Acts 2:39 reads, “For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.” Some say, “See, the Holy Spirit was promised to every Christian for all time.” Many of the same who believe this, also unwittingly condemn themselves and a host of other Christians because they also believe that if you don’t have the miraculous gift today, you’re neither saved nor a child of God. Naturally, we would expect to see people seeking to provide evidence of miraculous power. Some, desperately try to convince themselves and all who will listen that they have that gift.
Once again, let’s examine the text and its use in Scripture. From the use of the words, “far off” and “near” in Ephesians 2:12-ff, it is clear that the expression, “all afar off” is a reference to Gentiles, while in contrast, those “near” referenced the Jews. (Isa.) In the text of Acts 2, two observations stand out. First, the phrase “you and your children” that is found 7-8 times in the New Testament is a term that points to one generation, not you and your posterity 10 generations down the line. Those near are the Jews to whom Peter addresses with the words, “you and your children. Second, the basic word for “call” is the word “kaleo.” It’s a word that you might use to make a call to everyone in your office. However, the word used here is a compound word in the middle voice, which indicates doing something yourself for your purpose and intent. It’s the word “proskaleomai” and means to call to one’s side for one’s purpose. Of all those who obey, the Lord will choose to himself and for His own purpose. In Acts 13, there is a school of prophets at Antioch and verse one reads, “to which I have called them” (proskaleomai). Did God call all of them in Antioch? NO! Instead of calling them all, He said, “I want Paul and Barnabas for the work”. In Matthew 15 and Luke 10, a multitude gathered around Jesus with the disciples there and Jesus called his disciples to him from the multitude. He was isolating them out from the rest of the multitude as if He were saying, “You twelve, come with me.” This carries the idea of choosing certain ones out of a number and excluding the rest.
Acts 2:39 is used in the same way. Those included to receive the Holy Spirit, according to verse 38, were among those who repented and were baptized for the remission of their sins. They were the same ones that verse 39 describes as being called unto him.
Also, the outpouring of the miraculous was a generational application. Acts 2:38-39 tells us that God promised the Holy Spirit to be poured out on one generation of Jews and Gentiles that he had selected or chose for his purposes. The novelty of it all was the fact that the Gentiles are included in this plan, not that every person for all time is included in it. Peter explains in Acts 15:8,
“Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.”
Peter is referring to the case of Cornelius and his household, the first Gentile convert. The Gentiles were given the same promise as those on the day of Pentecost, making no distinction between Jew and Gentile.