without repentance and water baptism.
Les Feldick teaches that the message of "repent and be baptized" began with John the Baptist, who came on the scene as the herald of the King. John's message was for the nation of Israel, and when Peter preached the same words in Acts 2, he was continuing that same program.
Les emphasizes the words "every one" in Peter's answer in Acts 2. He teaches that this was what it would take for God to pick up where He had left off with the nation of Israel — every Jew would have had to be converted and accept Christ as the Messiah. Then God would have sent the King back and set up the kingdom. Les also highlights the pronoun "we" in the audience's question — "what shall we do?" — showing that God was dealing with the nation of Israel, and he notes that the same statement "every one" appears again in Acts 3.
Les observes that Paul says not a word about repentance and baptism in answer to the jailer's question — he simply says "believe." Les explains this was not a contradiction but a change of program. "Now we're on Gentile ground. We're under grace. Back here we're on the Kingdom program, still under the Law."
At the heart of Paul's message, Les teaches, was the gospel: Christ died for your sins and rose from the dead. When Paul told the jailer to "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ," he was implying that Christ died for him and rose again. This is the gospel Paul defined in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 — that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day — which Les calls "Paul's gospel and our gospel."
Les recounts that when the Jerusalem council debated whether Gentile believers had to keep the Law of Moses, Peter came to Paul's defense. Peter remembered the events at the house of Cornelius about fourteen years earlier, where he witnessed that God would save a Gentile without ascribing to Judaism, without repentance and water baptism. They were saved even before Peter could get to those things.
Les emphasizes Paul's language in Galatians 2:2 — "that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles." Les says there would be no need for language like that if Paul were preaching the same thing that Peter did. By the Holy Spirit's inspiration, Paul deliberately distinguished his gospel among the Gentiles as something totally different from what Peter and the eleven preached to the Jew — not the gospel of the kingdom, but the gospel of the grace of God. Les adds that it is the same God, but God is now dealing with the Gentile world as well as the Jew.
Peter's Answer in Acts 2 vs. Paul's in Acts 16
Les shows that when Israel asked "what must we do?", Peter answered "repent and be baptized" — every Jew would have had to be converted to bring the King back — and he notes the same message began with John the Baptist.
A Change of Program, Not a Contradiction
Les explains that Paul's answer to the jailer — "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" — implied Christ's death and resurrection and said nothing about repentance and baptism; this was a deliberate change from the Kingdom program under the Law to Gentile ground under grace.
The Gospel at the Heart of Paul's Message
Les identifies Paul's gospel — Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again — as the message that opened the door of salvation and made believers new creatures in Christ. "That's Paul's gospel and that's our gospel."
Peter's Defense of Gentile Salvation
Les recalls that when the Jerusalem council demanded that Gentile believers keep the Law, Peter defended Paul by remembering the house of Cornelius, where God saved Gentiles without repentance, water baptism, or Judaism.
Paul's Gospel Among the Gentiles
Les shows from Galatians that Paul deliberately spoke of "that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles" — language that proves he was not preaching the same thing as Peter.
The Pronoun "We" — Israel Is the Audience
Les highlights the pronoun "we" in Acts 2 — "what shall we do?" — showing God was dealing with the nation of Israel, and he stresses Peter's words "every one of you" as the national requirement.
The Gospel of the Grace of God
Les teaches that the gospel Paul preached among the Gentiles was totally different from what Peter and the eleven preached to the Jews — not the gospel of the kingdom but the gospel of the grace of God, for both Gentiles and Jews.
Keep the Two Programs Separate
Les instructs that Paul's writings — like Galatians 1:3-4, where Christ "gave himself for our sins" — show a vast difference from the Kingdom message, and that mixing the two programs "won't work"; keeping them separate opens up the Bible.
Acts 2:37: Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
This is the question from the nation of Israel that prompts Peter's answer to repent and be baptized.
Acts 2:38: 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.
Peter's direct answer commanding repentance and baptism for every one of his Israelite listeners.
Acts 16:30: And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
The Philippian jailer's question to Paul and Silas after the earthquake opened the prison doors.
Acts 16:31: And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Paul's direct answer to the jailer — believe on the Lord Jesus Christ — with no mention of repentance or baptism.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Paul's own definition of the gospel he preached — the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Galatians 1:3-4: Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
Paul's salutation introducing the grace gospel and Christ's substitutionary death for our sins.
Galatians 2:2: And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
Paul describes the gospel he preached among the Gentiles — the message Les says proves a separation from Peter's.
Acts 10:44-45: While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The Gentile Cornelius and his household received the Holy Ghost before water baptism, which Les says Peter later recalled as proof that God saves Gentiles without baptism.
Les teaches that this message belonged to the Jewish program and was directed to the nation of Israel. In Acts 2 the audience asked, "What shall we do?" — with the pronoun "we" showing God was dealing with the nation — and Peter answered, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you." Les adds that every Jew would have had to be converted and accept Christ as Messiah before God would send the King back and set up the kingdom.
Les observes that Paul said not a word about repentance and baptism; he simply said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." At the heart of Paul's message was the gospel — that Christ died for sins and rose again. Les explains that this is not a contradiction but a change of program: "Now we're on Gentile ground. We're under grace. Back here we're on the Kingdom program, still under the Law."
No, according to Les. Paul's gospel among the Gentiles was something totally different than what Peter and the eleven preached to the Jew. Les points to Galatians 2:2, where Paul speaks of "that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles" — language that would be unnecessary if he were preaching the same thing Peter did. Paul preached the gospel of the grace of God, not the gospel of the kingdom.
Les says no — it is not a contradiction but a change of program. Peter's message of repentance and baptism was for Israel under the Kingdom program and the Law, while Paul's message of believing in Christ was for the Gentile world under grace. Les warns that you cannot mix the two programs, but keeping them separate opens up the Bible.
Watch the Teaching: What Must I Do to Be Saved? Acts 2 vs. Acts 16 Explained