Acts 1:3-5

[complete]

'To whom also He shewed Himself alive
.. after His passion by many infallible proofs,
.... being seen of them forty days,
...... and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
And, being assembled together with them,
.. commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem,
.... but wait for the promise of the Father,
...... which, saith He, ye have heard of Me.
For John truly baptized with water;
.. but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost (pnuema hagion)
.... not many days hence.'
(Act 1:3-5)

Hi there,

This was the promise made by the Father, in Isaiah 44:3 & Joel 2:28:-

'Thus saith the LORD that made thee,
and formed thee from the womb,
which will help thee;
Fear not, O Jacob, my servant;
and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty,
and floods upon the dry ground:
I will pour my spirit upon thy seed,
and my blessing upon thine offspring: ... '
-------------
'And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh;
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
your young men shall see visions':
--------------

* This is fulfilled in Acts 2:4. The promise was made in regard to the 'Kingdom' and not the church. The promise having been made to the sons of Jacob. The Joel reference referring to the restoration of Israel; and the promise related to that day when 'Jehovah will be jealous for His Land, and pity His People' (Joel 2:18). Jehovah's presence in the midst of Israel will be evidenced by spiritual blessings with which God will bless His People Israel (Joel 2:28-3:2).

* In Acts 1 and 2, there is a re-proclamation of the Kingdom. The keys of the kingdom are given to Peter, not the keys of the church. National repentance was the condition (Acts 3:19-21) for receiving both this restoration and these blessings.

* Instead of repenting, Israel imprisoned those who proclaimed this message. So, the kingdom and all its blessings, with the fulfilment of Joel 2, are now all in abeyance; while the Church, the Body of Christ, is being called out.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[Enoch111]

The keys of the kingdom are given to Peter, not the keys of the church...

This is a FALSE NARRATIVE. The Church was established on the day of Pentecost through one of the keys given to Peter -- the Gospel to the Jews. Shortly thereafter, the other key was used by Peter to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. So both Jews and Gentiles were within the Church shortly after Pentecost.

And the Church (not Christendom but the Body of Christ) is the INVISIBLE Kingdom of God until the Second Coming of Christ. As Jesus said "the Kingdom of God is within you". Jesus said that except a man be born again he can neither see nor enter into the Kingdom of God. So all those who are regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit are indeed within the Kingdom of God (as well as the Church).

 

[101G]

And the Church (not Christendom but the Body of Christ) is the INVISIBLE Kingdom of God until the Second Coming of Christ

are you kidding yourself? the CHURCH is the LIGHT in the world now, because JESUS is in us, Matthew 5:14 "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."
Matthew 5:15 "Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house."
Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

John 9:5 "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." well right now he Jesus is not in the world, but IN "us", the Church which is well seen.


PICJAG.

 

[complete]

are you kidding yourself? the CHURCH is the LIGHT in the world now, because JESUS is in us, Matthew 5:14 "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."
Matthew 5:15 "Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house."
Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

John 9:5 "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." well right now he Jesus is not in the world, but IN "us", the Church which is well seen.
PICJAG.

@Enoch111
@101G

Hello there,

Thank you for responding to my OP.

With respect to you both, I believe that the burden of proof lies with you. For I have provided chapter and verse to show what the, 'The Promise of the Father,' was, and to which People it was made.

The pouring out of the spiritual gifts at Pentecost was what Peter himself identified it as in Acts 2:6+, which confirms what I have said:-

'But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,
I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh:
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams: ... '

* This had the potential to be fully realised at that time, had Israel come to repentance in response to God's call by Peter in Acts 3:19-21: but now it's fulfilment awaits a future day.

Thank you both
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[101G]

@charity
first thanks for your reply. second, I read your OP. but i was responding to Enoch111 misguided claim.
but addressing your OP, it's clear as day as to whom these Spiritual gifts are given. and it is the church also included, here's why we say this, notice the very scripture you use. Isaiah 44:3 "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:"
seed, and not "seed(s)", as in many, NO, but on ONE, the Christ, and his body, (the Church), who he heads up. and Joel said the same thing, Joel 2:28 "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:" (here you have men and women preaching and teaching)
Joel 2:29 "And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit."

see those words "servants" and "handmaids?" that just qualified who is the giver, and the receiver of the Holy Spirit. THAT SEED is CHRIST, and if you're in him then you're "in service " and is a "handmaid" of the Lord who is head of his "CHURCH". oh yes, it's the Church that is empowered with his Spirit.

and a sidenote: the Church is the TEMPLE in the Kingdom ..... ;) the center stage of all the Kingdom.

PICJAG