The holy spirit in acts, not only breaks down ethnic barriers, he also breaks down social barriers. The spirit is the actual gift that bring about different manifestations. For by one spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether jews or greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one spirit. Baptism in the church is also a token of the forgiveness of sins we experience at salvationin much the same way that pilate attempted to show his. I believe there is great spiritual significance to these numbers. In other words, peter is saying believe and be baptized in the holy spirit, which convicts us of our sins and need for a saviour. Most jewish people would be surprised to learn the spirit is frequently mentioned in the hebrew scriptures old testament. Sometimes it is referring to an individuals character and relationship with god, such as stephen acts 6. There has arisen much confusion regarding the place of tongues and other charismatic gifts in. The holy spirit in the old testament thomas nelson bibles. The full title of the book of acts is the acts of the apostles. The combined sixtyeight chapters of the synoptic gospels contain only thirtyfour references to the holy spirit. What are the seven baptisms mentioned in the bible, and what do they mean. How many times does the book of acts record the conversion of paul.
The holy spirit giving eternal life to those who accept and believe in christ. The holy spirit is mentioned by many names in the bible, usually in reference to a particular role or function. Some big ideas in acts that could have been included. The holy spirit is to a believer what god the creator is to this physical world. In the book of acts around chapter 12 when the disciples were scared and hiding in the room, the holy spirit came in the form of a strong wind. Six times in acts the spirits ministry is described as the gift of the holy spirit.
Baptism and the holy spirit in the book of acts world. The holy spirit is named 40 times in acts, more than any other book of the bible. All one hundred twenty disciples were filled with the holy spirit, and many of them spoke in tongues, but probably not all did. Through the years, very few bible doctrines have been subject to more misconception than that of the study of the holy spirit. Chart 2 what are 6 historical purposes for the book of acts.
The holy spirit speaks, leads, and guides in the book of acts. The writer of acts portrayed the holy spirit as the source of spiritual power 1. This is as true today as it was during the old testament period. How many times is holy spirit mentioned in the bible. Even if one dismisses the frequent parallelisms found in the gospels, the new testament refers to the holy spirit about 150 more times than does the old. In the first case, all the disciples were powerful on the day of pentecost, and they had the release, boldness, and encouragement.
How many times is the holy spirit mentioned in the book of. Luke employs in acts several vivid and significant terms with which to describe the holy spirits. The term, the holy ghost, is found in the authorized king james bible ninety 90 times and all are in the new testament. How many times is holy spirit spirit or spirit of god. Ruach elohym the true name is ruach elohym genesis 1. Historically, baptism has been used as a rite of initiation, showing the inductees entrance into a new belief or observance.
He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the holy spirit even from birth. To many times we often look at the manifestations and call them the gift. In the new testament alone there are some 261 passages which refer to the holy spirit. This promise was obviously fulfilled on the day of. The book of acts establishes the pattern that the holy spirit is imparted to genuine believers at the time of their conversion. Twelftree luke, who allegedly wrote a gospel and the acts of the apostles, has more to say about the spirit than any other biblical writer does. How did the holy spirit work during the old testament period. Who stands up and takes the lead among the disciples in acts 1. He further argued that this ceremonial act was terminated with the close of the book of acts. Among other books, he has written people of the spirit. The holy spirit or some similar designation for gods spirit occurs some fiftysix times in acts. In the many bibles that i have read and worn out, i have marked with a red pen countless references to the holy spirit in both the old and new testaments. The holy spirit in the old testament israel my glory. Thus the earthly work of christ serves as a model of ministry led and empowered by the holy spirit.
Acts 2 niv the holy spirit comes at pentecost bible gateway. In the gospel of luke, references to the holy spirit number approximately seventeen. You will be baptized with the holy spirit not many days from now. The holy spirit plays a key role in the acts of the apostles, leading to the use of the titles book of the holy spirit or the acts of the holy spirit for that book of the new testament. What names and titles does the bible use for the holy spirit.
Wenk argues that the point of the story about philip and the ethiopian eunuch is to demonstrate how the cultically unclean cf. Acts 10 46 for they heard them speaking in other languages and declaring the greatness of god acts 19 6 and when paul had. Since my earliest days in christ i have been fascinated by the holy spirit. The disciples were filled with the spirit in the upper room, and peter, filled with the holy spirit, stood up to preach on the day of pentecost. The baptism of the holy spirit is found seven times in the new testament matt. Indwelling entering the life of believers by the holy spirit. He attributed jesuss success in ministryparticularly in training the apostles and performing healingsto the work of the spirit 1. The book of acts provides a detailed, orderly, eyewitness account of the birth and growth of the early church and the spread of the gospel immediately after the resurrection of jesus christ. He is mentioned fiftysix times in the gospels, fiftyseven times in the book of acts, 112 times in the. But luke hardly overlooked the work of the spirit in his former treatise. Statistically speaking, the holy spirit is mentioned approximately 250 times in the new testament. The holy spirit functions as the revealer of gods truth and will. He portrays the spirit as the activity and presence of god luke 4.
