What Really Happened At Pentecost?
Acts 2:1-4
There are seven references in the New
Testament to baptism "in the Holy Spirit" (Matt.
All but two of the references are
prophetical. They anticipated the day of Pentecost. The other two point back to
it. After the believing Gentiles (Acts 11:15-17) experienced the same thing the
believing Jews did in Acts 2, Peter remembered the Lord's promise (Acts 1:5)
and said, "This is the same thing!" I Corinthians
This baptism in the Holy Spirit was an
unconditional promise of the Father (Acts 1:4). It was not a conditional
blessing, dependent upon the obedience or spirituality of the believer. It is a
work of grace promised to all God's elect.
Every regenerate person has been baptized
in the Holy Spirit, not when he was born again, or when he was baptized in
water. Our baptism in the Spirit took place at Pentecost. In Acts 2 the Lord
Jesus baptized his church into the Spirit. When people are born again and
brought into the body of Christ they enter into the realm of the Holy Spirit.
We should no more pray for another
Pentecost than for another
Don Fortner