The Holy Spirit was poured out on all humanity at Pentecost, not restricted to believers. The prophetic promise of Joel ('I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh') means every person everywhere now lives with access to the Spirit's internal witness. The 'believers only' framing is a later theological add-on with no scriptural support. Evangelism is therefore redefined from introducing God to awakening people to the relationship they already have access to.
The Argument
- Joel 2:28 and Peter's citation in Acts 2:17 say 'all flesh' — Peter never added the caveat 'all believing flesh'; the 'believers only' narrowing originated with mid-second-century church leaders (e.
- Hebrews 8:11 ('all will know Me, from the least to the greatest') is the unpreached completion of Jeremiah 31:33-34; if the 'law on hearts' was fulfilled at Pentecost, the very next line ('all will...
- Jesus said blaspheming the Spirit was worse than blaspheming Him because in this age the Spirit is Lord (2 Cor 3:17-18); the Spirit convicts the world (John 16:8) — not just the church — and is not far from any one of us (Acts 17:27).
Key Scriptures
- Joel 2:28-29
- Acts 2:16-17
- Hebrews 8:11
- Jeremiah 31:33-34
- John 16:8
- Acts 17:27
Over to You
If the Spirit was poured out on ALL flesh — not just believers — what does that mean for the person who's never heard of Jesus?
From Dismantling Religion by Chris Drake — Chapter 11: Holy Spirit Poured Out On All Flesh