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CHURCH
(Continued from page 3)
not true today. Second, tlÍe · Holy
Spirit carne
sudden/y-tbey
did not
"work it up" by emotionally shout–
ing, as is usual in such meetings to–
day. Third, the Holy Spirit carne
with a
sound- they heard
it-like a
blast of a rushing mighty wind. No
such thing occurs today. Fourth, the
Holy Spirit is here twice called "it,"
not "he"- not a ghost or personage.
Fifth, they
saw
the Holy Spirit. lt
appeared as divided tongues
/ike jire.
This was actually
seen,
sitting on
each of the 120. No such thing is ever
rep~ated
in so-called "Pentecostal"
meetings today!
Now, further, do they today speak
with the
same kind
o[
tongues? Here
again the REAL Pentecost experience
is not in any sense duplicated today.
Read on:
" ... There were dwelling at Jeru–
salem Jews, devout men, out of every
nation under heaven. Now when this
was noised abroad [word spread rap–
id1y of this once-on1y amazing expe–
rience- hearing
and seeing the Holy
Spirit), the multitude carne together,
and were confounded, because that
every man heard them
[
the 120]
speak in his own language" (Acts
2:5-6).
Study this again carefully. The
Mede among these devout Jews who
carne running in heard
them-the
120-speaking the language of the
Medes. And he understood what they
were saying! The one Mede heard
and understood 120 Gaüleans speak–
ing the language of the Medes! But
the Parthian heard
them- the
same
120- speaking his Parthian lan–
guage! And so on!
It
was not a gib–
berish-unintelligible-as "tongues
people" speak in their meetings to–
day! And it needed no interpreter. I
well remember experiences in such
meetings, where in service after ser–
vice the same man rose to interpret–
and although the gibberish of differ–
ent ones was entirely different, the
"interpretation" had been memo–
rized, and in every case was the
same!
1
saw that kind of experience
drive sincere people hungry for God's
truth away in disgust!
Let me add here that God's Holy
Spirit is the Spirit of a SOUND MINO
The
PLAIN TRUTH June-July 1979
(II Timothy 1:7). The one and only
original Church of God was founded
that day of Pentecost, A.D. 31. They
were all of SOUND mind- like–
minded-of ONE accord.
God Adds to His Church
The multitude who carne running in
were all amazed-in wonderment
doubting and asking, "What does
this mean?"
Then yod's chief apostle, Peter,
stood up to explain-to deliver to
these thousands the first inspired ser–
mon by an apostle.
These devout Jews were "pricked
in their heart" by Peter's sermon and
asked, "What shall we do?"
Peter gave no twentieth-century
"altar call"- pleaded with none to
talk them into conversion- but an–
swered · their question, saying, "Re–
pent, 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 Spirit"
(Acts 2:38). It was the power of the
Holy Spirit that had struck straight
in their hearts. Goo HAO CALLEO
THEM!
"Then they that gladly received
his word were baptized: and the same
day there
were added
unto them
about three thousand souls" (Acts
2:41 ).
"And they continued steadfastly
in
the apostles' doctrine .
.. "
(verse
42).
Note here this important point!
They did not appoint among them–
selves a "doctrinal committee" to de–
cide intellectually in which doctrines
they could believe God's apostle. God
gave them the true doctrine through
His apostle, and they continued to–
gether wüh one accord in "the
apos–
tles' doctrine
and fellowship."
Now WHO added members to the
Church? Not apostolic or evangelical
salesmanship-but "the LoRD added
to the church daily such as should be
saved (were to be saved]" (Acts
2:47).
Apostles Preached;
Church Backed Them
But what was the FOUNDATION ofthe
Church?
It
is referred toas a "build–
ing," and a solid building must be
built on a solid foundation.
Of course Jesus Christ is the foun–
dational Rock. But the Church is
built On the FOUNDATION of the apOS–
tles (New Testament·) and prophets
(Oid Testament), Jesus Christ Him–
self being the chief CORNERSTONE
(Ephesians 2:20). Jesus taught the
apostles. The CHURCH followed the
apostles' doctrine. Lay members
were not free to set, change or decide
doctrinal TRUTH-but only to receive
and
believe
it.
A day or two after the Church was
founded, Peter and John went up to
the Temple. At the Beautiful Gate
entrance was a crippled beggar, lame
from birth. Peter, being asked for
alms, took the cripple by the right
hand, lifted him up, saying, "In the
name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
rise up and walk" (Acts 3:1-6). "And
he leaping up stood, and walked, and
entered with them into the tem–
ple .. .' ' (verse 8).
The beggar was known to all. This
miracle drew a huge crowd. Peter,
explaining, preached to them about
the resurrection of Jesus. He pro–
claimed the good Qews of the King–
dom, saying the heaven had received
Jesus
until
the time of restoration of
the GOVERNMENT OF GOD by the
K.JNGDOM OF Goo (Acts 3:20-21).
As Peter spoke, . the priests, the
captain of the temple and the Saddu–
cees carne upon them and threw
them into prison for the night.
Next morning, Peter and John
were brought before the rulers, el–
ders, scribes, the high priest and his
family. Peter spoke briefly but boldly
to them. They then threatened the
apostles, forbidding them to preach
any further about Christ and His
Kingdom.
Peter and John, though now in–
spired by the Holy Spirit, were hu–
man, and naturally were somewhat
shaken up and frightened .
Being released, they went immedi–
ately for moral support and encour–
agement to "their own company"
(Acts 4:23), the Church.
The Church "lifted up their voice
to God with one accord"
(~erse
24).
And when they (the Church) had
prayed, God answered by shaking the
place where they were assembled,
filling them with His Spirit, courage
and power.
Another incident: The apostles
had continued preaching, healing the
sick and performing miracles. God
added to the Church, but also the
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