The Pentecost

Pentecost is given by GOD to teach us the opposite of what "mainstream Christianity" believes. Generally, they believe that this is the only day of salvation for all mankind. But, in reality, GOD has a far more just plan in mind. Pentecost teaches us that we are only the first fruits; the first to receive salvation through Christ. It teaches us that all others are not yet called. And it also teaches us that, as Jesus said; "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him."Pentecost helps explain the different times when salvation will be offered to different segments of humanity. Let us begin by looking at the basic doctrinal background for the day of Pentecost (before we get into the actual effects of what the Holy Spirit does in our lives).GOD designed His annual holy days to be laid out according to the seasons in the area of Jerusalem. And GOD uses two harvests of the region to symbolize His two separate harvests of all human lives. The Feast of Weeks celebrated the end of the grain harvest. The earlier, much smaller harvest begins with Pentecost; and the latter, much larger harvest begins with the Feast of Tabernacles and ends with the Last Great Day. The earlier harvest is of great importance to us because it is being planted right now, and it involves us directly at this time. So, GOD has been in the process of planting good seed for that earlier harvest that we are a part of. Since He began His church in A.D. 31, He has called tens of thousands of people; but not all have worked to make their calling and election sure. In about A.D. 68, just before his death, Peter had seen this condition in the church for 37 years, and so he felt compelled to encourage the church to fruitfully grow in the faith and to be even more diligent than they had been before that time. In II Peter 1:5-11, we will read some very familiar scriptures, but they are very important as well: II Peter 1:5-7; "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, to brotherly kindness love."