Acts 11:4-18 - Repentance that leads to life

11:4-17

Peter then recounts the events which we have just read about in chapter 10, it was a common custom to repeat events like this in ancient literature. Verses 16 and 17 are the most important, and it is the role of the Holy Spirit that is crucial. First, Peter refers back to Jesus’s words about John baptising with water, but Jesus would baptise with the Holy Spirit. We can choose whether or not to baptise with water, it is something that is under our control (the physical aspects of it, that is). But we cannot choose whether or not to baptise with the Spirit, that is entirely in His control. So when it happens it is a clear indication that God is at work. Note the implication that baptism with the Holy Spirit will have clear manifestations. So if God has acted, who are we to object?

The importance of the Holy Spirit is a recurrent theme in Acts, and yet we so often make a mess of this. On the one hand churches or individuals sometimes act like loonies, or take advantage of people. Then on the other hand, others “quench the Spirit”, sometimes as a reaction against abuses of the Holy Spirit.  We need to get a clear Biblical perspective and practice on this.

11:18

The initial reaction of the “Circumcision party” disciples (11:2,3) was similar to that of the Pharisees and other religious leaders to Jesus. They ignored the divine intervention, instead focusing on the supposed breaking of the law (though it was actually their law, rather than God’s law that got broken). However, the response here is different, because they now seem to see that it was God at work. So they glorified God because He had granted repentance that leads to life. So we see something that has been apparent in Acts on several previous occasions, namely the importance of repentance, and seeing repentance as a gift from God. This is so different from much of our thinking today, where preaching repentance would be seen as judgmental. If we are to be true to the gospel, and true to Jesus, then repentance must be part of our preaching and teaching. And repentance is a gift from God, and a life-giving gift.

We should also note that while these “circumcision party” disciples seem to have reacted well, the problem did not go away. Later there will be the Council of Jerusalem, and Paul had to contend with the issue in many of his letter.