Acts 2 was just the beginning. Their remarkable unity continued, even as thousands more were “added to the Lord” (Acts 5:14 cf. 2:47; 4:4; 6:7). Each new convert was an individual with a unique personality and past life, with personal opinions and preferences. Yet this passage in Acts includes them all in this amazing description:
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. (Acts 4:32)
“Those who believed were of one heart and soul.”
In typical experience, such complete unity and such selfless generosity are rare. What made the difference? Or rather, who made the difference? The Holy Spirit!
With the Father and the Son, the Spirit is the giver of life—the new, clean, spiritual life never experienced by those who remain sinners. He is “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive” (John 14:17).
But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11 cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:13).
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 3:4-6).
We are God’s “new creation,” covered with His own righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:17, 21). In this new creation, the Spirit is at work, drawing us closer to our Creator, giving us spiritual strength, helping our prayers, and making us more like Christ (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).
For through [Christ] we both [Jews and Gentiles] have access in one Spirit to the Father (Ephesians 2:18).
For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God (Romans 8:13-14).
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-27).
“Be strengthened with power through His Spirit.”
[I pray to the Father] that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith (Ephesians 3:16-17).