Tom and Donna Ministries, with Signs Following.

Repairing broken people through the power of the BLOOD and the SPIRIT of GOD.

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WHAT MUST YOU DO TO BE SAVED?

A total of 31 accounts relating to Christian conversion and of people becoming Christians.

Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Act 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Act 2:38 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.
Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

The conversion experiences reported
The 31 accounts of the conversion experiences reported.

In Acts there are a total of 31 accounts relating to Christian conversion and of people becoming Christians. The greatest majority of these are not full descriptions of the event, merely general statements that conversion had occurred. In only a few instances is the complete and specific description recorded in which details of the events accompanying such conversion experiences reported. The Acts record is not therefore a complete dossier or biography of every significant Christian conversion during the establishment of the N.T. era. The document simply reports a selection of events, by way of illustration, in response to the enquiries of Theophilus, as given by Luke.

In 20 instances the hearing of the Gospel is nominated as preliminary to conversion (eg Rom. 10:14-17) and in only 14 are we told that believing (in Jesus) was a primary requirement or that they had already believed.

Acts 2:44 (KJV)
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

Acts 4:4 (KJV)
4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

Acts 5:14 (KJV)
14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

Acts 6:7 (KJV)
7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Acts 8:12 (KJV)
12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Acts 8:37 (KJV)
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

Acts 9:42 (KJV)
42 And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.

Acts 13:39 (KJV)
39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Acts 16:31-34 (KJV)
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

Acts 17:12 (KJV)
12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

Acts 17:34 (KJV)
34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Acts 18:8 (KJV)
8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.

Acts 19:18 (KJV)
18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.

In 9 instances is baptism recorded:

Acts 2:41 (KJV)
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Acts 8:12-13 (KJV)
12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

Acts 8:36-38 (KJV)
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

Acts 9:18 (KJV)
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

Acts 10:47 (KJV)
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

Acts 16:15 (KJV)
15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

Acts 16:33 (KJV)
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

Acts 18:8 (KJV)
8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.

Acts 19:5 (KJV)
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

In only 5 instances is any description given of the receiving of the Holy Spirit and the manifestations that accompanied such an experience:

Acts 2:1-4 (KJV)
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 8:17-18 (KJV)
17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

Acts 9:17 (KJV)
17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

1 Corinthians 14:18 (KJV)
18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:

Acts 10:45-46 (KJV)
45 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.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

Acts 19:6 (KJV)
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Out of the total of 31 accounts of conversion a mere 4 relate that repentance was demanded of the hearers:

Acts 2:38 (KJV)
38 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.

Acts 3:19 (KJV)
19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts 17:30 (KJV)
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Acts 26:20 (KJV)
20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

The implication deduced from this analysis is that the authority of any one aspect of the Gospel does not depend on the frequency with which an event, declaration or command is repeated. Where God inspires the record and speaks thus through Scripture, if only once, that is the end of the matter.* E.G. The ordinance or sacrament of the Lord's Supper (1 Cor. 11) is mentioned but once in the 21 letters of the New Testament.

Since the epistles of the New Testament are all written to Christian (Spirit-filled) saints in Christ assembling Churches (EKKLESIA of God) we are not likely to find any detailed descriptions of their reception of the Holy Spirit. This event is taken-as read, i.e. it is assumed or known directly to have taken place by the authors of the various letters. Only reminders (recollections) of such event are related, eg. 2 Tim. 1:6. Titus 3:5-7, 1 Thess. 5:19, 20,

Our attention therefore is directed to the events recorded in Acts, commencing with the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the occasion of the first Christian Pentecost.

With the exception of the manifestations associated with the reception of the Spirit by the Samaritans, the one clear event recorded in association with the baptism of the Holy Spirit was the evidence of the believer's speaking in "tongues". This sign was indeed in direct confirmation of prophecies spoken by Jesus prior to His ascension to Glory (Mark 16:16). "They shall speak in new (KAINOS) tongues"; meaning absolutely new to the speakers.

It is this experience that introduces such manifold controversy in this 20th century, when such an event is being recorded in heretofore unprecedented regularity.

In Mark 16 Jesus nominated five signs that would follow them that believed - no time limit is here set -- rather, as Jesus had previously declared, "Heaven and earth will pass away but My words will never pass away" (Luke 21:33).

In Luke's account of Holy Spirit happenings in Acts, four examples of Jesus' promised signs are given; namely -- casting out devils or evil spirits; speaking in new tongues; picking up snakes without harm; and healing the sick (see Acts 5:16, 8:7, 16:15, 28:3-5, 8).

Only one of these signs (speaking in tongues) is uniquely linked with receiving the Holy Spirit. This sign moreover, is not mentioned in Acts independently of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. I am convinced that the 120 on the day of Pentecost were almost as amazed as those who over- heard, when the faithful followers of Jesus started. to "speak in tongues."

The fact that this miraculous sign is only mentioned three times in Acts is of no great significance since (as stated above) the authority of God's word does not depend on the frequency with which a matter is repeated. It is clearly a positive observation and no quantity of absent evidence can swamp such observation. When God speaks, if only once, the matter is conclusive.

According to civil law and above all God's law, no agreement between man is binding unless witnessed by more than one man (cf. Numbers 35:30, Deut. 17:6, 19:15, Matt. 18:16, 2 Cor. 13:1, 1 Tim. 5:19; see e.g. Jer. 32:10, 44). Similarly, when God enters into covenant agreement (contract or transaction) with any individual He (God) makes certain that His "signature" (or seal,) is on it.

cf. Eph. 1:13, 14), i.e. the Holy Spirit is witnessed (see John 1:31-34). On the day of Pentecost such was the witness of that miraculous event that 3000 souls were baptized and added to the number of the disciples.

Complementary with the sign of "tongues" are the reports in Scripture that the message was attended and confirmed by signs and wonders (Mark 16;20, Gal. 3:5, 1 Thess. 1.5, Heb. 2:3, 4; 1 Cor. 1:6, 2:4; Rom. 15:19; 2 Cor. 12:12).

The diversification of language and the sign of "tongues" in Scripture is a declaration of the judgment of God on an unbelieving people (1 Cor. 14:22, Is, 28:11, Jer. 5:15, Gen. 11, Zeph. 3:9, Deut. 28:49). Judgment such as this certainly made a clear impression on the minds of the assembled crowd at Pentecost. "Men and brethren what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37.)

The Great Commission
Mar 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Mar 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Mar 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Mar 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Mar 16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

The Coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
Act 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
Act 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Act 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Peter's Sermon at Pentecost
"Men and brethren what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37.)
Act 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Act 2:38 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.
Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Act 2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
Act 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Act 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Act 2:43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

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