Did You Receive the Holy Spirit When You Believed? (Acts 19:2): Christian Foundations Revisited

By Bob McArthur

Do you know how to lead someone to Christ? This book will make you think again. Do you know the gospel message? Do you know the purpose for church leaders? Are you fully birthed into the family of God? Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Think again. That is what this book will challenge you to do. The Rev. Paul Hoyt, a retired Church of the Nazarene pastor, said of the book, My mind is being challenged and stretched.

The question is simply, What does the Bible say about how New Testament believers became Christians? What were their experiences, and what does the Bible say they believed and understood about those experiences? This book will challenge you to rethink commonly held positions and universally understood practices and beliefs.

Dont be alarmed. This book is completely Jesus-focused. The age-old biblical truths about Christ are not being challenged. Jesus is God, the second person of the triune Godhead, born of a virgin, crucified and resurrected bodily and spiritually to new life. His blood cleanses mankind of all sin, no one comes to God except through Him, and the Bible is the Word of God.

But the evangelistic message and experiences of the Bible of those early believers about this saving Jesus should correspond to the thought and practice of present-day evangelism. The disparity, however, might surprise you. This book will help the Church get back to a New Testament evangelism that has somehow been lost along the way.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jun 8, 2011
• ISBN: 9781449715083

Bob McArthur

Born in California, Bob McArthur graduated from the University of California at Davis before attending Princeton Theological Seminary, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree in 1969. Upon graduation, he married Susie, and they have five sons and a daughter who have given them eleven grandchildren, all living near their home in Mt. Holly, New Jersey.

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Copyright © 2011 Robert L. McArthur

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Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

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ISBN: 978-1-4497-1508-3 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-1509-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-1510-6 (hc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011926489

Printed in the United States of America

WestBow Press rev. date: 6/2/2011

Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? (Acts 19:2)

Christian Foundations Revisited

Bob McArthur

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To

Susie

My beautiful wife of forty-one years who sacrificed her life for mine.

Contents

Section I. Christian Conversions in the Book of Acts

Chapter 1. The Big Question/Setting the Stage

Chapter 2. Pentecost/Holy Spirit

Acts 2:1–4

Chapter 3. Pentecost/Evangelism

Acts 2:14–42

Chapter 4. Samaria

Acts 8:4–24

Chapter 5. Ethiopian Eunuch

Acts 8:26–40

Chapter 6. Saul/Paul

Acts 9:1–19

Chapter 7. Cornelius

Acts 10:1–11:18

Chapter 8. Paul’s Journeys

Abbreviated Conversions

Chapter 9. Lydia

Acts 16:11–21

Chapter 10. The Philippian Jailor

Acts 16:16–40

Chapter 11. Corinthians

Acts 18:8

Chapter 12. Ephesian Disciples

Acts 19:1–7

Chapter 13. Summary of New Testament Conversions

Chapter 14. Conversion Comparison: Contemporary v. Biblical

Section II. Immersion and the Holy Spirit

Chapter 15. The Great Commission

Matthew 28:16–20

Chapter 16. Death to Sin and Newness of Life

Romans 6:1–7

Chapter 17. Spiritual Circumcision

Colossians 2:8–15

Chapter 18. Further Considerations

I. Divine Nature

II Peter 1:1–4

II. Clothed with Christ

Galatians 3:23–29

III. Baptized (Immersed) into the Body of Christ

I Corinthians 12:12–13

IV. Moses

Exodus 4:24–26

Chapter 19. Salvation through Immersion

I. I Peter 3:18–22

II. Mark 16:15–16

III. John 3:1–21

Chapter 20. Even So, Consider

Romans 6:11

Chapter 21. Baptism (Immersion) for the Dead

I Corinthians 15:29

Chapter 22. I Prove Myself to be a Transgressor

Galatians 2:17–18

Chapter 23. Faith and the Holy Spirit

Galatians 3:1–5

Chapter 24. Ask for the Holy Spirit

Luke 11:11–13

Chapter 25. The Holy Spirit with You and Will Be in You

John 14:16–17

Chapter 26. Jesus Receives the Holy Spirit

Matthew 3:13–17

Section III. Paradoxes Examined

Chapter 27. Paul Not Sent to Baptize

I Corinthians 1:17

Chapter 28. All Do Not Speak with Tongues, Do They?

I Corinthians 12:30

Chapter 29. Did the Disciples Receive the Holy Spirit Before Pentecost?

John 20:22

Chapter 30. Can You Belong to Christ and Not Have the Spirit of Christ?

Romans 8:9

Chapter 31. Is Baptism Works Righteousness?

