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Topic: The book of Acts
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clark
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Member # 10632
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posted
We need as believers today need to seek after the Spirit like the early church did.
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God's word is truth
Posts: 303 | From: TN | Registered: Mar 2013
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Carol Swenson
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Member # 6929
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posted
Okay, yes. Some read the Word, some hear the Word, some become frustrated by doing works and trying so hard, and some have extraordinary experiences. In this sense, they are drawn by different means.
Thanks again, Bloodbought! ![[hug]](graemlins/hug.gif)
I hope you don't mind, but for the sake of visitors and new believers, I just try to explain things when I can.
ALL religions, including legalistic "Christian" religions, are mans' attempts to reach God. But God provided ONE way, a relationship with Jesus Christ Who took our sins on Himself on the cross, and allowed us to be forgiven and reconciled to God when we repent of our sins and trust Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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Bloodbought
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Member # 4365
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quote:
Originally posted by Carol Swenson:
quote:
Yes, we are saved, sealed and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, which is brought about in different ways for each person.
The different ways were only in the beginning. In the early days of the church, God was healing the rifts between the Jews, the Samaritans, and the Gentiles. That's why Peter, who had the keys to the kingdom, was present for the Samaritans and the first Gentiles. Peter's involvement united all three groups into one.
"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19
[Chapter 10 is pivotal in the Book of Acts, for it records the salvation of the Gentiles. We see Peter using "the keys of the kingdom" for the third and last time. He had opened the door of faith for the Jews (Acts 2) and also for the Samaritans (Acts 8), and now he would be used of God to bring the Gentiles into the church.]
Yes, in the early days of the church, the religious Jews needed to understand that the external rituals that they practiced were no longer necessary, as they were only shadows of the Messiah who had already come.
Now, as well as repent, they needed to trust Christ and receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. If not they were depending on a religion of works that could not save.
But isn’t it the same today with all religion’s that depend on works for salvation, that they must repent and trust Christ?
Salvation is brought about in different ways for each person. That is, God uses different means to draw those who He has chosen and make them willing to receive His free gift of salvation by grace through faith.
There is only one way of salvation brought about by different means.
Posts: 822 | From: Ireland | Registered: Feb 2005
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Carol Swenson
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Member # 6929
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posted
quote:
Yes, we are saved, sealed and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, which is brought about in different ways for each person.
The different ways were only in the beginning. In the early days of the church, God was healing the rifts between the Jews, the Samaritans, and the Gentiles. That's why Peter, who had the keys to the kingdom, was present for the Samaritans and the first Gentiles. Peter's involvement united all three groups into one.
Matthew 16:18-19 (NASB)
18 "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."
[Chapter 10 is pivotal in the Book of Acts, for it records the salvation of the Gentiles. We see Peter using "the keys of the kingdom" for the third and last time. He had opened the door of faith for the Jews (Acts 2) and also for the Samaritans (Acts 8), and now he would be used of God to bring the Gentiles into the church.]
Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles, but it was Peter who had opened the door to them. And at the Jerusalem Council, it was Peter's speech that reminded the legalists that God had accepted the Gentiles without the Law of Moses.
Wiersbe writes:
When Paul arrived back in Ephesus, he met twelve men who professed to be Christian "disciples" but whose lives gave evidence that something was lacking. Paul asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"
Paul explained to them that John's baptism was a baptism of repentance that looked forward to the coming of the promised Messiah, while Christian baptism is a baptism that looks back to the finished work of Christ on the cross and His victorious resurrection. John's baptism was on "the other side" of Calvary and Pentecost. It was correct for its day, but now that day was ended.
Keep in mind that John the Baptist was a prophet who ministered under the old dispensation (Matt. 11:7-14). The Old Covenant was ended, not by John at the Jordan, but by Jesus Christ at Calvary (Heb. 10:1-18). The baptism of John was important to the Jews of that time (Matt. 21:23-32), but it is no longer valid for the church today. In a very real sense, these twelve men were like "Old Testament believers" who were anticipating the coming of the Messiah. Certainly Paul explained to the men many basic truths that Luke did not record. Then he baptized them, for their first "baptism" was not truly Christian baptism.
