< Acts 8 >

Saul, later named Paul, consented to Stephen’s death but was destined to play a most prominent role as Christ’s apostle to the Gentiles. The persecution which began with Stephen’s murder scattered disciples throughout the land. These included Philip who preached Christ to the Samaritans. They preached the same “the gospel of the kingdom of God” that Jesus had preached but added “the things concerning the Name of Jesus Christ”, and when Philip taught this to the Samaritans many believed. Jesus had also commanded believers to be baptized so: “when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women”. All the original Christians, having believed the gospel, were baptized and all subsequent believers have also been required to obey this command of Christ.

There are no apostles today, and no-one has the power to pass the Holy Spirit to others, so no believers now have these Spirit gifts. It was specifically in the purpose of God that believers in the first century “tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come” Hebrews 6:4-5.Waiting for response for Hebrews 6:4-5 Not until that world comes, when Jesus returns and gives Spirit gifts to his faithful disciples, will men and women again possess the Holy Spirit again. Then this power of God in the hands of the rulers of the new order will establish righteousness and peace and blessing in the earth.

In those days believers could receive gifts of the Holy Spirit which enabled them, by the power of God, to perform extraordinary deeds, including prophesying, healing, and speaking in foreign languages. However, they could only receive this gift from those with power to pass it to them by the laying on of hands. Philip did not possess this power, and it could not be bought with money as Simon attempted to do, but it was possessed by the apostles, so when Peter and John came to Samaria “then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit”.