Godbey's Commentary - Acts - Romans - Enter His Rest

in the wonderful plan of salvation, and throwing wide open the golden gate of gospel grace, and
ringing aloud the heavenly proclamation to the Gentile world represented in his congregation.
39-43. In his burning pathos, sweeping vehemence and transcendent eloquence, the Spirit flooding
his mind with supernatural illuminations, he arrays before his Gentile audience all the prophets in
bold panorama, proclaiming to Jews and Gentiles indiscriminately the remission of sins on the
simple condition of faith in Christ, all carnal ordinances, ecclesiastical dogmata, rites and
ceremonies, legal obedience and symbolisms forever eliminated, thus enforcing with iron logic and
electrical enthusiasm the creed of Christendom for Jews and Gentiles, i.e., Jews only.
44-47. In the midst of Peter’s flaming Pentecostal sermon, his appreciative audience, responsive
to the Holy Ghost, received by faith the simple, wonderful and paradoxical truth enunciated by the
preacher and proved by all the prophets. Therefore the glorified Savior, who honored the faith of the
hundred and twenty at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, now graciously verifies the sanctifying
faith of this appreciative audience, pouring on them the gift of the Holy Ghost from heaven, as on
the Jews at Jerusalem, thus abundantly confirming Peter’s vision and revealing to the whole world
his approval of the Gentile sanctification and admission to full gospel rights and privileges.
48. Peter, of course, proceeds to recognize this Gentile church by administering to them the
ordinance of baptism, assuring all present that every quibble is put to quietus since they have
received the Holy Ghost. Hence we see that the reception of the gift of the Holy Ghost, i.e., the Holy
Ghost Himself, whom Jesus gives when He sanctifies us, is the climax of aspiration and the end of
all inquiry. When you receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost no one can question your right to waterbaptism,
eucharist and every other privilege of the gospel church. You are then eligible to any and
every office in the church, pursuant to the administration of the Holy Ghost.