When the apostle Peter explained to the other apostles in Jerusalem and Christians in Judea the events connected with the conversion of Cornelius and his family, he said, “And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning” (Acts 11:15). What did Peter mean by the phrase “at the beginning”? He was referring to the events of the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. That day marked the beginning of several important events. It was the beginning of “the last days.” Whenever the OT prophets used the expression “the last days,” they pointed to the first coming of Christ, the Messiah. The OT prophet Joel had said that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit would take place in the last days (Joel 2:28-32). Peter quoted from this passage in Joel in Acts 2:16-21 to mark the beginning of the fulfillment of that OT prophecy. It was the beginning of the work of the Holy Spirit in the revelation of the gospel of Christ. Jesus had told His apostles that the Holy Spirit would bring all things to the remembrance of the apostles, that they would testify of Christ, and that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth (Jn.14:26; 15:26-27;16:12-16). On the Day of Pentecost, the apostles were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:4). With the completion of the NT book of Revelation what Jesus promised to His apostles was fulfilled. The Bible is complete. There is no need for latter-day revelations. It was the beginning of conversions to Christ. On the Day of Pentecost, for the first time people believed the gospel of Christ and asked what to do to be saved (Acts 2:37). Peter told them to repent and be baptized (immersed) in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). The baptism of John was no longer in effect. The Jews had been guilty of murdering Jesus. Peter told them what to do to have the guilt of their sins removed. That day about 3,000 Jews gladly received Peter’s words of the gospel and were baptized (Acts 2:41). Peter connected repentance and baptism to the remission of sins. These actions lead to forgiveness. Romans 10:9-10 connects the confession of one’s faith in Christ to salvation also. Conversion to Christ occurs in no other way. It was the beginning of the church. Acts 2:47 says, “...And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” What the OT prophets Isaiah (Isa.2:1-4) and Daniel (Dan.2:44) prophesied concerning the establishing of the mountain of God’s house or the coming of the eternal kingdom of God in the days of the Roman kings was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. Interestingly, after the Day of Pentecost, the church is always spoken of as being in existence (Acts 5:11; 8:1;11:22;13:1;14:27;28:30-31). At the beginning, the Day of Pentecost, was significant.
-Scott Vifquain
-Scott Vifquain