Quote:
Winman,
To what was Simon the sorcerer saved? he had not received the Holy Ghost and was wanting to purchase the power to give it to others but he himself had not received it.
Why did the people in Samaria need to have hands laid on them from the Apostles if they were preaching the Gospel of Grace as you believe they did? if indeed they were receiving the Gospel of grace putting hands on someone to receive the Holy Ghost was wrong because under the gospel of grace you receive the Holy Ghost the moment you believe. Eph 1:13, 14 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
or could it be they were not preaching the gospel of Grace but of the Gospel of the Kingdom? which is the Gospel of Acts 8. I refer you to Georges study on right division of Acts.
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Chette, this passage creates much more difficulty for you than me. You are correct, Simon had not received the Holy Spirit, neither had anyone else in Samaria. But notice they were all baptized in the name of Lord Jesus.
Acts 8:14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them:
only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
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,
Verse 16 gives you a problem, because you believe the Holy Spirit was received through baptism in Acts 2:38
Acts 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.
But in Acts 8, these believers were all baptized in the name of Jesus, yet they had not received the Holy Spirit. So this argues against what you have previously said. You will probably argue they were not Jews. But that won't work either, for what of Saul (Paul) in the next chapter?
And we see this again in Acts 9 when Ananias lays hands on Saul (Paul) that he might receive his sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost. But Paul was baptized
afterward. And Paul is a Jew.
Acts 9:17 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. 18 And
immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and
he received sight forthwith,
and arose, and was baptized.
So here Saul (Paul) received his sight and was filled with the Holy Ghost when Ananias laid hands on him, and
afterward
was baptized.
Then in Acts 10 the Holy Ghost fell on Cornelius, his kinsmen, and near friends by simply hearing the gospel.
Acts 10:44 While Peter yet
spake these words,
the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
So, these believers also did not need be baptized to receive the Holy Ghost.
And there is absolutely no indication that any of the believers in Acts 8, 9, and 10 were hearing a different message than those in Acts 2. But these were not Jews.
In fact, Acts 11 confirms it was exactly the same for Cornelius as it was for the believers in Acts 2.
Acts 11:15 And as I began to
speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them,
as on us at the beginning. 16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the
like gift as he did unto us,
who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? 18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God
also to the Gentiles granted
repentance unto life.
First, verse 15 shows they received the Holy Ghost by
hearing the gospel in Acts 2, not baptism. Verse 18 shows that this gospel was for forgiveness of sins (repentance unto life), not the restoration of the kingdom to Israel.
It is very clear if you read carefully. And I have already pointed out that Jesus told the apostles it was not for them to know when the kingdom would be restored to Israel in Acts 1. And I cannot believe the Holy Spirit would inspire Peter to preach this restoration of the kingdom upon their "repentance for killing Jesus" (what you have said repeatedly) immediately after the Lord said this.
Where, in all of the book of Acts, is it said that the kingdom would be restored to Israel if they repent of killing Jesus? Where? Show me the verses.