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“But Peter and John answered them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard’” (Acts 4:19-20).
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on those gathered all together in one place and then promised to all believers who would repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. Emboldened by God’s presence dwelling within them, they chose to go forth as Jesus had commanded and make disciples of all nations. The Holy Spirit did not take them over and make them do anything. That’s not how God works. It’s not recorded that any of them snapped out of a hypnotic-like state to discover that they had been preaching the gospel. Just days before Pentecost when the resurrected Christ ascended into heaven, His bewildered followers must have been terrified to receive the orders to evangelize and edify, but what a change after the Spirit-filled church was established! Since God’s Spirit that emboldened them is given to us, why do we act as if we do not have it? Since we have received the gift of the Holy Spirit, do you evangelize and edify?
Doug Kashorek
Plattsburgh church of Christ
Plattsburgh, NY