Together

As I was reading in Mark Quanstrom's book this morning concerning Pentecost and it’s place in our salvation history, it made me think of the first verse of Acts, chapter 2.

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.” NIV

“Together in one place”…Here we are again. In our class last Saturday and through our continuing study of what holiness is and isn’t, we have seen time and again that holiness is not just for my benefit and does not affect just my relationship with God but how I love and interact with others that I come in contact with. This concept of social holiness, of corporate love for one another was activated that day and the point driven home once again by God’s choice to impart the Holy Spirit in a place where His followers were all together. Could He have sent the wind of His Spirit to each individual person had they been scattered all over the countryside and towns?

Absolutely, He could have, but instead, He chose to reveal Himself in such a manner when they were together. And He did so for the purpose of spreading that Good News to others. It was this sound of wind and a cacophony of jumbled languages that drew the people to the place where Peter could then preach the message of hope that He had recently been witness to. So once again, the imparting of the Holy Spirit; the act of sanctification occurs in a group for a group. It is always for the benefit of the whole