INTRODUCTION:
In the modern world is was the German Schleiermacher who first argued that because of the love of God and because heaven would be spoiled if its inhabitants knew of a place of eternal torment, that all individuals must ultimately be saved; Bruner, and Barth followed suit, as did Paul Tillich the University of Chicago theologian. Now we have Clark Pinnock and John Sanders have arisen as two of the most prominent evangelical spokesmen in regard to the inclusivist position. Sanders firmly believes that "people can receive the gift of salvation without knowing the giver or the precise nature of the gift."{32} Pinnock affirms this conviction, "Faith in God is what saves, not possessing certain minimum information."
OUTLINE
1) The Spirit fills His People to give a bold witness to Christ, in accordance with the promise (Acts 1:8_9; John 14_16, Comforter).
2) The Spirit testifies to the uniqueness of Christ _ no other name! (John 14:6)
Calvin on this point is instructive: Whatever title then men may hold, they are to be listened to only on the condition that they do not lead us away from obeying God. So we must examine all their traditions by the rule of the Word of God. We must obey princes and others who are in authority, but only in so far as they do not deny to God his rightful authority as the supreme King, Father, and Lord. (120)
This passage contains three truths about the relationship of the Church to the Spirit which will help us withstand challenges to the Gospel:
. The Spirit fills His People to give a bold witness to Christ, in accordance with the promise (Acts 1:8-9; John 14-16, Comforter). APPLICATION - SO Ask the Lord to grant you the opportunity to speak boldly the Word as a witness for Him.
. LOOK AT WHAT THEY DID - 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
Luke 21:13 "But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. This will result in your being witnesses to them. "Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 "for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. 16 "You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 "And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.
. LOOK AT WHAT THEY PRAYED FOR -4:29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
If one looks at all the examples of Filling with the Spirit in the Bible, then a great many are found in Luke-Acts.
Do you know, however, the first occassion of which Scripture speaks of "Filling with the Spirit" - ?
WORKS OF ART FOR THE TABERNACLE
NKJ Exodus 31:3 "And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
NKJ Exodus 35:31 "and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship,
JOHN
NKJ Luke 1:15 "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
NKJ Luke 1:41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Zacharias
NKJ Luke 1:67 Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
Jesus
NKJ Luke 4:1 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
Disciples/Pentecost Church
NKJ Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Peter
NKJ Acts 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:
The Church
NKJ Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Saul/Paul
NKJ Acts 9:17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
NKJ Acts 13:9 Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him
Disciples
NKJ Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Be Filled with Spirit
NKJ Ephesians 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
. The Spirit’s teaches the uniqueness of Christ - no other name! (John 14:6) APPLICATION - SO Do not compromise the dogmatic claim of the uniqueness of Christ and His salvation
. HEAR THEIR EXCLUSIVISM 4:12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Isaiah 42:5-8, v 8 "I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols."
Isaiah 43:10_13 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed __ I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?"
. HEAR THEIR DOGMATISM 4:19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 "For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."
Romans 10, "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?"
Josh McDowell writes, "Among the religious leaders who have attained a large following throughout history, Jesus Christ is unique in the fact that He alone claimed to be God in human flesh. A common misconception is that some or many of the leaders of the world’s religions made similar claims, but this is simply not the case. Budda did not claim to be God; Moses never said that he was Yahweh; Muhammad did not identify himself as Allah... Jesus said that he who has seen Him (Jesus) has seen the Father (John 14:9). ...Anyone who would dare to make such claims... to forgive sins, to raise Himself from the dead, etc...would have to be either out of his mind or a liar, unless he was (in fact) God."
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT - NO OTHER GODS
WLC 60 Can they who have never heard the gospel, and so know not Jesus Christ, nor believe in him, be saved by their living according to the light of nature? A. They who, having never heard the gospel,(1) know not Jesus Christ,(2) and believe not in him, cannot be saved,(3) be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature,(4) or the laws of that religion which they profess;(5) neither is there salvation in any other, but in Christ alone,(6) who is the Saviour only of his body the church.(7) (1)Rom. 10:14 (2)2 Thess. 1:8,9; Eph. 2:12; John 1:10_12 (3)John 8:24; Mark 16:16 (4)1 Cor. 1:20_24 (5)John 4:22; Rom. 9:31,32; Phil. 3:4_9 (6)Acts 4:12 (7)Eph. 5:23
This is a NEGATIVE TRUTH, not very palitable in our age of relativism: NONE OTHER;
But let us rejoice that is a POSITIVE TRUTH: THERE IS SALVATION IN CHRIST.
