WHAT SALVATION DID FOR THE EARLY CHURCH
Acts 2:41-47
Morning Meditation 11/18/14
"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."
It is amazing to read the second chapter of the book of Acts. It makes one hungry to see this happen again. It happened without any effort on their part. They just conducted in a normal way of worship as they knew it, and it happened. It would be amusing, if it were not so serious, to see religious phonies attempting to reproduce what happened on Pentecost in the wisdom of men and the power of the flesh. It is soulish to the core and does not have the slightest scent of true revival.
There are some things that happened on that day, and the days following, that can be practiced by yielded saints that continues the part of what happened on Pentecost that will keep the church doing what Jesus built it to do until He comes again.
THEY CONFESSED THE LORD IN BAPTISM
Acts 2:41, "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."
First of all it is speaking of those who gladly received his word. The word "gladly" translates "asmenos" and means, "with joy and gladness." The verb is aorist tense and suggests a permanent acceptance of His Word. These were baptized. The words, "were baptized" is an aorist passive indicative verb. The aorist tense refers to the fact of it, the passive voice means that they submitted to baptism by the Apostles.. The passive voice means it happened to them. They did not do it to themselves. I had a man who wanted to join the church where I was the pastor. He told me he had already been baptized. He said, "I baptized myself in a swimming pool." I said, "That's interesting." I told him he needed to go join a swimming club not a church!!!
No man can become a Christian who does not receive the Word gladly. The Lord is calling volunteers. It is "whosoever will" may come. No one can be tricked into salvation. Jesus says in John 6:44, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."
Second, verse 41 says, "and the same day were added unto them about three thousand souls." That is a lot of people added to the church in one day. Some have argued that three thousand souls could not be baptized in one day in Jerusalem. A lot of people do not believe God spoke the world into existence suddenly without the process of evolution. Theistic evolution is just unbelieving people trying to help God do something over a period of time that the Bible says He did suddenly. Psalms 33:6, 9, "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. . . For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast."
This is one of the things that salvation did for those who believed at the time of the early church. They did not hesitate to follow the Lord in believer's baptism. They took a public stand with the faith that was being preached by the Church.
THEY IDENTIFIED WITH THE DOCTRINE PREACHED BY THE APOSTLES
Acts 2:42, "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."
The words, "they continued" is an imperfect tense. The imperfect tense refers to continued action in the past without an end to it being stated or implied. It means they kept on steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine." The word "steadfastly" translates "proskartereo" and means, "to be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing."
The words "in the Apostle's doctrine" translates "didache" and refers to the truths declared by the Apostles. The Apostles taught what Jesus had taught them. Then new believer embraced the teaching of the Lord through the Apostles and continued steadfastly in that teaching.
THEY SOUGHT FELLOWSHIP WITH THOSE WHO BELIEVED AND TAUGHT THAT TRUTH
Acts 2:42, "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."
Fellowship is important to a new believer. One can understand this if he is a true convert of Jesus. A new believer has had a miracle worked in his spiritual life. He is changed. He is not just a son of Adam with a patch of religion pasted on him. He has experienced a new creation. He is a new man. He is as certainly a new man as Adam was a new man when God made him and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Ephesians 4:24 says, "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."
The words "And that ye put on the new man" means to put on like a garment. God's new creation is within. He wants the new creation of the believer to be seen without. So He says, "And that ye put on the new man." The words, "which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." The words "which after God" means after God's image. The words "is created" translates "ktizo" and means, "to create, of God creating the worlds." In this case it means that a new man is created within the old.
1. The former part of the believer is called in Ephesians 4:22, "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;"
Then in Colossians 3:9, "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;"
2. The newly created believer is called in Ephesians 2:15, "Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;"
Ephesians 4:24, "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."
Colossians 3:10, "And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:"
3. Paul speaks of both these men being in one body causing conflict. Romans 7:15-18, "For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not."
Paul continues to speak of the conflict in Romans 7:19-20, "For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me."
Note that in two verses in this passage Paul says, "Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me (verse 17), and, "Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me" (verse 20).
In these verses Paul does not identify with "sin that dwelleth in me." He identifies with the new man that is in conflict with the old. This is brought out in Galatians 5:17, "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."
4. Paul finally says in Romans 7:24-25, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."
Some say this teaching makes the Christian a spiritual schizophrenic. This disease is a psychotic disorder in which symptoms of schizophrenia and affective disorder occur simultaneously. They say this to make fun of a concept that they reject. One of the ways to disagree with a person when you can't make a fair intellectual argument is to intimidate and try to make the person believing what you don't believe feel like a fool.
There is a conflict going on in the life of the believer. It is clearly taught in the Word of God. To deny it is simply to deny what the Bible says. The truth of the matter, those who deny it, have it.
Believers need fellowship with those who understand the Scriptures and can share a common experience. I have conflicts in my life. I've had them since I began writing this meditation. Satan messes with my mind. What do I do when this happens? James 4:7 says, "Submit yourselves therefore to God.. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." I did and he did!
Many preachers try to hide the conflicts they have with the flesh and Satan. When they do this they cheat those to whom they minister. It really helps a believer who is having real conflict to know that this is a common experience for believers and there is victory to be obtained. It is not a once-for-all victory. It is a continual battle but one we continually win if we are obedient to the faith in James 4:7 and Ephesians 6:10-18.
I have not covered all in this passage. But the part I have commented on is very important to many believers. So may the Lord bless these words to our hearts.
In Christ
Bro.. White
