Act 15:1-21  The Apostles and Elders Came Together to Consider this Matter

[Study Aired May 14, 2023]

Act 15:1  And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Act 15:2  When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
Act 15:3  And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
Act 15:4  And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
Act 15:5  But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
Act 15:6  And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
Act 15:7  And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
Act 15:8  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
Act 15:9  And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Act 15:10  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Act 15:11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
Act 15:12  Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
Act 15:13  And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
Act 15:14  Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
Act 15:15  And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
Act 15:16  After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
Act 15:17  That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
Act 15:18  Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
Act 15:19  Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
Act 15:20  But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
Act 15:21  For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

We will finish this chapter next week and stop here for today.

We have finally come to Acts 15. This is the chapter which reveals how the apostles set us an example of how we are to deal with doctrinal differences which do arise within the body of Christ. Remember what we have been told:

1Co 11:18  For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
1Co 11:19  For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

Before we examine how these heretical differences are to be dealt with, let’s first examine why the Lord sends us “divisions among you” and doctrinal differences. It is not what we might think:

1Co 11:19  For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

The Lord says that there must be heresies among us… “that they which are approved may be made manifest.” We would just naturally think the Lord would send heresies among us for the purpose of revealing what is the truth of the matter. Indeed, the Lord does show us what is the truth is, but that is apparently secondary to ‘manifesting… they which are approved among [us].’ Notice what Paul, in the previous verse, tells us what heresies produce when they are brought into our fellowship:

1Co 11:18  For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

Heresies divide us, and the fact that there are 40,000 plus Christian denominations, each one formed generally over doctrinal differences, belies and reveals the great whore and all her daughter churches.

This is the mind of Christ as it concerns the unity of His body:

1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1Co 1:11  For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
1Co 1:12  Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
1Co 1:13  Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
1Co 1:14  I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
1Co 1:15  Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
1Co 1:16  And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
1Co 1:17  For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

Paul tells us:

2Ti 1:13  Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
2Ti 1:14  That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
2Ti 1:15  This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

“All they which are in Asia” includes “the seven churches of Asia” to whom the book of Revelation is addressed:

Rev 1:4  John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

The number ‘seven’ signifies that the whole church had already apostatized before the death of most of the apostles. The apostasy was so strong that Diotrephes was “casting…out of the church” the people whom the apostle John had sent to minister to them:

3Jn 1:9  I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
3Jn 1:10  Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

Diotrephes was not interested in ‘being persuaded by his leaders and deferring to them’ as we are commanded of the holy spirit, not of any man:

Heb 13:17 Be persuaded by your leaders, and be deferring to them, for they are vigilant for the sake of your souls, as having to render an account, that they may be doing this with joy, and not with groaning, for this is disadvantageous for you.

Under the inspiration of the holy spirit, Paul told us “there must be heresies among you that those who are approved might be made manifest” (1Co 11:19). Let 1 Corinthians 11:19 sink into your spirit, as we examine this 15^th chapter, which demonstrates for us how the apostles dealt with the heresy which teaches that the Gentiles must be physically circumcised before they can receive salvation.

Heresies are listed as one of the works of the flesh which will rob us of our crown and of inheriting the kingdom of God:

Gal 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Rev 3:11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Christ Himself tells us that false prophets with their false doctrines and heresies will periodically be found among the Lord’s “very elect”:

Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
1Ti 4:2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

2Pe 2:1  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

The Lord’s people all “come out of [Babylon]” (Rev 18:4), and therefore we were all the victims of the “damnable heresies” of all these “false prophets” at the time appointed for each of us. These ‘damnable heresies” are also called “strong delusion”:

2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12  That they all might be damned [G2919: ‘krino’, judged] who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

The Greek word translated as ‘damned’ here is ‘krino’. It appears 117 times in the Greek, and this is the only time this word is mistranslated as ‘damned’.  Those who reject the truth in this present time will be judged in “the resurrection of judgment” (Joh 5:29), which is the lake of fire, which is the second death (Rev 20:14).

Notice how similar these words here in 2 Thessalonians 2 are to the words of Christ Himself:

Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

We will now begin reading the story of how the apostles set us an example of how to avoid being divided against Christ and His doctrines. If we follow their example, we will ‘all speak the same thing, and have no divisions among us and we will remain perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment’ concerning what constitutes His doctrines.

1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Here in this 15^th chapter of Acts the apostles are confronted with the first recorded false doctrine which attempted to divide the Lord’s flock:

Act 15:1  And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Act 15:2  When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

The apostle Peter, the apostle the holy spirit had chosen to be the first, who through miraculous circumstances, was privileged to take the gospel to the Gentiles in the house of the Roman centurion, Cornelius, just happened to be visiting the church at Antioch at the same time that Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch from their first missionary journey. This is just over two years after Peter had visited the house of Cornelius. We know this is so because Barnabas was sent to Antioch immediately after the Gentiles had received the holy spirit when Peter was still speaking in Cornelius’s house, and as soon as Barnabas had seen all the holy spirit was doing in Antioch, he went to Tarsus to get Saul to help minister to all the synagogues in Antioch:

Act 11:25  Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
Act 11:26  And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

After ministering “a whole year” in Syrian Antioch, Barnabas and Saul are sent to Jerusalem at the time of the Passover to present a gift from the churches in Antioch to the drought-stricken saints in Jerusalem. When Barnabas and Saul returned to Antioch from Jerusalem the holy spirit immediately sent Barnabas and Saul on an evangelical mission which occupied another year at the most. Therefore, Peter and Barnabas separating themselves from the Gentiles in Antioch occurred just a very few years after the holy spirit told Peter to call no man common or unclean.  Paul’s rebuking of Peter and Barnabas happened shortly after Paul and Barnabas had returned to Syrian Antioch after their first missionary journey:

Gal 2:11  But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
Gal 2:12  For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
Gal 2:13  And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
Gal 2:14  But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

Peter then returned to Jerusalem and is there at Jerusalem when the church at Antioch sent Barnabas and Paul up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question of whether the Gentiles must be physically circumcised to be saved:

Act 15:3  And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
Act 15:4  And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
Act 15:5  But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
Act 15:6  And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

Before we continue our narrative, let’s remember just how contentious this doctrine was which taught that the Gentiles must be physically circumcised to be converted or they could not be saved. The contention began in Antioch. I will repeat:

Act 15:1  And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Act 15:2  When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem  unto the apostles and elders about this question.

This same contentious spirit was still alive and well among “they of the circumcision” when they got up to Jerusalem:

Act 15:4  And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
Act 15:5  But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
Act 15:6  And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
Act 15:7  And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

What are we to do when there is a heresy among us? Heresies are essential to our walk “to have our senses exercised to know good and evil” as well as to reveal who among us is approved of God:

1Co 11:18  For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
1Co 11:19  For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

Those words are expressing the mind of God in this matter, and so are these words:

Heb 5:12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Any of us who think we do not need a teacher “are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat” simply because you simply have not yet had your “senses exercised to know both good and evil”.

Christ’s apostles are mature enough to acknowledge that they do need teachers, and they are humble enough to seek the counsel of all the apostles and elders to settle this question and to root out the heresy which is attempting to divide the church. Notice that we are twice told that this question was brought before “the apostles and elders” to consider and to deliver a decision. As clearly as it can be stated “the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.” This was not something the whole church discussed and considered as we once thought.

We had misread the Lord’s words “tell it to the church” and made it say, “Take it to the church.” That was a grievous error for which all our leaders at that time have repented.

Here is what the scriptures actually teach:

Mat 18:15  Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Mat 18:16  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Mat 18:17  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

The church did not ‘come together for to consider of this matter.’ In fact this is what the church did:

Act 15:12  Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.

The consensus of the apostles and elders was that the doctrine which held that the Gentiles must be physically circumcised to be saved was spurious heresy. However, it was also agreed that the Jews must continue to be circumcised and to live by the law of Moses.

Act 15:7  And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
Act 15:8  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
Act 15:9  And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Act 15:10  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Act 15:11  But we [Peter, Paul and Barnabas] believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we [physical Jews] shall be saved, even as they [the believing Gentiles].
Act 15:12  Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.

Why would the church at Antioch “determine that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go… to the apostles and elders about this question?” (vs 2)

That determination was made because the leaders of the church in Antioch knew what both Christ and the Old Testament instruct us to do when legitimate doctrinal questions arise within the body of Christ. We have already quoted Matthew 18:15-17, where Christ instructs us how we are to deal with being offended by a brother. Nothing is more offensive to a brother than to “bring in damnable heresies.”  These words of Christ in Matthew 18:15-17 are simply the New Testament version of these words from the Old Testament:

Pro 11:14  Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

Pro 15:22  Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.

Pro 24:6  For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

The only Biblical way to wage spiritual warfare is “in the multitude of counselors.” The only Biblical way to establish purposes and doctrine is with “a multitude of counselors.” The only Biblical way to stay safe in the Lord is to obey His commandment to seek “a multitude of counselors” when deciding whose doctrine is Christ’s doctrine.

Now let’s all pay very close attention to how this Jerusalem conference played out. Peter, speaking for himself and Paul and Barnabas, had made their case by declaring their position:

Act 15:7  And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
Act 15:8  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
Act 15:9  And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Act 15:10  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Act 15:11  But we [Peter, Paul and Barnabas] believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we [Jewish believers] shall be saved, even as they [Gentile believers, saved by grace through faith, Eph 2:8].

While there was one hundred percent consensus that the Gentiles need not be circumcised or keep the laws of Moses to be saved, none of the original twelve apostles, other than Peter, thought the Jews did not need to keep the law of Moses:

Act 15:13  And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
Act 15:14  Simeon [Peter] hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
Act 15:15  And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
Act 15:16  After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
Act 15:17  That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
Act 15:18  Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
Act 15:19  Wherefore my sentence [G2919, ‘krino’, judgment] is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
Act 15:20  But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
Act 15:21  For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

As we will see in our next study, even though the judgment of James and the other apostles and elders was that the Jews needed to remain under the law of Moses, Peter, Paul and Barnabas were “persuaded [by] and deferred to” the consensus of the elders that the Jews must continue living by the law of Moses even though they had just declared plainly that they (Peter, Paul, and Barnabas) believed that the Lord put “no difference” between Jews and Gentiles. In time it was revealed that the Lord was indeed ‘making of twain one new man’ and was taking down the middle wall of partition between the Jews and the Gentiles. That “middle wall of partition” was the very determination made at the Jerusalem conference expressed in a letter sent to the Gentiles which informed them that they need not keep the law, but the Jews must keep the law of Moses.

Eph 2:11  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 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;
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Lest we fail to understand that Paul was living under the law while teaching the Gentiles that they need do no such thing, the decision agreed upon at this conference is repeated for us in Acts 21, which takes place after Paul’s third missionary journey:

Act 21:18  And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
Act 21:19  And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
Act 21:20  And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: [of Moses]
Act 21:21  And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
Act 21:22  What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.

If Paul had forsaken Moses during his past two journeys, then this was the perfect opportunity for him to speak up and say so. However, Paul had not forsaken the law of Moses and was himself living under it even as he was telling the Gentiles they need not to do so. Paul would die before being a hypocrite, so he had no problem with what James was asking him to do so that “all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law” [of Moses].

Act 21:23  Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
Act 21:24  Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
Act 21:25  As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
Act 21:26  Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

Paul wanted everyone to know, and the holy spirit wants us to know, that when Paul agreed with the conclusion of the Jerusalem conference, he lived his life by that decision of the apostles and elders.

