22 16. Jehovah's Demonstration
16. Jehovah’s Demonstration
INTRODUCTION
We have covered the law of pardon to alien sinners. We have followed this with a study of conversion, the human heart, and Abrahamic faith. We pause now to resume the study of "The Miracle of the Ages; or, Jehovah’s Greatest Wonder," in Chapter III. The anticipation of the Bible was introduced in that chapter as proof of the superhuman origin of the Bible. This proposition is now submitted as further proof—viz.: when Jehovah undertakes to teach or prove a certain thing, if we will take all of his proof, collate it, place it together before our eyes, no man has brains enough to suggest one thing that would strengthen the proof. If all the brains on earth were compacted into one gigantic brain, even this brain could not suggest how the proof could be strengthened. And here we speak of what God knew we would need to know, and has undertaken to give us all needed light on the subject. We are not speaking of unrevealed subjects or parts of subjects, but only of those things he has revealed or undertaken to tell us on subjects or parts of subjects. This statement cannot be made of any human production. All human productions can be strengthened either by the author himself or some other man; but not so with Jehovah’s efforts.
Let us now take a proposition God has affirmed and examine his proof, as an example.
"FOR THERE IS NO DISTINCTION [DIFFERENCE] BETWEEN JEW AND GREEK."
(Romans 10:12.)
Here is a proposition our Lord affirms, and one that it was necessary for him to prove to both Jew and Gentile. It is well to observe why he had to prove it. There was a difference made between them under the old covenant. The Jews took the lead under it, and other nations could become the beneficiaries only by being circumcised and proselyted to it. This all grew out of God’s covenant with Abraham. (See Genesis 17:1-22; John 7:22-23.)
Under the first commission, during our Lord’s personal ministry, there was a difference made. Turn to Matthew 10:5-6. John the Baptist’s work, that of the twelve, and the seventy was all restricted to the Jews. The fact of the difference made under the old covenant and our Lord’s personal ministry accounts for the difficulty that our Lord had in getting even the apostles themselves to know they must make no difference under the new covenant. And here we, incidentally, see how hard it is to get even the best of men to take the truth if it is not in keeping with what they have formerly believed. We should be exceedingly patient with others. The great commission, as recorded by Matthew, Mark, and Luke, says teach "all nations," "every creature," and to baptize those who believe the preaching. Yet these apostles themselves did not see it.
Peter had the keys of the kingdom (Matthew 16:18-19), and opened the door to the Jews on the day of Pentecost. Study carefully Acts 2:22-36, and you will see that Peter addressed only Jews in that speech on Pentecost. Of course, he was speaking as the Spirit moved him, and in verse 39 you will find the Spirit saying more than he himself understood and believed. The expression, "For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off," comprehends both Jews and Gentiles. The expression, "to those who are afar off," can mean only the Gentile world. But Peter did not understand it to mean this. His former faith and practice blinded him. The law of pardon to those Jews included water baptism. (Acts 2:37-38.) And it was continually given to Jews whenever they asked for it thereafter, with no one objecting. But God had to prove that the Gentiles had as much right to water baptism as did the Jews.
THE PROOF EXAMINED The case of Cornelius. Christ sent an angel from heaven to earth to Cornelius, the Gentile, who was honest; and this angel instructed him to send for Peter, who was a Jew and also an apostle, and he would tell him what he ought to do, or words whereby he and his house could be saved. (Read Acts 10:5-6; Acts 10:22; Acts 11:13-14.) This Gentile would never have gone to a Jew for such information unless he had such assurance given him that he was safe in so doing, for the Jews had no dealings with Gentiles. (See Acts 10:28.) A vision was sent to Peter on the housetop to make him know that he must call no man "common" or "unclean”,—that is, not a subject of salvation. (See Acts 10:9-28; Acts 10:34-35.) In the home of Cornelius, with six Jewish brethren to witness the scene, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon these Gentiles as upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost, at "the beginning," when the door was first opened to the Jews. (Acts 11:1-18.) For what was all this done? The answer is found in Acts 10:46-47 : "Can any man forbid the water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we? " It was all done to prove their right to water baptism. All the Jewish converts, and even the apostles themselves, had until now denied water baptism to Gentiles. They had never objected to Gentiles believing Christ is God’s Son, nor had they objected to Gentiles repenting of their sins; but since water baptism put them into the church, here a stand was taken against the Gentiles. God is here showing them that there must be no distinction made between Jews and Gentiles—that Gentiles have as much right to water baptism as do the Jews. So they were commanded to be baptized into the name of Christ. (Verse 48.)
Now, name one thing more God could do to make this stronger. Can the proof that Gentiles have as much right to water baptism as do the Jews be strengthened? If so, suggest how it could be done. Could the proof that there must now be no difference made between Jews and Gentiles be made stronger? We are perfectly willing to see you try your hand at this. An angel is sent from heaven to earth, a vision is had by Peter, then the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon these Gentiles, and all to show we must make no distinction; that since water baptism was given the Jews on Pentecost and thereafter, we must also let it be granted unto the Gentiles, which brings them into the one church Jesus established. And may we ask in closing this point: If baptism is nonessential, why all of this to show the Gentiles’ right to it?
SOME HURTFUL ERRORS
Some have contended that since the Gentiles in this case were baptized in the Holy Spirit before they received water baptism, then all others should be taught to expect the baptism of the Holy Spirit before receiving water baptism. This is not true. This Holy Spirit baptism came as proof that we dare not deny to the Gentiles water baptism. When this is once proven, it settles the question. Let us argue this out to its ultimate conclusion. Would it be right to argue that no man has a right to send for a preacher until he sees an angel? I hardly think you would take this position. But Cornelius did not until he had seen an angel. Would it be right for a preacher to refuse to go when sent for until he had seen a sheet let down from heaven, as did Peter? You would hardly so contend. Well, Peter did not go until he had seen this vision. The angel was sent to make Cornelius send for a Jew for the needed information. The vision was sent to Peter to make him go to a Gentile and give the needed information. Then the Holy Spirit fell upon them in the presence of six Jewish brethren to forever end the controversy over Gentiles’ right to water baptism. This, once proven, is settled, and we must abide by it. God is not going to do these miracles over again, but expects us to take his proof as final. As proof that the foregoing argument is correct, how did the other apostles and Jewish brethren come to know that Gentiles must not be denied water baptism? Study again Acts 11:1-18. Did not the other apostles and Jewish brethren "contend" with Peter about his going to Gentiles when he went up to Jerusalem? Certainly they did. How did Peter silence them? By relating the whole account of the first Gentile converts, and doing this with six Jewish brethren there as witnesses. After they heard the whole story, does it not say, "And when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then to the. Gentiles also hath God granted repentance unto life"? (See verse 18.) These other apostles and Jewish brethren saw not one of those miracles; they learned the Gentiles’ right to water baptism just as you and I learned it—viz., by this report Peter made, which contains God’s proof that we dare not deny to the Gentiles water baptism. Proving their right to water baptism established their right to "repentance unto life"—the same repentance given to the Jews on Pentecost in these words: "Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins." No conversion can be recognized as complete until we are baptized in the name of Christ, no heart can be considered wholly changed until we obey from the heart that form of doctrine (Romans 6:17-18), no faith can be considered as Abrahamic until it submits to baptism.