Victoria Osteen and Her Joy-Robbing Brand of Cheap Christianity

There was a time earlier on in my Christian life where I was quite the zealous little theology cop. I would blast Joel Osteen and the likes of him with their biblically deficient statements about God on my blog, twitter, Facebook — any outlet I could find. I thought it was my job to stand firm and "defend God's truth," calling out every bit of erroneous teaching I came across. I'm not that person anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I definitely think that there is a place for exposing false teaching (and to be clear, I think that most of what I've heard of Joel Osteen's teaching is false). But I think it needs to be done out of a love for Christ and a desire for people to know Him in truth, not out of a egocentric desire to just be "right."

So, before I go into Victoria Osteen's comments, I want to say that my intention is not to put her on blast or to publicly declare her a blasphemous bimbo. There's enough of that on the Internet already. My intention is to discuss the cheap view of God that fuels the kind of comments she made in that video.

There is an element of truth to her statements about God desiring us to be happy and Him taking pleasure in our happiness. The Lord does not want His people be a mopey, despairing, steel-faced, jaw-clenched, stick-up-butt bunch of folks. Throughout the entirety of the Bible you see The Lord repeatedly commanding people to take delight in The Lord. David said that at the right hand of God are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11)! Jesus said that He came and spoke truth to us that His joy may be in us and that our joy may be made full (John 15:11). When Paul wrote letters to the early Church, he did so for their progress and joy in the faith (Philippians 1:25). The concept of joy and the command to pursue it plagues the bible. You can't read it without realizing that the one true God is a happy God that desires his people to be happy as well.

So it's true — overwhelmingly true — that God wants us to be happy. But, the problem is that people like Victoria take this truth and slant it, ever so subtly, away from the God-centered-happiness that the Bible prescribes and toward a me-centered-happiness that the Bible condemns. God's greatest pleasure is not in our happiness (although He does desire that), but in His own glory. He wants His glory to be the fuel that our joy-appetites feed on. He wants His presence to be the longing of our souls. God wants us to be happy in Him.

"As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?" – Pslam 42:1-2

We were designed to be joy hungry creatures that fervently feast upon the glory of God. We were intended to be people that draw fresh life, day after day, from all the ways that God graciously manifests Himself to us. We were created to be people that are full out, head over heels obsessed with God. We were to seek Him constantly, pray to Him without ceasing, meditate on Him endlessly and do everything we do to see and experience more of His glory. And we were to enjoy living our lives this way.

But let's all be honest with ourselves, we naturally hate the idea of living our lives this way. Because sin has deformed our hearts. Before the fall, man had a heart that was outwardly directed toward God, but when sin entered in, our hearts folded inwardly and gazed upon ourselves. From the moment Adam's teeth sunk into the fruit of self-autonomy, the heart of mankind has sought happiness in and through himself, other people and everything around him. Anywhere but in God.

And I'm not just talking about meth addicts or porn addicts or prostitutes or crooked businessmen. Lots of people seek happiness apart from God but throw His name all over it. Using God for His this-side-of-glory gifts (aka the American Dream) without any real love for Him or desire to know Him doesn't count as seeking happiness in God. He takes no pleasure in that. But this is what I fear is happening in an incredibly large number of American Churches. This is what I fear is happening in the Osteen Church, based on the many things I have heard both Joel and Victoria say over the years. I won't pronounce judgment on them before the time (1 Corinthians 4:5), but I will say with certainty that taking the immutable, unstoppable and infinitely holy God of the Bible and reducing Him down to a three-wish celestial butler who is only here to make us happy — without us really having to surrender to, worship, adore or enjoy Him — is absolute heresy. There is a massive difference between enjoying God for who He is and "enjoying God" for what temporary or material blessings He can give you.

But this heresy is the 'gospel' of today's western spirituality. We refuse to worship a God who is opposed in any way to how we wish to live our lives. "God" is just this generic divine being who is here to affirm and bless whatever we feel like He should. We get to decide what we feel like is right or worthy of our worship, and then we yank the Holy One down off His throne and demand Him to bow at our feet and bless us our god-forsaken pursuits of purpose and joy.

A great example of this is this emergence of the idea that someone can be a "gay Christian"; a person who claims to worship Jesus Christ but refuses to actually worship Him by surrendering all that they are — like their fallen sexual impulses — to His authority and Lordship. But this kind of mentality goes far and beyond the same-sex attracted population. You'll find it among the dishonest business owners hustling for financial success, the twenty-something guidos pining after that GTL life, the straight guys manipulating girl after girl while trying to build up their 'I got some of that' trophy case — you'll find all walks and kinds of people living for godless pursuits, but still want a lil-bit-a Jesus on Sundays.