Neither he nor Peter nor Barnabas took the attitude that “Me and Jesus got a good thing going, me and Jesus got it all worked out, me and Jesus got a good thing going, we don’t need anybody to tell us what it’s all about” – to quote a country song by Tom T. Hall, which expresses the divisive evil spirit which rules over many who claim that they know the Lord. The ‘Jesus’ they know is not the same Jesus Peter, Paul and Barnabas knew and loved and obeyed, and all those who subscribe to the ‘Lone Ranger’ doctrine of Tom T. Hall know “another Jesus”, and they are building their spiritual house upon the shifting sand of this earth and not upon the Rock that is Christ:

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Luk 6:47  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
Luk 6:48  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Luk 6:49  But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

2Co 11:4  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

Gal 1:6  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal 1:7  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

When Paul says, “Which is not another” it is obvious by what follows that he is telling us that those who are attempting to remove us from Him that called us into the grace of Christ unto another gospel will always tell us it is not another gospel, yet we are plainly told that they “would pervert the gospel of Christ.”

We have all been through the experience of being forced to discern what is and what is not the voice of the True Shepherd and what is “the gospel of Christ” versus what is a perversion of that gospel. In our next study we will learn how to choose our counselors and to know which counselors are the Lord’s counselors.

Here is some very good admonition from a very reliable source:

1Th 5:12  And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
1Th 5:13  And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
1Th 5:14  Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

Acts 11:1-18 They That Were of the Circumcision Contended With [Peter]

[Study Aired April 2, 2023]

Act 11:1  And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
Act 11:2  And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him,
Act 11:3  Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.
Act 11:4  But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying,
Act 11:5  I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:
Act 11:6  Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
Act 11:7  And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat.
Act 11:8  But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.
Act 11:9  But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
Act 11:10  And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven.
Act 11:11  And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me.
Act 11:12  And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house:
Act 11:13  And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;
Act 11:14  Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
Act 11:15  And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
Act 11:16  Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
Act 11:17  Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
Act 11:18  When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

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Act 11:1  And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.

What had happened in Caesarea, with the apostle Peter entering the home of the Gentile Roman centurion, Cornelius, was shocking to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, but they acknowledged “that the Gentiles had also received the Word of God”. However, there were those who simply could not yet understand how this was possible:

Act 11:2  And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him,
Act 11:3  Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.

“They that were of the circumcision” means those Christian Jews who were “zealous of the law [of Moses]”, as James boasted before Paul in:

Act 21:19  And when he [Paul] had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
Act 21:20  And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:

The events of Acts 21 are about fifteen years after Peter was given the honor of bringing the gospel to the Gentiles for the first time. Yet even the apostles at Jerusalem are not yet given to understand that “they of the circumcision”, while indeed being “zealous of the law”, will be counted as being “under tutors and governors” at a later standard (Gal 4:1-5), and therefore “carnal babes in Christ” (1Co 3:1-4). It is important to realize this standard was not yet applied when Paul himself was living under the law when he wrote the book of Galatians. It had been agreed in Acts 15 that the Gentiles did not need circumcision and the ordinances of Moses, but the Jews were required to continue in those things. If this is not true, then Paul would have been lying to Felix when he made this statement:

Act 24:11  Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.
Act 24:12  And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:
Act 24:13  Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.

The accusation made against Paul in Acts 21 was:

Act 21:21  And they [the Jewish believers in Jerusalem] are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.

Stephen and the apostle James, the brother of John, one of the two sons of Zebedee, died as martyrs before the holy spirit revealed that favor with God was no longer tethered to being physically attached to Abraham. Stephen and James were not considered ‘carnal babes in Christ’, because it had not yet been revealed at the time of their deaths that the law of Moses was no longer the standard for the righteousness needed for salvation. The apostles, Paul himself included, as late as the end of Paul’s third journey when he went up and was apprehended of the Jews in Acts 21, were all still very much attached to the law of Moses:

Act 21:18  And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
Act 21:19  And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
Act 21:20  And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:

It seemed impossible to the apostles that “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” could possibly also become the God of the Gentiles without first becoming proselytes to Judaism. It is hard for any of us to accommodate such a great doctrinal change. It seemed as impossible as one rising up from among the dead. Christ had told His disciples well in advance that He would be murdered and raised back to life, and yet not even His own apostles believed that would happen:

Mar 16:9  Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
Mar 16:10  And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
Mar 16:11  And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.

Mar 16:14  Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

That is the lesson for all of us as we read of the spiritual immaturity of the apostles and of the churches they established. One and all, we begin our walk with the Lord as “carnal babes in Christ”, and it requires the patience of the saints to bear with us until we no longer need a schoolmaster to teach us and to help us get from our classroom to the lunchroom.

That was Paul’s experience with the Corinthians and the Galatians:

1Co 3:1  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1Co 3:4  For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

Gal 4:1  Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
Gal 4:2  But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
Gal 4:3  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
Gal 4:4  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Pointing out the revelation that the gospel would go to the Gentiles and that the law of Moses would no longer be the standard for the righteousness of Christ is not to condemn the apostles. Christ does not have us give an accounting for what He has not yet told us. Christ Himself told His disciples:

Mat 23:1  Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
Mat 23:2  Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
Mat 23:3  All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
Mat 23:4  For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

“All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do” in no way conflicts with the holy spirit telling Peter to go to the house of a Gentile, if we are granted to acknowledge the progressive revelation of scripture. The first Adam knows nothing of ‘the things of the spirit’. In fact, ‘the things of the spirit are foolishness unto him’:

1Co 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world [the letter of the law], but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things [of the spirit] that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth [the letter of the law], but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things [spiritual realities] with spiritual [types and shadows].
1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The natural man has no trouble understanding these words:

Deu 7:1  When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;
Deu 7:2  And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:

Peter could easily understand those words. Those are utterly carnal words, admonishing physical, natural Israel to perform carnal actions against her carnal enemies. What Peter had to be made to understand through his own miraculous vision, supernaturally connected to the equally miraculous vision which was earlier given to Cornelius, was the spiritual meaning of those words. Those carnal-minded words are being used by the holy spirit as types and shadows of our carnal nature to tell us, if we have the mind of the spirit, that we are fighting spiritual giants in our own spiritual land. We are commanded to completely destroy those lusts, passions and false doctrines, and every spiritual thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and ‘make no covenant with them and spiritually show them no mercy’.

The Lord knew from the beginning that such a marvelous work would require a lot of time. The Lord’s plan all along was to create a carnal, dying body of flesh and bones, for the purpose  of giving it an experience of evil which would then provide Him with the occasion He is seeking to crush and humble us.

Ecc 1:13 I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it. (CLV)

Therefore, the first ‘Adam’ was only the very first step toward the making of mankind into the image of God. The clay model is nothing more than a necessary evil which must be endured as an integral part of the process of creating mankind in the image of God and His Son.

Jeremiah later expresses this Truth with these words:

Jer 18:4  And the vessel that he made [Hebrew: Qal stem, indicating a process, not the finished product] of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made [Qal stem ‘is making’] it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

What bookends this subject and sinks the false doctrine of God giving mankind a will that is free from His influence is the fact that both Jeremiah 18:4 and this verse of Genesis 1 are in the Qal stem, a form of Hebrew grammar which correlates to the aorist tense in the Greek language:

Gen 1:27 And creating [Qal stem] is the Elohim humanity in His image. In the image of the Elohim He creates it. Male and female He creates them.

 In other words, God is in the process of making mankind in His image and after His likeness. The ‘first Adam’ is but the first part of that creation process.

The second stage of that process does not begin until after the sacrifice of Christ was made. That is why the Lord made this statement to His apostles the very same evening in which He was apprehended by the Jews, just before His crucifixion:

Joh 16:12  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

This entire story of Peter entering into the home of a Gentile, and eating with that Gentile, is all a part of revealing to each of us how hard it is for us to give up all our own weaknesses and all the false doctrines we cherished  while we were at home in our own Babylonian experience.

Christ had already made it clear by every “…but I say unto you” statement in:

Mat 5:21  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
Mat 5:22  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Mat 5:27  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Mat 5:28  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Mat 5:31  It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
Mat 5:32  But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
Mat 5:33  Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
Mat 5:34  But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:

Mat 5:38  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Mat 5:39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Mat 5:43  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

…that He had come to reform the law of Moses, as Moses had prophesied that He would:

Deu 18:15  The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
Deu 18:16  According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.
Deu 18:17  And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
Deu 18:18  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
Deu 18:19  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
Deu 18:20  But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

This is that part of the law of Moses which identifies Christ as the prophesied reforming Messiah who would reform the law. Instead of understanding and accepting the words of Christ as the fulfilling of this prophecy, the scribes and Pharisees, along with the priests and elders of Israel, used  this very scripture to justify the death of Christ by claiming He was casting out devils “in the name of other gods… by the power of Beelzebub.” All their eyes and the eyes of Saul of Tarsus could see were the words “even that prophet shall die”:

Mat 12:22  Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. [As a type of you and me]
Mat 12:23  And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
Mat 12:24  But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

Nevertheless, those who made this accusation against Christ were “they which were of the circumcision”, and the apostles of Christ had not yet been brought to see that being “of the circumcision” would in time be revealed to be spiritually immature. This immaturity is on display when James makes it clear that as of the Jerusalem conference in Acts 15, which was several years after the death and resurrection of Christ, “they of the circumcision” still considered the local synagogue to be the church of God:

Act 15:12  Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
Act 15:13  And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
Act 15:14  Simeon [Peter] hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
Act 15:15  And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
Act 15:16  After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
Act 15:17  That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
Act 15:18  Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
Act 15:19  Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
Act 15:20  But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
Act 15:21  For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

These words, “Moses [is] being read in the synagogues every sabbath day” demonstrate that the whole Jewish Christian church in Jerusalem, including all the original twelve apostles, minus Judas but including Mathias, considered the “reading [of] Moses… in every city… in the synagogues every sabbath” to be sufficient for Jewish Christians to “rebuild the tabernacle of Moses… That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called.”

In other words, the apostles at this time still believed their salvation depended on keeping the law of Moses and that “the tabernacle of David” was consisted only of those who were physically descended from Abraham through Isaac and Jacob or were proselytes to Judaism and who were physically circumcised and keeping the law of Moses. The letter to the Gentiles did not require the Gentiles to be circumcised, but that letter made it clear that the apostles and elders at Jerusalem did indeed think that “them that were of the circumcision” must be physically circumcised and keep the law of Moses. All the twelve original apostles at this conference, with the exception of Peter, thought that physical circumcision was essential for the salvation of any Jewish Christian. Peter is obliged to explain to the other apostles (“they of the circumcision”) why he broke the law of Moses which forbade any Jew from fraternizing with, entering the house of, and eating with any Gentile:

Act 11:4  But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying,

If the angel had appeared to Cornelius after Peter had his vision, then someone might say that Cornelius made his story up to fit Peter’s vision. However, the whole thing took place in a order which made it impossible to deny that it was a supernatural work of God. That is why Peter expounded it to the apostles in the order in which the holy spirit worked those events, and it all accords with Christ’s words:

Joh 16:12  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Peter does not specifically refer to Christ’s words in John 16:12, but he does affirm that it was the spirit which ‘bade him to go’ with the three Gentile men inquiring for him at the door of the house of Simon the tanner.

Act 11:5  I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:
Act 11:6  Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
Act 11:7  And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat.
Act 11:8  But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.
Act 11:9  But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
Act 11:10  And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven.
Act 11:11  And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me.
Act 11:12  And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house:

Peter and “these six brethren” equal seven Jews who were the complete witness of the holy spirit being given to the Gentiles before they were even baptized.

