Acts 10-11 Revelation
Acts 10:21–24. Cornelius needed to send for Peter to receive the ordinances of the gospel
“Seeing an angel or receiving a visitation from heaven does not bring salvation; keeping the commandments does. Cornelius wished for salvation, and in order to obtain it he had to obey its precepts. The angel who appeared and gave Cornelius initial instructions could have told him what to do, but he sent him to Peter, who held the earthly authority. This is the pattern in the kingdom of God. It is, then, as Joseph Smith observed: … ‘The angel told good old Cornelius that he must send for Peter to learn how to be saved: Peter could baptise and angels could not, so long as there were legal officers in the flesh holding the keys of the kingdom, or the authority of the priesthood” [Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 110; italics added]” (The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles [Church Educational System manual, 1979], 252).
Acts 10:45. The gift of the Holy Ghost
In Acts 10:45, the phrase “the gift of the Holy Ghost” refers to the power of the Holy Ghost, which had come upon these Gentiles. This is different from the gift of the Holy Ghost, which we receive through the ordinance of confirmation after baptism (see Acts 8:14–17; Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 97).
Acts 11. God directs His Church by revelation to His prophet, the senior Apostle
Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke of the order by which revelation is received for the Church:
“There is order in the way the Lord reveals His will to mankind. We all have the right to petition the Lord and receive inspiration through His Spirit within the realm of our own stewardship. Parents can receive revelation for their own family, a bishop for his assigned congregation, and on up to the First Presidency for the entire Church. However, we cannot receive revelation for someone else’s stewardship. The Prophet Joseph Smith declared:
“‘It is contrary to the economy of God for any member of the Church, or any one, to receive instructions for those in authority, higher than themselves’ [Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 197–98]” (“We Believe All That God Has Revealed,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2003, 85–86).
Acts 11. Revelation often comes incrementally as we act according to what we know
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles likened incremental revelation to the rising of the sun:
“The gradual increase of light radiating from the rising sun is like receiving a message from God ‘line upon line, precept upon precept’ (2 Nephi 28:30). Most frequently, revelation comes in small increments over time and is granted according to our desire, worthiness, and preparation. Such communications from Heavenly Father gradually and gently ‘distil upon [our souls] as the dews from heaven’ (D&C 121:45). This pattern of revelation tends to be more common than rare” (“The Spirit of Revelation,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 88).
“Seeing an angel or receiving a visitation from heaven does not bring salvation; keeping the commandments does. Cornelius wished for salvation, and in order to obtain it he had to obey its precepts. The angel who appeared and gave Cornelius initial instructions could have told him what to do, but he sent him to Peter, who held the earthly authority. This is the pattern in the kingdom of God. It is, then, as Joseph Smith observed: … ‘The angel told good old Cornelius that he must send for Peter to learn how to be saved: Peter could baptise and angels could not, so long as there were legal officers in the flesh holding the keys of the kingdom, or the authority of the priesthood” [Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 110; italics added]” (The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles [Church Educational System manual, 1979], 252).
Acts 10:45. The gift of the Holy Ghost
In Acts 10:45, the phrase “the gift of the Holy Ghost” refers to the power of the Holy Ghost, which had come upon these Gentiles. This is different from the gift of the Holy Ghost, which we receive through the ordinance of confirmation after baptism (see Acts 8:14–17; Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 97).
Acts 11. God directs His Church by revelation to His prophet, the senior Apostle
Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke of the order by which revelation is received for the Church:
“There is order in the way the Lord reveals His will to mankind. We all have the right to petition the Lord and receive inspiration through His Spirit within the realm of our own stewardship. Parents can receive revelation for their own family, a bishop for his assigned congregation, and on up to the First Presidency for the entire Church. However, we cannot receive revelation for someone else’s stewardship. The Prophet Joseph Smith declared:
“‘It is contrary to the economy of God for any member of the Church, or any one, to receive instructions for those in authority, higher than themselves’ [Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 197–98]” (“We Believe All That God Has Revealed,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2003, 85–86).
Acts 11. Revelation often comes incrementally as we act according to what we know
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles likened incremental revelation to the rising of the sun:
“The gradual increase of light radiating from the rising sun is like receiving a message from God ‘line upon line, precept upon precept’ (2 Nephi 28:30). Most frequently, revelation comes in small increments over time and is granted according to our desire, worthiness, and preparation. Such communications from Heavenly Father gradually and gently ‘distil upon [our souls] as the dews from heaven’ (D&C 121:45). This pattern of revelation tends to be more common than rare” (“The Spirit of Revelation,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 88).