Posts
Baptized, Filled, Received
When describing the receipt of the Spirit, the Book of Acts applies several Greek verbs, including “baptize,” “receive,” “filled,” “given,” and “came…
Life through His Spirit
In his Letter to the Romans, Paul presents his most detailed explanation of the Gospel. His purpose was to deal with conflicts between Gentile and Je…
God's Good News
In Romans, Paul presents his most detailed explanation of the “Good News of God,” a message centered on His Son, Jesus Christ. He was dealing with co…
He Baptizes in Spirit
All four gospel accounts apply the passage in the Book of Isaiah to John the Baptist, the messenger who called men to repent “for the remission of si…
Heir of Abraham
The introduction to Matthew states that Jesus is the “Son of Abraham.” He is nothing less than the heir of the covenant promises made by the God of I…
The Last Days
When we hear the term “Last Days” we naturally assume it refers to the final short period of History just prior to the return of Jesus from Heaven, a…
One Spirit, One People
Paul is adamant. “In Jesus,” no longer can there be “Jew or Gentile.” The old distinctions are wholly inappropriate for the One People of God. By his…
Promise of the Spirit
The Apostle Paul referred to the “Promise of the Spirit” which he equated with the “Blessing of Abraham.” Jesus subjected himself to the “curse” of t…
Spirit and Resurrection
The Apostle Paul presents Abraham as the great exemplar of faith. God counted his faith as “righteousness” when he was yet uncircumcised, and that me…
In Spirit and Fire
John proclaimed a baptism in water “for the remission of sins,” and he announced the arrival of the “Coming One.” He was sent as the Forerunner of th…
Evidence of the Spirit
In the assemblies of Galatia, “false brethren” preached “another gospel,” one that pressured Gentile believers to adopt circumcision and conform to o…
In Jerusalem
The Book of Acts begins IN JERUSALEM with the Ascension of Jesus and the outpouring of the Spirit. It concludes with Paul preaching the Gospel in the…
Spirit and Inheritance
The history of Israel includes national sins that resulted in her expulsion from the Promised Land. However, God foresaw her failures and determined …
The Circumcised Heart
In the Letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul links the “Promise of the Spirit” to the “blessing of Abraham,” the covenant promise that God would …
Pentecost and the Last Days
In Acts, the application of Joel’s prophecy to the events in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost links the initial outpouring of the Spirit to the star…
Promise of the Father
Paul calls the Gift of the Spirit the “Promise of the Father,” and he links it to the Abrahamic covenant. The promises to Abraham and to “his Seed” f…
Spirit of Christ
In Romans, Paul presents the “Gospel” in detail. It is the “power of God for salvation.” God provides salvation through the “faith of Jesus Christ” f…
In the Last Days...
The use of Joel’s prophecy by Peter on the Day of Pentecost links the arrival of the Spirit to the start of History's final era. With the Spirit’…
Tarrying for the Spirit
Prior to his ascension, Jesus told his disciples to “tarry” or wait in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit. In some churches, this command …