Act 11:13  And he [Cornelius] shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;
Act 11:14  Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
Act 11:15  And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
Act 11:16  Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
Act 11:17  Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
Act 11:18  When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

‘God… hath… also to the Gentile granted repentance unto life!’ What a shocking development! It seemed to contradict everything these Jews had ever believed, but it had been done in such a way that it simply could not be denied. God had given His spirit to them without the benefit of either circumcision or baptism. When Peter reminds the other apostles that Christ had said “Ye shall be baptized with the holy ghost”, Peter was applying those words to these uncircumcised Gentiles, and Peter was making it clear that he personally counted the Gentiles as part of those to whom Christ had made that promise.

There was simply no way that Cornelius could possibly have known that a man name Simon, whose surname was Peter, and was lodging with another man named Simon, who was a tanner and who lived by the sea shore. Nevertheless, when the men Cornelius sent to enquire for Peter it was all exactly as the angel had told Cornelius, and there was no way Peter could deny that His vision of a sheet filled with all manners of unclean beasts accorded with the three ‘unclean’ Gentiles who the spirit told Peter were calling for him. When the Lord wants us to know something, He works circumstances so that we cannot deny what He has shown us to be His work and His words.

If He wants to confirm to us that the thousand-year reign is over the natural, physical “kingdoms of this world” and that the establishment of that kingdom is preceded by “the resurrection of life”, and then that thousand years of ruling over the kingdoms of this world is followed by a short period of a natural and physical rebellion of ‘the nations in the four quarters of the earth’ against the “camp of the saints”, providing the Lord with the occasion He is seeking to “destroy death”, then He can and He has ‘expounded to us in order’ exactly what are the necessary events to confirm that doctrine in our hearts and minds in a way that cannot be denied. Truly if we are His “disciples indeed” then “all things are for [our] sakes”:

2Co 4:15  For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

Christ warned us against setting dates. Nevertheless, He Himself gives us a very specific timeline of the events He is bringing to pass to bring all of mankind to be made in His image and after His likeness:

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world [carnal worldly kingdoms] are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

The timing of this momentous event and the events that follow it are all clearly laid out for us in the fifteen short verses of:

Rev 20:1  And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Rev 20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season [Notice the order of events].
Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. [Notice the order of events] This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

The thousand-year reign is not designed to produce the great revival we have been led to believe from our years in the churches of this world. Instead, the thousand-year reign of the Lord and His Christ is designed to demonstrate that physical rulership, even if it is by the Lord and His Christ, does not convert the souls of men. All that physical rulership with a rod of iron produces in mankind is rebellion, just as Israel’s time under the pillar of fire by night and the pillar of cloud by day for forty years proved. That is what living under a rod of iron for a thousand years also produces:

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired [notice the order of events], Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

This great final rebellion which comes only “when the thousand years are expired”, provides the Lord with the occasion He is seeking to destroy death by the destruction of the source of death which is the rebellious carnal mind. That rebellious carnal mind is integral to and is within all dying flesh and blood:

Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

This has always been presented to us as the single most dreadful moment in all human history, because it is presented as the beginning of everlasting, eternal torment for the vast majority of humankind. The Truth is that this is the single greatest work of grace ever experienced by mankind, because the grace of God chastens and judges us, and the lake of fire is the second death, and the second death begins with the great white throne judgment:

Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books [of Psa 139:16] were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life [the book of those who were resurrected a thousand years earlier, who reigned with Christ over the kingdoms of this world for a thousand years and are now the judges of angels in this ‘great white throne judgment/lake of fire/ second death’]: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life [whosoever was not in that “blessed and holy… first resurrection”] was cast into the lake of fire [as the ‘second’ group to experience the death of their old man].

That is how all of mankind will finally be made in the image and likeness of God. It all culminates in the greatest work of God’s chastening grace known as ‘the great white throne… judgment’. It is a ‘white’ throne. It is not a dark, black throne judgment.

Now let’s ask a very simple question… What do all of God’s judgments produce? Here is the answer to that question:

1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by [the lake of] fire.

It is not adding to the words of God to insert the words ‘the lake of’ in that verse because this is what all of God’s judgments, including this “great white throne… judgment” produce:

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Resurrection precedes the day of judgment. There are only two resurrection and only two days of judgment mentioned in all scripture. We are at this very moment living in the first judgment day:

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

These verses refer to the first day of judgment which Christ calls “the resurrection of life”, because those few who are blessed to be in that resurrection are being judged in this present time. According to Christ Himself there are many who are not being judged in this present life, and they will come up out of their graves at a much later judgment which He labels “the resurrection of judgment”:

Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life [that “blessed and holy… first resurrection” which immediately precedes the thousand year reign]; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation [G2920: ‘krisis’, judgment, the great white throne judgment].

Peter understood Christ’s word’s “Ye shall be baptized with the holy ghost and with fire” to include the Gentiles to whom the Lord had sent him. That baptism of fire, spoken of by the Lord and repeated by Peter in our study today, is now on the house of God, and that baptism of fire is the ‘death of Christ’ into which we are now being baptized:

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:7  For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Every word in these verses dealing with being buried with Christ into His death is in the aorist tense because we are in a process of “dying daily” with Christ, and being baptized into His death. That daily dying is our judgment in this present time that Peter speaks of in 1 Peter 4:17, and if we are judged in this present time, then we will not be raised up in “the resurrection of judgment”:

1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves [in this present time], we should not be judged [in the resurrection of judgment (Joh 5:28-29)].
1Co 11:32  But when we are judged [whether in this present time or in the resurrection of judgment], we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned [to the resurrection of judgment] with the world.

 While the phrase ‘first death’ is not to be found in scripture, the phrases “first trusted in Christ” (Eph 1:12) and the phrase ‘judgment… first begins at the house of God” (1Pe 4:17) are scriptural phrases which establish the fact that those who suffer death to their old man in this present time (Rom 8:18) are indeed suffering the first death as opposed to “the second death” which is “the lake of fire”

Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

The second death is the death of the old man in the second resurrection. The death of our old man which we are seeking is the one that is “[now] on the house of God” and leads to “the resurrection of life” at the beginning of the thousand-year reign of Christ and His Christ:

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead [who do not live and reign with Christ during that thousand years] lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Act 9:23-43  Barnabas Took Him and Brought Him to the Apostles

[Study Aired March 5, 2023]

Act 9:23  And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:
Act 9:24  But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
Act 9:25  Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.
Act 9:26  And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.
Act 9:27  But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
Act 9:28  And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.
Act 9:29  And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
Act 9:30  Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
Act 9:31  Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
Act 9:32  And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.
Act 9:33  And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.
Act 9:34  And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.
Act 9:35  And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.
Act 9:36  Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
Act 9:37  And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.
Act 9:38  And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.
Act 9:39  Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
Act 9:40  But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
Act 9:41  And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.
Act 9:42  And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.
Act 9:43  And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.

In our last study, the Lord had demonstrated to us His power over every man and every nation and every religion on earth when He struck the fear of God into the heart and mind of His worst enemy and chief persecutor, Saul of Tarsus. Saul was operating under the auspices of the high priest in Jerusalem, signifying the religions of this world in every generation. This is not the time in which the Lord is working to save those who are under the sway of the religions of this world, but this is the time when the Lord is choosing a very “few” to come out of the religions of this world and, against all odds, stand firm on His Words. Saul of Tarsus signifies those few who were zealous for the religions of this world before the Lord turned them one hundred-eighty degrees and made them to become His servants, thus making them the zealous enemies of their former master, the religions of this world.

Saul of Tarsus, like all whom the Lord elects to become His servants, is given a “new name” (Isa 62:2, Rev 2:17), and later in these ‘Acts of the apostles’ he becomes Paul the apostle (Act 13:9).

Act 9:23  And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:

“Many days” in this case refers to the “three years” Saul remained in Damascus preaching the gospel until he was forced to flee for his life:

Gal 1:17  Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
Gal 1:18  Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

Act 9:24  But their laying await [the church of Saul’s day… the Jews] was known of Saul. And they watched the gates [of Damascus] day and night to kill him.
Act 9:25  Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.

In fleeing Damascus, Saul was being obedient to the Lord’s words:

Mat 10:23  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

It should be obvious that when the Lord tells us, “Resist not evil”, He is not commanding us to make ourselves a doormat for our enemies.

Mat 5:38  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Mat 5:39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Saul could have gone anywhere, but being converted to Christ he wanted to be with those who were converted before he was, and He wanted to meet “[his own flesh” (Isa 66:2)], the apostles in Jerusalem:

Act 9:26  And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.
Act 9:27  But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he [Saul] had seen the Lord in the way, and that he [the Lord] had spoken to him [Saul], and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

This verse 27 makes it sound as if Barnabas had introduced Saul to all the apostles at Jerusalem, but as we will see, the only ‘apostles’ Barnabas brought Saul to see were ‘Peter and James the Lord’s brother’ (Gal 1:18-19).

In introducing Saul to Peter and James, Barnabas was speaking only what he knew for a fact was true. Barnabas had either heard from a reliable source or else had been in Damascus when Saul was preaching Christ. Either way, it was Barnabas who was comfortable enough to be seen with Saul and “brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that [the Lord] had spoken to [Saul], and how [Saul] had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.”

Act 9:28  And he was with them [Peter and James, the Lord’s brother] coming in and going out at Jerusalem.
Act 9:29  And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

“The Grecians” is not a reference to Greeks. The name refers to Jews who communicated in the Greek language and read the Greek Septuagint, the Torah, translated into Greek. Saul spent three years preaching the gospel in Damascus, but he lasted only three weeks preaching the gospel in Jerusalem before he once again had to flee for his life.

Act 9:30  Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

How did “the brethren know” that the Grecians “went about to slay [Saul]?” Many years later, after his name is changed to ‘Paul’, Paul himself tells us how he found out about the plans of the Grecians to slay him. He relates how it happened in Acts 22 after ‘Paul the apostle’ is almost beaten to death by the Jews before the Roman centurion rescues him from a Jewish mob and gives him permission to address  the multitude:

Act 22:1  Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
Act 22:2  (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
Act 22:3  I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
Act 22:4  And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
Act 22:5  As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
Act 22:6  And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
Act 22:7  And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 22:8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
Act 22:9  And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
Act 22:10  And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
Act 22:11  And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
Act 22:12  And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
Act 22:13  Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
Act 22:14  And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
Act 22:15  For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
Act 22:16  And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

Here now is how Saul of Tarsus learned that the Grecian Jews at Jerusalem were going about to kill him:

Act 22:17  And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
Act 22:18  And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
Act 22:19  And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
Act 22:20  And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
Act 22:21  And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.

That was more than these “thousands of Jews… which believe and they are all zealous of the law” (Act 21:20) could take:

Act 22:22  And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.

Returning to Acts 9, the disciples took Saul to Caesarea and sent him home to Tarsus. We will not hear of Saul of Tarsus again until sometime later when Barnabas goes from Syrian Antioch to bring Saul back with him to Antioch and even then, even after Peter’s incredible experience in the house of the Gentile Roman centurion, no one was preaching to the Gentiles. This is what we are told after Peter’s sermon in the house of the Gentile Cornelius the Roman centurion:

Act 11:19  Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.
Act 11:20  And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians [Jews], preaching the Lord Jesus.
Act 11:21  And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
Act 11:22  Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.
Act 11:23  Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
Act 11:24  For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.
Act 11:25  Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
Act 11:26  And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Here is Paul the apostle’s chronology of all of this:

Gal 1:18  Then after three years [at Damascus] I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
Gal 1:19  But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
Gal 1:20  Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
Gal 1:21  Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia [When Barnabas came and fetched him from Tarsus];
Gal 1:22  And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: [As ‘Saul of Tarsus’ he had met none of the apostles but Peter and James the Lord’s brother]
Gal 1:23  But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
Gal 1:24  And they glorified God in me.