The cheap 'gospel' of western spirituality says that the path to happiness is accepting and loving yourself as you are, and believing that God wants to affirm you in whatever way that you choose to live out your life. But the real truth, the biblical truth, is that true joy is found not in self-acceptance, but self-denial. Not the insane, pleasure less I'm-gonna-beat-myself-with-a-stick-every-time-I-have-a-bad-thought kind self-denial, but the denial of sinful, me-centered thrills and spills for the sake of experiencing a better, pure, God-centered joy.

The reality is that if we're seeking happiness outside of God Himself, we're short changing ourselves. We're being cheap happiness chasers — living our lives for fleeting, momentary pleasures that can't satisfy our God-given capacities for God-centered joy. The void in our souls where true, God-centered joy was made to dwell is far too deep and wide for anything or anyone in this world to fill it. We will never be satisfied living our lives for ourselves. You will not be able to find contentment. We will always thirst for more. We were made to live for so much more than ourselves.

The Bible points us to a life of obsession with the beauty and glory of God because it's only when we lose ourselves in Him that we will ever actually find ourselves and, in turn, grasp true joy. Coming to God through the reconciling work of Jesus and feasting, day after day, upon all that He is for us — that will satisfy our souls. That will quench our thirst.

The call of the true gospel is not to be all that we can be and throw a little Jesus on it — it's to be reconciled to God through the work of Jesus Christ and to enjoy Him forever! God is the most valuable being in the universe. He's not boring or stiff or tame. He's outrageously interesting and the greatness of all that He is can (and will) be chased after for eternity. The best that He can give us is Himself, and that's exactly what He does in the gospel. If we want true satisfaction and lasting joy, we will not find it in going to church to "worship God for us" or in "doing good for ourselves." We won't find it in deciding for ourselves who and what we are. We will only find it in and through the Person of Jesus Christ.

True joy is wrapped up in knowing and savoring the Person of God. It can be found nowhere else.

I don't write this as someone who's got it all figured out. I love Jesus and have tasted of His goodness, but I still struggle to go to Him when my soul is dry. I still tend to so easily bend toward seeking out comfort for my heart in the cheap pleasures and pursuits of the world. But my hope is that this incredibly patient and merciful Source of all true joy will keep breathing fresh waves of mercy over my heart, re-shaping and re-creating me to be increasingly inclined to find all that I need and desire in the greatness of who He is.

Did you even read this?
“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, PREPARED an ark to the SAVING of his house.....”. Heb. 11:7

Noah was WARNED (grace) of God. He HAD to DO something to be saved.

I read it. Noah needed to do something to save his family from destruction. But Noah was ALREADY RIGHT WITH GOD. hE WAS ALREADY JUSTIFIED IN THE EYES OF GOD!

“Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.”

The Flood separated Noah from the evil around him, and baptism with water corresponds to that. Deal with it!

“And go into long interpretations of baptism, and STILL you won’t address ‘being buried with him’.”

I have not gone into long explanations. They are not needed. It is simple. Paul uses baptism as a type - an image to explain things. It is union with Christ that saves us, and we KNOW, WITHOUT QUESTION, what that union involves:

“For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”

It is very simple. It is very obvious. But I don’t have a crayon large enough to draw the picture for you, r do I see value in repeating the truth endlessly to someone who won’t listen.

There is no moment of burial. When Jesus baptizes us in the Holy Spirit - when He IMMERSES us in the Holy Spirit - we are united with Christ, part of His Body. We are then viewed as Christ Himself is viewed: “and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”

Water baptism does not place us in Christ Jesus. The Spirit does that. Period. This is not open to debate. It is plainly taught.

**I read it. Noah needed to do something to save his family from destruction. But Noah was ALREADY RIGHT WITH GOD. hE WAS ALREADY JUSTIFIED IN THE EYES OF GOD! “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.”**

In what ways do think that Noah was found ‘right with God’. Do you think he skipped out on the animal sacrifices God had ordained after he clothed Adam and Eve?

Like Abel before him, I’m sure he was offering sacrifices unto God. He was doing something (gasp!), and probably many things, to be found faithful to God.

**The Flood separated Noah from the evil around him,**

God buried the sin of that present world in a watery grave. Was evil removed from around Noah? NOT FOR LONG!!.....

“And Ham, the father of Canaan saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethern without......And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethern.” Gen. 9:22,24,25

Noah lived after the flood 350 years, and no doubt saw plenty of evil spring up during that time. Noah was still alive when Abram was born.

