The Promise is Yours
For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:39)
The Promise is Yours
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The result of this sin is death---both physical and spiritual (Romans 6:23). The bible plainly teaches that the person who has sin in his life cannot enter heaven (Hebrews 12:14; Revelation 21:27).
The word of God tells us that without a sacrifice for our sins, we have no hope of salvation (Hebrews 9:19-28). God, in looking down upon earth, found that no one was good enough to die for the sins of the world so that we might have eternal life. So God came to earth Himself—in the human person of Jesus—to die as a man for the sins of the world. The Scriptures refer to Jesus as “Emmanuel” or “God with us” (Matthew 1:21-23). (See also Isaiah 9:6; 1 Timothy 3:16.)
As a human Jesus was tempted just as we are, yet He remained free from sin (Hebrews 4:15). He came that we might have eternal life, preaching and commanding people to repent. He declared that unless a person was born of the water (water baptism) and of the Spirit (baptism of the Holy Ghost), he could not enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5).
As a ransom for all, Jesus died on the cross. Since He remained without sin, He was a worthy sacrifice for the sins of the world. Because of the shedding of Jesus` blood, there is remission of sin for everyone who follows His plan of salvation.
After His death on the cross, Jesus was laid in a tomb. On the third day, He arose just as it has been prophesied (Luke 24:46). After His resurrection, Jesus spent 40 days with his disciples, instructing them in the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Shortly before ascending to heaven, Jesus assured his followers that He would soon send them the promise of the father, which was the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5).
On the day of Pentecost, the baptism of the Holy Spirit was given to approximately 120 disciples who were waiting in an upper room in Jerusalem. Tongues like fire appeared and rested upon each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues (languages they have never learned) as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:1-4).
The sound coming from the upper room drew quite a crowd of curious onlookers who began to ask each other, “What does this mean?” The apostle Peter preached to the crowd, and the other apostles stood with him. He proclaimed the New Testament plan of salvation: “repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” He went on to tell the people: “for the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:38-39).
About 3000 believers obeyed the message that Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, and it is still in effect today. There is still saving power in the message of repentance, water baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
And repentance we turn from our sins, with faith that Jesus paid the price on Calvary for all sins. In so doing, we crucify the old self with Christ (Romans 6:6). When we are baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, we are buried with Christ (Romans 6:3). Then, when the Spirit of God fills us, we begin to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. Every account of New Testament salvation follows the same pattern. (See Acts 2:4; 8:14-22; 10:44-48; 19:1-6.)
The bible tells us that if the Spirit raised Jesus from the dead is dwelling in us, we have the promise of eternal life with Him (Romans 8:9-11). “The dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught us together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
Yes, the Promise is Yours!