- Here we see God confirming the message through miraculous signs and wonders (although tongues are not mentioned in this case). This is an important verse because we see that the purpose of miraculous gifts are to confirm a work of God
- Paul saw his faith, and healed him. This passage does even record water baptism, but he had faith and that is the key to salvation
- Large numbers came to Christ. There is no mention of speaking in tongues. Paul warns the believers that they will face hardships in this life (quite the opposite message from the Health and Wealth gospel types)
- This is a very important passage (all of Chapter 15). Jewish believers, who were the heart of the early believers are seeing more and more Gentile believers come into the church. These Gentile believers have not been circumcised, nor do they follow the strict dietary guidelines that Jewish believers have continued to follow. The Jewish believers are saying that in order to be a Christian, one must first be Jewish or follow Jewish law, because Christian faith is a fulfillment of the law.
- Peter gets up and relates the incident where he first led Gentiles to the faith. He is drawing on the "sheet" incident, and the fact that he saw the Holy Spirit come upon the Gentiles, as evidenced by their speaking in tongues. Once again, speaking in tongues confirms a new work of God. It is not necessary as a regular condition, but it does signify something new happening
- It is because of Peter's testimony that the church leaders in Jerusalem (all Jewish) agree that the OT law is not required for Gentiles believers to follow
- Once again we see Gentiles coming to faith. They were given water baptism and there was no speaking in tongues
- The jailer also recognizes God's hand in Paul and Silas and wants to be saved. The condition is simple, believe. They speak to the members of his household and all experience water baptism. There is no mention of speaking in tongues nor any exhortation to seek it
- Again people come to faith and there is no mention of even water baptism. The interesting thing about this passage is that Paul presents a "reasoned" explanation of the gospel (apologetics), and individuals are persuaded by his argument. The emphasis is on the mind and not on the emotions, although I would argue that salvation involves our intellect (believing), our heart/emotions (desire to repent of sins), and our will (choosing Jesus).
- Again, another strong emphasis on the intellectual response to the claims of the gospel. No mention of speaking in tongues
- This time Paul's apologetic arguments are not as well received (in Athens), but some do believe. There is no mention of speaking in tongues
- He gets a better reception in Corinth which is a city known for pagan sexual worship. Many believe. There is no mention of speaking in tongues, although we know from the first letter to the Corinthians there was speaking in tongues in the church. First Corinthians is the only book in the NT (outside of Acts) with any discussion or mention of tongues. It should be noted that the entire letter to Corinth is a letter concerning problems. They are the most problem-centered church in the NT and yet 1 Cor 1:7 says that they don't lack any spiritual gift. So, clearly an emphasis on spiritual gifts is clearly not any magic formula for a successful Christian life
- This is the last of the 4 instances of speaking in tongues in Acts and so I copied a larger part of the text to get it in context
- We have already seen "speaking in tongues" used in 3 contexts: the first Jews to come to Christ; the first Samaritans to come to Christ; and the first Gentiles to come to Christ. In each case, the gift of tongues confirms that this group in part of the church
- So, that makes this passage unusual, since all groups (Jews, Samaritans (half Jew/Gentiles), and Gentiles) have all had the confirming sign of tongues
- This story starts with Apollos, a man speaking in Ephesus, who has studied the scriptures in depth and has heard of John the Baptist's message of repentance. He apparently has not heard of Jesus' message and so Priscilla and Aquilla explain to him the gospel. He then heads on out to Achaia and is very effective with his old knowledge of the scriptures and his new knowledge of Jesus. Paul arrives in Ephesus (where Apollos had preached) and finds religious people. They knew the scriptures (OT at time), and they believed John's message of a coming savior, and they were baptized into repentance. That knowledge would have saved you prior to Jesus' death, because you had faith, but that is not enough once Jesus has died. So Paul tells them about Jesus and baptizes them. The speak in tongues and prophesy
- So why this group of people? This is a unique group that falls in between two covenants. Prior to Jesus death, faith in God was all that was required for righteousness (see argument in Galatians about Abraham), but with Jesus' death, our faith has to have the right object, and that is Jesus. Jesus is the focal point of salvation, not religiosity or even just belief in God. The giving of the Spirit, in my mind, confirms that our faith must be in Jesus, not religion or repentance or good works -- else we are lost
- Again we see the warning from the Holy Spirit (not in tongues) of a life of prison and hardships. Again, not necessarily the message that Health and Wealth gospel people want you to hear. Of course the argument is that persecution is different from health-related issues. So, why God does want us to be healthy if he has called us to be persecuted and harmed in that way? I'm sure someone has an argument for that question, but it doesn't make sense to me
Acts
14:2-3 (NIV) But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and
poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent
considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the
message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.
Acts
14:8-10 (NIV) In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame
from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking.
Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called
out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began
to walk.
Acts
14:21-23 (NIV) They preached the good news in that city and won a large number
of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22
strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.
"We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,"
they said. 23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and,
with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put
their trust.
Acts
15:5-9 (NIV) Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the
Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and
required to obey the law of Moses."
6 The
apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion,
Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago
God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the
message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he
accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He
made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by
faith.
Acts
16:13-15 (NIV) On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river,
where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to
the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman named
Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper
of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. 15 When she
and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home.
"If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come
and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.
Acts
16:29-34 (NIV) The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling
before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what
must I do to be saved?"
31
They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and
your household." 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to
all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them
and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.
34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was
filled with joy because he had come to believe in God — he and his whole
family.
Acts
17:1-4 (NIV) When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came
to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As his custom was, Paul
went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from
the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and
rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the
Christ," he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and
Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent
women.
Acts
17:10-12 (NIV) As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away
to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the
Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received
the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see
if what Paul said was true. 12 Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number
of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
Acts
17:32-34 (NIV) When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of
them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this
subject." 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 A few men became
followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the
Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.
Acts
18:7-9 (NIV) Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of
Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. 8 Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his
entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard
him believed and were baptized.
Acts
18:24-19:7 (NIV) Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came
to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures.
25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great
fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of
John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila
heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God
more adequately.
27
When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to
the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those
who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public
debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
19
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and
arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, "Did
you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"
They
answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
3 So
Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"
"John's
baptism," they replied.
4 Paul
said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to
believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." 5 On hearing
this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed
his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and
prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
Acts
20:22-25 (NIV) "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to
Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in
every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.
24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the
race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of
testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
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