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The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to
observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to
the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19,20).
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June 3, 1990
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Contents:
1) Miraculous Gifts (Part Seven) (Tom Edwards)
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-1-
Miraculous Gifts (Part Seven)
by Tom Edwards
As mentioned last week, we want to consider today the special
outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the house of Cornelius. This was the
only instance (other than the apostles' baptism in the Holy Spirit) in
which the Spirit was given without the laying on of the apostles' hands
during the church age. An event so singular as this was sure to cause
all to take notice -- God was extending His mercy to even the Gentiles!
This was the reason for the outpouring of the Spirit -- in order to
convince the Jews that the door of salvation could be entered by even
those who were not of the Jewish race.
We need to realize that during the Mosaical age and in the early
church, associations between Jews and Gentiles were rare. The
descendant of Abraham had viewed himself as being of God's special
elect and often looked down upon all others as heathens. Even though
God had given the promise ages ago to that great patriarch that "in his
seed all nations of the world would be blessed," the Jews did not fully
comprehend the significance of this truth.
Notice Paul's remark in Ephesians 3:4-6: "And by referring to this,
when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it
has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit:
to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members
in the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus
through the gospel."
The fact that God had intended to save the Gentiles and give them the
same blessings as the Jews in Christ Jesus had actually been a mystery
to many of the Jewish people. It was too radical for them to grasp,
that a Gentile could also become a child of God.
Peter informs that even the prophets themselves did not always totally
understand the very message that God had imparted to them (1 Peter
1:10,11). In Acts 2, Peter had made some statements that
indicated salvation for all mankind; but God still had to give him a
vision, as revealed in Acts 10, in order to convince him that the Lord
had opened a way of salvation for non-Jews as well -- a vision which
Peter received just prior to his trip to Caesarea in order to preach to
the Gentile Cornelius and all his household.
Notice how that the giving of the Holy Spirit at the house of Cornelius
served to convince the Jews (Peter had taken six Jewish brethren with
him) that God was willing to save even the Gentiles. Acts 11:15-18
reads: "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just
as He did upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the
Lord, how He used to say, `John baptized with water, but you shall be
baptized with the Holy Spirit.' If God therefore gave to them the same
gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ,
who was I that I could stand in God's way? And when they heard this,
they quieted down, and glorified God, saying, `Well then, God has
granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life."' They
should have realized this before, but God had to work this miracle in
order to convince them, and that was through the giving of the Holy
Spirit to the Gentiles.
No Pleading Necessary
In both cases (Acts 2:1-4; Acts 10,11) the recipients did not have to
beg or "pray through" for the Holy Spirit. At the house of Cornelius,
they probably had no prior knowledge that God was going to give them
the Spirit in the way which He did; it simply happened as Peter began
to speak. Since it was a promise and not a command, wouldn't every
Christian automatically have it, if it were for today?
Why No Evidence of Holy Spirit Baptism as a Common Practice?
Something else that we can notice in Acts 11:16,17, is that Peter was
caused to reflect upon the words of Jesus ("John baptized with water,
but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit."), and also called to
mind the time in which he and the other apostles were baptized in the
Spirit. Do you realize that ten years had gone by since then?!!!
Why would Peter have to reflect upon the baptism of the Holy Spirit ten
years prior, if it was something that was happening all the time?
Surely, thousands and thousands of people had been converted to the
Lord in those ten years. Peter, however, had to refer back to that time
ten years ago because it was the only other time in which anyone was
baptized in the Spirit.
What is the "One" Baptism of Ephesians 4:5?
Though many people disagree today as to the purpose of water baptism,
virtually all would admit that the Bible speaks of both a Holy Spirit
baptism and also a water baptism. In Ephesians 4:4-6 let us look
particularly at verse 5, "one Lord, one faith, one baptism." The
question is, if at the time of this writing there was only one baptism,
which one is it? If this is referring to Holy Spirit baptism then water
baptism is not for today. And if it is referring to water baptism, then
Holy Spirit baptism is not for today.
It will be most helpful to know the time of the writing of the Ephesian
letter. It was written about 30 years after the apostles received the
baptism of the Spirit, and about 20 years after those at the house of
Cornelius did. The Ephesian letter was written about A.D. 61.
Though the Lord's baptism of the Holy Spirit was temporary, water
baptism was to continue as long as time would last. Notice Matthew
28:19,20: The apostles were not only commanded to teach others and
baptize them in water, but also make sure that those whom they taught
would continue the process.
We, today, still need to teach, baptize in water, and teach those
converted to do the same. This is God's plan for reaching those who are
lost in sin.
In 1 Peter 3:21 the statement is clearly made that "Baptism, which
corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the
body, but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ." It is quite obvious that this baptism is
water baptism, for it states that "Baptism...now saves you," but "not
as a removal of dirt from the body." It's not just by getting clean in
the water; but through the act, one is making his "appeal" to God for a
clear conscience, or in other words, he's asking for God's help, simply
through the very act itself.
Let us now ask ourselves, since Peter is speaking about water baptism,
when was this letter written? It was written about A.D. 64 or 65. That
means it was written even after the time Paul had said in Ephesians 4:5
that there is only "one baptism."
Next week we will consider how the Christian is to be filled with the
Spirit and also led. Yes, we still need His good guidance
today.
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Abraham Lincoln: "I am profitably engaged in reading the
Bible. Take all of this Book upon reason that you can, and the
balance by faith, and you will live and die a better man."
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel,
for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the
deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins
(Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ
(Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water
for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4;
Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith;
for,
if
not,
salvation
can be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet.
2:20-22).
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First published for the Tri-state church of Christ in Ashland,
Kentucky, at 713 13th Street.
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards
tedwards1109@gmail.com
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