352
THE KING ’S BUSINESS
believe some truth about Jesus, no matter how important that truth might be, but to bring Cornelius to believe in Jesus Him self. (5) God raised up, Jesus from the dead the third day. Peter did not preach the resurrection o f Jesus as a theological theory, but as a fact o f which he was an eye-witness, and as the foundation upon which one might base an intelligent faith in Jesus. ( 6 ) Jesus is “ ordained o f God to be the judge o f quick (living) and dead.” This was the first Christian sermon that Cornelius and his friends had ever heard, but Peter thought it was important to preach the doctrine o f the judgment and Jesus as the judge in the first sermon they ever heard. (7 ) Through the name of Jesus (i. e., on the ground o f what Jesus is and has done) “ every one that believeth on Him shall 'receive remission o f sins.” This last statement made the way o f sal vation clear as day. v. 44. “ While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word." No sooner had Peter thus briefly and fully preached the gospel than Cprnelius and his friends believed it. They believed right then and there, instantly, and immediately having believed and therefore having received Him as God’s anointed and as, their own abso lute Lord and all-sufficient Saviour, they were saved instantly and God at once set His seal to their acceptance by pouring out the Holy Spirit upon them (cf. ch. 15:7-9). They were as definitely baptized with the Holy Spirit as the Jews upon the Day o f Pentecost (cf, ch. 2:1-4, and following). It is evident that the doctrine that some in these days hpld, that the bap tism with the Holy Spirit was limited to the Jews or to the Apostles is untrue. Being filled with the Holy Spirit they were filled with the presence o f God and showed it by their countenance and by. beginning to praise God with an utterance not their own (cf. ch. 2:4, 11). Evidently the gift o f the Holy Spirit is not something bestowed once for all at-Pentecost, but something to
be repeated in the experience o f individ ual believers, Gentiles as well as Jews. These Spirit-filled Gentiles did not speak o f themselves, nor magnify themselves, nor even the preacher, they magnified God (v. 46). vs. 45-48. “And they of the circumcision which believed, were astonished (amazed), as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man for bid (add, the) water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost, as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord (Jesus Christ).~ Then prayed they him to tarry certain days." Peter as well as those who accompanied him, seems to have been amazed at the results o f his, own .preaching. He had not grasped the full significance of his own opening sen tence (vs. 34, 35), but he was quick to learn. He saw that God made no distinc tion between Jew and Gentile (cf. ch. 15:8, 9), but that the gift o f the Holy Spirit was for one as well as the other if only they believed on Christ. He commanded that they be at once baptized and thus received outwardly into the body o f believers, the church, the body o f Christ. I f Jesus could baptize them with the Holy Spirit how could man refuse to baptize them with water ? It is evident that from Peter’s point o f view water baptism is important. Some say that if one is baptized with the Holy Spirit that is all that is necessary, but Peter thought differently. He thought that though they had been baptized with the Holy Spirit they needed to be baptized with water also. The wondrous blessing that Cornelius and his friends had received and the divine truth they had learned, made them long to know more. They were unwilling to let Peter go. It is the one who knows some truth who longs for more, it is the one who receives a measure o f blessing who longs for larger blessing.
Made with FlippingBook HTML5