Question
Do You believe in Pentacost?
Answer
I believe Pentecost, the Jewish feast day 50 days after Passover was the day the gospel was first preached by the Apostles. See Acts 2. This resulted in 3000 being saved by repenting and being baptized for remission of sins – Acts 2:38. These were added to the apostles – Acts 2:41.
The truths preached there must be duplicated in preaching today – the obedience in faith resulting in forgiveness must be duplicated every time one is saved.
The miraculous descent of the Holy Ghost “in cloven tongues like as fire” upon the apostles is not a duplicable happening – Luke 24:49 – Jesus told the apostles to tarry in Jerusalem until you are endued with power. Acts 1:8 ” You shall receive the power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you.” The Spirit was promised to the apostles in this measure and delivered to them as promised to them in Acts 2. The key issue is: Does God miraculously baptize with or in some way bestow the Holy Spirit today? Key word – miraculously bestow without the human instrumentality of the apostles. The age of miracles of any kind ended with the apostles and those on whom they laid hands. 1 Cor. 12, 13, 14 is a treatment of miracles within the church at Corinth. There chapter 12 catalogs gifts of the spirit in the 1st century church; The duration of the gifts (13); and how they were to be used (14). They were temporary in duration and objective until “that which is perfect has come (13:10)” referring to the perfect (complete) law of liberty, the gospel (James 1:25).
Tongue speaking or any other alleged gift of the spirit has no purpose today in this age of complete revelation from God, the N.T. The Spirit works, indwells us, leads us, comforts us, etc. thru instrumentality , His mediary, the Word of God.
Every lost soul can be saved by duplicating the instructions given by Peter and the other apostles on Pentecost (Acts 2) and by obedience in faith to these instructions. We are filled by the Holy Ghost not by miracle but by the word of God given by Him – as filled with His word so filled with Him.
By Julian Snell
