Acts 8

I think yesterday I said this is the chapter that Paul has his vision, but it's chapter 9. I think in Chapter 8 there are four important things taught: 1. Paul is a great persecutor of the church in Jerusalem. 2. A person must have the Melchizedek Priesthood to give the Gift of the Holy Ghost. 3. The Gift of the Holy Ghost is given by the laying on of hands. 4. Baptism is by immersion only.

The first words in this chapter tell us that Paul was happy to see Stephen stoned to death. Then it talks about how he takes great pleasure in wreaking "havoc of the church," entering homes and have the parents and adults arrested and put in prison. It gets so bad that all those who have become Christians must flee Jerusalem and only the apostles remained in the city.

Philip goes to the city of Samaria and there is a man named Simon who has a lot of followers. It says that Simon acts like he is a great person. But when Philip begins to preach and work miracles, the people believe Philip and are baptized. Simon believes and is baptized too. Evidently, Philip does not have the Melchizedek because the people do not receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. So Peter and John come down to take care of that.

Here we learn that the Gift of the Holy Ghost was given by the laying on of hands. It can't state it more plainly. "When Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given..." That's how it was done. No other church does that that I know of. Simon shows his true colors when he offers the apostles money to have the ability to give the Holy Ghost to others. The apostles condemn him and he pleads for forgiveness.

Philip then goes into Gaza and finds an Ethiopian, who is a Jewish convert, sitting in his chariot studying Isaiah. The Spirit prompts Philip to go to him and it says when Philip felt the prompting, he didn't just mosey on over, he "ran." If only I would follow the promptings of the Spirit that way! I think we can all sympathize with the Ethiopian when Philip asks him if he's understanding what he's reading. The Ethiopian says, "How can I, except some man guide me?"

He's studying the beautiful prophecy of Christ in the 53rd chapter of Isaiah and asks Philip who the scripture is talking about. Hmmm. I don't think that's a coincidence. So Philip teaches him about Christ and the Ethiopian asks if he can be baptized. Philip takes him "down into" the water and baptizes him and it says when they "come up out of the water," it's obvious that Philip didn't just sprinkle his head like they did when I was baptized in the Methodist Church.

As we see all of the these practices we do in the church confirmed in the scriptures, I'm grateful for the Prophet Joseph Smith. Every detail matches in every important way. So many men have started churches, but he was guided by the Lord, and that it why everything falls into place as it should.