“Conversions in Acts” — What did they do to become Christians?
Part 2.
In our last study, we examined the first instance in which people were converted to Jesus by hearing, believing, and “gladly receiving” the Gospel, repenting of sins and being baptized into Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38, 41).
This week, we move on to Acts 8 where we read of several conversions, yet the same formula in Acts 2 is found. Join me in this study with an open Bible and open heart (Acts 8:1-12).
The Gospel going into Samaria
Jesus told His apostles to begin in Jerusalem and then to make their way through Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth. They fulfilled this mission and what we are noticing in Acts 8 is that the Gospel has made its way to Samaria (Acts 8:5).
You may recall in John’s account of the Gospel of Jesus that the Seed had already been planted in Samaria. Jesus met the “woman at the well” (John 4). When she realized that Jesus was the Messiah, she left her water-pot and went out to tell others (John 4:28-42). This was extremely important in preparing the “soil” for the Seed of the Gospel (Luke 8:11).
Philip went down to the city of Samaria and “preached Christ” (Acts 8:5). The multitudes heeded the things spoken by Philip (compare with “gladly received the Word” — Acts 2:41). There was great joy in the city because the Gospel was being preached and miracles were being performed to confirm the Word which was one of the main purposes of miracles in the first century (Mark 16:20; John 20:30-31).
What exactly did Philip preach? We noted that he “preached Christ” (Acts 8:5), so what does that include?
Consider what is revealed: “But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized” (Acts 8:12).
The formula is the same as it was on the Day of Pentecost when about 3,000 souls obeyed the Gospel: The Gospel was preached, the Gospel was believed, and the Gospel was obeyed (Acts 2:37-38, 41). Here, the people in Samaria heard the Gospel, believed, and “both men and women were baptized.”
Three truths proclaimed by Philip
Philip preached Christ by implementing three important and necessary truths.
The kingdom of God.
First, he preached the things concerning the Kingdom of God.
John the Immerser and Jesus Himself preached the same message (Mark 1:4, 14-15). The difference is that when Philip preaches the things concerning the Kingdom, the Kingdom (the church) had already been established (Acts 2).
It is important to understand that one cannot separate Christ from His church. He is the Head of the one body (Eph. 1:22-23). He is the Savior of the body, the church (Eph. 5:23). He promised to build His church (Matt. 16:18) and, in the same breath, promised the “keys to the Kingdom” (Matt. 16:19). When one is baptized into Christ, he or she is added to the church of Christ, i.e the Kingdom: “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Col. 1:13).
So, when I preach Christ, I am to preach the church that belongs to Christ.
The name of Jesus Christ.
Second, notice that Philip preached the “name of Jesus Christ.”
The “name” represents the authority, deity, and reality of Jesus as King. Salvation is only found in His name (Acts 4:12). His name has been highly exalted above all other names (Phil. 2:9).
Again, the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ are perfectly joined together and must not be separated!
Baptism is necessary to be saved.
Third and finally, Philip preached that baptism was (and is still today) essential to salvation.
How else would they have known to be baptized for the remission of sins if it were not preached (Rom. 10:13-17; Acts 22:16)? Looking ahead in this same chapter to the conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch, we notice that he understood the necessity of baptism after hearing Philip “preach Jesus” (Acts 8:35-36).
If I leave out the necessity of coming in contact with the blood of Jesus by being baptized into His death, then I’m not preaching the true Gospel (Gal. 1:6-9)!
Philip preached the Gospel by preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God, the name of Jesus Christ, and the necessity of being baptized into Christ for the remission of sins.
Those in Samaria responded as those in Jerusalem responded: Obedience to the precious and powerful Gospel of Jesus Christ which is God’s power unto salvation (Rom. 1:16)!
Drew Suttles is a minister for the Quitman church of Christ in Quitman, Georgia. They live-stream all their Bible classes and sermons on their YouTube channel.
Drew also hosts the “Weathering the Storm” podcast on the Scattered Abroad Network. Drew talks about facing life’s challenges as a child of God. His podcast will be a blessing to your life.
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The Bible is clear, though, that it is only through faith that we are justified. The Bible says that with the heart, one believes and is justified. The expected act of obedience for normal situations is baptism, but God is merciful and cares about people who cannot be physically baptized, or through the normal method because of rare situations or physical reasons too.