2nd century Church father Tertullian said, “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” We can see this happen after the martyr of Stephen. Chapter 8 happens about 3-4 years after Jesus resurrection. All the work of evangelism is localized in Jerusalem. But God’s plan is to spread from Jerusalem and to all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8). And we tend to satisfy seeing the immediate result. So, God uses persecution to move the Christians away from their comfort zone.
There is a unique phenomenon in Acts. People become Christians but they won’t receive the Holy Spirit until Apostles lay hand on them. The Charismatics tend to generalize this phenomenon to be experience of every believer. However, if you study Acts carefully, you will realize this phenomenon only happens in chapter 2, 8, 10 and 19. All of them are significant events in the Church history. Chapter is the Pentecost – the beginning of the Church; Chapter 8 is the beginning of evangelism to the Samarians; Chapter 10 is the beginning of evangelism to the Gentiles; Chapter 19 is the conversion of the disciples of John the Baptist (we will discuss it more in Ch. 19). So, God uses this unique phenomenon is to authenticate their salvation is real. And there is no need to repeat this external manifestation of receiving of the Holy Spirit in other similar events.
Mike
There is a unique phenomenon in Acts. People become Christians but they won’t receive the Holy Spirit until Apostles lay hand on them. The Charismatics tend to generalize this phenomenon to be experience of every believer. However, if you study Acts carefully, you will realize this phenomenon only happens in chapter 2, 8, 10 and 19. All of them are significant events in the Church history. Chapter is the Pentecost – the beginning of the Church; Chapter 8 is the beginning of evangelism to the Samarians; Chapter 10 is the beginning of evangelism to the Gentiles; Chapter 19 is the conversion of the disciples of John the Baptist (we will discuss it more in Ch. 19). So, God uses this unique phenomenon is to authenticate their salvation is real. And there is no need to repeat this external manifestation of receiving of the Holy Spirit in other similar events.
Mike
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