Acts 2:38: Two Commands and a Promise

Charnock · #1 03-11-2011, 11:37 AM

As you look at Acts 2:38, how many commands (declared imperatives) do you see?

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Sam · #2 03-11-2011, 11:41 AM

like the title of this thread,

I see 2 commands:

repent (get saved)
be baptized (follow up that salvation experience with baptism/mikveh)

and one promise i.e. the promise of the HGB (Holy Ghost Baptism) some times referred to as the Promise of the Father.

mfblume · #3 03-11-2011, 11:42 AM

TWO: Repent and get baptized.

Charnock · #4 03-11-2011, 11:58 AM

Is there any place in the Bible where men are commanded to receive the Holy Ghost?

Peter referred to it as a gift, not a work.

Sam · #5 03-11-2011, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charnock

Is there any place in the Bible where men are commanded to receive the Holy Ghost?

Peter referred to it as a gift, not a work.

In Ephesians 5:18 Paul commended them to be filled (ongoingly filled or keep getting filled) with the Holy Spirit. These folks had already been born of the Spirit and sealed with the Spirit according to Ephesians chapter 1 where they are called "saints" and "faithful" and "in Christ" in verse 1 and in verses 13 - 14 it says:
13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.

So these folks were already saved an were commanded to be filled with the Spirit.

Another place, and some here will not agree with this, is in Acts 1:4-8 and Luke 24:45-53 where Jesus commanded His disciples (who were already saved in my opinion) to wait/tarry for the empowering experience of the Holy Ghost Baptism.

In my opinion, Saul was justified/saved/born again on the Damascus Road on January 25, AD 32 but not baptized in the Spirit or filled with the Spirit until 3 days later when Ananias laid hands upon him. No command here but Saul had been told to go into Damascus and he would be told what to do and when Ananias came in he said, "I've come here to lay hands on you and minister the Holy Ghost Baptism to you" and then commanded him to get up and immerse himself since he had already had his sins washed away when he had called on the Lord.

mizpeh · #6 03-11-2011, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charnock

Is there any place in the Bible where men are commanded to receive the Holy Ghost?

Peter referred to it as a gift, not a work.

How can someone be commanded to receive the Holy Ghost? We can't take it from God, it has to be given to us. It's a passive thing on our part we receive, God gives. We have to ask.

But as for a command, an imperative to receive the Holy Spirit? John 20:22

Austin · #7 03-11-2011, 01:49 PM

Saved, Holy Ghost, operation of the Spirit, all gifts! Two commands. Repent and be baptised. To receive!

TGBTG · #8 03-11-2011, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charnock

Is there any place in the Bible where men are commanded to receive the Holy Ghost?

Peter referred to it as a gift, not a work.

We can ask God to fill us. Not sure if that passes for a command though...

Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Scott Hutchinson · #9 03-11-2011, 02:24 PM

The Holy Ghost is a gift,but we are told in the scripture without the Spirit of Christ we are none of His.

Sam · #10 03-11-2011, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mizpeh

...But as for a command, an imperative to receive the Holy Spirit? John 20:22

20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
John 20:20-23 KJV

When Jesus breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Ghost," what (if anything) do you think happened?

Was this the beginning of a new creation and just like YHWH breathed life into man's nostrils and man became alive, is this YHWH in flesh breathing life/Spirit into a dead body/church and the church became alive?