Why was it necessary for Paul to lay hands on these men before they could receive the Spirit? Didn't this contradict the experience of Peter recorded in Acts 10:44-48? Not if you keep in mind that this was a special group of men who would help form the nucleus of a great church in Ephesus. By using Paul to convey the gift of the Spirit, God affirmed Paul's apostolic authority and united the Ephesian church to the other churches as well as to the "mother church" in Jerusalem. When Peter and John laid hands on the believing Samaritans, it united them to the Jerusalem church and healed a breach between Jews and Samaritans that had existed for centuries.
What God did through Paul for these twelve men was not normative for the church today. How do we know? Because it was not repeated. The other people who were converted in Ephesus under Paul's ministry all received the gift of the Holy Spirit when they trusted the Savior. Paul makes this clear in Ephesians 1:13-14, and this is the pattern for us today.
Ephesians 1:13-14 (NASB)
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.
Wiersbe
Bible Exposition Commentary - Be Daring (Acts 13-28).
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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Bloodbought
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Yes, we are saved, sealed and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, which is brought about in different ways for each person.
Acts 19:1–6
And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
These were disciples of John the Baptist and he baptized them with the baptism of repentance. When Paul asked them “Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?” they said “We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.”
They missed a crucial part of what John taught,
Luke 3:16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
Perhaps they heard, but were not given the understanding by the Holy Spirit.
When Paul who was filled with the Holy Ghost said to them, “John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” They believed and were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and the Holy Ghost came upon them through Paul when he laid his hands on them. This was the point of their conversion, when they received Christ into their hearts. Some teach that they believed and were saved before they received the Holy Spirit, or that this was another infilling, but that was not the case.
All true believers receive the Holy Spirit at the point of their conversion and are led by the Spirit.
Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Posts: 822 | From: Ireland | Registered: Feb 2005
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Carol Swenson
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Member # 6929
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Thank you Bloodbought! Our Lord's love and guidance by His Holy Spirit is such an important part of our life!
The Holy Spirit is the Guide of the Believer's Life.
He guides him as to the details of his daily life, Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:16, 25-"Walk in the Spirit." There is no detail of the believer's life that may not be under the control and direction of the Spirit. "The steps (and, as one has well said, 'the stops') of a good man are ordered by the Lord."
The Holy Spirit guides the believer as to the field in which he should labor. How definitely this truth is taught in the Acts 8:27-29; 16:6, 7; 13:2-4. What a prominent part the Spirit played in selecting the fields of labor for the apostles! Every step in the missionary activity of the early church seemed to be under the direct guidance of the Spirit.
(The Great Doctrines of the Bible)
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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Bloodbought
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Member # 4365
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Moving on now to verse 6 of Acts chapter 16, we see the leading of the Spirit, and how He can block human opinion and lead who He wants to preach to where He wants them to preach.
Acts 16:6–10
6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
The Holy Spirit leads believers, but the evil spirit drives unbelievers because they are slaves to the devil.
We read regarding a man of Gadara, that he was driven of the devil.
Luke 8:29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)
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Carol Swenson
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Member # 6929
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Good post Bloodbought. We can do nothing for the Lord except by the Holy Spirit. New believers are not saved except by Him.
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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Bloodbought
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Member # 4365
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In the book of Acts, Luke teaches how the church began in the power of the Holy Ghost as another form of Judaism under Peter and progressed to include the gentiles through Paul and how it spread to all nations.
The Holy Ghost is recorded 42 times in all of Acts chapters 1 to 28,
Peter’s name is recorded 58 times in Acts chapter 1 to 15,
Paul’s name is recorded 132 times in Acts chapter 13 to 28.
Before he records any results, Luke tells us that Peter was filled with the Holy Ghost and later when Paul is mentioned, the first thing Luke says is that he was filled with the Holy Ghost. Luke wants us to realize that the Holy Ghost uses men to accomplish His purpose in adding to, and building His church and that He cannot be stopped.
Throughout the book of Acts we see how the Lord added to the church and multiplied believers.
Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Acts 5:14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Acts 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
Acts 11:24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.
Acts 16:5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
There is no amen in Acts. The Holy Ghost continues to accomplish His purpose.
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