Ephesians 2:8–9

Chapter 32. Six Elementary Teachings

Hebrews 6:1–2

Chapter 33. In Summary

Psalm 11:3

Section I

Christian Conversions in the Book of Acts

CHAPTER 1

The Big Question/Setting the Stage

For three years Jesus walked the land of Palestine proclaiming that the kingdom of God had come. He declared Himself to be the Messiah, healed the blind and the leper, raised a widow’s son from his coffin, and Lazarus from the tomb. He forgave sin as easily as He healed the sick. He declared Himself to be a king not of this world, but of another realm. He amazed the multitudes. He spoke with authority, as though He needed no one else to authenticate His words. Sinners loved Him; religious leaders despised Him. He fooled the brightest with their own words, and associated with the outcasts. He gathered some disciples, chose twelve in particular and three more closely. He said He was the way, the truth, and the life, and the only way to God was through Him. He came that men might have life and yet He came to die, which made no sense to His followers, who were thrown into despair and fear when He did die. His purpose, of course, was beyond what they could understand. He wanted to pass Himself on to many, and the only way to do that was to leave this world—a prospect that made no earthly sense at all to His disciples. Resurrection brought new hope and new understanding, and yet His followers still didn’t get it, even after Jesus spent forty days in resurrected life instructing them. They wanted to know: Was the kingdom of God to be restored when they received the promise of the Holy Spirit? They were still looking for a political victory. The kingdom not of this world was neither fully grasped nor understood.

Indeed, the promise of the Holy Spirit was much needed as One who could bring clarity and understanding to the events that had just occurred—to Jesus’ death and resurrection, and really to His entire life and ministry. So,

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance (Acts 2:1–4).

Jesus’ followers were now equipped to bring proclamation and power to a dying, unregenerate world. Their eyes were now opened in a new way to that kingdom of another realm. The promise of the Father had been fulfilled, and the church was birthed in spectacular fashion, leaving observers bewildered in amazement.

But how do we view this momentous event? Is it closely personal, or just another note in history of the church’s beginnings, having no real impact on our lives other than a nice inspirational story about how the Holy Spirit first came to the church and how those first Christians spoke in languages that they had not learned? Is it simply something very distant we read about that is irrelevant today? Certainly we would say the Holy Spirit is relevant for our lives today, but what about everything else that happened on that Pentecost day? Do we think it all strange? Does it relate to our own personal experience?

To those who are familiar with the Scriptures, these verses depicting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit should be well known, but do we understand them? Certainly the first observers were very confused, going so far as to think that those involved were intoxicated with drink, and early in the morning at that. These Christians acted in an uncommon, out of control, uniquely different way. Perhaps we should ask if we would be willing to behave in a similar fashion today. Would we risk our reputations with such wild behavior? Would we be willing to be used by God in such an untested, unfamiliar, and bizarre manner? Would we even be open to test the limits of the unfamiliar and let God control our actions and thoughts, even though this might throw us out of our comfort zones and our safely controlled, preconceived notions of what is acceptable and proper? Would we be willing to put aside our own limitations on God and let Him have His way, or would we make sure He fits our profile of what He can and cannot do—then and now?

If those early Christians were not drunk, they looked like it. If you are a Christian, did this happen to you when you received the Holy Spirit? Did you look as though you had just stumbled out of the local bar? If not, why not? Or should we expect it to happen that way? Or even more, why shouldn’t we expect it to happen that way? Or is the question itself even strange, as though something demonstrable is to happen when you receive the Holy Spirit, assuming there is a time certain date when you receive the Holy Spirit which is uniquely recognizable? Or if you are a Christian, has anyone ever asked you, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Wow! What kind of question is that? That would seem to assume that a Christian might not have the Holy Spirit. Not have the Holy Spirit? That might really be out of your comfort zone.

In fact, you might even think it to be a pretty stupid question and respond with, Of course I received the Holy Spirit when I became a Christian. Doesn’t everyone? Now, that might appear to be a perfectly reasonable response, except for the fact that the great apostle Paul asked that very question to some early disciples (Acts 19:2).

There are times when it is important to take a step back, take a deep breath, and look at what is before us in a fresh way, unencumbered by the familiar, with our eyes open as though we were looking at something for the first time. That is what I wish us to do together by examining afresh the written Word of God as it applies to these first century Christians and their beginning conversion experiences. We will do this by first going step by step through the book of Acts, observing and studying the instances where individuals first became Christians in the early church. Then we will examine those events in the light of didactic portions of Scripture. Along the way, I trust that the purpose for the title question of this book will be satisfactorily answered, and that we will have Biblical answers to how the earliest disciples in the church era became Christians and what they believed about those experiences.