But in this chapter he is mentioned almost twenty times. The book of acts begins with the ascension of jesus and the coming of the holy spirit, and goes on to show how the apostles preached christ. This article shows that these references are integral elements in the narrative of acts, presenting the holy spirit as an active character or participant in the events it reports. July 2019 learn how and when to remove this template message. A short time church distinct from israel baptism, features of water for baptism. Jesus promised that he would baptize in the holy spirit. The book of acts establishes the pattern that the holy spirit is imparted to.
In the king james holy bible the term the holy spirit small h is found six times while the holy spirit capital h is found only once. The gentiles at the house of cornelius concerning the house of cornelius, acts 10. In the instance of pentecost, tongues was used to show that the holy spirit had come upon the believers. The spirit enables us to understand gods truth and empowers us for service john 16. We may now come back to the five cases of receiving the spirit outwardly in the book of acts. Before this, there seems to have been no activity of the spirit working through him. When they came to the border of mysia, they tried to enter bithynia, but.
On the other hand, every convert to the holy church in acts is baptized with water. The apostles subsequently referred to the holy spirit as gods gift to those who. The holy spirit in the book of acts preaching source. Pauline espistles, and thirtysix times in the remaining new. Some of the references are to the authorship of the passages cited in acts from the old testament, the statements being the holy spirit. The imparting of the holy spirit to believers was foretold by jesus before his ascension, a fact that luke was careful to note acts 1. The holy spirit is mentioned about 60 times in the book of acts. It tells us how we are saved, how we are sanctified, and how we are secure.
How many times is holy spirit mentioned in the bible answers. He claimed that the water baptism specifically mentioned in the book of acts e. The holy spirit comes at pentecost when the day of pentecost came, they were all together in. Two terms are especially associated with this activity. The holy spirit, as a title and entity, is mentioned three times psalm 51. Why did the holy spirit work differently with four particular groups. The holy spirit plays a key role in the acts of the apostles, leading to the use of the titles book. The holy spirits influence kept sin from running entirely rampant. The context of the unpardonable sin is best described in this passage. There is nothing mentioned by the spirit about speaking in tongues, yet people saw that the holy spirit came down upon the saints. One time is the holy spirit mentioned in the first seven chapters of romans. Short time for action baptism baptism, practice of the outpouring of the holy spirit, promises of the holy spirit. The filling of the holy spirit in the book of acts. The holy spirit in the book of acts about spirit of.
This most significant event is mentioned prophetically in the four gospels it is one of the few scenes concerning the lord jesus which are recorded in all four gospels. The book of acts is sometimes described as the acts of the holy spirit, or even more fully, the acts of the risen christ by the holy spirit in and through the apostles. So we see that already in the book of acts that the baptism of the holy spirit is not the normal and regular form of baptism. The theme of this entire chapter is the holy spirit. Again this is just one of many gifts that will prove the holy spirit is upon a believer.
Six times the holy spirit is said to be the one who speaks the truth of god. We may conclude that the old testament teaches the following regarding the holy spirit. The holy spirit as an active character in the book of acts. The holy spirits ministry to the world has existed from the beginning of time as a restraining influence. Its narrative supplies a bridge connecting the life and ministry of jesus to the life of the church and the witness of the earliest believers. Pneuma appears 105 times in the four canonical gospels, 69 times in the acts of the apostles, 161 times in the pauline epistles, and 50 times elsewhere. The young stephen, full of the spirit, saw the glory of god when he was stoned ac 7. Of the about seventy occurrences of the word pneuma in acts, fifty five refer to the holy spirit. Several times when the holy spirit is mentioned in the book of acts, it talks about people being filled with the spirit. The holy spirits ministry explains the remarkable community of the early church. In the american standard version of acts there are fiftysix references to the holy spirit. Before he ascended he gave his instructions, through the holy spirit, to the special messengers of his. What are the seven baptisms mentioned in the bible, and. Holy spirit in the book of acts, part 2 like an anchor.
The following is a listing of the biblical names of the holy spirit and where they are found in the bible from torreys new topical textbook. The book of acts represents a transitional time during which the old testament age was ending and the new testament church age was beginning. The spirit in matthews gospel account let us follow the story at a glance through the book of matthew, stopping to look at only one or two verses at a time. Unfortunately, his role there often goes unnoticed by many gentiles and even by some christians. The filling of the holy spirit in the book of acts by. Although the spirit doesnt gain much prominence until the book of acts, there is much written about the spirit in the old testament. Peter laid his hands and bestowed the holy spirit in acts 8. The only time that the holy spirit directly speaks in the bible is in the acts of the apostles. By comparison to other portions of the new testament the special significance of the holy spirit in the book of acts can be demonstrated.
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