**and baptism with water corresponds to that. Deal with it!**

Your interpretations again. Deal with this, this time, since you have so far chosen not to:

Moses was the voice of God to the Israelites. Ex. 4:12,15.
They “were under the cloud, and passed through the sea. And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea”. 1Cor. 10:1,2

That’s when “Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still and SEE the SALVATION of the Lord, which he will SHEW to you TO DAY: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen TO DAY, ye shall see them again no more for ever.” Ex. 14:13

You will say they were saved without works before the Red Sea, overlooking that they offered animal sacrifices unto God, in order to survive the ‘destroyer’. They then arrive at the Red Sea where God shows them final and complete deliverance (”the salvation of the Lord”).

At the Red Sea, we see the water (death and burial) and the cloud (Spirit).
At creation, we see the water (lifeless, and therefore dead)and the Spirit.

There was death and burial in the Flood. THEN “God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters were asswaged..”. (Gen, 8:1). Then, new life came forth.

Which reminds me of the ‘rushing mighty wind’ of Pentecost.
Which reminds me of “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the SOUND thereof, but canst NOT TELL whence it cometh or whither it goeth: so is EVERY ONE that is born of the Spirit.” Jn 3:8

**It is very simple. It is very obvious. But I don’t have a crayon large enough to draw the picture for you**

Philip draws you a BIG picture, (but you will probably dodge it with more man-made tradition):

“But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself was baptized also....Now when the apostles...heard...they sent unto them Peter and John. Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For AS YET, he was fallen on NONE OF THEM. ONLY they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” Acts 8:12-17

That ‘corresponds’ (agrees) with the conversion of the certain disciples in Ephesus, Where they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. BUT, the Holy Ghost did NOT come on them until Paul laid his hands on them.

**Water baptism does not place us in Christ Jesus. The Spirit does that. Period.**

So, you plan on showing up at the wedding feast without a wedding garment?

**It is simple. Paul uses baptism as a type - an image to explain things.**

Where’s that YOPIOS dude?

The Spirit is life, NOT death and burial: Paul taught THIS:

“Know ye not, that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his DEATH? Therefore we are BURIED with him INTO DEATH..”

Now the ‘life’ part: “..that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the GLORY of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life”. Rms 6:3,4

**“For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”**

I believe that. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his”. But, you are using 1Cor. 12:13 to bypass being ‘buried with him in baptism’ (death and buriel). The context of that verse, shows Paul teaching that there is one Spirit that does a multiude of things for a diverse membership.

**This is not open to debate.**

Are you one of those climate change types that believes the debate is no longer open there as well?

How is one united with Christ?

“For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”

If you are in Christ, you have died with Him and been raised with Him:

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Water baptism is a type. It doesn’t place us in Christ - the Spirit does that! In Christ we have forgiveness and new life.

Water baptism has value, but not in justifying us or giving us life. The function of water baptism is clear in scripture - to save us out of the world. That is value enough. One need not pretend it unites us with Christ in direct contradiction to scripture, nor does one need to pretend it causes forgiveness of sin.

**Romans 10:9 -**

Written to those already born again: “Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ. To all that be at Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints... Rms 1:6,7

Here is more of Romans:
“Know ye not, that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his DEATH? Therefore we are BURIED with him INTO DEATH..”

Now the ‘life’ part: “..that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the GLORY of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life”. Rms 6:3,4

**Paul: 1 Corinthians 1:17 “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”**

Paul’s ministry wasn’t a ‘John the baptist’ ministry. But, in his first letter to the Corinthians, who were already born again (”them that are sanctified in Jesus Christ, called to be saints..” 1:2), Paul promptly addressed those that were bragging about WHO baptized them, instead of WHO was crucified for them.

Paul DID baptize: “I thank God that I baptized none of you, BUT Crispus and Gaius; LEST any should say that I had baptized in MINE OWN NAME. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other”. 1Cor. 1:14-16

“I know not whether I baptized any other”?? That tells me Paul was a real busy man, and POSSIBLY baptized others in Corinth.

Let’s assume there was at least two that comprised the ‘household of Stephanas’, plus Cripus and Gaius, and POSSIBLY others. All baptized by Paul, who was sent NOT to baptize. So, Paul was disobedient to his calling.

That reasoning is another example of people twisting the scriptures to their own destruction, as Peter warned of.

**How is one united with Christ?**

Sounds similar to this question:
Acts 2:37 “Men and brethern, what shall we do?”

