The 29 conversion accounts in the book of Acts

[Hekuran]

Acts was the time of transition for the ekklesia, making it a transitional book, but the letters and the epistles that follow give us guidance to the early church, do they not?

Most of the epistles were written and sent in the time that's described in the book of Acts. The book of Acts gives an overview of the history, expansion and major characters of the church. The epistles give us an insight to some of the pastoral issues that had to be tackled at the same time.

It makes little sense to describe one as transitional and the other not. And I wonder what would lead anyone to that conclusion.

 

[complete]

29 conversion accounts in the book of Acts .
Sometimes there's laying on of hands .
Sometimes its baptism included, sometimes not .
Sometimes tongues, sometimes not .
Sometimes repentence, sometimes just 'believe '.
Why do some say Acts 2.38 is the plan of salvation for today ? Why pick any of the 29 conversion accounts and claim that for todays doctrines .
Acts is a transitional book .
Thoughts ?

'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 2:38)

Hello @Free gift,

As with every Scripture we examine, we have to take into account the context in which it comes, don't we? Before and after. What is actually written or spoken? Who is speaking? To whom? At what time? What was the circumstance? What the intent? These question all need to be answered before we apply anything to ourselves. In this case:-

1) Who was speaking? - Peter (Acts 2:14).
2) To whom? - To the Jews (Acts 2:36).
3) With what words? - (above)
4) At what time? - Following the death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ
5)What circumstance? - At the feast of Pentecost following the giving of the promise of the Father, of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4)
6) What was the intent? - National Repentance.
7) Why? - Acts 3:19-26

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

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@Free gift:-

Why? (Re. Reply #42)

(Act 3:19-26)

'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;
.... And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
...... Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things,
........ which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
For Moses truly said unto the fathers,
.. 'A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you
.... of your brethren, like unto me;
...... Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever He shall say unto you.
........ And it shall come to pass,
.......... that every soul, which will not hear that prophet,
............ shall be destroyed from among the people.'
Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after,
as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
.. Ye are the children of the prophets,
.... and of the covenant which God made with our fathers,
...... saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
........ Unto you first God, having raised up His Son Jesus,
.......... sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from His iniquities.'

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[Free gift]

Most of the epistles were written and sent in the time that's described in the book of Acts. The book of Acts gives an overview of the history, expansion and major characters of the church. The epistles give us an insight to some of the pastoral issues that had to be tackled at the same time.

It makes little sense to describe one as transitional and the other not. And I wonder what would lead anyone to that conclusion.

From Acts 2 all the way up to Acts 11 they are only preaching to Jews. This alone shows the transitional nature of the book. They are all shocked and amazed by the conversion of Cornelius. Imagine if you had only Acts 1 -11 ? What about no apostle to Gentiles ? Well you would have no 13 epistles for one thing .

 

[Free gift]

'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 2:38)

Hello @Free gift,

As with every Scripture we examine, we have to take into account the context in which it comes, don't we? Before and after. What is actually written or spoken? Who is speaking? To whom? At what time? What was the circumstance? What the intent? These question all need to be answered before we apply anything to ourselves. In this case:-

1) Who was speaking? - Peter (Acts 2:14).
2) To whom? - To the Jews (Acts 2:36).
3) With what words? - (above)
4) At what time? - Following the death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ
5)What circumstance? - At the feast of Pentecost following the giving of the promise of the Father, of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4)
6) What was the intent? - National Repentance.
7) Why? - Acts 3:19-26

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Yes specifically national ( Israel ) repentence . Thats why they ask in light of crucyfying their messiah What must we DO ..This a very specific message Peter is giving. To Israel. The same can be said in Acts 3/4/5 7 ect ..Then things change when we get to Cornelius.

 

[Free gift]

@Free gift:-

Why? (Re. Reply #42)

(Act 3:19-26)

'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;
.... And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
...... Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things,
........ which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
For Moses truly said unto the fathers,
.. 'A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you
.... of your brethren, like unto me;
...... Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever He shall say unto you.
........ And it shall come to pass,
.......... that every soul, which will not hear that prophet,
............ shall be destroyed from among the people.'
Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after,
as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
.. Ye are the children of the prophets,
.... and of the covenant which God made with our fathers,
...... saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
........ Unto you first God, having raised up His Son Jesus,
.......... sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from His iniquities.'

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Yes ,and in contrast our sins are blotted out immediately, not later.

