By Timothy W. Burnett
Acts 1:8, "But you shall receive [lambano] power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you..." When the word "power" is used in the context of God's power, it always refers to holy spirit. What does it mean in this verse to "receive power"? It doesn't say. But as noted above from Acts 2:33, we understand it to refer to when they start to speak in tongues. But laying that aside let's continue to search the scriptures for more uses.
Acts 8:14-18, "Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John...that they might receive [lambano] the Holy Ghost...Then laid they their hands on them, and they received [lambano] the Holy Ghost." In verse 14, the words "had received" are translated from the Greek word "dechomai", which meant to mentally receive information favorably. This scripture does not specifically reveal what condition they met to receive holy spirit. But verse 18 provides a hint, "And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered money..." Simon saw them receive [lambano] holy spirit. What he saw was the same as what the people saw as recorded in Acts 2:33.
Acts 10:43-47, "...through his name whosoever believes in him shall receive [lambano] remission of sins. While Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word...For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 'Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received [lambano] the Holy Ghost as well as we?'" What did Peter and his companions see that indicated the Gentiles laid-hold of holy spirit? They saw them speak in tongues.
Verse 43 teaches us that whoever believes in him must receive [lambano] remission of sins. According to Romans 10:9-10, anybody who believes with the heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, will be made righteous. This refers to the remission of sins. According to Acts 10:43, they were instructed to lay-hold of remission of sins. Verse 47 reveals they met the same conditions as the first twelve did in Acts 2:4. First they were filled with holy spirit, which is remission of sin, then they laid-hold of holy spirit when they spoke in tongues.
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