>>continue....F
When we read the book of Acts, we must remember that this is a
"transitional" book.  This is a book where a lot of false doctrines erect.
Suffice to say, we see Peter spoke to ISRAEL, because the message is aimed at
ISRAEL (see Acts 2:22, 36), not "Christians".  However, when we get to Acts
7, the response was "rejection" concerning the Messiah by Israel, and thus
Stephen was stoned to death.  It was from here God turned to the Gentiles
(explained in Rom.9-11).  After a certain amount of time had passed, Acts 2
was never repeated again.  Nobody was going to have to get in water first
before they could get the gift of the Holy Ghost. Peter was going to
learn this lesson.  When his ministry began to reach out to the Gentiles, he
began to learn that they could get the Holy Ghost before he could tell
them to get in the water (see Acts. 10:44-46)!
Okay, now turn to Acts 10 because this is where I had problems when trying to
figure out this issue about tongues.  I was confused since I had learned it
was the Jews who require a sign.  But alas!  Right here I thought I had a
good scriptural case to prove the gift of tongues were for the Gentiles also!
My question? "If the signs are for the Jews, then why did the Gentiles get
the gift of tongues?"  I got 'em now!
However, we need to do some scripture searching.  In Acts 2, 10, and 19, we
have all the places in the Bible where some are given the gift of tongues.
Notice I didn't say these were the only chapters where it talked about
tongues, but places in the Bible where anyone was given the gift of tongues.
We observed in Acts 2 that speaking in tongues (not unknown tongues) was a
sign for the "unbelieving Jews" who didn't  believe Jesus Christ was the
Messiah. Thus, the word of God was "confirmed" by one significant sign so
far, tongues.
Okay, so what does this have to do with Acts 10?  Well, in Acts 10, it is
"still" a sign to the Jews.  Read carefully:
"While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which
heard the word.  And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished,
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 forbid water, that these
should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?"
So what's so significant about these verses?  Well, just before this happened
Peter was given a vision and is about to learn a lesson. (See Acts 10:1-28).
Peter is about to see that Salvation is no longer based on the law, but upon
grace.
And whether Peter knew it or not, there is going to be an "intentional"
(by God's doing) slip of the tongue.  Peter no longer says what he said to
the Nation of Israel, "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."  Peter is preaching to Cornelius' household, and this time
he says BELIEVE. "...that through his name whosoever BELIEVETH in him shall
receive the remission of sins."
Now look at Acts 2:38, and you don't find the word "believe." And no longer
could Peter finish what he said in Acts 2. God INTERRUPTED Peter before he
could tell them people to jump in the water and then talk about the gift of
the Holy Ghost.
"While Peter YET SPAKE these words, the HOLY GHOST FELL on all them which
heard the word" (Acts 10:44).
See there?  God shut Peter's trap. God made things go in reverse and
Peter was astonished!
So why were Peter and the circumcised "astonished?"  Because they didn't
believe a Gentile could get the Holy Ghost without the JEWISH WATER
BAPTISM!   Peter hadn't seen this done before, so of course, he and his
company are going to be ASTONISHED. He finds that they are saved, and the
SIGN to him, a JEW, is that these Gentiles are speaking "with tongues, and
magnify God" BEFORE THEY TOUCH THE WATER.  Granted the sign is for them that
"believe not." In this sense, Peter did not believe and was astonished to
see the Holy Spirit fall before any type of water baptism.
We've got to remember that this is a transitional book, and the scriptures
are still in process as it unfolds before it's completion.  It's like
upgrading a program for your computer.  You might get a program, but three
years from now, as that program is updated, you will no longer find the old
program will work for the present needs.  The Book of Acts can be compared
in such a way. For example, Acts 2 cannot be used as the "plan of salvation"
when God has given us further knowledge of it through His servant Paul,  and
mentioned by Peter in Acts 15.  It came to a point where Peter stopped
preaching Acts 2:38.
Furthermore, there is nothing in Acts 2 about salvation. Not one Jew asked
what they must do to "be saved." The message was not aimed at Christians, for
there are no Christians in Acts 2, but aimed at the Jews, the Nation of
Israel (Acts 2:22,36).  The word Christian doesn't appear until Acts 11:26.
continue...
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 þ OLX 2.2 TD þ ... Out of the mouths of babes often comes oatmeal
--- GEcho/32 1.20/Pro
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