Essay: The Sword of the Spirit

“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” (John 15:26)

On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached to a huge crowd of Jews. Peter used Old Testament Scriptures to show that Jesus is the Messiah for whom they waited. Acts 2:37 says after he was done, “…they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” They were troubled, as people often are when they hear the gospel. What did they need to do?

Peter told them what to do: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38) The word “repent,” in a general sense, means to change your mind; to stop thinking one way and think the other way. To repent of sin, for example, means to stop thinking it is not so bad, and to realize it is wrong before God. You realize your sin has separated you from God and condemned you to hell, and you need God’s forgiveness.

God had Jews hear the gospel first, then Gentiles. Before He went to heaven, Jesus told His followers, “… ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem (Jews), and in all Judaea (Jews), and in Samaria (mixed-race Jews), and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Gentiles)  (Acts 1:8)

Most Jews do not believe Jesus is God or the Messiah. When Jesus said, “I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30), He was accused of blasphemy: “…thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” (John 10:33) Yet the Bible says Jesus is God: “In the beginning was the Word (capital W), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” “And the Word (capital W) was made flesh, and dwelt among us,” (John 1:1, 14)

   Jesus’ Deity is expressed clearly in other places, as well. For instance, Jesus appeared to His disciples after He rose from the dead. Thomas called Him, “My Lord and my God.” (John 20:28) Paul also told Christian leaders to “…feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28) 1 John 3:16 also says, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us:” 

   Peter called on the Jews to repent from not believing on Jesus as God and the Messiah to trusting Him completely as God and the Messiah; to depend on Him “…for the remission of sins.” He used Scripture, “the sword of the Spirit,” (Ephesians 6:17), to convince them to receive Jesus as Saviour. The Holy Spirit  spoke to their hearts through the Scripture, testifying to them of Jesus, as our opening verse says He does.

No doubt they were uneasy being told to stop trusting a religion they had been part of for perhaps their whole lives. Yet they were convinced by hearing God’s word. As a result, about three thousand people received Jesus as Saviour: “Then they that gladly received his word [received Jesus as Saviour] were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41)

   Some religions teach Jesus is not God. Others say He is God but also that being saved involves effort on their part. When people see their religion says one thing and God’s word says another, they can feel torn between the two. Yet when a person stops trusting his religion or his works to get him to heaven, and he receives Jesus as Saviour, trusting entirely in Him, he has assurance from God’s word that he is saved:

“He that believeth on him [on Jesus as personal Saviour] is not condemned:” (John 3:18)

   To see how to have your sins forgiven and eternal life by receiving Jesus as your personal Saviour, please go to www.clevelandbaptist.org, click “Helpful Links,” then “How Do I Go to Heaven?”

Brian Miller 8/11/2026