Saul spent fifteen days in Jerusalem, and, for whatever reason, he met only Peter and James the Lord’s brother. The other apostles there in Jerusalem did not meet Saul until fourteen years later at the so-called Jerusalem conference of Acts 15. Paul continues to give us his chronology of events in Galatians 2:

Gal 2:1  Then fourteen years after [fleeing Jerusalem] I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. [To the Jerusalem conference of Acts 15, concerning whether Gentiles must be physically circumcised]
Gal 2:2  And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
Gal 2:3  But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
Gal 2:4  And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
Gal 2:5  To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
Gal 2:6  But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
Gal 2:7  But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
Gal 2:8  (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
Gal 2:9  And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision [only (Acts 11:19)].

Now let’s go back to Acts 9 after the disciples took Saul of Tarsus down to Caesarea and sent him home to Tarsus, and continue our study:

Act 9:31  Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

The holy spirit now sends Peter to preach to the Jews “throughout all quarters” including a city called Lydda, which is about twenty-five miles [40 kilometers] west of Jerusalem, and 16 miles [22 kilometers] east of Joppa. Joppa, modern-day Tel Aviv, is a city on the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. Joppa is approximately 34 miles south of Caesarea.

Act 9:32  And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the [Jewish] saints which dwelt at Lydda. [25 miles west of Jerusalem]
Act 9:33  And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.

The holy spirit acts strategically healing people who have been known by everyone to have been afflicted for a long time. Aeneas had been afflicted for eight years.

Act 9:34  And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.
Act 9:35  And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.

This sickness was for the same purpose as the man who was born blind:

Joh 9:1  And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
Joh 9:2  And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Joh 9:3  Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

To whom are the works of God made manifested? The answer to that question is to be found in the next chapter of this book of the Acts of the Apostles:

Act 10:40  Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
Act 10:41  Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

Peter was not an elitist, he, like the Lord Himself, was simply telling the Truth, and this is the Truth of why the man in John nine was born blind and this is why Aeneas was “eight years… sick of the palsy”:

2Co 4:15  For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

All our afflictions and trials are for each other because we are all filling up what is behind of he afflictions of Christ in our bodies for His body’s sake, which is the church:

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Lydda was 16 miles east of the seacoast city of Joppa. Joppa is the home of Simon the tanner with whom Peter will soon be spending some time after he performs this next miracle of raising a woman from the dead:

Act 9:36  Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
Act 9:37  And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.
Act 9:38  And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa [16 miles west], and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.

Dorcas is already dead, and Peter did not wait four days, as Christ did with Lazarus, but dead is dead. These people were apparently hoping for another ‘Lazarus’ type of a miracle, and they were not disappointed:

Act 9:39  Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
Act 9:40  But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
Act 9:41  And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.

Once again, the holy spirit is working miracles which no one could gainsay. Everyone in Joppa knew this lady and all the good and selfless deeds she had done for all in need.

Act 9:42  And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.
Act 9:43  And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.

“Many days” is a phrase that is used to convey any time period from the forty days Christ appeared to his disciples after His resurrection (Acts 13:31) to the three years Paul spent preaching the gospel in Damascus:

Act 9:23  And after that many days were fulfilled [three years (Gal 1:18)], the Jews [at Damascus] took counsel to kill him:

Gal 1:18  Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

Act 13:31  And he was seen many days [“forty days”] of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

Act 1:3  To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

The phrase ‘many days’ is obviously an unspecified number of days, yet it is obviously more that just the fifteen days Saul of Tarsus spent with Peter in Jerusalem after fleeing for his life from Damascus.

In our next study we will see how the Lord is slowly but surely and inextricably bringing His Jewish disciples to relinquish their confidence in their Jewish flesh:

Php 3:4  Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
Php 3:5  Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Php 3:6  Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Php 3:7  But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

The holy spirit now has Peter in Joppa, about 34 miles, or 55 kilometers, south of Caesarea, the home of the Gentile Roman centurion, to whom the Lord will now send Peter as the holy spirit begins the process of revealing to the Jewish Christians that Gentiles can now become the spiritual seed of Abraham.

Peter’s visit to the home of Cornelius will be the subject of our next study.

Act 6:1-15  They Were not Able to Resist the Wisdom and the Spirit by Which He Spake

[Study Aired January 15, 2023]

Act 6:1  And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
Act 6:2  Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
Act 6:3  Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
Act 6:4  But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
Act 6:5  And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
Act 6:6  Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
Act 6:7  And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Act 6:8  And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
Act 6:9  Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
Act 6:10  And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
Act 6:11  Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.
Act 6:12  And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
Act 6:13  And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
Act 6:14  For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
Act 6:15  And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

The holy spirit was given on the day of Pentecost, and three thousand people were added to the one hundred and twenty already noted as believers. There were devout Jews from every nation under heaven in Jerusalem that day who heard the wonderful works of God in their own language. This miracle of the gift of languages maximized the effect of spreading the message of the salvation offered by the death and resurrection of Christ.

Shortly after the miraculous events of Pentecost and the giving of the holy spirit, the apostles Peter and John healed a beggar who had been laid at the gate of the temple for decades and was known by everyone in Jerusalem. Peter and John gave the risen Christ His deserved credit for that healing and for doing so were arrested, along with the man they had healed. The Sanhedrin could not deny the wonderful healing of a man the whole city knew, and therefore they were compelled to let the apostles go free with the order not to speak in the name of Christ. The healing of this particular man and the arrest of Peter and John, as well as the man who had been healed, again served to maximize the message of the gospel of a risen Savior.

Act 4:14  And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
Act 4:15  But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
Act 4:16  Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
Act 4:17  But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
Act 4:18  And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
Act 4:19  But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
Act 4:20  For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
Act 4:21  So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.
Act 4:22  For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.

Five thousand members were added to the church that day, and the apostles went back to speaking of Christ in Solomon’s porch, and multitudes were being healed from cities all around Jerusalem. In desperation the Sanhedrin panicked again, and in spite of the fact that “they were healed every one” (Act 5:16), they arrested all the apostles for disobeying their orders not to speak in the name of Jesus. The arrests were made very publicly in Solomon’s porch in the presence of all the people of the city. The Lord’s response to those who had Him crucified and then imprisoned His witnesses was to open the prison by night and release all the apostles commanding them to return to the temple and continue teaching the people in the name of Jesus.

The Sanhedrin was embarrassingly blindsided the next morning when they convened, anticipating the opportunity of putting the apostles on trial for teaching the people that they and their leaders had crucified their own Messiah. However, when they sent men to the prison to have the apostles brought to appear before their council, they found the prison secure, but the apostles were not inside. It wasn’t long before someone reported that all the men they had imprisoned a second time were back in the temple teaching the people. The people had witnessed their arrest the previous day, and the disciples were forced to explain that the man they had crucified had freed them from prison and had commanded them to return to the temple and proclaim that the risen Christ had died for their sins. All they needed to do was to truly repent and believe on the risen Christ. This very public arrest for no apparent reason, other than being told to stop teaching in the name of Jesus, had the maximum effect of proving that though Christ was not visible, He was as alive and active as the wind and far more powerful than electricity. All the supernatural healings and the miraculous deliverance from the prison by the risen Christ were demonstrating the meaning of what He had explained to Nicodemus about being born again of the spirit:

Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Joh 3:7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Joh 3:8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

This just had to be stopped, so the Sanhedrin again had the apostles arrested and brought before them. This gave the apostles another opportunity to witness to them and to tell them that they had crucified the Son of God and that it was the risen Christ who had freed them from their prison and was calling all Israel to repentance. It must be remembered that the apostles at this time did not believe that God was calling the Gentiles to Himself. Indeed, at this time Peter still has not been told that he ought not call any man common or unclean (Act 10:28). None of the apostles at this time would ever think of defiling the temple, much less destroying it.

Act 5:26  Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned [for taking their teachers and healers away from them].
Act 5:27  And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Act 5:28  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. [Which is exactly what they had asked to be done.]

Mat 27:24  When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
Mat 27:25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

Act 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Act 5:30  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
Act 5:31  Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
Act 5:33  When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.

Those who had Christ slain are in a very bad position. The man they had crucified now has twelve of His disciples teaching the people the very same things for which they had Him crucified. Instead of one man demonstrating their hypocrisy, there are now twelve, and their numbers are exploding as multitudes of the people in Jerusalem and the cities around Jerusalem, as well as many of the priests, are now also being converted to the Lord’s doctrines.

The Sanhedrin had every intention of having the apostles put to death just as they had done to Christ just a few months earlier. However, the Lord had a rabbi whose name was Gamaliel to convince them that if what the apostles were saying was not true then their work would be destroyed by God as He had destroyed so many others before them. However, if what the apostles were saying were true, then the Sanhedrin would find itself at war with God, a battle they were sure to lose.

Act 5:34  Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;
Act 5:35  And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
Act 5:36  For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
Act 5:37  After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
Act 5:38  And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
Act 5:39  But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
Act 5:40  And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
Act 5:41  And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
Act 5:42  And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

The ‘higher power’, the Sanhedrin, had not beaten Peter and John when they arrested them after healing the forty-year-old man who was born lame and “laid daily” at the gate of the temple. Instead, they commanded them to stop teaching in the name of Jesus whom they had crucified. Peter told them at that time that Christ had commanded them to be witnesses to His resurrection and that He and John could not deny what they had seen and heard from Christ. Therefore, when they returned to the people and told them of their answer to the authorities, they continued to teach the people in the name of Jesus. The number of Christian converts continued growing as multitudes were hearing the gospel and being healed even after the apostles were commanded not to teach in the name of Christ.

This second arrest included all the other apostles and, thanks to the Lord’s words through the highly esteemed rabbi, Gamaliel, they decided to let them go again after they were all beaten as well as being commanded to refrain from teaching in the name of Jesus. The chief priest and the Sanhedrin were hoping the beatings would deter their determination to spread the words of Christ. Instead, it had the opposite effect of strengthening their resolve to remain faithful to Christ and ‘counting it a blessing to be counted worthy to suffer shame for His name’.

While Christ tells us to be obedient to the higher power, He never tells us to obey that ‘higher power’ when it commands us to disobey Him:

Rom 13:1  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Act 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

We are all placed in the same position as the apostles. Every day we must decide… “Will I please men or will I obey the Lord’s commandments?”

It is in this spiritual atmosphere of a growing church that the apostles are again released to resume preaching Christ while performing miracles and healings which no one could deny.

While Christ was teaching in Solomon’s porch He never once said a single word about destroying the physical temple. Even the Sanhedrin knew that when He drove the money changers out of the temple, He was referring to His own body when He told them that they would “destroy this temple and I will raise it up”:

Here are Christ’s word which the children of the serpent twisted to their own evil purpose of having an excuse to demand Christ’s crucifixion:

Joh 2:13  And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,
Joh 2:14  And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
Joh 2:15  And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;
Joh 2:16  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.
Joh 2:17  And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
Joh 2:18  Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
Joh 2:19  Jesus answered and said unto them, [You] Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

Here is Christ clearly telling the religious leaders of the established church that they would destroy the temple of His body, and He would “raise it up.” The Jews twisted His words to say that He threatened to destroy the temple so they could have an occasion to put Him to death, and they knew very well He was referring to His own body when He made that statement. This is revealed in their petition to Pilate to set a guard over His grave after He was crucified:

Mat 27:62  Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
Mat 27:63  Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
Mat 27:64  Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
Mat 27:65  Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
Mat 27:66  So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

“The last error [was indeed] worse than the first,” but it had nothing to do with Christ’s disciples stealing His body away. There was no ‘body’ to steal, and yet He showed Himself to over five hundred people at once. There was no denying that the Father had raised Christ up from among the dead, and had given Him all power in heaven and in earth:

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

1Co 15:1  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1Co 15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Co 15:4  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1Co 15:5  And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
1Co 15:6  After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
1Co 15:7  After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
1Co 15:8  And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

The death and resurrection of Christ is as well-documented an event as is to be found in all history. Yet “His own” still deny Him until this day:

Joh 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

It is those who claim His name but do not do the things He says who do not receive Him to this very day. These early Jewish Christians had not yet learned that Christ would accept the Gentiles, but they were faithful to the understanding they had been given, and the Lord was blessing their service, and His church was growing. The Lord does not even begin to hint at having a relationship with the Gentiles until He sends Peter to the house of the Roman centurion in chapter 10:

Act 10:28  And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

One of the Biblical definitions of ‘sin’ is: “whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom 14:23). Therefore, it would have been a sin for Peter to even think about eating with a Gentile at this time:

Rom 14:23  And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

The point is that here in the sixth chapter of the book of Acts the entire church is still living under the law of Moses. No one, Stephen included, had any reason to want to see the temple destroyed. All the disciples are observing the weekly sabbath, the holy days, the clean and unclean meat laws, and all the many other laws of Moses. They have learned that they are not to hate their enemies, and they have learned that they “ought to obey God rather than man”, but they are still very entrenched in the covenant of circumcision, and they still believe that the Lord’s only people are Israelites and proselytes to Israel’s laws and doctrines, which are the law of Moses.

