Few Bible verses about baptism generate as much discussion as Acts 2:38. Peter’s words at Pentecost have been interpreted in various ways across denominations, with significant implications for how we understand salvation, forgiveness, and the sacraments. This post examines this crucial verse from a Reformed perspective, showing how this theological tradition makes the best sense of both this particular text and the whole counsel of Scripture.

 

ACTS 2:38 IN CONTEXT

Let’s start with the verse itself: “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

This declaration comes at a pivotal moment in redemptive history. Peter has just delivered the first Christian sermon after the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost. His audience consisted of Jews who had witnessed Jesus’s crucifixion weeks earlier. Convicted by Peter’s words that they had crucified their Messiah, they ask desperately, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter’s response in Acts 2:38 must be understood within this historical and literary context as the birth of the church age.

 

VARYING INTERPRETATIONS 

Before explaining the Reformed view, it’s helpful to understand how other traditions interpret this passage:

• Roman Catholic view: Baptism functions as a sacrament that actually confers forgiveness of sins. The water of baptism, when properly administered, causes the removal of both original sin and personal sins.
• Lutheran view: Baptism serves as a means of grace through which God offers forgiveness. The sacrament carries the promise of God’s forgiveness to those who receive it in faith.
• Churches of Christ/Restorationist view: Baptism is necessary for salvation, with forgiveness occurring at the moment of baptism. This view often emphasises the necessity of baptism for conversion.
• Eastern Orthodox view: Baptism effects spiritual regeneration and mystical incorporation into Christ, with sins being forgiven through this sacramental action.

 

THE REFORMED UNDERSTANDING

The Reformed tradition takes a different approach to Acts 2:38, one that harmonises with the broader biblical witness about salvation by faith alone.

At the heart of the discussion is the Greek preposition “eis” (translated “for” in “for the forgiveness of your sins”). This preposition has a range of meanings in Greek, including “with reference to,” “with regard to,” or “because of.” While it can indicate purpose (“in order to receive”), it can also indicate result or reference.

From this perspective, baptism doesn’t cause forgiveness but rather signifies and seals it. When Peter says “Repent and be baptized…for the forgiveness of sins,” he’s connecting two things:

1. Repentance, which is the internal reality
2. Baptism, which is the external sign

Notice the order in Peter’s command: repentance comes first, then baptism. This aligns with the Reformed understanding that the inward spiritual reality (repentance leading to forgiveness) precedes the outward physical sign (baptism).

Baptism is thus a covenant sign and seal—much like circumcision in the Old Testament. It doesn’t create faith or forgiveness but confirms and strengthens what God has already accomplished through faith. Baptism doesn’t cause regeneration; it signifies it.

 

BIBLICAL SUPPORT FOR THE REFORMED VIEW

The Reformed understanding of Acts 2:38 finds strong support throughout Scripture:

Salvation by faith alone: Ephesians 2:8-9 states clearly, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” If baptism were necessary for forgiveness, salvation would involve a human work.

The thief on the cross: In Luke 23:39-43, Jesus promises paradise to the repentant thief who could not possibly be baptised before his death. This demonstrates forgiveness can occur apart from baptism.

Cornelius and his household: In Acts 10:44-48, Cornelius and his household receive the Holy Spirit (evidence of forgiveness and acceptance) before they are baptised. Peter then asks, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” This sequence shows that baptism follows spiritual reality.

Abraham’s justification: Romans 4:9-12 explains Abraham was justified by faith before he received circumcision, which was “a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.” If circumcision (the Old Testament equivalent of baptism) was a seal of a justification already received through faith, then baptism likewise seals but does not cause forgiveness.

 

THE PROPER PLACE OF BAPTISM IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

While the Reformed view denies baptism causes forgiveness, it still holds baptism in high regard:

• Commanded by Christ: Baptism is explicitly commanded in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) and is therefore not optional for believers.
• Public profession: Baptism serves as a public declaration of one’s faith in Christ and identification with His death and resurrection.
• Entrance into the visible church: Through baptism, believers are formally received into the covenant community of the church.
• Encouragement to the believer: Baptism provides a tangible assurance of God’s promises and the believer’s union with Christ.

 

CONCLUSION: CAN BAPTISM FORGIVE SINS?

