Read: Acts 15:7-9
And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us (Acts 15:8).
God Witnessed To The Gentiles
The 120 disciples were sure that the Holy Spirit was given to them on the Day of Pentecost. In our scripture for today Peter reminds his brethren that God gave the assuring presence of the Holy Spirit to gentiles, “even as he did unto us.” The Revised Standard Version makes this central meaning clear: “And God who knows the heart bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us.”
The witness of the Spirit is not always conveyed in the same manner, but the assurance is always present. At this gentile Pentecost we read of no rushing wind or tongues of fire, but God bore witness to them. Thus it was in the life of a young man, David Hall, who testifies today: “I was converted in a Sunday night church service… The night after my conversion, a revival campaign began. After going to the altar for sanctification, I believed, through intellectual assent, that God had done the work for me. However, in reality, I did not receive the experience at this time. After going to the altar for heart cleansing, I still felt the need of God’s power in my life.
“I determined to find the experience one night, and after one full hour of prayer, I told God that if He would not bless me I would serve Him regardless. The next morning while playing a hymn at the piano God definitely and wonderfully sanctified me. The name of the hymn, significantly, was ‘The Unveiled Christ.’ There was no doubt then. After six months of diligent seeking both intellectually and spiritually the work was done.” With Charles Wesley we may all bear glad witness:
Our nature’s turned, our mind Transformed in all its powers; And both the witnesses are joined, The Spirit of God with ours.
— Wesley’s Hymns