Advent of the Holy Spirit

Submitted by sank on Tue, 11/04/2008 - 17:48

How can we be sure that Jesus Christ is the only way to God?

Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He commanded His disciples saying,
"All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28-18-20).
After His ascension into Heaven, on the Day of Pentecost, God poured out His Holy Spirit upon all ethnic groups, the Jews, the Samaritans, the Gentiles, and the Free with the same Signs and Wonders.

He did this in four separate occasions as His seal of acceptance of each group into His everlasting Kingdom, merely on the basis of their faith in Jesus. Before each of them lived segregated and in hostility with one another. On that day,

The Holy Spirit testifies for Jesus

God poured out His Holy Spirit upon each ethnic group at different times and formed His first Church on earth.

Ephesians 2:11-22

"Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called 'uncircumcised' by those who call themselves 'the circumcision' (that done in the body by the hands of men) -- remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."

First Wave: Jews received the Holy Spirit

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them (Acts 2:1-4).

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven (Acts 2:5).

"...we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean? ..." (Acts 2:11-13).

Apostle Peter preached the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God had made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'

Peter replied, '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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off -- for all whom the Lord our God will call.'

With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, 'Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.' Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day (Acts 2:36-41).

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teachings and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles (Acts 2:42-43).

Second Wave: Samaritans received the Holy Spirit

Samaritans, a mixed race of Jews and Gentiles who lived in hostility with one another.

Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. (Acts 8:5)

But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women (Acts 8:12).

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-17).

Third Wave: Gentiles received the Holy Spirit

Gentiles are considered unclean people according to the Jews. God brought Apostle Peter, (a Jewish believer in Christ) and Cornelius, (a Gentile), together through visions and dreams.

He said to them: 'You are aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?' Cornelius explained his vision to Peter. (Acts 10:28)

'Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us' (Acts 10:33).

Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those listening! The Jews who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit would be given to the Gentiles too! But there could be no doubt about it, for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Peter asked, 'Can anyone object to my baptizing them, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?' So he did, baptizing them in the name of Jesus, the Messiah (Acts 10:44-48).

Forth Wave: Those who have not heard received the Holy Spirit.

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? They answered, 'No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.' So Paul asked, 'Then what baptism did you receive?' They answered, 'John's baptism.' Paul said, 'John's baptism was a baptism of repentance (Acts 19:1-4a).

On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied (Acts 19:5).

Thus God proved that He is gathering all people irrespective of their nationality, race or language into His eternal Kingdom by imparting His Holy Spirit into them all when they believed in Jesus.

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