It was an exciting study today, closing out our study of the picture of baptism with the children of Israel crossing through the Red Sea. The physical picture given represents our salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit that John the Baptist spoke of concerning Christ, in Matthew 3:11-12. Two spiritual baptisms are mentioned – one for those who accept Christ — baptized by the Holy Ghost; and one for those who reject God’s grace — baptized by unquenchable fire (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-42; Revelation 20:11-15).
As we saw last week, the gospels are transition books from Old Testament Law to New Testament Grace, through the life of Jesus Christ, culminating in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, fulfilling the Law and ushering in the New Testament. The book of Acts transitions the Church from Jew and the church at Jerusalem, to Gentile and the church at Antioch.
We see the transition from Jew to Gentile in the three great questions we saw last week;
The Jews asked, “What shall we do?” in Acts 2:37-38. Peter gave them the stack answer that matched John the Baptist in Matthew 3:1-2. The apostle to the Gentiles was saved on the road to Damascus and asked Christ, “What will you have me do?”. Finally, the transition is complete with the Philippian Jailor asking, in Acts 16:30-31, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”
Today, we spent some time discussing how Acts is a book of history, not a book of doctrine. Understanding this truth really helps concerning understanding doctrine. The church doctrine books begin at Romans. A history of the first century Church, in Acts, gives us the picture of how the Church developed into what we know as the Age of Grace.
A brief understanding of the Transition:
1. Acts 1:5,8: Jesus prophesies to the Apostles that they will be baptized with the Holy Ghost in the days ahead. No physical baptism preceded or came after this event in their lives.
2. Acts 2:4: The apostles were baptized / filled with the Holy Ghost and spake they languages they were unfamiliar with, but were real languages. (Acts 2:4-12)
3. Acts 2:38: Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Notice that there is no laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit.
4. Acts 4:31: They were filled with the Holy Ghost and spake the word of God with boldness. Notice there is no speaking in tongues, no baptisms, no laying on of hands.
5. Acts 8:12-17: Philip went to Samaria and preached the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, and those who believed were baptized. Notice: no speaking in tongues. The apostles had to come from Jerusalem and lay hands on these converts to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
6. Acts 8:36-38: Philip shares the truth of Christ through Isaiah 53, the Eunuch believes, confesses, and is baptized. No laying on of hands to receive the Holy Ghost, and no miracle of tongues.
7. Acts 9:17-18: The Apostle to the Gentiles is saved on the road to Damascus, receives his sight, is filled with the Holy Ghost, and gets baptized. No speaking in tongues.
8. Acts 10:44-48: Cornelius and his band of Gentiles get saved, as Peter is preaching, the Holy Ghost comes upon them. without the laying on of hands, and they speak in tongues (known languages – Law of first mention from Acts 2), then they are baptized. This is a different order from Acts 2.
9. Acts 16:30-33: The Philippian jailor experiences New Testament Dispensation of Grace salvation — “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” He was saved and baptized. No laying on of hands to receive the Holy Ghost, and no speaking with tongues.
10. Acts 19:1-7: Paul taught the 12 disciples at Ephesus the truth of Jesus Christ. They believed and were baptized with believer’s baptism, then Paul laid hands on them, and they spoke with tongues (known languages – Acts 2) for Paul’s benefit, as a Jew, and prophesied — 1 Corinthians 1:22 & 14:22. Different order than previous records.
As you can see from all these historical instances, no two are alike concerning salvation, baptism, and the filling of the Holy Spirit. There is no discernable pattern that the Church is to follow. This is why we must remember that the chief purpose of the Acts of the Apostles is to record the history of the early Church, and its development into salvation by grace alone and the baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation without the need of man to lay on hands. We receive the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation, and he resides in us till our death, or the rapture of the Church, which ever comes first.
Philippians 1:6: Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform in until the day of Jesus Christ:
We will cover the pictures of manna and water next Sunday in 1 Corinthians 10:3-4.