Acts 2:37-41: What Does Holy Spirit Conviction Produce in a Sinner?
- Edward D. Andrews
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Conviction That Pierces the Heart
After Peter preached Christ crucified and raised, Acts reports the result: “Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men, brothers, what shall we do?’” (Acts 2:37). This is conviction in action. It is not vague guilt; it is a clear realization of guilt before God and accountability to the risen Christ. The Holy Spirit’s convicting work, promised in John 16:8-11, is visible here as the proclaimed Word lands with force and produces an honest, urgent question. The crowd did not request entertainment; they requested rescue.
Conviction Produces Repentance, Not Excuses
Peter’s answer is direct: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38). Conviction that comes from God always aims at repentance. It does not coddle sin; it exposes sin and commands a turn. Repentance is not mere regret; it is a decisive change of mind that results in a changed path (Acts 3:19). This is why biblical preaching cannot avoid sin. If sin is softened, repentance becomes unnecessary. Yet Scripture teaches that forgiveness is granted through Christ’s sacrifice, received through repentant faith, and expressed in obedient response (Luke 24:46-47; Acts 20:21).
Baptism as the Public Break With the Old Life
Acts 2 ties repentance to baptism because baptism is the God-appointed public marker of allegiance to Christ. It is immersion, not ritual sprinkling, because it symbolizes burial and rising in union with Christ’s death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4). In Acts 2, baptism also functioned as a public break from a Christ-rejecting posture and a public identification with Jesus as Messiah. This directly opposes the man-pleasing impulse exposed in John 5:44 and John 12:42-43. Where fear of man hides faith, conviction produces public obedience.
Conviction Produces Persevering Devotion to the Word
The result of genuine conviction is not a moment; it is a new direction. Acts shows the baptized continued in the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42). This is crucial: conviction that is real produces a life that submits to Scripture. God does not guide believers through inner impressions detached from the Word; He sanctifies by truth (John 17:17). The Holy Spirit’s work is seen in the believer’s growing obedience to what Scripture says. This guards against a half-learned Christ, because devotion to teaching forms full-orbed discipleship over time.
Conviction Produces a Separated People in a Crooked World
Peter warned, “Be saved from this crooked generation” (Acts 2:40). Salvation includes separation from the world-system that rebels against God. Separation is not social snobbery; it is moral and spiritual allegiance to Christ that rejects the world’s values (1 John 2:15-17). Conviction produces a people who live differently because they belong to Christ. That difference shows in speech, purity, priorities, and courage. The same Spirit-inspired message that convicts also builds a community that worships God, practices love, and endures hostility with steadfastness (1 Peter 2:9-12).
About the Author
EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).
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