The temple in Jerusalem is currently central to their own doctrine. This will be the case even after it is revealed in chapter ten that the Lord is calling the Gentiles to repentance. The New Testament Jewish church will remain faithful to the law of Moses throughout this entire book of Acts, even after Peter visits the Gentile Roman centurion, Cornelius, and even after it is decided in Act 15 that the Gentiles need not be circumcised nor keep the law of Moses. The Lord still has not granted the Jewish church to dispense with the doctrine that physical pedigree, and being descended from Abraham, is of any advantage. The Jewish church in the book of Acts, by the Lord’s decree, simply is not yet “able to bear” the fact that the time will come when the Lord will reveal that He is “breaking down the wall of partition [the law of Moses] between [the Jews and the Gentiles] and is making of twain one new man so making peace” (Eph 2:15). That revelation will not be given until after the book of Acts. It will be given only after Paul arrives as a prisoner in Rome, where he will write many of his epistles.

We are just in Acts chapter six, and the Lord is blessing His new church with great growth among the Jews.

Act 6:1  And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

Again, we must remember the word ‘Grecians’ has nothing at all to do with ethnicity. It refers only to the Greek culture and the use of the Greek Septuagint, which was read by these Jews who were the so-called ‘Grecians’. The disciples are sincere, and “of one mind and one accord,” but a physical body requires physical administration, and nothing which is physical is yet perfected, as our Lord so graphically demonstrated when He said this of Himself:

Mar 10:18  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

Luk 13:31  The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.
Luk 13:32  And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

It is natural to care for your own before others, and that was happening in the early church. Those who were of the Hebrew culture were being placed above and before those Jews who were of the Greek culture and who read the Greek scriptures.

Act 6:2  Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

Peter is not saying that he is above waiting tables, but he is saying that feeding the flock spiritual food is far more advantageous for the flock than being fed physical food, as the Lord demonstrated with these words to Martha, the sister of Mary and Lazarus:

Luk 10:38  Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
Luk 10:39  And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
Luk 10:40  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
Luk 10:41  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
Luk 10:42  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

I had a woman brag to me that she was a ‘Martha’ because she was the one that got things done in her family. She obviously had not been granted eyes that see or ears that hear the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, and in her bragging, she made it clear that she did not have the mind of Christ concerning Mary or Martha. We are not told Martha’s response to Christ, but we are told much later that she still believed that Christ could heal her brother Lazarus when he was sick:

Joh 11:1  Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
Joh 11:2  (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
Joh 11:3  Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
Joh 11:4  When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
Joh 11:5  Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

Notice that Christ did not reprimand Martha and tell her to sit at His feet and listen to what He was saying. Christ knew that the meal had to be served, and He provided Martha for that very purpose. We are all ‘Martha’ before we are granted to become ‘Mary’ who seeks first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”

Mat 6:31  Therefore take no [anxious] thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

There is no doubt, based on the sum of the Lord’s words, that Mary helped with the dishes after the Lord was finished speaking because the Lord never condones slothfulness:

2Th 3:10  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

So, there is a time for both Mary and Martha within the body of Christ, and the appointing of these seven deacons demonstrates that Martha will always be in demand:

Act 6:3  Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. [of Martha’s serving tables – vs 2]
Act 6:4  But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. [Mary’s seeking the mind of Christ first].

These words of the yet unknown apostle Paul had not yet been written, and yet they were already being demonstrated at the very beginning of the church:

1Co 12:27  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
1Co 12:28  And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

Each of us is an integral part of the one “body of Christ”.

Act 6:5  And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
Act 6:6  Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

Every one of these seven names are ‘Grecian’ names. This indicates that the people agreed with those who had complained that the Grecian widows were being ignored, and they were happy to appoint seven Grecian Christians to see to it that did not happen again.

The apostles told the church to “look out among you seven men of honest report, full of the holy spirit whom we may appoint over this business [of serving tables].” The church had grown exponentially, and they had all things in common, yet some ‘Grecian’ widows were being overlooked. The apostles were given the wisdom to know that the people knew who those were who were already doing the work of a deacon, so they told the people to “look out among you seven men whom we may appoint over this business” of administering the physical needs of the congregation. These seven men were not placed over the apostles and given the purse strings of the church as is the case in many churches today where the ‘board of deacons’ is empowered to hire and fire the minister of the church. The fiscal funds brought into the church were “laid at the apostles’ feet” not at the feet of these seven deacons whom the apostles appointed over the work of ministering to the physical needs of the church. Neither did the apostles just take the words of the people that these men were fit to administer the physical needs of the congregation. The fact we are told “when [the apostles] had prayed, they laid their hands on them” tells us these men were well vetted before being given that duty:

Act 6:6  Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

1Ti 3:8  Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
1Ti 3:9  Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
1Ti 3:10  And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
1Ti 3:11  Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
1Ti 3:12  Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
1Ti 3:13  For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

These early Jewish Christians had very high standards, and the disciples of Christ still have very high standards until this very day “that the word of God be not blasphemed.” Hypocrisy in the body of Christ blasphemes His name:

Rom 2:23  Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
Rom 2:24  For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

Tit 2:3  The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
Tit 2:4  That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
Tit 2:5  To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Act 6:7  And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

This seventh verse gives us an idea why the Sanhedrin felt so threatened and wondered “whereunto this would grow”:

Act 5:24  Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.

“A great company of the priests [the sons of Aaron] were obedient to the faith [of Christ].” This had to be stopped or the established church would lose its power over the people.

The Lord used one of the first deacons to be placed into the same position as our Lord. As we demonstrated above, those who rejected the offer to repent of what they had done to Christ, bribed men to lie about Stephen’s words just as they had twisted the words of Christ when they accused Him of saying He would destroy the temple.

Act 6:8  And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

The holy spirit is not confined to doing the business of ministering to the physical needs of the congregation. Stephen was also used by the holy spirit to “do great wonders and miracles among the people,” and he was used by the spirit to witness to unconverted Jews while also doing the work of a deacon.

Act 6:9  Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
Act 6:10  And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
Act 6:11  Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.

This was all lies. The apostles were still living under the law of Moses and had no intention of destroying the temple. They were still offering blood sacrifices in the temple as we learn in Acts 21:

Act 21:23  Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
Act 21:24  Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.

All the congregation of the New Testament church at this point were all Jewish, and they all “walked orderly and kept the law” of Moses at this time.

The Greek word translated as ‘suborned’ is G5260 – ‘hupoballo’ – and this is how the BT+ defines this Greek word:

Definition:
1. to throw or put under
2. to suggest to the mind
3. to instruct privately, instigate, to bribe or induce (someone) unlawfully or secretly to perform some misdeed or commit a crime
4. to induce (a person esp. a witness) to give false testimony

The Jewish Sanhedrin bribed men to lie about what Stephen had been teaching, using the same lie they used to condemn our Lord:

Act 6:12  And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,

We are not told to what extent the high priest and the senate of the people were involved in what transpires next, but we are told that “the elders and the scribes… caught him and brought him to the council.” The Greek word here translated as ‘council’ is G4892 – ‘sunedrion’. It is the same ‘council’ before whom Christ was brought to be sentenced to crucifixion just a few months earlier:

Mat 26:59  Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council [G4892: ‘sunedrion’], sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

It was the same council which had ordered the apostles to stop speaking at all in the name of Jesus.

Act 6:13  And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
Act 6:14  For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
Act 6:15  And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

Verse 14 is the record of a blatant lie being told against Stephen. It is the exact same lie that had been told against Christ just a few months earlier and used as an excuse to have Him crucified.

Next week we will see that Stephen has been given the backbone to stick to The Truth even unto death. We must all have that same resolve, or we are not worthy to be Christ’s disciples:

Mat 10:37  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:38  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Isa 43:1-10 I Have Loved Thee: Therefore Will I Give Men for Thee, and People for Thy Life - Discussion

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Isa 43:1-10 I Have Loved Thee: Therefore Will I Give Men For Thee, and People For Thy Life.

Isa 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
Isa 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
Isa 43:3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
Isa 43:4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
Isa 43:5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
Isa 43:6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
Isa 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
Isa 43:8 Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.
Isa 43:9  Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
Isa 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

As is the Lord’s way of working with His creatures, He chastens and then reassures us of His love. His chastening is His judgment, and His judgments are proof of and demonstrate His love for us. While demonstrating His love for us, His chastening judgments also teach us of His righteousness.

Notice the relationship the scriptures reveal between the Lord’s chastening, His love and His judgments as they relate to our spiritual growth.

The Lord’s chastening witnesses to His love:

Pro 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
Pro 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

The holy spirit reiterates this principle in the book of Hebrews:

Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

The Lord’s chastening is His judgments which are even now upon the house of God (1Pe 4:17):

1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

If the Lord makes us a part of His ‘house’ in this age, then we are now being judged in this age, and the whole world sees us as “dead bodies” amid the streets of that great city…spiritual Babylon.

Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendethout of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Rev 11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

We must “Keep the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (Rev 1:3), and that includes those words. The word ‘finished’ in verse 7 is in the aorist tense, telling us that these words are an ongoing process. In other words, we, and every generation before us who are the Lord’s elect, must ‘keep these words’, and we must ourselves be the “savor of death” to those in that "great city...where our Lord was crucified".

2Co 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
2Co 2:16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
2Co 2:17 For we are not as many, which corrupt [Greek: peddle] the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

The next verse in Revelation 11 tells us, “They that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them… because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.” The word “tormented” is again in the aorist tense. So, these words are, were and will be true in every generation from the sacrifice of Christ until the first resurrection at the beginning of the thousand year reign of “the Lord and His Christ”:

Rev 11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

On the other hand, ‘the world’ is not now being judged. What that means is in many cases, the Lord is answering the world “according to the idols of their heart” (Eze 14:1-9), and they seem to prosper in this world:

Psa 73:3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Psa 73:4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
Psa 73:5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
Psa 73:6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
Psa 73:7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
Psa 73:8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
Psa 73:9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
Psa 73:10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
Psa 73:11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
Psa 73:12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
Psa 73:13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
Psa 73:14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
Psa 73:15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
Psa 73:16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
Psa 73:17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

After telling us judgment must begin at the house of God and asking us to consider what will be the reward of the wicked who are not now being judged, Peter tells us:

1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Our Creator’s faithfulness is the subject of our study today:

Isa 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

In this age, redemption applies only to the redeemed. In the Lord’s time all men will be redeemed, but at this time it is just a very precious few who will be redeemed and rule with Christ for a thousand years before the rest of mankind will begin to be redeemed via the second resurrection, the second judgment, called the great white throne judgment/lake of fire/second death. Redemption first comes only to those who are being judged in “this present time” (Rom 8:18).