CHAPTER 2

Pentecost/Holy Spirit

Acts 2:1–4

Although the recipients of the Pentecost outpouring were already believers, we will first give attention to this event of the church’s birth, since the imparting of the Holy Spirit is critical for the new believer and an integral part of the Christian’s new birth.

Just prior to this Pentecost event there was a gathering of about 120 persons when a replacement was chosen for Judas Iscariot’s apostleship. Subsequently, on the feast day of Pentecost, another gathering took place where they were all together in one place. The number of people present at this time is not given except for the general phrase all together; so based on the number at the earlier gathering, we can assume that there were approximately 120 persons, perhaps more, when the Holy Spirit first came to the early church. So what exactly happened? Breaking down verses 2–4 by numbering consecutive aspects of this event, the following occurred:

1) something sudden

2) a violent, rushing wind noise

3) the whole house was filled with the noise

4) they were sitting at the time

5) tongues as of fire appeared

6) these tongues were distributed

7) these tongues rested on each one

8) all were filled with the Holy Spirit

9) they began to speak with other tongues

10) it was the Spirit who was giving them utterance

11) and in the next verses we learn that the tongues spoken at this initial outpouring were contemporary languages, as evidenced by those actually hearing their ‘…own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God’ (Acts 2:11).

As we go through the Book of Acts and compare this event with the others to follow, it is important that we observe what is common to each experience when the Holy Spirit is received, and, for that matter, what is common surrounding each event when new converts became Christians. This will help us understand what should and should not be perceived as normal. Should the sound of a violent wind, for example, always accompany the receiving of the Holy Spirit? If we would find this in every case, we might very well assume that it should. If the wind is found only on one occasion, however, we can assume, even though it could be of particular importance to that one event, that it is not necessary in order to receive the Holy Spirit. The 120 were sitting when the Spirit came. Does that mean that in order to receive the Holy Spirit a sitting position is necessary? There was a visible picture of tongues expressed as fire. Can it be said that without a similar picture the experience of receiving the Holy Spirit is invalid? Well, if on each occasion in Scripture these specific occurrences happened, we might well reasonably assume that they are necessary to receive the Holy Spirit. If they are found only once or not on all occasions, however, we can reasonably assume that they are not necessary to receive the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, if we find common experiences throughout the Scriptures accompanying certain fundamental events in those early Christians’ lives, we would be remiss in not assuming that these experiences ought to be expected.

In this fashion, as we approach the scriptures in the book of Acts, we can determine that what might be special and important on one occasion might not be for another, but what is the same in each occasion might be essential to all.

It is also important to take into account the principle of first happenings. When God first does something, it behooves us to look carefully at what He does and how He does it. In all things it is important to start out correctly. If railroad tracks are laid just slightly unparallel, it might be unrecognizable at first, but a mile later the separation of the tracks could be enormous or they could quickly run together. If a foundation stone is laid incorrectly, it can cause disastrous results. Not only could the resulting structure look crooked or tilted, but the whole building could come crashing down. So, too, when God does something for the first time, it would be important to take special notice of what and how it was done. He just might want it repeated the same way He first did it.

So, as we look throughout Acts at our first brothers and sisters who come to the faith, we can appreciate those experiences that are especially unique and have their own special meaning, and those experiences that are profoundly common and thus stand out as most important and expected.

Having detailed the events of the Pentecostal outpouring, we can move forward and compare future experiences with this initial event.

CHAPTER 3

Pentecost/Evangelism

Acts 2:14–42

The first conversions of the newly-birthed church take place immediately upon the occasion of this Pentecostal outpouring. With the empowering of the Holy Spirit, the fresh wind of heaven, and the promise from the Father having come, Peter is now ready to deliver the first evangelistic message proclaiming the resurrection of the Messiah.

He takes his stand with the eleven—not with the ten excluding Judas, but with the eleven including Matthias—and delivers his message. This he does, it is important to observe, after having received the Holy Spirit. So with the Holy Spirit now in his life, Peter does not exclude Matthias, but embraces him as a legitimate apostolic replacement, which confirms Matthias as a legitimate member of the twelve. You remember that after casting lots, Matthias was chosen over Joseph to take the place of Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. Some might suggest that such a questionable practice of casting lots is beneath the serious importance of selecting an apostle and that Peter was misguided. God, they would say, really meant to replace Judas with Paul, who became perhaps the greatest of the New Testament apostles. We must remember, however, that it could be argued that the pre-Holy Spirit disciples were still functioning under the old covenant, at least in part. So casting lots was well within that which would be considered acceptable for deciding matters of importance. What is significant is that the Scriptures make clear that Peter stood with the eleven, he himself making twelve, after he and all the eleven had received the Holy Spirit. Under the anointing of God and now in full new covenant mode, the twelve, including Matthias, are immediately seen as a unit, with the blessing of the Holy Spirit validating in the new covenant what was done in the old. Matthias, not Paul, was the legitimate replacement and last of the twelve apostles.

