Disciples Digital Library

In Acts , all converts repent, are baptized in water, and receive the Spirit, but not necessarily in that order. Likewise, when the disciples received the gift of the Spirit on Pentecost, they were all “ filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance .”

In Samaria, something about the gift of the Spirit impressed Simon the Magician, but did the gift’s recipients speak in tongues? Saul of Tarsus began persecuting the church in Jerusalem. This caused many “ brethren ” to scatter throughout “ Judaea and Samaria ,” but God used the situation to advance the gospel as the scattered brethren preached wherever they went.

Acts documents how the gospel first came to Samaria. After the martyrdom of Stephen, Saul of Tarsus began persecuting the fledgling church, causing many “brethren” to be scattered “throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria.” God used this to advance the gospel as the scattered saints preached wherever they went.

All four gospels apply the same passage from the book of  Isaiah  to John the Baptist. He was sent to summon Israel to repent “ for the remission of sins ” in preparation for the arrival of the Messiah and the Kingdom of God. All this was in fulfillment of key messianic promises in the Hebrew Bible.

At his baptism, the Spirit of God descends on Jesus to equip him for his messianic mission – He is the one who baptizes in the Spirit .  At the Jordan  River , John proclaim s   a baptism in water  “ for the remission of sins ,” and announce s  the arrival of  the  “ Coming One .”  He   i s  the forerunner of  the  Messiah, just as promised in  Isaiah :  “ Behold,  I send my messenger before  your  face …  The voice of one crying in the wilderness : Prepare  the way of the Lord .”