“Be saved from this perverse generation” (Acts 2:37-41)

“Be saved from this perverse generation”

  

 

 

 

[Acts 2:37-41]

 

 

Dallas Willard states in his book "Renovation of the Heart" that efforts to change behavior without inner transformation are in vain.  However, it seems that we are more focused on changing behavior rather than inner transformation.  For example, nowadays many churches are putting more emphasis on hardware rather than software.  In an internet article titled "The 'Plate' Has Shifted" on the Church Communication Research Institute website (July 11, 2002), Eui-yong Lee talks about ten ways the world is changing.  The third change is described as follows: ‘The third change is a shift from hardware to software.  If we consider the piano as hardware, then the sheet music can be considered as software.  Until now, it was important how big and high-performing the piano was.  But now, how to play the piano, similar to the sheet music, has become more important.  An era has come where the invisible is more important than the visible.  Making computer software products doesn't require a large office space or expensive materials.  All you need are a few computers and a space for brilliant minds to work.  Christianity is originally a religion of software, not hardware.  However, these days, churches seem to be more interested in hardware.  Teaching directed towards people's souls and the hidden Christian cultural elements within it are more important than church buildings, interior decorations, or real estate.’  If we are to focus on the hidden Christian cultural elements, we cannot help but consider how much we are struggling and striving towards God for inner change, which is not immediately visible.  Therefore, we should reflect on whether we are bearing the fruit of behavioral change stemming from inner transformation.  Are we truly producing such fruit?  Or are we only experiencing the fruit of behavioral change without true inner transformation?  Dallas Willard said this about inner transformation: ‘The gentle but strict process of inner transformation begins and continues through the agency of God's grace dwelling in our souls and in the surrounding world (Willard).  Have we, as we look back on this year, at least experienced inner transformation through the agency of God's grace in our worship?

 

The Bible refers to the generation we are living in as a "perverse generation" (Lk. 9:41; Acts 2:40).  The term "perverse" is the opposite of "straight" and means "crooked, twisted, distorted" in contrast to "straight" or "direct."  In other words, the era we are living in is described as a distorted era.  We are living in a time where twisted hearts, thoughts, and behaviors prevail.  Even within the church, we see distorted words and actions stemming from twisted hearts and thoughts.  For example, in the news I heard on Friday, it seemed that a survey was conducted in Korea.  Many of the respondents stated that pursuing national interests is more important than truth.  The criteria or standards for decision-making are distorted.  Judgments are made based on what serves one's own or the nation's interests.  In the era of postmodernism, which emphasizes individuality, people fall into relativism, choosing and acting according to what they personally believe to be right.  However, as Peter says, we need to be saved from this perverse generation (Acts 2:40).  How do we go about doing that?  Let's contemplate a couple of things.

 

Firstly, to receive salvation in this perverse generation, we must respond to the Word.

 

It seems that we as Christians are confused about what to respond to and what to remain unresponsive to. In other words, it appears that our 'spiritual response/non-response system' is not functioning properly. For instance, while we should be responding to God's Word as we live in this world, we often show a sensitive response to worldly concerns and material matters rather than responding to His Word.

 

In an internet article titled "Identification of Cells Involved in Immune Non-Response in the Digestive System" by Professor Kang Chang-yul at Seoul National University, it is mentioned that our bodies have states called "immune response" and "immunological tolerance." The immune response refers to the state in which immune cells attack foreign substances entering the body to remove harmful materials. On the other hand, immunological tolerance refers to the state in which immune cells do not trigger unnecessary immune responses to harmless substances. Immunological tolerance refers to the state where immune cells do not trigger immune responses to antigens coming from outside or originating from one's own body (autoantigens).

 

In a certain sense, it can be thought that within us, there should be a 'spiritual immune response' actively attacking harmful thoughts and temptations entering our hearts from the world. However, we might find ourselves in a state of "spiritual immunological tolerance," where our faith, acting as immune cells, fails to attack. We need to clearly distinguish what we should respond to and what we should remain unresponsive to, and put it into practice.

 

In Acts 2:37, which we saw today, around 3,000 people responded to Peter's sermon. When the word of God was proclaimed to them, they showed a response to God's Word. Let's look at Acts 2:37: "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'" How did they respond to God's Word? We can consider three aspects:

 

(1)   We must receive the Word of God.

