But were none saved, then, before Christ arose from the dead, and the Holy Spirit was thus sent down? And if they did not belong to the church of God, What were they then?
Certainly, all who believed the promise of God were saved, or justified by faith, but they were and remained, saved individuals; saved Jews, or saved Gentiles. But now “There is neither Jew nor Greek... for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:2828There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)).
Then if Pentecost was the first day of the church, and it was formed by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven, what is the subsequent history of the Acts of the Apostles?
The Acts are really the acts of the Holy Spirit, how He acted in gathering the predestined church out of the world. He used a variety of instruments; but you will find, as you read the history of this wondrous assembly that wherever the Holy Spirit acted, it was to form the one assembly of God. Power, the power of God, not of man, is seen everywhere. In Acts 3, there is a man who could say, “Silver and gold have I none;” but such was the power displayed in the name of Jesus, that all Jerusalem is stirred to its center. And though all combined against the holy One of God, yet none could deny the power of God.
The church was the display of the power of God. Let us listen to the voice of prayer, at the church’s first prayer meeting recorded in the Acts .... “And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak Thy word, by stretching forth Thy hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of Thy holy child [or servant] Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spake the Word of God with boldness. And the multitudes of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul; neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; and great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:24-3324And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: 25Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. 29And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 30By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. 31And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. 32And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. 33And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. (Acts 4:24‑33)).
What a scene this was! one assembly, one heart, one purpose, the glory of Jesus! The Holy Spirit present. Surely it makes one sigh to compare this with the present state of Christendom. How could this assembly withstand the hatred and opposition of the whole world? God was with them – the divine person of the Holy Spirit.
It is of all importance to notice this in the history of the assembly of God in the Acts. The Holy Spirit is always present to guide the assembly – this fact is the foundation of the church’s constitution as seen on earth.
Peter said to Ananias, “Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?” Stephen said, “Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost.” The Spirit said unto Peter, “Behold three men seek thee, arise therefore, and get thee down and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them” (Acts 10:1919While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. (Acts 10:19)). And after the conversion of the Gentiles, and the pouring out of the gift of the Holy Spirit on them, Peter says, “And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting:” In Acts 11, the believing Gentiles were baptized by the Holy Spirit into the assembly of God at Antioch. In Acts 13, the Holy Spirit takes the same place of divine guidance in the assembly at Antioch. “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” “So they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed.” When a question of great moment had to be settled by the assembly at Jerusalem, the presence of the Holy Spirit was again distinctly recognized – “for it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us,” etc. (Acts 15:2828For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; (Acts 15:28)). Even the apostles were guided by this divine person, “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia, and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, after they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.”
(To be continued)