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Old 06-04-2009, 02:21 PM
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George George is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Posts: 891
Default Re: ""Rightly Dividing" The Book of Acts"

Aloha all,

These Posts are not meant as teaching commentaries (i.e. a verse by verse exposition); if they were they would be much longer and far more detailed. The purpose of these Posts is to point out WHERE, in the early Chapters of the Book of Acts, the Holy Spirit was dealing exclusively with the nation of Israel (Jews and Proselyte Jews) and WHY He hadn’t turned to the Gentiles - yet.

As I have pointed out (over and over) in Acts Chapters 2 through 4, Peter and the rest of the Apostles continually confined their preaching and teaching to the nation of Israel, and they continued to do so in Acts Chapter 5. [Acts 5:31] They did not address the Gentiles - because God had NOT led them to do so - yet.

Quote:
Acts 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, {Only Jews}

2
And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
{Only Jews}

3
But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
{Only Jews}

4
Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
{Only Jews}

5
And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
{Only Jews & Proselytes}

6
And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
{Only Jews}

7
And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
{Only Jews}

8
And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
{Only Jews}

9
Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
{Only Jews}

10
Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
{Only Jews}

11
And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
{Only Jews & Proselytes}

12
And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.
{Only Jews}
This is probably the only time in the history of the church of God where all of God’s people “were all with one accord” – Notice the PHYSICAL “signs” & “wonders[1 Corinthians 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:]. Is this “FAITH” ONLY? [Hebrews 11:1]}
Quote:
13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. {Only Jews}

14
And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
{Only Jews}

15
Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.
{Only Jews}

16
There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.
{Only Jews}

17
Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,
{Only Jews}

18
And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.
{Only Jews}

19
But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
{Only Jews}

20
Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
{Only Jews}

21
And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of
Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. {Only Jews}

22
But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,
{Only Jews}

23
Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
{Only Jews}

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.
{Only Jews}

25
Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
{Only Jews}

26
Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
{Only Jews}

27
And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
{Only Jews}

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. {Only Jews}
They said this, after having only recently said:

Matthew 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.
25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
{And it WAS! Under the Roman General Titus and the destruction of Jerusalem - 70 A.D.}

Religious “ELITES” have very short memories (no matter what century they live in). In other words – they are HYPOCRITES!
Quote:
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. {Only Jews}

30
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
{Only Jews}

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. {Only Jews}

According to the "message" - that Peter is preaching, the
"repentance" and "forgiveness of sins" is LIMITED TO ISRAEL!
WHAT happened to the “Gentiles” here? WHY aren’t they (Gentiles) INCLUDED in these “promises”?

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. {Only Jews}
If this were the SAME “gospel” as Paul’s “Gospel” - shouldn’t Peter have said:

Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Galatians 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

1 Timothy 4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

Does God give the Holy Ghost to “them” that “OBEY” Him today or does He give the Holy Ghost to “them” who BELIEVE Him? Do you see the difference? It’s the “difference” between Jews (still under the Law) SEEINGsigns” and “wonders”; and hearing that they killed their “Prince” and “Saviour” (the Lord Jesus Christ); and being convicted of their sins (rejection of, and killing the Lord) and OBEYING God by being Baptized in water in order that they might receive “the gift of the Holy Ghost” [Acts 2:38].

That is not the “order” of things when the centurion Cornelius (a Gentile) got saved [Acts 10:34-48]. Cornelius (and those that were with him in his house) received “the gift of the Holy Ghost” (BEFORE they were Baptized) by just simply hearing the word of God and BELIEVING it, [Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.] i.e. Paul’s “Gospel”.

WHAT was it that “ASTONISHED” Peter and the Jews that were with him? It was the fact that the gift of the Holy Ghost was not only given to the Gentiles, but that He was given WITHOUT water Baptism (or the “laying on the hands” of the Apostles [Acts 8:18])! WHY would Peter, and those Jews who were with him, be “ASTONISHED” - unless some thing EXTRAORDINARY had just occurred? Something that they did not expect, and would not have accepted, except for the fact that those Gentiles (who had just been saved by only “hearing” the word of God) were “speaking in tongues” – a “sign[1 Corinthians 14:22] which the Jews “REQUIRED” in order to “believe[1 Corinthians 1:22], and which (”signs” & “wonders”) God faithfully gave them from Abraham on down to Moses, and on down to the Lord Jesus Christ and then to His (ONLY - JEWS) Apostles.

Quote:
33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them. {Only Jews}

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;
{Only Jews}
There are a whole lot of “DOCTORS” out there in “Christendum” today, who are very much like “Gamaliel” (had in reputation among all the people); and just like Gamaliel (highly educated and knowledgeable) they are “AGNOSTIC” when it comes to BELIEVING in God’s Holy words. {Remind you of “anyone” here on the Forum?}
Quote:
35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. {Only Jews}

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.
{Only Jews}

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.
{Only Jews}

38
And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for
if {AGNOSTIC} this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: {Only Jews}

39
But
if {AGNOSTIC} it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

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.
{Only Jews}

41
And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
{Only Jews}

42
And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
{Only Jews}
Lord willing, I will take this brief study to at least Acts Chapter 10 – in the hopes that some of the brethren here on the Forum might see WHY, and HOW, and WHERE, I attempt to “rightly divide the word of truth” (according to God’s commandment concerning the study of His word).

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.