So, it is only to us who are now being judged that these words apply at “this present time”:

Isa 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

“Passing through the waters” is mentioned first because the waters that “overflow” typify those trials which first bring us to our wits’ end and make us cry out to our heavenly Father for His mercies upon us as the sinners He has brought us to finally see and confess ourselves to be:

Psa 107:25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
Psa 107:26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
Psa 107:28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Psa 107:31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

There is His pattern again! It is He who “commands and raises up the stormy wind which lifts up the waves” which threaten our very lives.  It is also “He [who] makes the storm calm, so that the waves are still”.

Now we are finally dragged to our Lord, via the storms of life. Our life is now in Christ, our “desired haven”. Now we are at the point to begin to be judged by the fiery trials of “this present time”, which fiery trials now will save us from being judged later in the lake of fire.

As we have demonstrated, the Lord’s chastening judgments manifest the love He has for us. Our judgment is called “fiery trials” here in 1 Peter 4:

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are given to us as a physical demonstration and type of the fulfilling of the words of this verse of Isaiah… “when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee”:

Dan 3:23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Dan 3:24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellers, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

Dan 3:25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
Dan 3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
Dan 3:27  And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellers, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

Isaiah wrote several decades before this event took place, but there can be no doubt that these three men were very familiar with these words:

Isa 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not know whether they would physically live through that experience. They were no doubt as impressed as the princes, governors, and captains and counselors who together “saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.” Christ had kept His promise, and they were “not burned; neither [did] the flame kindle upon [them].

Look at what they had just told the king:

Dan 3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king.
Dan 3:14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
Dan 3:15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
Dan 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
Dan 3:17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
Dan 3:18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

These words… “He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up” demonstrate that these men had been given faith in life beyond this life. In their minds they had already died, and they had nothing more to lose in this life. That is how we are to think, and that is how we are to act:

Rom 6:8 Now if we are dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Rom 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dies no more; death has no more dominion over him.
Rom 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he lives, he lives unto God.
Rom 6:11 Likewise reckon you also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.

This “golden image” typifies all the ‘idols of our hearts’ which keep us faithful to ‘Nebuchadnezzar’ and his kingdom, which typifies the “kingdoms of this world”. This “golden image” typifies physical patriotism, the keeping of the days, months, times and years of the kingdoms of this world, and all the false doctrines of Babylon which make us worship the beast within all of us, and who is typified here by King Nebuchadnezzar.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego typify our new man who considers himself to be dying daily (1Co 15:31), crucified with Christ (Gal 2:20), and a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1). Walking with Christ in that furnace and coming forth out of that fiery furnace also typifies the fact we are also “risen with Christ in newness of life”:

Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were not courageous of themselves. Their courageous words and fidelity were a gift from God.

Pro 16:1 THE preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

Pro 20:24 Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

All the “goings” of all men of all time “are of the Lord”. There is no natural logic to choosing to be cast into a fiery furnace as opposed to doing what the whole world is doing and bowing down to an inanimate image.  Whether we bow down or refuse to do so, our actions are all “of the Lord”, and we really cannot of ourselves understand why we do either good or evil, because all we do is really the Lord Himself working in us what He has already decided for us to perform.

Even when we do evil, that, too, is “of the Lord”, and we were made to do even that evil to carry out His purpose in our lives:

Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13 For [Greek: gar, because] it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

This truth cannot be stated any clearer than this:

Isa 63:17 O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

However, the Lord wants us to know that if He has decided in advance of His own creation we are to be His first-fruit harvest of this earth, then nothing we do can stop Him from making that happen in “this present time”:

Rom 9:11 (For the children [Jacob and Esau] being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth.)
Rom 9:12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
Rom 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Rom 9:14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
Rom 9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Rom 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Rom 9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

Even the churches of Babylon recognize Israel’s journey out of Egypt is a type and shadow of coming out of the world. What they do not see or understand is that the Lord is therefore giving the world to the lake of fire for the sake of, and for His love of, His first-fruit harvest. Isaiah gives us that very message and reveals to us this first-fruit principle in these words:

Isa 43:3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
Isa 43:4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

If the Lord says we are “honorable”, then who are we to argue with the Lord? If he “loves [us]”, who are we to resist Him? If He desires to have us as His people, what can anyone do to stop that from being so?

Deu 7:6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

The Greek word ‘eklektos’ is translated as the English words both ‘chosen’ and ‘elect’. ‘Eklektos’ comes “from G1586” its root word ‘eklegomai’:

ἐκλεκτός
eklektos
ek-lek-tos'

From G1586; select; by implication favorite: - chosen, elect.

When we look up G1586, we discover that it is a compound word:

G1586
ἐκλέγομαι
eklegomai
ek-leg'-om-ahee

Middle voice from G1537 and G3004 (in its primary sense); to select: - make choice, choose (out), chosen.

Christ’s chosen apostles were chosen and special to Him out of all the rest of His disciples:

Luk 6:13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose [G1586 eklegomai] twelve, whom also he named apostles;

No one who has ever lived is capable, of himself, of following Christ. However, Christ has chosen a few, out of the many whom he has called, to be faithful to Him and to His doctrines to the end. For those chosen few nothing can separate them from the love Christ has for them. As an example of this Truth, knowing that Peter would deny Him three times that very night, Christ still confidently told Peter:

Luk 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Luk 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Luk 22:33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.
Luk 22:34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

It was Christ’s desire that Peter not be cast away from Him in this age and at “this present time”, and this is what Job says about anything that Christ desires:

Job 23:13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
Job 23:14 For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

It was Christ who gave Peter the spiritual strength to repent of denying Him and to stand up to the entire Sanhedrin just a few weeks later:

Act 5:27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council [Greek: Sanhedrin]: and the high priest asked them,
Act 5:28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
Act 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Peter knew these next verses applied to himself and all the Lord’s elect, and he no doubt took great comfort in them while he was in jail and while standing before the Sanhedrin:

Isa 43:5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
Isa 43:6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
Isa 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

Christ’s elect are the first to be “created for His glory” because they are special above all men to Him. His promise to His elect is that even if they sin, He will simply chasten them and correct them and make them repent and return to Himself:

Psa 89:30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;
Psa 89:31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;
Psa 89:32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
Psa 89:33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
Psa 89:34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

This is the case with the Lord’s elect even though He has just said of His own chosen:

Isa 42:18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
Isa 42:19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD'S servant?
Isa 42:20 Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
Isa 42:21 The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
Isa 42:22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.
Isa 42:23 Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?
Isa 42:24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.
Isa 42:25 Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.

However, the Lord is now in comfort mode. He wants us to know He is our God, that He loves us, and He has already decided we will “endure to the end” (Mat 22:10):

Isa 43:8 Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.
Isa 43:9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
Isa 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant, whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

“You are [My] witnesses of these things” is exactly what Christ tells us:

Luk 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
Luk 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
Luk 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luk 24:48 And ye are witnesses of these things.

Those whose “understanding [has been] opened by the Lord know that the “Jerusalem” at which “the remission of sins” begins is “Jerusalem above” (Gal 4:26) the capital of “the kingdom of God…within” His elect (Luk 17:20-21).

The judgments of God begin at His own house, which house we are:

1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Peter knew the Lord would not forsake His elect even as His judgment begins at His own house:

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

That is our study for today. Next week the Lord will tell us that He has “brought down all… the nobles [of] Babylon for [our] sake”:

Isa 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
Isa 43:12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.
Isa 43:13 Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?
Isa 43:14 Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.
Isa 43:15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.
Isa 43:16 Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;
Isa 43:17 Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.
Isa 43:18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
Isa 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

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The Keys to The Kingdom of Heaven – Part 1

The Keys to The Kingdom of Heaven – Zip file with all parts included

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The Keys To The Kingdom of Heaven – Part 1

To Whom Has God Given The Key of The House of David, The Keys to The Kingdom of Heaven, and The Key of Knowledge

Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Mat 16:19  And I will give unto thee the keys of  the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Introduction

The misunderstanding of these two verses of scripture is the very foundation of all Catholicism, one of the most prominent daughters of the great harlot of Revelation 17 and 18.

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Rev 17:2  With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

The book of Revelation was written in the 90’s A.D. at the very latest, and this great harlot had already “committed fornication… with… the kings of the earth, and the inhabitants of the earth [had already] been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

This great harlot, in scriptural terms, is the first mother of those who “come out of her”:

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Rev 18:5  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

As we endure the process of leaving the harlot and all of her false doctrines and all of her customs behind us, Jerusalem above becomes the new mother of our new man, who is being birthed through the daily death and destruction of our old man:

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 

Before we come to this ‘Jerusalem’, we are first the sons and daughters of another ‘Jerusalem’. This first Jerusalem is called “a harlot”. This harlot woman was known well to Christ and His apostles who were aware of the scriptures identifying her in no uncertain terms:

Isa 1:1  The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
Isa 1:2  Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
Isa 1:3  The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
Isa 1:4  Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

It was the religion of the scribes, Pharisees and the Sadducees of whom the apostles thought when they spoke of a spiritual prostitute who brought forth a “people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers.”

Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rev 17:6  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

In verse 21 of this same first chapter of Isaiah all doubt is removed of who Christ and His apostles considered to be “the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth”:

Isa 1:21  How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

The holy spirit was using the types and shadows of the Old Testament scriptures to give us as clear a picture of this “mother of harlots” as possible. In the book of Revelation this great harlot is called spiritual Sodom, and to take away all doubt, we are then told that this ‘city’ is “where also our Lord was slain”. The apostle John takes all this symbolism out of the book of Isaiah, and it comes from this very same first chapter of Isaiah::

Isa 1:10  Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

The name ‘Babylon’ is taken for this harlot because that was to be the capital of mankind immediately after the flood of Noah. It was at the tower of Babel that mankind was united in his efforts to rebel against God’s commandment to “replenish… the earth”.

Gen 9:1  And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

Gen 9:7  And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.
Gen 9:8  And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,
Gen 9:9  And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; 

God had made a covenant with Noah and his seed after him, and mankind has rebelled against and broken every physically recorded covenant made with his Creator, be it Noahic, Abrahamic, or Mosaic. At the appointed time, Christ came and died and was raised up to write His new spiritual covenant upon our hearts and strengthen us to do what the flesh cannot do:

Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

All this spiritual knowledge is revealed to us through “the keys of the kingdom”. It is by ignoring those very ‘keys’, the very principles through which we can know God and His Son, and by reading Matthew 16:18-19 as stand-alone verses of scripture, that Catholicism has convinced many that Christ has given the keys to the kingdom of heaven to the apostle Peter alone. That doctrine is the very foundation of all Catholicism.

Here it is again:

Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Mat 16:19  And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

The CLV is a much better translation of verse 19.

Mat 16:19 I will be giving you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatsoever you should be binding on the earth shall be those things having been bound in the heavens, and whatsoever you should be loosing on the earth, shall be those having been loosed in the heavens.

When we read, “whatsoever you shalt bind on earth shall be those things having been bound in heaven: and whatsoever you shalt loose on earth shall be those things having been loosed in heaven”, this is the same thing we are told concerning a key which is first mentioned in the Old Testament. These same keys are also called “the key of the house of David” in both the Old Testament and the New Testament:

Isa 22:22  And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

Rev 3:7  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

“The key of the house of David” of Isaiah 22:22 is “the key of David” of Revelation 3:7. It was most instructive to me to discover that the word “open” in Isaiah 22:22 (“He shall open and none shall shut”) is also properly translated elsewhere as ‘loose’, as in Matthew 16:18-19:

A couple of examples will make that point:

Psa 116:16  O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed [Hebrew: pathach, H6605] my bonds.

