Quizzes
Pentecost After the Apostolic Era
Holy Spirit at Work
God's Spirit is still at work in our world
There has been evidence of the Holy Spirit poured out in all ages and times, at least somewhere in the body of Christ, since the time of the Apostles!
Healings, exorcisms, and validating signs and wonders continue to be experienced in the church. Just as miracles and wonders added to the credibility of the first-century apostles, so they continue to draw unbelievers into the Christian fold
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After the Apostolic era, does it seem other Christians witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit?
Even Augustine, who died a full 400 years after Christ and even today remains the most highly regarded Christian theologian of the early church, talked about the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the reality of the spiritual gifts. Through the middle ages, many well-respected Christian monks and mystics lived their Christian lives with this assumption as well. Even in the more recent centuries, just before the rise of “Pentecostalism” in the 20th century, history records many revivals that were a result of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and included the use of spiritual gifts and speaking in tongues.
Test Yourself
Answer
Talk it Through
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1.3 Pentecost After the Apostolic Era
In this brief overview of the evidence that the Holy Spirit has been poured out all throughout history, what stands out to you the most? What does it make you think about God’s providence? What does it suggest to you about how God’s mission in the world?
Reflect in a paragraph.
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26 Replies
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The gifts of the Holy Spirit have been in the Church from that start right up today
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That’s right. Isn’t it amazing how the Spirit of Jesus is the same, yesterday, today, and forever!
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I find it so interesting that church leaders were willing to risk everything to be honest to the work of the Holy Spirit. I imagine they faced persecution by speaking of exorcisms, appearing drunk, speaking in other tongues etc., and yet they spoke it anyway. I’d like a little more boldness myself to share about tongues and miracles to the unbelievers in my life. I like the quote of Origen of Alexandria who stated “these miracles and wonders drew unbelievers into the Christian fold.”
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@Jenn good on you for desiring boldness. I know you already operate with confidence and enthusiasm in your ministry, but we can all benefit from growing in the supernatural and from the boldness the Holy Spirit provides! This reminds me of A. W. Tozer’s quote: “If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference. If the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the New Testament church, 95 percent of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference.”
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That’s so true! I love that quote! Well, I hate that quote too lol!
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I find it amazing how the Holy Spirit continued to work in supernatural ways and expressions all throughout western Church history, and how he particularly seemed to make himself known this way IN ORDER to reach unbelievers.
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@Zondervan I think this is why the NT so frequently calls miracles “signs.” They are not an end in themselves, they point to something beyond themselves.
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For me I know it builds faith. It is encouraging to see that we are still experiencing the same fruit from hundreds of years ago and the same fruit from thousands of years ago. God remains faithful.
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