Acts 3:19 ... "Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord."
Peter and John, apostles of Jesus, had gone up to the Temple to pray when they saw a man who had been lame from birth. When the man asked them for alms, Peter said to him, "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene -- walk!" Not only did the man get to his feet and walk, but he also leaped and entered into the Temple to praise God. Naturally, a great crowd quickly came together, and recognizing the formerly impotent beggar, they were "filled with wonder and amazement." Peter took advantage of this assembly and its focus of attention to preach to them the gospel of Jesus. After charging them with sins, the greatest of which was denying Jesus' divinity and murdering Him, the apostle told them that mercy and pardon was nevertheless available. He then informed them they must "repent ... and return that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord."
[[ Parenthetical note: The verb "return" translates the Greek epistrepsate, which means to "turn" in the sense of "be converted." The idea is to turn from practicing sin to a life of moral purity. Many English versions translate it as "be converted."]]
So, by means of repenting and being converted these people would have their "sins blotted out." The same power that had healed the lame man of physical infirmity would heal them of their spiritual infirmity and bring them "times of refreshing ... from the presence of the Lord." That is, they would become children of God, disciples of Christ, and citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven with all the blessings thereof.
It was also Peter who, only a few weeks earlier in the Temple, had told another Jewish audience how they could obtain the remission of their sins. That statement is found in Acts 2:38, "Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" It is revealing to compare these two statements by the same apostle, who spoke by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
repent repent
and be baptized and return (be converted)
for the forgiveness of your sins that your sins may be wiped away
and you shall receive the gift that times of refreshing may come
of the Holy Spirit from the presence of the Lord
These statements do not differ in meaning, but rather complement each other. They reveal to us how we may be released from sin and admitted into God's presence. First, they require repentance, the reorientation of our lives from sin to righteousness. Second, they require conversion, which is accomplished in baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. Conversion requires baptism, and baptism climaxes conversion. Conversion (baptism) results in "the remission of sins," which is the same as having "your sins wiped away." That is, the wiping away of sin occurs in, and not before, baptism. As a consequence of conversion (baptism) and the remission (wiping away) of sins, the individual "shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." It is through His presence in the person's life that "times of refreshing may come." The Spirit, who dwells within the new convert, is "the presence of the Lord" in that individual's life.