Isa 58:6  Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose [Hebrew: pathach, H6605] the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

It should be obvious to everyone that the ‘key of David’, which opens and no man can shut, is without a doubt the ability to see and hear the mysteries of the kingdom of God. It is seeing through all the lies of Babylon that looses the bondage we are under in that state. That is exactly what Christ told His disciples He had given to them. Notice how Christ Himself separates His “disciples indeed”, those who “continue [Greek: abide] in His Word” (Joh 8:30-31), from those who have not been given eyes that see or ears that hear His Word:

Mat 13:1  The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
Mat 13:2  And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
Mat 13:3  And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

These multitudes who came to Christ to hear His parables and to eat His loaves and His fishes typify the multitudes of Christians who, to this day, are “not given… to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God”, as Christ explained to those to whom are given ears that hear:

Mat 13:9  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Now we need to put together, line upon line and precept upon precept, what we have been told about the key of David and the keys of the kingdom of God, and see what we are actually being told.

Here are the two verses concerning the key of the house of David:

Isa 22:22  And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

Rev 3:7  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David; he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

The key of the house of David shuts and no man can open, and it opens and no man can shut.

Let’s compare what the key of the house of David does with what the keys to the kingdom of heaven do. As we look at what the scriptures teach us about the keys to the kingdom of heaven, we must notice that the function of these “keys to the kingdom” is not given only to the apostle Peter. The ability to use the keys to the kingdom of heaven to bind on earth what has been bound in heaven, and to loose on earth what has been loosed in heaven, has actually been given to any “two or three ” of Christ’s chosen, elect disciples.

Here are the verses which tell us to whom it is actually given to loose on earth what has been loosed in heaven, and to bind on earth what has been bound in heaven:

Mat 16:18  “Now I also say to you, that you are Peter [a stone], and on this solid rock I will build my Assembly [or Church], and [the] gates of the realm of the dead [Greek:  hades] will not prevail against it.
Mat 16:19  “And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatever you bind on the earth will have been bound in the heavens; and whatever you loose on the earth will have been loosed in the heavens.” (ALT)

However, look at who, besides just Peter, is also given to loose on earth the things that have been loosed in heaven and to bind on earth the things that have been bound in heaven:

Mat 18:18  Verily I say unto you [all His elect disciples (Mat 18:1)], Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Mat 18:19  Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Where any “two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst” ‘to bind on earth what I have already bound in heaven and to loose on earth what I have already loosed in heaven.’

The ALT is a much better translation:

Mat 18:18  “Positively, I say to you, whatever [things] you bind on the earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever [things] you loose on the earth will have been loosed in heaven.
Mat 18:19  “Again, positively I say to you, if two of you agree together on the earth concerning any matter, whatever they ask, it will be done to them from my Father, the [One] in the heavens.
Mat 18:20  “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

That message now accords with what we are told in these verses of scripture:

1Jn 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

Our petitions do not control Christ or His Father. Our petitions here on earth must accord with “those things having been bound [or] loosed in heaven”, and the keys to the kingdom of heaven were not given only to Peter, but to all who are “gathered together in My name”. Furthermore, “in My name” does not mean verbalizing those words, rather ‘in Jesus’ name’ means abiding in His doctrine as these verses make so clear:

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 
Luk 6:47  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
Luk 6:48  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Luk 6:49  But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Neither Peter nor any other man is the foundation at all for the church of God. Here is who the scriptures clearly teach is the only foundation of God’s true church:

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

These keys to the kingdom of heaven are not given to just anyone, and they certainly do not give those who possess them power to be abusive to others. Those who possess the keys to the kingdom of heaven are only those who “hear [Christ’s] sayings, and doeth them”. That is the meaning of being “gathered together in [Christ’s] name [and having Him] in the midst [of them]”. The only people who are given the keys to the kingdom of heaven are those who know that they will ‘reap what they sow’, as these verses of scripture make abundantly clear:

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, [or “in Jesus ‘name”] shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Joh 3:21  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Col 3:25  But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

2Ti 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ  depart from iniquity. 

So it is here in Matthew 18 that Christ clarifies what He said to Peter concerning the ‘keys to the kingdom of heaven’ in Matthew 16:18-19.

Matthew 18:1 makes clear to us that Christ is speaking to his chosen disciples, but look at what the subject matter is:

Mat 18:1  At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
Mat 18:2  And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Lo and behold, the subject is “the kingdom of heaven” and the humble, teachable spirit that is required to have those keys to open that kingdom of heaven and to enter into it, to loose on earth what has been loosed in heaven, and to bind on earth what has been bound in heaven.

One who is given the ability to open the gates to the kingdom of heaven, which is also called ‘the house of David’, must “become as [a] little child” in the sense of humbling himself and becoming teachable concerning what is the key of the house of David, and what are the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Here in Matthew 18 we learn that one of those qualifications is that we must humble ourselves and become as teachable as little children at the feet of Christ. Those who will not do so do not possess ‘the key of the house of David’ or ‘the keys to the kingdom of heaven’, and they will not be in that kingdom until they “humble [themselves] and become as [teachable as] a little child”.

Catholicism, the largest single Christian denomination on earth, teaches that Matthew 16:18-19 proves that Christ built His church upon the apostle Peter, and that since Peter was the first Pope of Rome, the followers of the Popes of Rome, and they alone, are the true church of God because the Popes, and the Popes alone, have been given the power to loose and to bind all things in heaven and on earth. Their doctrine teaches that power to loose and to bind was passed down to them by the apostle Peter, whom they claim was the first Pope of the church of Rome. If you have ever wondered where the concept of meeting saint Peter at the golden gates of heaven came from, now you know. It is all based upon the lie that Christ gave the keys to the kingdom of heaven only to the apostle Peter.

Is there even a grain of truth to that doctrine? The answer is, no, there is no truth whatever to any of those assertions. They are one and all based on false history and the twisting and mistranslating of the scriptures. The first thing that needs to be corrected is that there is not one verse of scripture which indicates that the apostle Peter ever even went to Rome, much less being ordained as the first Pope of Rome.

The next thing we need to correct is the doctrine that Christ’s church is built upon the foundation of the apostle Peter. The scriptures clearly teach otherwise, as we saw earlier:

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Peter is not the foundation of the church of God except in the sense that we are all “built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone”:

Eph 2:19  Now therefore ye [Gentiles] are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 

It also needs to be pointed out that Christ was in reality making this very point by telling Peter, who is a type of us, that he, Peter, was in reality just “a piece of a Rock”, as the definition of the name ‘Peter’ demonstrates:

G4074
Πέτρος
Petros
pet’-ros
Apparently a primary word; a (piece of) rock (larger than G3037); as a name, Petros, an apostle: – Peter, rock. Compare G2786.

“Thou are Peter” means, “You are Petros, a piece of rock.” Peter is but “a piece” of the True Rock. He is not “the Chief Cornerstone… this Rock… foundation… which is Christ.” Christ did not say, ‘You are Petros, and on this Petros I will build My church’, rather He said, “On this Petra I will build My church.”

It is that second word, Petra, which Christ used to contrast Himself with Peter to describe that ‘rock’ upon which He is building His church: “Upon this rock [“this Petra“, a massive rock, Christ Himself] will I build My church”. The second word is not ‘Petros‘. Christ was contrasting Peter, Petros, a piece of a rock, to Himself as a ‘Petra‘, a mass of rock, as Strong’s demonstrates:

G4073
πέτρα
petra
pet’-ra
Feminine of the same as G4074; a (mass of) rock (literally or figuratively): – rock.

This is just how much of “a mass of rock” this word ‘petra‘ conveys:

Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: [petra, G4073]
Mat 7:25  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. [petra, G4073, Christ Himself]

To whom exactly is this word ‘Petra‘ applied in scripture? Is it ever once used in reference to Peter? The answer is, no, it never is; not once. Rather, this is its application in scripture:

1Pe 2:7  Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
1Pe 2:8  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock [Petra] of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

1Co 10:4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock [Petra] that followed them: and that Rock [Petra] was Christ. 

“That Rock [that Petra] was Christ.” It never was Peter. Peter was merely a piece of that Rock as we all are. Peter is never once in all scripture referred to as ‘Petra‘, and to attempt to make Matthew 16:18 say that ‘Petra‘ is referring to Peter is to completely miss the whole point Christ was making by using one word meaning ‘a piece of a rock’ and the other meaning a large massive Rock, which is the same as the same difference between building on sand and building on a massive Petra, Rock. Petros is bigger than a grain of sand, but the storms of life will wash away a Petros, just as quickly they wash away sand.

Who was given the power to bind and to loose?

Remember it is claimed by Catholicism that only the Popes, by virtue of being Peter’s historic successors, have been granted the power to bind or loose all things in heaven and on the earth. Accepting Peter as the first Pope of Rome without so much as one verse of scripture to back up that assertion, is like accepting Joseph Smith’s assertion he was told to establish a board of twelve apostles to govern the Mormon Church. It is the same trick. Both are based upon a lie.

It’s like Satan Himself. You tell a lie: “You shall not surely die… Peter is the first Pope of Rome… We must have a board of 12 apostles to govern the church”, and millions of people believe the lie, and you build your entire church upon that lie, and no one even thinks to try that spirit to see whether it is of God.

So when we put Matthew 16:18-19 together with Matthew 18:18-19, we see clearly that the power of the keys to the kingdom of heaven to bind and to loose on earth that which has been already bound or loosed in heaven does not depend upon Peter or any Pope of Rome. Instead, here in Matthew 18 we are told that those who have been given the keys to the kingdom of heaven to “bind on earth [that which] has been bound in heaven, and to “loose on earth [that which] has been loosed in heaven” are “two or more [who] are gathered together in My Name”.

Mat 18:18  “Positively, I say to you, whatever [things] you bind on the earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever [things] you loose on the earth will have been loosed in heaven.
Mat 18:19  “Again, positively I say to you, if two of you agree together on the earth concerning any matter, whatever they ask, it will be done to them from my Father, the [One] in the heavens.
Mat 18:20  “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (ALT)

Who are the Nicolaitans?

On the other hand, Christ warns us against others who place themselves above those in their charge with these words:

Luk 11:52  Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

Any church with a legal structure which places its ministers in a position to “exercising dominion over” those in their charge is not a church with the doctrine of Christ. They have replaced Christ’s doctrine of “let [your leaders] be your servant” with “the doctrine of the Nicolaitans”.

When we read what provoked those words of Christ to the lawyers, we see that the lawyers considered themselves to be part of the ruling elite; the scribes and the Pharisees. Here is what provoked Christ to speak those words to the lawyers:

Luk 11:44  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.
Luk 11:45  Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.

The lawyers, the scribes and the Pharisees are all scripturally and symbolically part of the religious elite who were always attacking everything Christ did and attempting to lord it over Christ and the flock of God. Christ pulled no punches when dealing with this ‘Nicholaitan’ spirit:

Luk 11:46  And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.
Luk 11:47  Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 
Luk 11:48  Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. 
Luk 11:49  Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: 
Luk 11:50  That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 
Luk 11:51  From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.
Luk 11:52  Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

That is what we all first do to those whom the Lord sends to us to show us our sins. We are all guilty of “slay[ing]… and persecut[ing], those who are sent to us as our own saviors. We are all guilty of the blood of all the prophets, as being first the followers of the spiritual ‘scribes, Pharisees and lawyers’. They are the symbolic leaders of the churches of Babylon.

In the book of Revelation, these religious elite who lord it over the Lord’s flock are called “Nicolaitans”.

