Leading on from previous article about the Fruits and Gifts of the Spirit I was lead to look at the differing conditions of receiving the Holy Ghost and being Filled with the Holy Ghost.

Although there are a number of verses I could have chosen i thought we could just look at chapter 2 of the Book of Acts.

Before we look at the specific verses I thought it may be useful to have an overview of this passage so that we can see the context of the discussion in these writings. Acts 2 takes place in A.D. 33. The day of Pentecost is upon the apostles and other disciples assembled, the Holy Ghosts descends on them  We often read in the old Testament of God’s coming down in a cloud; as when he took possession first of the tabernacle in Exodus 40, which implies the darkness of that dispensation.

Christ went up to heaven in a cloud, as if to suggest how much we are kept in the dark concerning the heavens  But the Holy Ghost did not descend in a cloud; He was to dispel and scatter the clouds that overspread men’s minds, and to bring light into the world  So the Holy Ghost with the sound as of a mighty wind, and cloven or distinct tongues, as of fire, rest upon each of them, an emblem of the gift of tongues now conferred on on the apostles

Multitudes of people, now collected at Jerusalem from different countries, that had come together on the occasion, and are astonished to hear the apostles, whom they understood to be Galileans, declare the works of God in their respective languages,
Some ridicule, and are confuted by Peter, who shows that this was the outpouring of the Spirit promised by [Joel,2:28]

And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions;

and now bestowed on the Apostles  after of the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ,  Because of the sermon that peter delivered three thousand are convinced of the truth, converted to Christ,

So lets tun to the two verses in Acts two ans see how this difference reveals itself.

2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

now look at the following , As we can see there is a difference

2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

When you receive,the holy Ghost you are then able to   to receive the Fruits of the Spirit  this  is a witness and acts as an inward testimony of the power of the Holy ghost as it changes you perspective on life as a whole.  it does not require you to be sin free as the point here is that they Holy Ghost is working to impress the Messianic divine property’s required for a righteous spirit upon your heart.  if however you to not actively work to cultivate this relationship the fruits will with and fade jut as they would in a garden where the pants are left unattended  by the gardener.

When you are Filled you receive the Gifts Of the Spirit and this has an outward Manifestation that acts as away of others being able to bare testimony of the power of the Holy Ghost.  this requires  the Peron being filled to be sin free as the Holy Ghost will act though them.

So we can see by the purity of the apostles at the day of Pentecost the lord was able to use them to convert many people to hes teaching and give them the tools the needed to start their own journey to salvation