Obey Acts 2:38,. It’s that simple. And it agrees (corresponds) with Heb.6:1,2:

“..the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God. Of the doctrine of baptisms, and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgement.”

**How is one united with Christ?**

By being born of the water and the Spirit.

Did Philip not paint a big enough picture when he baptized the Samaritans? The same Philip that baptized the eunuch in water. Does Paul not paint a big enough picture with his conversion?...

Ananias to Paul: “And why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Acts 22:16

Another point to address: Do you believe that there is a sound that makes the presence of the Holy Ghost known to the hearer, and that you don’t know where it comes from? Jesus Christ said that that is the case for EVERY ONE that is born of the Spirit.

My Calvinist upbringing taught me that there was no sound in Spirit birth. It was automatically there when I confessed faith in Christ. Only thing is, that’s not scriptural.

“Written to those already born again”

Incorrect. The specific scripture is clear and the intention is to inform those who are not saved about how to obtain salvation. Otherwise there would be no need to state “though shalt be saved” if it were targeted specifically to those who were already born again and salvation had already occurred.

In Mark 1:8 John talks about the baptism to come, not water baptism but baptism in the spirit through Christ - “I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.”

“Know ye not, that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his DEATH? Therefore we are BURIED with him INTO DEATH..”

Again, and if you read through the rest of the chapter you’ll see that it’s spiritual baptism being discussed here with the risen Christ. The old water baptism was simply symbolic of the greater reality of the true baptism of the Holy Spirit. Water baptism makes for a nice ceremony, but it’s not what gets one saved.

“That reasoning is another example of people twisting the scriptures to their own destruction, as Peter warned of.”

Your denial of the meaning of Romans 10:9 comes to mind.

**How is one united with Christ? “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” That is how you come to be in Christ - thru the baptism Jesus gives, immersion in the Spirit.**

“And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.” Acts 5:32

You need to obey God. From your own testimony, you truly believe that water baptism in the name of Jesus is essentially nothing more than outward sign of an inward cleaning, proof of separation from the world. But IT’S IMPORTANT, you say. What you’ve actually done is reduce it to powerless vanity.

The Spirit is life, and testifies of the truth. It is not death and burial.

My outward sign of an inward cleansing; my proof of separation, is the Holy Ghost baptism. The Lord said there is a sound, of which the origin is unknown, when one is born of the Spirit. Jesus said, concerning the coming Comforter (Holy Ghost): “At THAT day ye shall KNOW that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.”

Did you experience the ‘sound’, OR did you just accept the man-made concept of: “You automatically receive the Spirit when you believe on the Lord Jesus”? (with no supernatural sound)

Acts doesn’t support the latter. There are detailed cases that point out people believing, and being baptized with the Holy Ghost later, and some detailing the ‘sound’ (tongues).

Witnessing the Samaritans being filled with the Holy Ghost sure rocked Simon the sorcerer’s world. He offered money to have the power to give people the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. Of course his attitude was grossly wrong, but I don’t think he offered money because he saw people simply say: “I accept the Lord as my personal savior”. They had already done that a few verses earlier when they believed.

Peter said: “Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost”. Three very distinct steps in the conversion instructions. It’s very plain, very simple.

I know you don’t believe that, since you believe that the ‘baptized’, and receiving ‘the gift of the Holy Ghost’ is the same distinct action. So just rewrite it to match your interpretation: “Repent for remission of sins, and in the name of Jesus, be baptized with the Holy Ghost.” And you have even reduced it to two distinct steps. Bravo (sigh)

I can continue this discussion, although it may be a while, since this truck driver’s 34 hr restart will happen shortly, and I will be rolling.

**The specific scripture is clear and the intention is to inform those who are not saved about how to obtain salvation.**

You are using one verse, and not taking the epistle as a whole. Context is your friend. Romans was written to those called to be saints. Say it ain’t so, and defy the scriptures. The epistle of Romans gives testamony to how they were saved:

“But God be thanked, that ye were” (past tense) “the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed” (past tense) “from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered” (past tense) “you. Being THEN” (past tense) “made free from sin, ye became” (past tense) “the servants of righteousness”. Rms 6:17,18

Romans 10 DOES talk about people being saved in a present and future tense form; but it also DETAILS the believing unto righteousness is accomplished by HEARING a preacher (witness) sent from God. The first was Peter, and after he preached Jesus Christ, he said to the hungry souls: “Repent, and be baptized everyone 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) Three very distinct steps in the conversion instructions. It’s very plain, very simple.