The Reformed view on Acts 2:38 preserves the biblical emphasis on salvation by grace through faith while still honouring baptism as an important covenant sign. When Peter links baptism and forgiveness, he’s not establishing baptism as the cause of forgiveness but as its sign and seal.

This interpretation does the most justice to the immediate context of Acts 2:38, the broader biblical teaching on salvation, and the consistent Reformed principle that the sacraments are signs and seals of God’s covenant promises rather than mechanical means of grace.

Baptism matters deeply—not because it forgives sins, but because it confirms Christ has forgiven our sins through His finished work on the cross, received by faith alone. The water of baptism doesn’t wash away sins; it testifies the blood of Jesus already has.

 

CAN BAPTISM FORGIVE SINS? RELATED RESOURCES

• John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book IV
• Louis Berkhof’s Systematic Theology (section on Sacraments)
• The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 28
• The Belgic Confession, Articles 33-34
• The Heidelberg Catechism, Questions 69-74

 

CAN BAPTISM FORGIVE SINS? RELATED FAQs

If baptism doesn’t forgive sins, why does Acts 2:38 seem to connect baptism and forgiveness so directly? The Greek preposition “eis” in Acts 2:38 may be understood as “with reference to” rather than “in order to obtain.” Peter is likely instructing his hearers to be baptised as a public demonstration of their repentance and the forgiveness they’ve received through faith. This interpretation aligns with the many passages teaching justification by faith alone and the instances where forgiveness precedes baptism.

• How should I counsel someone worried their baptism wasn’t valid because they were baptised as an infant? The validity of baptism rests on God’s faithfulness, not on the timing or the recipient’s understanding at the moment. Reformed theology recognises infant baptism as valid because it’s a sign of God’s covenant promises to believers and their children, just as circumcision was in the Old Testament. The person should be encouraged to trust in Christ’s finished work rather than in the circumstances of their baptism.
• Does the Reformed view diminish the importance of baptism compared to other theological traditions? Rather than diminishing baptism, the Reformed view elevates it to its proper place as a divinely ordained covenant sign that visibly represents spiritual realities. While we don’t attribute saving power to the water itself, we regard baptism with deep reverence as Christ’s appointed way for believers to publicly identify with His death and resurrection. This view preserves both the importance of baptism and the even greater importance of faith in Christ alone.

If baptism doesn’t save, why did early Christians seem to place such emphasis on it? Early Christians emphasised baptism because it was the normative public declaration of faith in a hostile world—a costly step that demonstrated genuine commitment to Christ. They viewed baptism and conversion as normally occurring together, not because baptism caused salvation, but because it was the immediate expression of saving faith. The early church’s emphasis on baptism reflects its importance as a covenant sign, not as a saving work.

• How should parents explain the meaning of baptism to their children in Reformed churches? Parents should explain baptism as God’s visible word that marks us as belonging to Jesus and His church. For children baptised as infants, parents can teach that their baptism was a sign of God’s promises to them, which they need to embrace through personal faith. The focus should be on God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises rather than on any magical quality of the water or ritual itself.
• How does the Reformed view of Acts 2:38 address the baptismal regeneration teachings found in some other denominations? The Reformed view respectfully acknowledges other traditions read Acts 2:38 differently but maintains that baptismal regeneration theories create tension with clearer passages teaching salvation by faith alone. We point to examples like Cornelius (Acts 10) who received the Spirit before baptism and the consistent Pauline emphasis on justification through faith as evidence that baptism functions as a sign rather than a cause of regeneration. This interpretation harmonizes apparently contradictory passages without diminishing either the necessity of faith or the importance of baptism as a covenant sign.

What is baptismal regeneration? Does the Reformed tradition affirm it? Baptismal regeneration is the teaching that spiritual rebirth (regeneration) occurs at the moment of water baptism, making the sacrament the instrumental cause of salvation rather than merely its sign. The Reformed tradition explicitly rejects baptismal regeneration, holding instead that regeneration is a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit that typically precedes baptism and is received through faith alone. While Reformed theology highly values baptism as a means of grace and covenant sign, it maintains the Spirit’s regenerating work is not tied to or dependent upon the administration of water baptism.

 

CAN BAPTISM FORGIVE SINS? OUR RELATED POSTS

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