 

Look at Acts 2:41a - "Those who accepted his message ..."  We must open our hearts wide and humbly receive God's Word.  We should never let God's Word be scattered along the wayside.  In other words, we should not allow it to be heard but not understood, allowing the evil one to come and snatch it away.  Nor should it fall on rocky ground, where it is received with joy but lacks roots, so it withers when trouble or persecution arises due to the word.  It should not be among thorns, where it is heard but choked by the worries of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth.  Instead, God's Word should be sown in "good soil."  This means we must hear and understand God's Word and bear fruit (Mt. 13:19-22).

 

(2) We must hear God's Word and be cut to the heart.

 

God's Word is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword.  It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Heb. 4:12).  Therefore, we must experience a conscience-stricken response through God's Word.  Without this response, our hearts will inevitably grow harder.  We need to diligently cultivate the field of our hearts, breaking down the hardened areas like plowing a field.  Just as with a hoe, the hardened parts of our hearts must be broken and shattered through God's Word.

 

(3) We must ask, "What shall we do?"

 

Even if we receive God's Word with a conscience-stricken response, if we do not make a decision to act upon it, we cannot truly say we have fully responded to God's Word.  After hearing Peter's proclamation of God's Word filled with the Holy Spirit, those who accepted his message (Acts 2:41) were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" (v. 37).  They did not merely ignore or pass over the pricking of their hearts (conscience) caused by the spoken Word.  They refused to return to their previous state after the sermon ended.  How precious was their response to the proclaimed Word!  Do we think there are people nowadays who, after hearing the Word preached by pastors, will ask the pastor, "What should I do?"  Truly seeking change, they are not just ones who cry out for change with their lips, but they actively and earnestly strive for transformation in response to God's proclaimed Word.

 

We must become genuine seekers of transformation. To do so, we must respond to the proclaimed Word of God.  We must humbly receive God's Word, and not reject it when it pricks our hearts and consciences.  Furthermore, in that pricking, we must ask, "What shall I do?" and find the answer.  Then, by obeying that answer, transformation will occur in our lives.

 

Second and last, in order to receive salvation in this perverse generation, we must obtain forgiveness of sins.

 

Look at Acts 2:38: "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.'"  During the Pentecost when Peter proclaimed the Gospel of Christ before the gathered crowd, those whose spirits were pricked and received the message asked together, "What shall we do?" to Peter and the other apostles.  At that moment, Peter responded to them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins" (v. 38).  What does it mean to receive forgiveness of sins?  It means to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.  Here, "repentance" refers to a "change of heart" (Park), and Peter exhorted the gathered crowd, who were responding to God's Word, to first repent of the sin of crucifying Jesus on the cross (v. 36), no longer hating Him and denying Him as their Lord and Christ, but instead, to receive Him in their hearts as their Lord and Christ.  What is repentance?  It is a change of heart, not just a change of thought.  True repentance is a change of heart that leads to a change in our actions.  However, it is important to remember that actions can change without a true change of heart.  Essentially, repentance is taking an opposing stance against our 'old self' and instead, aligning ourselves with God (Interne).  We must make a decision.  We must decide whether to follow God or continue to insist on our old ways.  We can no longer waver.  This decision leads to an essential change of heart in our relationship with God.  Therefore, four elements serve as evidence of true repentance: a change of mind, a change of emotions, a change of will, and a change of behavior.  Furthermore, the command to receive forgiveness of sins is coupled with the command to 'be baptized.'  What does "baptism" mean? In the denomination constitution to which our church belongs (PCA The Book of Church Order Chapter 56), it is written as follows: "Baptism is the sign and seal of God's covenant of grace, and it signifies our engrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of our giving up unto God, through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life."  We must be baptized after repenting of our sins.  If we have already been baptized after repenting our sins, we must seek a change of heart.  In other words, we must pursue a change of mind, emotions, will, and behavior.  Therefore, we must receive salvation in this perverse generation.

 

Dallas Willard says in his book "Renovation of the Heart": ‘If, in salvation and transformation, we properly receive the grace of God through right direction and steady action, our inner being will inevitably be transformed to resemble Christ more and more.  The outer life, especially the change in behavior, naturally follows’ (Willard).  One of the steady actions we must take is to respond faithfully to the Word of God.  We must humbly receive the proclaimed Word of God, allowing it to prick our hearts and consciences.  Then, it is our responsibility to lead this pricking towards a transformation, starting from a change of heart and extending to a change in behavior.  Another steady action we must take is to repent.  By examining ourselves in light of the Word of God, we should repent of the sins that are revealed, exerting effort to bring about a change in our intellect, emotions, will, and actions along with the change of heart.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those who desire to receive salvation in this perverse generation,

 

 

 

 

James Kim

(Praying for the forgiveness of sins through true repentance, in the midst of receiving the pricking from the Word of God)