 

[Free gift]

'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 2:38)

Hello @Free gift,

As with every Scripture we examine, we have to take into account the context in which it comes, don't we? Before and after. What is actually written or spoken? Who is speaking? To whom? At what time? What was the circumstance? What the intent? These question all need to be answered before we apply anything to ourselves. In this case:-

1) Who was speaking? - Peter (Acts 2:14).
2) To whom? - To the Jews (Acts 2:36).
3) With what words? - (above)
4) At what time? - Following the death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ
5)What circumstance? - At the feast of Pentecost following the giving of the promise of the Father, of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4)
6) What was the intent? - National Repentance.
7) Why? - Acts 3:19-26

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Acts 2 definitely say they would receive the Holy spirit after baptism . This is not how we receive the Holy spirit.

 

[B-A-C]

Acts 2 definitely say they would receive the Holy spirit after baptism . This is not how we receive the Holy spirit.

Pentecostal denominations believe there is a difference between the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
In all 5 "baptism of the Holy Spirit" passages in Acts, this happened at some time after they had been believers for a while.
In 3 of the cases, people had already been baptized in water. (The upper room, the Samaritans, and the disciples at Ephesus)
We don't when Paul was baptized, but we know he was. Cornelius is the only definitive one that we can say he was baptized in water
after receiving the Holy Spirit.

 

[Free gift]

Pentecostal denominations believe there is a difference between the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
In all 5 "baptism of the Holy Spirit" passages in Acts, this happened at some time after they had been believers for a while.
In 3 of the cases, people had already been baptized in water. (The upper room, the Samaritans, and the disciples at Ephesus)
We don't when Paul was baptized, but we know he was. Cornelius is the only definitive one that we can say he was baptized in water
after receiving the Holy Spirit.

Yes this is the mess we get into by applying Acts as doctrines . So many weird and wacky denominations picking and choosing different elements from the book and misapply them out of context. Its because of a certain type of teaching that folks get taught before they have understood the bible.

 

[Free gift]

Acts was the time of transition for the ekklesia, making it a transitional book, but the letters and the epistles that follow give us guidance to the early church, do they not?

Luke's approach to writing Acts should influence the way we interpret it, often called rhetorical.

Luke's approach helps us understand how it would have been done in the first century.

Luke's message speaks with authority of what happened and how,

All scripture is an historical account, including prophesies of things to come, so that when they happen we know God said they would. Acts however, although an historic account for the ekklesia.

Luke mentioned that he had consulted "eyewitnesses" and that he had "carefully investigated" the details he recorded. He also took care to write an "orderly account" so that the truth he reported would be communicated clearly and accurately. Though transitional is is an historic account, an orderly historical account, with emphasis on the accuracy of the account he provided.

Shalom

The epistles are our instructions/ doctrines for the church . ( namely pauls ) There is no ' established position in Acts . There is no established church in Acts .

 

[Downunder]

Pentecostal denominations believe there is a difference between the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

err excuse me - SOME Pentecostal denominations preach that. We do not.
Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the giving of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God and the sign or evidence of this is that a disciple shall speak in a new tongue by the Spirit.

 

[Downunder]

So many weird and wacky denominations picking and choosing different elements from the book and misapply them out of context. Its because of a certain type of teaching that folks get taught before they have understood the bible.

Are you commenting on the 4,000 plus Christian doctrines and faiths that have all diverged from the original Spirit-filled church of the NT?

 

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Yes specifically national ( Israel ) repentence . Thats why they ask in light of crucyfying their messiah What must we DO ..This a very specific message Peter is giving. To Israel. The same can be said in Acts 3/4/5 7 ect ..Then things change when we get to Cornelius.

Hello @Free gift,

Yes, gentiles were grafted into the olive tree of Israel, in order to bring life to that ailing tree, and engender growth: to make Israel jealous and emulate the believing gentiles who were receiving of the blessings of Abraham. Yet it was not until Acts 28:28 that salvation was sent to the Gentiles, up until then salvation was of the Jews (John 4:22). Not until then was the truth concerning the Church which is the Body of Christ Divinely revealed and made known through Paul, in his later epistles, written while imprisoned at Rome, and sent to Ephesus, Philippi, Colosse, Timothy, Titus and Philemon, and ministered by word of mouth to those who visited him.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

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Acts 2 definitely say they would receive the Holy spirit after baptism . This is not how we receive the Holy spirit.

Hello @Free gift,

Yes, we receive the Holy Spirit the moment that we believe the truth concerning Christ Jesus our risen Lord, and acknowledge our need of God's saving grace, and by trust in the efficacy of His all-sufficient sacrifice for sin, receive the spirit of sonship whereby we can call the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ FATHER.

Praise God!

In Christ Jesus
Chris