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The repentant thief at Calvary was under the Law, for Jesus Christ was still alive: “For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of NO STRENGTH AT ALL while the testator liveth.” Heb. 9:17

Jesus told the leper he had healed to “go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testamony unto them”. Matt. 8:4; see also Mark 1:44, and Luke 5:14 for the same event. The thief had the Christ presently offering the sacrifice; Himself! But the thief did not need the Spirit, for it was not yet poured out.

Probably one of the larger stumbling stones to understanding God’s word in the age of the mass printed Word is the placement of the page ‘New Testament’ in between the OT and the gospel according to Matthew. For Christian teaching, that page shouldn’t even be in a bible. If it must, it should be placed between John and the book of Acts, for the Holy Ghost was not poured out in the gospels, but in Acts.

Jesus told his disciples that if he didn’t leave them, the Comforter (the Holy Ghost) would not come unto them. John 16:7. In Romans, where Paul is teaching to people that are already born again, he said, “..if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his”.

Jesus foretold of the experience of receiving the Spirit: “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou HEAREST the SOUND thereof, but CANST NOT tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is EVERY ONE that is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8

Believing in Jesus Christ is believing in him AND his words, which the apostles were messengers of.

Before ascending to heaven Jesus commanded ‘that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in HIS NAME among all nations, BEGINNING at Jerusalem”. Luke 24:47

When asked by the lost souls (that Peter had just preached to) “..what shall we do?”, Peter said, “Repent, and be baptized EVERY ONE of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost”. Acts 2:38