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A division exists within the body of Christ over the interpretation of "gift" in Acts 2:38. Some contend that "gift" refers to receiving the personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They further compound the problem by teaching that "promise" in verse 39 refers to the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the same baptism with fire that Jesus promised His apostles in Acts 1:5. Let us examine briefly the true meaning of this word in its proper context.
In the New Testament, the word "gift" is used differently from one passage to another. The following table illustrates several ways in which this word is used.
| PHRASE | VERSE | USAGE |
|---|---|---|
| "gift of God" | John 4:10 | Christ |
| "gift of God" | Acts 8:20 | Power of the Holy Ghost |
| "gift of the Holy Ghost" | Acts 2:38 | Christ |
| "gift of the Holy Ghost" | Acts 10:45 | Power of the Holy Ghost |
As seen in the table above, these two phrases are used to convey one meaning in a particular passage, and a completely different meaning in another. In order to know the true connotation of "gift" one must consider the context of the passage, including the verses that precede and follow after it.
In Acts 2:38, we read,
"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."There are two phrases that we desire to study briefly: "repent, and be baptized......for the remission of sins" and "the gift of the Holy Ghost".
The first phrase deals with God's plan of salvation. Repentance and baptism are conditions that God requires man to do in order to be saved from sin. The people heard the word and believed that it was truth, which is evident by their asking, "What shall we do?" (Acts 2:37). Peter's statement in verse 38 was simply a further obedience to what the Lord had commanded the apostles to do in Mark 16:15-16.
"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."
To understand the meaning of "the gift of the Holy Ghost," one must take into consideration, not only what has just occured, but also the verses which follow. Since there is no indication in the remaining verses of Acts 2 to provide evidence for a personal, miraculous indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we are forced to conclude that "gift" refers to Christ. It was Christ who said,
"If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, 'Give me to drink;' thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water" (John 4:10).
As we have studied, the "gift" in Acts 2:38 refers to Christ. In order to receive this particular "gift of the Holy Ghost," one must hear (Mark 16:15), believe (Romans 10:17), repent (Acts 2:38), confess that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 8:37), and be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 8:36).
Ira Mikell
ira@thechristianexaminer.com
It is time for spring break again, and as always, it is a good time to discuss the issue of the Christian and modesty. We must constantly strive to remove the wordly influences from among us, especially when it comes to attire in warmer weather.
We are told by Paul in 1 Timothy 2:9-10 and Peter in 1 Peter 3:1-4:Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments; but rather by means of good works, as befits women making a claim to godliness.
In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. And let not your adornment be merely external-- braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.Furthermore, in Romans 12:2:
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.We can see in these verses the need for modesty, and to present ourselves as different from the standards of the world. Simply put, it is completely inappropriate for a Christian to be found in public wearing any bathing suit today. Adam and Eve were considered naked when they wore as much (Genesis 3:10)! Unfortunately, many today do not wish to see this, and by doing so sin while causing others to sin also.
God has very good reasons for requiring modesty of His children, especially those who are females. Men have a penchant for being very visual creatures, and are easily provoked to lust by the sight of a woman, which is sin (Matthew 5:28). This truth presents the answer for the oft-asked question, "exactly what is modest versus what is not?" Examine yourself: if you believe that someone could be provoked to lust by what you are wearing, do not wear it! Fathers, examine your daughters, and make sure that what they wear is appropriate; same goes with husbands and wives.
Skin is "in" these days. Unfortunately, everywhere we seem to look, that is all we see: on magazine covers, on TV, on the coasts of this country and in many other places, we are bombarded with images designed to invoke lust. This attitude has so permeated our society that many Christians attempt to justify or "get around" modesty in order to "fit in" with the world. We must not do this (Romans 12:2)! The use of shorts is contested, with some believing that no matter what, they should not be worn, and others being more tolerant of them. Regardless, shorts should always cover the knees-- even while seated! The same rule should apply to skirts, as this will minimize the chances of being found immodest.
Are these guidelines in the Scriptures? No; however, any right-thinking Christian, looking to His Word to determine what he or she should be doing (per Romans 14:23), and not what he should not do, will find that these will be of great assistance in conforming to the doctrine of godliness by being modest. The right-thinking Christian will remember that the issue behind modesty is the fight against sin, so that others will not be provoked to lust. By having this mentality, a good Christian will never be immodest, and will continue to remain a light of righteousness in a dark, sensual world (Matthew 5:14-16).
Ethan R. Longhenry
ethan@thechristianexaminer.com
www.deusvitae.com
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