And Peter said to them, “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.
A crowd has just watched something they can't explain and asks the only question that seems to fit: what shall we do? Peter's answer is surprisingly concrete for a moment that big — repent, be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins. Then a gift, not earned by the previous steps but following them: the Holy Spirit.
Notice the order. Not clean yourself up first, then qualify. Repent — literally, change direction — and let what follows be forgiveness rather than more effort. This was said to a crowd that, days earlier, had been part of calling for the very man they're now asking about to be executed. If forgiveness reached them, the exclusion list is shorter than most people assume.
If you've wondered whether there's a formal, obvious first step to any of this, this is about as plain as the Bible gets: turn around, and receive what follows.
If you've assumed you'd need to qualify before turning toward God, notice who was in that crowd Peter was actually speaking to.
A short video on this is coming soon — for now, read on.