“When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31 NRSVUE)
Please note: The masculine language of God as Father and Son has been retained in some places in this summary, as has Wesley’s use of masculine pronouns for people.
Introduction
The same expression “and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” in Acts 4:31 occurs in Acts 2 and the story of Pentecost.
With this occurrence in Acts 4, there is no “visible appearance” or gifting of “extraordinary gifts” (e.g. healing, prophecy, speaking in tongues).
Not everyone has those extraordinary gifts, so the filling of the Holy Spirit must have another purpose.
That purpose was to give them “the mind which was in Christ” including the fruit of the Spirit and “endue them with faith (perhaps it might be rendered fidelity)” enabling them to walk as Christ walked.
So then, we consider these “ordinary fruits” of Christianity, not as “a set of opinions, a system of doctrines” but in reference to “hearts and lives”.
As Beginning to Exist in Individuals
According to the Scriptures, the outcome of being convicted of sin, repenting and believing in Jesus (i.e. “this faith of the operation of God”) is:
calling God “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15);
calling Jesus “Lord” by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 8:3);
because the Spirit bears witness that the believer is a child of God (Romans 8:16);
enabling the believer to say that Christ lives in them and they live by faith in the Son of God who loves them and gave himself for them (Galatians 2:20).
The very essence of faith is a “divine elegchos (evidence or conviction) of the love of God… through the Son” whereby the sinner is accepted into the Beloved Son. Thus, “justified by faith”, the sinner has peace with God (Romans 5:1), no longer doubts and is no longer afraid of evil and death.
The believer’s soul rejoices in God their Saviour and looks forward to the “full renewal of his soul in righteousness and true holiness”.
The love of God fills the believer’s heart through the Holy Spirit.
The believer who loves God cannot but help loving all humanity even as Christ loved all even “the ‘evil’ and ‘unthankful’ and least of all his enemies”.
This love is not prideful but makes the believer “lowly of heart”, seeking only the praise of God, being temperate in all things, faithful and longsuffering.
Someone who has this love “would work no evil” to the neighbour.
Such a person continues daily in the “ordinances of God, the stated channels” of God’s grace to humanity, i.e. “ ‘in the Apostle’s doctrine,’ or teaching”; “ ‘the breaking of bread’ … the communion of the body of Christ”; and “ ‘in the prayers’ … offered up by the great congregation”; thereby, growing in grace and “increasing in strength in the knowledge and love of God”.
Such a person does not merely abstain from evil but thirsts to do good.
“Such was Christianity in its rise.” (Acts 2:42; 4:31-35)
As Spreading From One to Another
“Let us take a view, in the second place, of this Christianity, as spreading from one to another, and so gradually make its way into the world”.
Would not such lovers of humanity yearn to pluck other “brands out of the burning”?
“So the Christians of old did.” They laboured to do good. They declared the time to repent. They “ ‘reasoned’ with them of ‘temperance, and righteousness’”.
“They endeavoured herein to speak to every [one] severally as [they] had need.”
“And their labour was not in vain in the Lord. His word ran and was glorified. It grew mightily and prevailed. But so much the more did offences prevail also.”
“For the more Christianity spread, the more hurt was done, in the account of those who received it not; and the number increased of those who were more and more enraged at these [people] who thus ‘turned the world upside down’” (Acts 17:6).
“And hence arose, at the time foreordained of the Father, persecution in all its forms.”
“Now it was that the pillars of hell were shaken, and the kingdom of God spread more and more.” The lives of believers “were of equal force with their words. But above all, their sufferings spake to all the world.”
“Thus did Christianity spread itself in the earth. But how soon did the tares appear with the wheat, and the mystery of iniquity work, as well as the mystery of godliness! How soon did Satan find a seat, even in the temple of God”.
As Covering the Earth
“Christianity will prevail over all and cover the earth” as foretold by the prophets. (Isaiah 2:2,4; 11:10-12; 9:6-9)
But have God’s people, Israel, been cast aside? “But through their fall salvation is come to the Gentiles. And if the diminishing of them be the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fullness?” Israel will be saved.
“Suppose now the fullness of time to be come, and the prophecies to be accomplished. What a prospect is this! All is peace…”
“And with righteousness or justice, mercy is also found. The earth is no longer full of cruel habitations.”
Only love and God are in people’s hearts.
Where God reigns, every heart overflows with love and every mouth is filled with praise.
A Plain, Practical Application
“Where does this Christianity now exist? … Why then let us confess we have never yet seen a Christian country upon earth.”
Someone needs to speak plainly at this time. Don’t turn away from my speaking.
“Is this city a Christian city?”
“I appeal to your own consciences, guided by the Word of God.” If you are not condemned by your own heart, you go free.
“I pray you that are in authority over us, whom I reverence for your office’ sake, … are you ‘filled with the Holy Ghost’?
“Is your heart whole with God? full of love and zeal to set up [God’s realm] on earth?”
“Let it not be said, that I speak here, as if all under your care were intended to be clergymen. Not so; I only speak as if they were all intended to be Christians. But what example is set them by us who enjoy the beneficence of our [ancestors]?”
“Many of us are more immediately consecrated to God, called to minister in holy things. Are we then patterns to the rest”?
“what shall we say concerning the youth of this place? Have you either the form or the power of Christian godliness?”
“May it not be one of the consequences of this, that so many of you are a generation of triflers; triflers with God, with one another, and with your own souls?”
“For indeed, what probability, what possibility, rather … is there that Christianity, scriptural Christianity, should be again the religion of this place?” God preserve us in the manner that God sees fit!