Now, concerning apostles; please let me digress for a moment. It is important to understand that there are two different time periods, or dispensations, of apostolic choosing. There are those apostles that were appointed by Jesus while in His earthly ministry, and those appointed by Him after His ascension. We are well aware of the twelve disciples that were chosen as apostles and accompanied Jesus during His public ministry in Palestine. However, there are also upward of ten or more apostles mentioned in Scripture other than the original twelve. These were ascension apostles; that is, apostles appointed by Jesus after His resurrection and ascension. The Scripture tells us:

"But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says,

‘When He ascended on high,

He led captive a host of captives,

and He gave gifts to men.’

…

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" (Eph. 4:7–8, 11–12).

When Jesus ascended, He gave gifts to men. Paul lists four or five groups of these men here: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, He gave these gifts to the church. That is, He gifted certain individuals with special grace to carry on His kingdom work on earth. Actually, these individuals are simply singled out to equip the church; that is, each Christian, to fully carry out the work of Christ that God has called each to do on the earth. That is why we have pastors today, because Jesus, in His ascension, gave them to the church to equip the church for its work of service to the end that the body of Christ might be built up. Today, however, we are most familiar with pastors, teachers, and evangelists, not apostles and prophets. Yet, these last two gifts are the first mentioned in Paul’s list of gifts for the church’s ongoing benefit, that is, gifts given after Jesus left the earth in bodily ascension. According to the Bible, apostles and prophets are legitimate gifts for the church today right alongside pastors, teachers, and evangelists since they are all listed as post-ascension giftings. God’s clear intention, then, was for the apostolic (and prophetic) ministry to continue on after Jesus left His earthly ministry, not just by those twelve He appointed while on earth, but by increasing the pool of apostles by ascension appointments.

Obviously, Jesus’ time on earth was limited. While He was here, He did various things throughout His life and ministry including appoint apostles. Subsequent to His ascension He is still active in many and various ways and continues to give gifts to the church including apostles. There will be a time when He comes again, which will bring another dimension to His relationship with us. We do not know whether He will continue appointing apostles then or not, but for now in His ascension, He does just as He did while on earth.

The most notable of the ascension apostles in the New Testament would be, of course, the apostle Paul, but there were others such as Barnabas, Paul’s companion, Apollos, who is described as eloquent, and James, the Lord’s brother, who seems to have ministered primarily in the church in Jerusalem. All of these were apostles in the New Testament church, but they were not appointed during Jesus’ earthly ministry. They were appointed afterward in His ascension. We are in desperate need of more of the apostolic and prophetic ministries today. Remember that the church (that means every local expression of the body of Christ) must be built on the foundation of apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ, of course, Himself being the cornerstone (Eph. 2:20). Your pastor might be a wonderful man and a tremendous teacher, but that does not make him an apostle or a prophet, and these two ministries are vital for the health of the church and for its foundational strength.

It is important to note, as well, that ascension apostles are no less worthy of the calling and appointment than were the original twelve, nor should they be regarded as inferior to the twelve. Paul makes this clear when he says,

For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles. But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things (II Cor. 11:5–6).

Since James, Cephas (Peter), and John were reputed to be pillars (Gal. 2:9), Paul would have included them as eminent apostles. Paul, therefore, saw himself as neither inferior to the Lord’s brother, an ascension apostle, nor to the standouts of the original twelve. This leaves little doubt that apostles appointed by Jesus during His resurrection and ascension have the same authority and standing as any of the original twelve.

As a matter of fact, Paul (an ascension apostle) rebuked Peter (one of the original twelve), and addressed a very pointed homily directly to Peter’s hypocrisy (Gal. 2:11–21).

In any case, whether Jesus appointed an apostle in His earthly ministry or whether He appoints apostles in His ascension, it is the same Jesus, Lord and God over all, who is doing the appointing. Therefore, no distinction should be made as to any difference in authority between the two. An apostle is an apostle. We make the distinction between apostolic dispensations only for clarity to show God’s intention to give all ministry gifts, including apostles, to the church on an ongoing basis. (Perhaps until all Christians attain the unity of the faith, but that is for another discussion.)

Paul also helps us understand