Can Any Man Forbid Water?

When Peter came to Cæsarea at the request of Cornelius, Peter taught the household of this Gentile about Jesus Christ. After Peter gave a powerful witness of the life, death, and resurrection of the Savior, Luke recorded what happened next: “The Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.” Those Christians who had come with Peter were circumcised—i.e., they were Jews—and they likely felt that none could truly come unto the Savior unless they also practiced certain elements of the law of Moses. And so, they were shocked to see that the Holy Ghost, evidence that Jesus had accepted them, fell upon these Gentiles who hadn’t even been circumcised. After they witnessed these non-Israelites speak in tongues, Peter then looked at the Jews who had come with him and questioned, “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?” I imagine that this must have been a pivotal moment for each of these Christians who had accompanied Peter as they had to answer for themselves, “Can I accept them?” The story invites us who are Latter-day Saints to consider our own willingness to accept Peter’s powerfully inclusive declaration: “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” (Acts 10:34-35, 44-47). Nephi said something similar when he declared, “And as I spake concerning the convincing of the Jews, that Jesus is the very Christ, it must needs be that the Gentiles be convinced also that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God; And that he manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders, among the children of men according to their faith” (2 Nephi 26:13). God will grant the Holy Ghost and miracles to people of all nations who show forth faith in Jesus Christ, even if in the past they have not always kept the law.

                This reminds me of the story that I heard recently from President Packer as recounted by J.B. Haws. President Packer wrote this about a time when he was mission president: “I needed a new assistant and had prayed much about the matter. I then called zone conferences, where I met and interviewed every missionary, always with the thought in my mind, ‘Is this the man?’ The answer finally came: ‘This is the man.’ He was appointed. He had been permitted to come on a mission only after some considerable shaping up to become eligible. After the announcement one of the zone leaders came to see me privately. He came from the same community in the West as did the new assistant. He was obviously disturbed. His first question was, ‘Do you really know the elder you have appointed as your assistant?’ ‘Yes, Elder. I know all that you know about him, and a good deal more,’ was my answer. ‘Why, then, was he appointed your assistant?’” President Packer confirmed to the young man, after affirming that the worth of this questioning Elder was not damaged because he was not chosen for the position, “I only know that he was chosen. Perhaps he may fail. But at least I know he is the one with the combination of talents and ability and qualities best calculated to get done what the office needs at the moment. This is no reflection upon you. You may yet preside over him and many above him. You may be his bishop or his stake president. You may preside over the Church. I do not know. But his call is no reflection upon you. Do not be injured by it.” Instead of being offended, we should rejoice in the spiritual progress of all who seek to come unto Christ, whether or not they fit the mold we have in our minds for how they should be or should have acted in the past. If a sister has multiple pairs of earrings or non-traditional clothing, or if the priest blessing the sacrament has long hair or seems unkempt, we should set aside our expectations of physical appearance and past behavior and, like Peter, forbid none “which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we.” One of the greatest men I met on my mission, a convert who had been homeless and had a colorful past, eventually left the church at least in part due to the fact that he felt judged passing the Sacrament with tattoos on his hands. Instead of judging those who, like us, are trying in their own way to be like Jesus, we can instead rejoice like Peter in the fact that “through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43).