God Giveth the Holy Ghost to Gentiles

Acts 10:44-48; God here pours out the Holy Ghost upon Cornelius, his kindred, and friends as a sign to Peter (and through him to all Israel) that the gospel was now to go to the Gentiles. The Holy Ghost is the greatest gift a man can receive in this life, and it comes to those who believe and obey the laws of the gospel. Since the Gentiles are here so visibly anointed with this heavenly endowment, it is evident that the Lord is offering to them the gifts and blessings of that gospel which heretofore has been preached almost exclusively to the house of Israel.

Acts 10:44-48; Two basic and fundamental gospel doctrines must be known to understand this spiritual outpouring of divine grace: 1. The nature and kind of being the Holy Ghost is; and 2. What is meant by the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 10:44-48; As to the Holy Ghost himself, the scriptural teachings are summarized as follows: "The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He is a Personage of Spirit, a Spirit Person, a Spirit Man, a Spirit Entity. He can be in only one place at one time, and he does not and cannot transform himself into any other form or image than that of the Man whom he is, though his power and influence can be manifest at one and the same time through all immensity. (D&C 130: 22-23; Teachings, p. 190, 275-276; Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed., pp. 59-62.)

Acts 10:44-48; "He is the Comforter, Testator, Revelator, Sanctifier, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit of Promise, Spirit of Truth, Spirit of the Lord, and Messenger of the Father and the Son, and his companionship is the greatest gift that mortal man can enjoy. His mission is to perform all of the functions appertaining to the various name-titles which he bears. Because he is a Spirit Personage, he has power—according to the eternal laws ordained by the Father—to perform essential and unique functions for men." (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed., p. 359.) See Commentary I, pp. 752-756.

Acts 10:44-48; As to the gift of the Holy Ghost itself, the scriptural accounts reveal: "'There is a difference between the Holy Ghost and the gifts of the Holy Ghost,' the Prophet taught. (Teachings, p. 199.) As the third member of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost is a Personage of Spirit; the gift of the Holy Ghost, however, is the right, based on faithfulness, to the constant companionship of that member of the Godhead. It is the right to receive revelation, guidance, light, and truth from the Spirit. 'The presentation or "gift" of the Holy Ghost,' President Joseph F. Smith said, 'simply confers upon a man the right to receive at any time, when he is worthy of it and desires it, the power and light of truth of the Holy Ghost, although he may often be left to his own spirit and judgment.' (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed., pp. 60-61.)

Acts 10:44-48; "Joseph Smith explained: 'Cornelius received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, which was the convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the gospel, but he could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was baptized. Had he not taken this sign or ordinance upon him, the Holy Ghost which convinced him of the truth of God, would have left him. Until he obeyed these ordinances and received the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of hands, according to the order of God, he could not have healed the sick or commanded an evil spirit to come out of a man, and it obey him.' (Teachings, p. 199.)

Acts 10:44-48; "In similar manner, in this day, many nonmembers of the Church, 'by the power of the Holy Ghost' (Moroni 10:4-5), learn that the Book of Mormon is true, or that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God, but unless they repent and are baptized that flash of testimony leaves them. They never receive the continuing, renewed assurance that comes from the companionship of that Spirit Being whose mission it is to whisper truth to the spirits within men. (Teachings, pp. 198-199.)

Acts 10:44-48; "Further, the fact that a person has had hands laid on his head and a legal administrator has declared, 'Receive the Holy Ghost, does not guarantee that the gift itself has actually been enjoyed. The gift of the Holy Ghost is the right to have the constant companionship of the Spirit; the actual enjoyment of the gift, the actual receipt of the companionship of the Spirit, is based on personal righteousness; it does not come unless and until the person is worthy to receive it. The Spirit will not dwell in an unclean tabernacle. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19.) Those who actually enjoy the gift or presentment of the Holy Ghost are the ones who are born again, who have become new creatures of the Holy Ghost. (Mosiah 27:24-26.)

Acts 10:44-48; "Even a righteous person is often left to himself so that he does not at all times enjoy the promptings of revelation and light from the Holy Ghost. 'Every elder of the Church who has received the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, by one having authority, has power to confer that gift upon another; it does not follow that a man who has received the presentation or gift of the Holy Ghost shall always receive the recognition and witness and presence of the Holy Ghost himself; or he may receive all these, and yet the Holy Ghost not tarry with him, but visit him from time to time (D&C 130:23); and neither does it follow that a man must have the Holy Ghost present with him when he confers the Holy Ghost upon another, but he possesses the gift of the Holy Ghost, and it will depend upon the worthiness of him unto whom the gift is bestowed whether he receives the Holy Ghost or not.' (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed., p. 61.)" (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed., pp. 312-313.) See Commentary 1, pp. 856-857.

Acts 10:48; 48. He commanded them to be baptized] Baptism is a commandment of God! It is not something offered to men without further inducement or encouragement. Men are commanded to be baptized, and those who remain unbaptized are breaking the commandment and are in rebellion against God. "The Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized." (Luke 7:30.) In Jesus' own language, the mandatory requirement to be baptized was given to the Nephites thus: "Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day." (3 Nephi 27:20.)