Peter does not repeat the call to repent and be baptized from Acts 2:38 because that message belonged to Israel's kingdom program; in his later writings he points believers to faith in Christ, the living stone.
Les Feldick shows that Acts 2:38 was given to Israel and demanded that every Jew repent of rejecting the Messiah and be baptized so God could restore the kingdom. By the time Peter wrote 1 Peter, Paul's doctrine had already been in circulation for a long time, so Peter no longer repeats that kingdom formula. Instead, he urges believers to desire the Word and come to Christ, the living stone chosen of God and precious.
Acts 2:38 — This is the verse in question — Peter's command to Israel to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.
1 Peter 2:2-4 — In his later epistle Peter points believers to come to Christ as a living stone, rather than repeating the Acts 2 call.
The Bible records Peter's early message in Acts 2:36-38: "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 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? 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." In his later epistle, Peter writes to believers in 1 Peter 2:2-4: "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious." The emphasis is on spiritual growth and coming to the living stone, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible also records Paul's message to the Philippian jailer in Acts 16:31: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." Here the answer is simply "believe," not "repent and be baptized."
Les Feldick notes that 1 Peter was written shortly before Peter and Paul were martyred, which means Paul's epistles and doctrine had been out in the world for a long time. That is why Peter can write to believers in 1 Peter 2 the way he does — he is not starting over with the Acts 2 call to repentance and baptism; he is writing to people who need to grow spiritually. Les explains that the Acts 2 message was part of the gospel of the kingdom. When Israel asked "what must we do?" Peter's answer was "repent and be baptized" — every one of them. That would have taken every Jew to accept Christ as Messiah, after which God would send back the King and set up the kingdom. John the Baptist had begun the same message as the herald of the King. In his later writings and in his early sermons, Peter's emphasis is not on repeating the repentance-baptism formula but on believing in who Jesus was — the Christ, Israel's Messiah, the Son of God. Paul's message, "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ," implies Christ's death and resurrection. This is not a contradiction; it is a change of program from the kingdom program under the Law to Gentile ground under grace.
Les Feldick points out that Peter's answer "repent and be baptized" came in response to Israel's question, and the next words "every one of you" meant every Jew would have to be converted and accept Christ as the Messiah. That is what it would take for God to pick up where He left off with the nation of Israel and send back the King and set up the kingdom. John the Baptist had preached the same message as herald of the King.
Les notes that 1 Peter was written shortly before Peter and Paul were martyred, meaning Paul's revelations had already been around for a long time. Peter can now write to believers as newborn babes, telling them to desire the milk of the Word and to come to Christ as a living stone, disallowed by men but chosen of God and precious. He does not repeat the Acts 2 formula because that message was already in his past; the emphasis is now on believing and growing.
Les emphasizes that in Peter's early preaching, he did not mention the death, burial, resurrection, or shed blood of Christ as the means of salvation. Instead, he told people to believe in His name, and the name Jesus Christ implied who He was — the Christ, Israel's Messiah, the Son of God. Peter knew nothing more than that at that point.
Les says it is not a contradiction but a change of program. In Acts 2 the answer is "repent and be baptized every one of you"; in Acts 16 Paul says "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." Paul does not say a word about repentance and baptism, and he does not mention them because he is implying that Christ died for you and rose again. Acts 2 is kingdom ground under the Law; Acts 16 is Gentile ground under grace.
Les points to the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8, where Philip says, "If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest be baptized." The eunuch's confession is "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." Les warns against adding the words "who died for me, and rose from the dead" to that confession, because those words are not in Scripture. The early emphasis was on believing in who Jesus was.
Peter Writes After Paul's Revelations
Les explains that by the time Peter wrote 1 Peter, Paul's doctrine had been around a long time, so Peter could write to believers about coming to the living stone rather than repeating the Acts 2 call to repentance and baptism.
Acts 2 Message to Israel
Les shows that Peter's Acts 2 message was addressed to the whole house of Israel, calling them to repent of rejecting the Messiah and to prove it with baptism.
No Death or Resurrection in Acts 2
Les notes that in Acts 2 Peter did not mention the death, burial, or resurrection; the focus was on who Jesus was — the Christ and Messiah of Israel.
Every Jew Required
Les explains that the phrase "every one" in Acts 2:38 meant every Jew had to repent and be baptized for God to restore the kingdom, which is why this message is not repeated later.
Change of Program
Les contrasts Acts 2 and Acts 16, emphasizing that Paul's "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" implies Christ's death and resurrection, while Acts 2's "repent and be baptized" belongs to the kingdom program under the Law.
Peter Only Knows Jesus as Messiah
Les demonstrates that in early Acts Peter rehearsed who Jesus was — the Messiah, the Son of God, and the One who would be Redeemer and King — rather than preaching the cross as the means of salvation.
Eunuch's Confession
Les uses the Ethiopian eunuch to show that early faith was expressed simply as belief that Jesus is the Son of God, without adding details about His death and resurrection in the confession.
Believe in His Name
Les points out that Peter called people to believe in the name of Jesus Christ, which implied He was the Christ, rather than mentioning His death, burial, resurrection, or shed blood.
Acts 2:36: Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Peter's early message declares to Israel who Jesus is — Lord and Christ — before calling them 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.
This is the verse in question — the Acts 2 command to Israel that Peter does not repeat in his later writings.
Acts 3:16: And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
Peter again points to faith in the name of Jesus Christ, showing that his early emphasis was on Christ's identity and on faith.
Acts 8:37: And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Even in the early kingdom period, the confession required was simple faith that Jesus is the Son of God.
Acts 16:31: And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Paul's answer to the Philippian jailer is simply "believe," revealing the grace program that followed the kingdom program.
1 Peter 2:2-4: As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious.
Peter's later writing urges believers to grow by the Word and come to Christ, the living stone, rather than repeating the Acts 2 repentance-baptism formula.
No, Les says it is a change of program, not a contradiction. Acts 2 was the kingdom program under the Law, while Acts 16 is Gentile ground under grace. Peter's Acts 2 message was for Israel; Paul's "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" implies Christ's death and resurrection.
In 1 Peter 2:2-4, Peter pictures Christ as the living stone, disallowed by men but chosen of God and precious. Les teaches that coming to that stone means putting faith in Christ, the chief cornerstone.
Yes. In early Acts, Peter told people to believe in the name of Jesus Christ, pointing to His identity as the Messiah and the Son of God. The same emphasis underlies 1 Peter 2 and Paul's "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ."
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