My God and My Country

Word of God

But he answering, said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

The Gospel According to Matthew 4:4

The Acts of the Apostles 2:39

Commentary prefaced & edited by Dr. Riktor Von Zhades

39 For the promise is made unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Brethren:

This promise is of the Holy Spirit, that is given unto all believers upon their rebirth as children of the King. It gives authority to all those that posses it to speak freely and truthfully about Christ the Redeemer and Messiah. To make His gospel known to all men, and to do so without fear. Remember Jesus has said to us via the Apostle Paul, to be of good courage, (Read Acts 23:11), and likewise to remain steadfast in our belief and doing the work of the Lord. (Read 1 Corinthians 15:58, Hebrews 4:14)

“Every one of you. Even those of you that have been the greatest sinners, if they repent and believe, are welcome to be baptized; and those who think they have been the greatest saints have yet need to repent, and believe, and be baptized. There is grace enough in Christ for every one of you, be you ever so many, and grace suited to the case of every one. Israel of old were baptized unto Moses in the camp, the whole body of the Israelites together, when they passed through the cloud and the sea for the covenant of peculiarity was national; but now every one of you distinctly must be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and transact for himself in this great affair.’’ (Read Colossians 1:28). He gives them encouragement to take this course: It shall be for the remission of sins. Repent of your sin, and it shall not be your ruin; be baptized into the faith of Christ, and in truth you shall be justified, which you could never be by the law of Moses. Aim at this, and depend upon Christ for it, and this you shall have. As the cup in the Lord’s supper is the New Testament in the blood of Christ for the remission of sins, so baptism is in the name of Christ for the remission of sins. Be washed, and you shall be washed. You shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost as well as we; for it is designed for a general blessing: some of you shall receive these external gifts, and each of you, if you be sincere in your faith and repentance, shall receive his internal graces and comforts, shall be sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Note, All that receive the remission of sins receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. All that are justified are sanctified. Your children shall still have, as they have had, an interest in the covenant, and a title to the external seal of it. Come over to Christ, to receive those inestimable benefits; for the promise of the remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, is to you and to your children. It was very express (Read Isaiah 44:3 ): I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed. And (Read Isaiah 59:21 ), My Spirit and my word shall not depart from thy seed, and thy seed’s seed. When God took Abraham into covenant, he said, I will be a God to thee, and to thy seed (Read Genesis 17:7 ); and, accordingly, every Israelite had his son circumcised at eight days old. Now it is proper for an Israelite, when he is by baptism to come into a new dispensation of this covenant, to ask, "What must be done with my children? Must they be thrown out, or taken in with me? Taken in’’ (says Peter) "by all means; for the promise, that great promise of God’s being to you a God, is as much to you and to your children now as ever it was. Though the promise is still extended to your children as it has been, yet it is not, as it has been, confined to you and them, but the benefit of it is designed for all that are afar off; we may add, and their children, for the blessing of Abraham comes upon the Gentiles, through Jesus Christ, (Read Galatians 3:14 . The promise had long pertained to the Israelites (Read Romans 9:4 ); but now it is sent to those that are afar off, the remotest nations of the Gentiles, and every one of them too, all that are afar off. To this general the following limitation must refer, even as many of them, as many particular persons in each nation, as the Lord our God shall call effectually into the fellowship of Jesus Christ. Note, God can make his call to reach those that are ever so far off, and none come but those whom he calls.
Matthew Henry - 17th Century Theologian ,