|
by
Doug Ward |
The second chapter of the book of Acts reports a series of miracles that
occurred seven weeks after the resurrection of Jesus. At the Jerusalem Temple
on the festival of Pentecost, worshipers heard "a sound like a rushing
mighty wind" (verse 2). Then "divided tongues as of fire" rested
on each of the followers of Jesus in the crowd, and those people began to praise
God in several languages.
Peter,
the leader of this group, explained that what they were witnessing was the
Spirit of God, sent by Jesus to his disciples after his ascension to heaven.
Peter invited them to join him as a Christ-follower and experience the power of
the Holy Spirit for themselves. About three thousand accepted the offer (verse
41).
From
Jerusalem the Christian movement spread to Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, then
throughout the Greco-Roman world. Sometimes the addition of new believers was
accompanied by visible signs like inspired speech (Acts 10:46; 19:6). But
whether or not visible miracles were present, believers experienced lasting
transformation through the Spirit of God. The same is true today.
It's
not that the Spirit instantly makes people flawless, or even better than those
around them. What the Spirit does do is place us on a trajectory of increasing
receptiveness, submission, and obedience to God, a trajectory that changes our
lives, and the lives of those around us, for the better. Paul of Tarsus, an
early Christian leader, stated that this trajectory leads toward fulfillment of
the great commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself"
(Galatians 5:14; Leviticus 19:18).
Paul
describes two basic orientations toward life. One orientation, a life apart
from God, he calls life "according to the flesh" (Romans 8:4). This
is a life directed toward gratification of the self and its desires. Paul lists
"drunkenness" and "orgies" as characteristic of this
approach, examples of what he calls "works of the flesh" (Galatians
5:21).
Life
according to the flesh leads to conflict with those who stand in the way of our
desires. Other works of the flesh in Paul's list include "enmity, strife,
jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy." And
since this way of life is not fulfilling, it can lead to spiritual searching in
unproductive directions. "Idolatry" and "sorcery" are also
on Paul's list.
Paul
contrasts a life according to the flesh with one directed by the Spirit of God.
This is a life modeled after that of Jesus, one oriented toward service to
others. The results of this approach, what he calls "fruit of the
Spirit," are "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (verses 22-23).
This
second way of life, life according to the Spirit, ultimately is the more
rewarding approach. It is available to all those who accept the invitation that
Peter made on that Day of Pentecost 2000 years ago: "Repent and be
baptized ... in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and
you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).
File
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On 20 Apr 2026, 13:52.
