by Timothy W. Burnett
Although the word "receive" is not used in the above verse, Peter did use it later after he explained to the others in the temple what they had just seen and heard (Acts 2:14-41). Peter used the word "receive" in response to the people's question, "...what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37).
Let's read Peter's reply, "Then Peter said unto them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the holy ghost.'" Here, the word "receive" is lambano in the earlier known Greek texts, and meant to sieze unto or lay hold of something.
Peter's explanation did not contradict what happened in Acts 2:4. Instead it perfectly described what happened. A comparative study of Acts 2:4 and 2:38 will show that both verses describe in different ways, two different conditions being met. The first is to be filled with holy spirit. This parallels with being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.
This condition cannot be met unless people repent. To repent means to change our mind about something. Romans 10:9-10 reveals that we must believe with our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead in order to obtain righteousness.
The word righteous is the descriptor for the state of being up to par with God. This state of being can only exist when somebody is filled with holy spirit. In this context, repentance is to change from believing something else to believing with the heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. God made it so very simple to become truly righteous.
The second condition was met when they began to speak in tongues. This record parallels the second part of Acts 2:38, "receive the gift of the holy ghost." Please not that the words "you shall" before the word receive, are not found in the earlier Greek texts. With this in mind, the verse reads, "be baptized...in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and receive the gift of the holy ghost." Peter gave them a command to receive the holy ghost just as Jesus gave the command to him (John 20:22).
When they began to speak in tongues, they immediately seized unto the gift of the holy ghost. First they were filled with holy spirit, then they seized unto it.
What was accomplished by these two conditions? They became God's children by true spiritual seed. They were born-again not with corruptible seed, but with incorruptible seed by the word of God which lives and abides forever (1Peter 1:23). This is the ever living and abiding word from God that sprang out of them as rivers of living waters when they began to speak in tongues. The words given while speaking in tongues, were directly from the spirit of God. As they opened their mouths and began to speak, the words from God immediately energized the new birth in each of them individually through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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