Rev 2:6  But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Rev 2:15  So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

Christ “hates… the doctrine of the Nicolaitans”, because their doctrine is the exact opposite of His own doctrine which teaches us that we have no dominion over each other’s faith:

Mat 20:25  But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
Mat 20:26  But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 
Mat 20:27  And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 
Mat 20:28  Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

2Co 1:24  Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

Contrast those words with the doctrines of the ministers of this world who tie your very salvation to whether you are tithing and giving offerings to them. Who, with the mind of Christ, knowing the doctrine of Christ, can imagine Jesus putting on a red costume with a physical crown, or a black robe with a backward collar, to physically distinguish Himself from His own followers? Really?

We will be greatly edified to just learn the meaning of the word ‘Nicolaitan’. Here is Strong’s definition of the Greek word translated into English as ‘Nicolaitans’:

G3531
Νικολαΐ́της
Nikolaitēs
nik-ol-ah-ee’-tace
From G3532; a Nicolaite, that is, adherent of Nicolaus: – Nicolaitane.

So a Nicolaitan is “an adherent of Nicolaus,” and this word Nicolaitan comes from G3532 or Nicolaus.

Here is what Strong’s has to say about the root of this word:

G3532
Νικόλαος
Nikolaos
nik-ol’-ah-os
From G3534 and G2004; victorious over the people; Nicolaus, a heretic: – Nicolaus

Here is the Greek word for ‘people’:

laos
lah-os’
Apparently a primary word; a people (in general; thus differing from G1218, which denotes one’s own populace): – people.

It is the religious elite who prefer to separate themselves from those who are merely “the laity” and contrast themselves as ‘the ministry’. There certainly are those who are called to be ministers to “labor in the word” within the body of Christ, but no true minister of Christ separates himself from the Lord’s flock or exercises authority over the Lord’s ‘laos‘, His people, His flock. The Nicolaitans are “victorious over” the ‘laos‘, the laity. They actually emphasize rank within the church, and they “exercise dominion over” the Lord’s flock, and “lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and [will them]selves touch not the burdens with one of [their] fingers.” That is “the doctrine of the Nicolaitans” whose doctrine Christ hates and upon whom He pronounces all these woes. In other words, those who claim to be the possessors of “the keys to the kingdom of heaven” are actually those upon whom Christ pronounces this very revealing woe:

Luk 11:52  Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

It is the knowledge of who Christ and His Father are that is “the key of knowledge… the key of the house of David… the keys to the kingdom of heaven”:

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Belief in the doctrine of the Nicholaitans hinders us from entering into the kingdom of heaven. It actually “takes away the key of knowledge… the key of the house of David, [and] the keys to the kingdom of heaven”, and that doctrine is entrenched in both Catholic and Protestant doctrine and in all the daughters of the great harlot.

Conclusion

In the coming weeks, Lord willing, we are going to give you the key of the knowledge of “the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom [He] has sent”. We will do this by placing in your hands, free of any charge and with no strings attached, the many Biblical principles for coming to know what is the mind of God as revealed by how He has made His own prophets to write His own thoughts in a manner that demonstrates the power of His words in a way that only those with His mind can understand:

1Co 2:4  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 
1Co 2:5  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1Co 2:6  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

Paul makes it clear that He is not speaking of physical miracles, but that he is “comparing spiritual things with spiritual”.

1Co 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know [through “the key of knowledge”] the things that are freely given to us of God. 
1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 
1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

“The holy spirit teaches comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” The holy spirit, through the pen of the apostle Paul, is telling us that the holy spirit teaches us by using spiritual types and shadows to teach us spiritual principles such as ‘the sum of God’s Word, line upon line, precept upon precept, no scripture being of its own interpretation, the light and the darkness being the same cloud, the positive and the negative application of scripture, the invisible things of God being understood by the things that are made, the dream is one, even when the details of the dreams vary widely, that all things come alike to all men, and there is but one event to all, that man must live by every word of God, and that we must never think above what is written, or add to or take away from the word of God, etc., etc. I do not know how long this series of studies will be, but if you are given to receive these principles, you will have been given “the key of knowledge”, the key of the house of David, and the keys of the kingdom of heaven, which will empower you to bind on earth what has been bound in heaven and to loose on earth what has been loosed in heaven.

[Part two can be found here]

]]> https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/the-rock-on-which-his-church-is-built/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-rock-on-which-his-church-is-built Wed, 02 Jul 2008 05:00:01 +0000 http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=4823

Hi Mike.

Wow, I can’t begin to thank you enough for the time you’ve taken to address my questions and concerns. You’ve probably taken more time to edify and exhort in this one email than my pastor ever did all the time I was in the Church. I’ve watched the videos of the two talks you mentioned a few times on Google, but I’ll do so again with what you have said in mind. I’m starting to get now the concept of “Christ’s christ”. What you say makes so much sense. So many Christians go to Church every Sunday, do all the religious stuff, but that’s it. They keep it to themselves like they just got a new car they don’t want their neighbor to have.

I have a question about a scripture that I feel God is giving me the eyes to see in a different light. In my old Church, the pastor used to quote Mat 16:18 regularly, and say that this is why he knew his Church and all other Churches would continue to grow in physical numbers and never decline. Well, when I started to be familiar with your teachings and the concept of “many called, few chosen”, I started to wonder about this scripture. (He also used to switch Bibles from his NIV to the KJ, just so he could get the word Hell in there….. which no one else seemed to notice). I saw that the word build is translated from oikodome (3619-3618), which is also translated edify and edification and means to edify, embolden, be in. Dictionary definitions of the word edify are to instruct and benefit, spiritually uplift. Would it be fair to say this scripture means that Christ is edifying his true Church through his elect, and has nothing to do with adding physical numbers to the Babylonian Church system?   Thank you for any thoughts you may have on this question.

May God bless you and your ministry, YBIC

D____

Hi D____,
You are asking about Mat.16:18. You say:
“When I started to be familiar with your teachings, and the concept of “many are called, but few are chosen”, I started to wonder about this scripture. I saw that the word ‘build’ is translated from oikodome (3619-3618), which is also translated edify and edification and means to edify, embolden, be in. Dictionary definitions of the word edify are to instruct and benefit, spiritually uplift. Would it be fair to say this scripture means that Christ is edifying his true Church through his elect, and has nothing to do with adding physical numbers to the Babylonian Church system?”
You are exactly right about the fact that this section of scripture has nothing to do with adding physical numbers to the Babylonian Church system. And the revelation God has given you concerning the world ‘build’ is very revealing and instructive.
There is absolutely no doubt that it is Christ who is building and edifying His church. Let’s look at that verse and the verses around it. This section of scripture is one of the most abused parts of all of God’s Word.

Mat 16:13  When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
Mat 16:14  And they said, Some [ say that thou art] John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
Mat 16:15  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Mat 16:16  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Mat 16:17  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

As I would hope you are already aware, the Greek word for Peter is ‘petros,’ Strong’s number 4074, and the word for “this rock” is ‘petra,’ Strong’s number 4073. Strong’s definition for ‘petros’ is “a piece of a rock,” and Strong’s definition for ‘petra,’ is “a massive rock.” Christ is actually preparing Peter for what He is about to reveal to him about who His spiritual father is at this point in Peter’s life. Christ is telling Peter just how much Peter depends on Christ. And the world has twisted Christ’s words to make them say that Christ’s church is built upon a man. Here are the very next words Christ spoke to this apostle whom Catholicism calls ‘the rock on which the church stands.’

Mat 16:21  From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
Mat 16:22  Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
Mat 16:23  But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Far from being “petra,’ the rock on which Christ’s church is truly built, Peter was, at this point, just as we all are at this point of our walk, an unconverted little pebble, born of our father the devil:

Joh 8:30  As he spake these words, many believed on him.
Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

But we don’t “continue in His word.” We all “leave our first love,” and are born of our father the devil.

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it

Here is the true rock, the true “petra” upon which His church is built:

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1Co 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostle s and prophet s, J esus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

Twisting God’s Words to make them appear to say that Peter is the rock on which Christ has built His church is nothing short of blasphemous. It is a doctrine of “wood, hay and stubble,” which the one billion Catholics of today will have burnt out of them in their appointed time.
The Pope just happens to be visiting the United States this week for the first time in twenty five years and it is sad to hear all the bishops referring to this verse of scripture as proof of why the Catholic Church is the original Christian church. They do not do so overtly, but they do so by calling the Pope “Peter’s successor,” as if these words of our Lord are for Peter and Peter alone. But the Catholic Church most assuredly is not the church which Christ built upon Himself. He and He alone is that “Rock.” The Catholic Church, and all of her Protestant daughters, is the church which was established by the spirit of men such as Phygellus, and Hermogenes. Men who withstand the words of “our Lord and His Christ.”

2Ti 1:13  Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
2Ti 1:14  That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
2Ti 1:15  This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

Just as all the leaders of Israel had sided with Korah and Dathan and Abiram, against Moses and Aaron, so also had the leaders of all the churches in Asia, turned against the apostles, and had convinced their congregations to put the apostles out of their own churches. Paul addressed this again at the end of this epistle:

2Ti 4:9  Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:
2Ti 4:10  For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
2Ti 4:11  Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
2Ti 4:12  And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.
2Ti 4:13  The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.
2Ti 4:14  Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
2Ti 4:15  Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
2Ti 4:16  At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
2Ti 4:17  Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
2Ti 4:18  And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

You are so right. Mt. 16:18 has nothing at all to do with numbers. If having many followers proved who was serving God then the apostles would have been proven to be false apostles. But such is not the case. It is those who “abide in my words” who are proven to be His.  If great numbers in any way indicated who is God’s true church, then Christ Himself would be proven to be a false prophet because of this statement:

Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.

The apostle John faced the same circumstances as Paul at the end of his ministry. Here is what was happening in the church at the end of John’s ministry:

3Jn 1:9  I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
3Jn 1:10  Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

Phygellus, Hermogenes, Demas, Crescens, and even Titus, all had forsaken the apostle Paul. Alexander the coppersmith “greatly withstood Paul’s words.” All seven of the churches of Asia forsook Paul, and Diotrephes was so influential and powerful in the church that he could forbid the church to receive anyone who was connected with or came from the apostle John. If anyone was found to have any relationship with the apostle, that person was “cast out of the church.”
The apostasy was complete and the apostles had not yet died. The spirit had rightly informed the apostle Paul:

Act 20:29  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Act 20:31  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

One of those “perverse things” is exactly what you have noticed:
“… This scripture (Mt. 16:18) means that Christ is edifying his true Church through his elect, and has nothing to do with adding physical numbers to the Babylonian Church system.”
It means just that, and it has nothing to do with Peter being our foundation. Such nonsense originated with men such as Alexander the coppersmith and Diotrephes. Teaching that the Pope as the head of the church is blasphemous, and teaching that great numbers indicates the presence of Christ in His church make Christ Himself to be a liar:

Luk 6:26  Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Here is how to know who are Christ’s true disciples:

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1Jn 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
1Jn 4:5  They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
1Jn 4:6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
1Jn 4:7  Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

The very next chapter defines the word ‘love,’ and the church world hates this definition. The church world wants to give the word ‘love’ their own personal definition. The last thing in the world they want this word connected with is obedience to God’s commandments as delivered to us by Christ. But that is the only true love of God. All else is stubbornness and idolatry.

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous
1Sa 15:22  And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Loving the children of God and loving God are both one and the same thing. You are not loving your brothers by being a people pleaser like King Saul. What God wants, what proves that we truly love our brothers, is our obedience to God’s commandments. That is how we love our brothers and that is how we love God. It has noting at all to do with recognizing Peter as the foundation of the church, and it has nothing at all to do with increasing the numbers of believers in all the lies of Babylon.
Your brother in Christ,
Mike>