3. The third step is _an open confession of our renunciation of sin and our acceptance of Jesus Christ_. After telling his hearers to repent in Acts ii. 38, Peter continues and tells them to be “baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins.” Heart repentance alone was not enough. There must be an open confession of that repentance, and God’s appointed way of confession of repentance is baptism. None of those to whom Peter spoke had ever been baptized, and, of course, what Peter meant in that case was water baptism. But suppose one has already been baptized, what then? Even in that case, there must be that for which baptism stands, namely, an open confession of our renunciation of sin and our acceptance of Jesus Christ. The baptism with the Spirit is not for the secret disciple, but for the open confessed disciple. There are many doubtless to-day who are trying to be Christians in their hearts, many who really believe that they have accepted Jesus as their Saviour and their Lord and have renounced sin, but they are not willing to make an open confession of their renunciation of sin and their acceptance of Christ. Such an one cannot have the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Some one may ask, “Do not the Friends (‘Quakers’), who do not believe in water baptism, give evidence of being baptized with the Holy Spirit?” Doubtless many of them do, but this does not alter the teaching of God’s Word. God doubtless condescends in many instances where people are misled as to the teaching of His Word to their ignorance, if they are sincere, but that fact does not alter His Word, and even with a member of the congregation of Friends, who sincerely does not believe in water baptism, there must be before the blessing is received that for which baptism stands, namely, the open confession of our acceptance of Christ and of our renunciation of sin.