Is the following your interpretation?... “Repent for remission of sins, and in the name of Jesus, be baptized with the Holy Ghost.” If so, you have reduced it to two distinct steps, that disagrees with the Word.

I can continue this discussion, although it may be a while, since this truck driver’s 34 hr restart will happen shortly, and I will be rolling.

**“Romans 10:3,4, -“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”**

That’s great. But, I know you are using that verse to deny water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.

The CONTEXT of Romans 10: (which is a continuation of Paul’s lament in chapter 9) “Brethern, my heart’s DESIRE and PRAYER to GOD for ISRAEL is, THAT they MIGHT be SAVED.

Do you understand context? Paul is making it clear to the saints at Rome that God wants to save the Israelites, and anyone from any ethnicity. He tells them that anyone can be saved by calling on the name of the Lord, BUT, they have to be instructed by preacher/witness sent from God. Paul met the Lord under shocking circumstances, YET, even HE had to go and listen to a preacher (Ananias) that would “tell thee what thou must do”. Acts 9:6

Ananias to Paul: “And why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Acts 22:16

“Romans was written to those called to be saints.”
And that is every one who believes!

Do you believe the context?......such as Chap 6, vss 17,18:

Those folks were already born again.

“Romans was written to those called to be saints.”

“Those folks were already born again.”

In Romans 9-10 Paul was addressing the issue of Jews who were rejecting the gospels and missing out on salvation. Also, their unbelief was effecting the faith of others. Chapter 11 Paul shows those unbelievers what God has available for them.

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Rom 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Zuriel, we’re going to have to agree to disagree. Thanks, God Bless and good night.

**Zuriel, we’re going to have to agree to disagree. Thanks, God Bless and good night.**

Well, I do appreciate your polite, and honest conclusion. I thought I replied to the below assertion from you (#296), before I replied to #295. But, I must not have double clicked ‘post’ before handing over the pc to my wife for a few minutes. So, please allow me to touch on it for a few moments.

from #296 **And later, as I pointed out previously, Peter corrected himself: Act 11:16 -“Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.”**

I really do wonder why folks think that Peter didn’t quite get it right beginning with that day of Pentecost, and also the conversion of the house of Cornelius. I mean, look at the teacher he had.......none other than Jesus Christ. Who, taught him, prayed for him (a lot), and told him this:

“..Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and WHEN thou art CONVERTED, strengthen the brethern”. Lk 22:31,32

They then went to Gethsemane to pray, where the Lord prayed to the Father, mostly for his disciples. One verse that sticks out for me, concerning the upcoming evangelism, is this one:

“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on ME through THEIR WORD”. Jn 17:20

We know that Peter promptly went and ‘fell flat on his face’ with his denial. But, he was going to ‘be scattered’ anyway (Zech. 13:7; Matt. 26:31; Mk 14:27), and he was yet to be CONVERTED. That happened, when the Spirit was poured out on the first 120.

I don’t believe that Peter was erroneous in any of his first sermon to the lost, and that Acts 2:38 is inspired from God, as well.

Below is a comparison of the conversion events in Acts 10, and the Acts 11 testamony of Peter, back in Jerusalem:

The Holy Ghost falls:
10:44 “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word.”
11:15 “And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them...”

The witness:
10:45,46 “And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles ALSO was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God..”.
11:15 “..fell on them, AS ON US at the beginning.”

The declaration of that witness:

10:47 “...which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we.”
11:17 “Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did onto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ..”.

Did you notice that I left out the last three words of 10:46, and the first part of 10:47; and, that I left out the last part of 11:17?

That’s because there is a challenge given in both cases:
10:46,47 “..Then answered Peter. Can any man..” (including Peter himself) “..forbid water, that these should not be baptized...”.
11:17 “What was I, that I could withstand God?” (yes, I believe Peter was faced with God’s command of baptizing them in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and HAD TO DO IT. “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord...”. 10:48

My conclusion:
Peter’s remembrance, that he relates to the brethern in Jerusalem (11:15-17), is that the same Spirit baptism promised from the Lord (vs 16), happened to the Gentiles, and there was no doubt to him that their infilling of the Holy Ghost was the real deal.

I believe that Peter’s remembrance that he quotes in 11:16 happened right here, between the words “..and magnify God.”, and, “Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water,..”.

Remember that Paul was baptized, and baptized others, even admitting so in his letter to the Corinthians. Between the apostles, there were disagreements about what, and what not, to eat, etc., but, I believe that he taught the same conversion as Peter and the other apostles: Acts 2:38

Thanks, God bless, and good night.

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