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The
Holy Spirit is a gift that God is pleased to grant
us at the time of our spiritual rebirth. Through
baptism we receive forgiveness of our sins and
the seal of the Holy Spirit. "Peter replied,
"Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness
of your sins. And you will receive the gift of
the Holy Spirit." (Acts
2:38).
The
onset of the Holy Spirit marks the beginning of
the spiritual life for the believer. The Holy
Spirit lives in his heart "Don't you know
that you yourselves are God's temple and that
God's spirit lives in you?" (I
Corinthians 3:16) and by its
work transforms us in the image and likeness
of Christ "..we are being transformed
into his likeness with ever-increasing glory,
which comes from the Lord, who is Spirit"
(II Corinthians 3:18).
The
same Spirit with which God anointed Christ for
the fulfilment of His redemptive work, allows
us to continue the mission of salvation first
began by Jesus himself, conscious of the divine
presence dwelling within us.
When
Jesus was close to returning to heaven, he saw
that his disciples were very sad. To comfort them,
Christ made a great promise: "And I will
ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor
to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth.
The world cannot accept him, because it neither
sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for
he lives with you and will be in you"
(John 14:16,17). Up to then,
it had been Jesus himself who rescued, encouraged,
comforted and guided them. But now he was about
to be glorified and enthroned as heavenly king
and he did not want to leave them as "orphans".
At
the Jewish feast of Pentecost, a few days after
Christ's ascension to heaven, this great promise
was fulfilled. In a supernatural manner the Holy
Spirit descended upon the apostles and they began
to preach. They were filled with the Holy Spirit.
When the good news of salvation was proclaimed
by the apostles for the first time, thousands
of people from many parts of the world were touched
by the truth. They believed in Jesus Christ as
Savior and they accepted him becoming followers
of Christ: Christians. "The disciples
were called Christians first at Antioch"
(Acts 11:26)
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