The Holy Spirit in Relation to Believers – Part five

God’s Provision During the Dry Spell

God, foreseeing the time when there would be no rain, or pouring out of the Holy Spirit; provided man with a preservation of the water of life in the writings of the New Testament. Just as man used a cistern, reservoir, or a receptacle to catch and store rain water to serve the needs through summer, or drought; so God has retained for us His Spirit word from which we can in these dry days of drought, satisfy our spiritual thirst by drinking from the Spirit word, as from a reservoir or well, and be refreshed thereby. Apart from the Holy Spirit gifts we would have no New Testament. If the gifts of the Spirit were given to believers today, the New Testament would not be required, and probably would not have been preserved.

Consideration of Peter’s Words

What then do the words of Peter mean? Let us look closely at them. He said, For the promise is unto you, and to your children.” This is easy enough to understand. Peter in this chapter is addressing Jews. In verse 14 Peter addresses his audience, “Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem.” And in verse 22, “Ye men of Israel.” In verse 29 he addresses them as “men and brethren.” We are told in verse 5 that there were Jews dwelling (as visitors) at Jerusalem, out of every nation under heaven. These are mentioned in verses 9-11. In verse 36 he says, “Let all the house of Israel know.” This was upon the principle, “To the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.” Rom. 2:10.

There were two classes of Jews. Those who were local residents at Jerusalem, and those who were visitors from afar. Daniel refers to both classes of Israel in his prayer, “The men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, that are Near and that are Far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them.” Dan. 9:7. Peter includes both classes of Jews in his promise of the Holy Spirit. It seems certain that everyone baptized on that day would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and would take it with him on his return to his home, and it would be an aid to him in establishing an ecclesia.

But the promise does not stop here. Peter adds, “And to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” The expression “afar off” is one that is used in Isa. 57:19 in contrast to those who are near. Isa. 33:13. In view of what later happened to Gentile believers we know that Peter’s statement based upon Joel’s prophecy is expanded to include Gentiles. There were those who were afar off from Jerusalem in a geographical sense, and those who were afar off in their relationship to God. The Jews were considered as “a people NEAR unto Him.” Psa. 148.14. “What nation is there so great, who hath God So Nigh Unto Them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon Him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?” Deut. 4:4,8; 33:29. Peter knew that salvation would be offered to the Gentiles, though he did not know the exact way in which it would come about. So in Acts 2:38,39 we have two classes mentioned: (1) “You and your children,” and (2) “all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Gentiles as Fellow Heirs

One of the secrets of Old Testament prophecies that was not made known to the sons of men during that time, was that the “Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel.” Eph. 3:1-6. During Old Testament times this was not made manifest, but was now revealed unto “His holy Apostles and prophets by the Spirit” and was preached by them.

The Gentiles would be classified as among those who were “far off.” Paul reminded the Ephesian believers of their past status before they became converted. Eph. 2:11,12. “But now,” he writes, “in Christ Jesus YE who sometimes were FAR OFF are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Verse 13. Also, he tells them that peace had been preached “to you which were afar off, and to them that were Nigh.” Verse 17. The Gentiles would be considered far off from God. So we understand Peter’s words to mean, “Even as many (both Jews and Gentiles) as the Lord our God shall call.”

And it was so. The Corinthians were called. I Cor. 1:2,9,24,26. They received the Spirit according to the promise. Cor. 12:1-12. The Galatians were called and they received the Spirit. Gal. 3:2. And so with many other Gentile ecclesias. Most ecclesias would be composed of both Jews and Gentiles. Paul sums it up by saying, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” I Cor. 12:13.