Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate/Volume 1/Number 6/Faith of the Church, No. XII.
FAITH OF THE CHURCH. No. XII.
After the apostle had described the gift of the Holy Spirit so as not to be misunderstood by his audience, and having set forth its effects so clearly that any person even those of the weakest capacities could not mistake his meaning, he issues forth the promise of God to those who would repent and be baptized that they should receive this gift, yes, this gift and not another.—we have been thus particular, that our readers may see that the promise here made was not made to the apostles themselves, but those who heard and believed their report, and repented according to the commandment of God it was they who were to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit; for the apostle had it previous to this, and those persons who would repent and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins should receive the thing which the apostles had at that time received, for says the apostle in the 33 verse as before quoted speaking of Christ's ascension, and having received the gift of the Holy Spirit he has shed forth that which you see and hear, and then says to the multitude repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, does not the gift of the Holy Spirit in both these places mean the same thing, if so, the promise made to the baptized saints was precisely the thing which the apostles had just that day received. And if it did not mean the same thing the apostle deceived his audience. But the apostle did not stop by making this promise to the audience which were present on that occasion, but says verse 39 that it was to them and their children and ALL that were afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Notice reader, that it was the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit on conditions of repentance and baptism that was here promised their children and to all that were afar off as well as to themselves.
Whatever the gift of the Holy Spirit was, it was to be given not only to the persons who were present on the notable day of pentecost, but it was to be given to their children, and to their children's children, as long as the Lord their God should call men to be his sons; for it was to this gift he was to call them—"Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of the Lord Jesus, for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit; for the promise is unto you, and unto your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." mark reader: he says you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit; for the promise is unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off. What promise? Why; the gift of the Holy Spirit—What is the gift of the Holy Spirit? It is the thing which you both see and hear. And what are its effects? it is prophesying, dreaming dreams, seeing visions, and working mighty works; and this is what is promised to you, if you repent and are baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins: and not only you, but your children, and not your children only, but all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. These teachings surely correspond with the apostles' commission, which they received after the resurrection of the Savior from the dead. For they were to go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature, he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: that is, every creature in all the world who believes and is baptized, shall be saved. And Peter says, that the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. This is as extensive as to say, to every creature in all the world. So that the commission, and the apostles' teaching are, in all respects, consistent with each other.
Here we might stop our investigation, and that with great confidence too, because the subject of the work of the Spirit of God, in the salvation of men, is so clearly set forth in the foregoing quotations, and remarks which are made on the quotations, that he that runs may read, and not only read, but understand: for the way is so plain, that a fool need not err therein. But as there is no want of document on this subject, we feel disposed to pursue the apostles a little farther, and hear the account which those who were with them have given about the effects of the Spirit of God as received by the ancients through the ministry of the apostles, and see if those promises were verified to those who believed on their word.
The account which we have noticed above took place at Jerusalem. According to Luke's testimony they were to begin at Jerusalem, when they should first commence to execute their commission, and says the Savior You shall preach repentance and remissions of sins in my name, among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke 24:47, from thence they were to go to Samaria, and from thence to the utmost parts of the earth. Acts of the apostles 1:8, we shall now follow the apostles to Samaria and see what effects the Holy Spirit had on the Samaritans, as the messengers of the Lord Jesus proceeded in the execusion [execution] of their commission. Some time after the success of the gospel (which was very great) there arose a great persecution against the saints which, was so severe that they were all scattered abroad, and the enemies stoned Stephen to death.—The account of which we have in the 6, 7 and 8 chapters of the Acts of the apostles. In consequence of the great persecution, the saints fled in every direction, and they went every where preaching the gospel, and Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached the gospel unto them; and when they believed Philip's preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of the Lord Jesus, they were baptized both men and women. After the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of the Lord, they sent down Peter and John, who when they were come, laid their hands upon them and they received the Holy Spirit. Acts 8 chapter. So that here the promise was verified, that all others as well as those at Jerusalem should receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, if they would repent and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, for the remission of sins, as we have before shown what the gift of the Holy Spirit was, which was promised, for the gift of the Holy Spirit, which the Savior promised to give to his saints was not a vain imagination, but an eternal reality; a something of consequence to man; a something by which he should be greatly profited, and without which he could not be saved. But leaving Samaria, we will follow the apostles in their journeyings as they went to the utmost parts of the earth.
The next place noticed by Luke in his history of the apostles, is Peter went to the house of Cornelius, a Roman centurian [centurion] of the band called the Italian band. The account of the whole transaction will be found in the 10 chapter of the Acts of the apostles. Let the reader turn and read it, for his satisfaction so that he may have the subject clearly before him.
After Peter went there he preached Jesus unto them, the Holy Spirit sat on them as it did on the Jews at the beginning, and the same effect followed; for the Jews that went with Peter were astonished, because that on the Gentiles was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit; for they heard them speak with other tongues and magnify God. So that in this instance the promise was also fulfilled and they of the house of Cornelius received the Holy Spirit according to promise. But we will now go and hear another messenger proclaim the gospel, who was called at a different time from that of Peter, but who had received a dispensation of the gospel as well as the other apostles who were called before him. we mean Paul: an account of his travels Luke gives us in the Acts of the apostles; for part of the time Luke travelled with him as appears from his account. In the 19 chapter of the Acts of the apostles we have an account of Paul's visiting Ephesus, and finding certain disciples there who knew nothing but the baptism of John but when Paul taught them they were baptized, and then he laid his hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit and spake with tongues and prophesied.