The Sabbath (Part 1)

Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. Acts 20:7

Verses 4-6 of chapter 20 of Acts give details about the missionaries’ travels. These kinds of details remind us that these are accounts of actual events. The narratives in the Bible are not fiction, but fact.

Then in verse 7, Luke tells us not only that the disciples gathered on the first day of the week (the Lord’s Day) but that this is what believers did on the first day of the week (the Lord’s Day). Note the way the sentence is written, “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread…” Had Luke merely been informing us of what they did, the word when would not be included. By inserting the word when, Luke was telling us that disciples routinely gathered together on the first day of the week.

The Sabbath was established by God at the time of creation. God “rested” on the seventh day of creation, not because He was tired, but to establish that one day in seven (the Sabbath day) is to be “set aside” (the meaning of the word, sanctified)

The Sabbath day was reemphasized by God in Exodus 16 when the Israelites were told not to gather manna on the seventh day. It was then reemphasized in the Ten Commandments (God’s timeless moral law) in Exodus 20:8-11. We’ll come back and consider what God said in Exodus 20:8-11. For now I’ll close this post by pointing out that the Sabbath ordinance, established at creation, remains, though the day has changed from the seventh day to the first day in commemoration of the resurrection of Christ on “the Lord’s day.”

Encouraging Words

After the uproar had ceased, Paul called the disciples to himself, embraced them, and departed to go to Macedonia. Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece and stayed three months. And when the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. Acts 20:1-3

Upon departing from Ephesus, Paul headed for Macedonia (the Balkans southward to Greece). While in Macedonia, Paul found believers and sought to encourage them. He probably spent a prolonged while doing this, as evidenced by the fact that the NIV states, “he finally came to Greece” (emphasis added).

With what did Paul encourage these people? He “encouraged them with many words.” In other words, Paul preached the Word of God!

We may not all be preachers, but may we be encouragers. When we come to church, may we not only come to pray, worship in song, and hear the Bible preached. May we also come intending to speak encouraging words to one another. Who can’t use some encouraging words?

And let us see that our words of encouragement are informed by, if not laced with, the Word of God!

Don't ditch the church!

After the uproar had ceased, Paul called the disciples to himself, embraced them, and departed to go to Macedonia. Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece and stayed three months. And when the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. Acts 20:1-3

Paul remained in Ephesus until the uproar with Demetrius the silversmith was ended before leaving. It appears that he had already planned to depart, but when problems arose, he stayed until the trouble subsided. Truly he had a shepherd’s heart. May we never be those who dart when there are differences in a church. And Paul wasn’t leaving to attend a “better” church. As a church planter, when his work in one city was done, he moved to a new place to plant a new church.

Churches have troubles because churches are made up of people. Even saved people in biblical churches encounter adversities. Some see difficulties in their local church as a sign to seek greener pastures. What if husbands or wives forsook their marriages when difficulties arose? Responsible people don’t abandon their marriages or their churches because of trials.

Is there ever a time to change churches? Yes, but that should be a last resort and should not be because of hardships. False doctrine (that is not repented of) is a reason, but struggles are not. Churches, like families, have to travel bumpy roads at times.

Those who depart miss out on the sanctifying lessons that could have been learned.

Who besides me is glad that Jesus doesn’t ditch a church because of a lack of “ease in Eden?”

Pursuing peace

Act 19:33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, and wanted to make his defense to the people.

Alexander was was a city employee in Ephesus. He likely had little interest in the reason for the unrest. He simply wanted peace to return. Why? Because Ephesus was a “free city.” The Roman empire allowed certain cities to govern themselves “freely,” as long as they remained peaceful, and of course, paid their taxes. The mob posed a threat to that “freedom.”

Act 19:34-36 But when they found out that he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for about two hours, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" 35 And when the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said: "Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Zeus? 36 Therefore, since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rashly.

Alexander referred to an event in Ephesian history that we haven’t time to discuss here, except to point out that Alexander was simply trying to calm the crowd. Alexander reminded the Ephesians (and us) that if there is a legitimate problem, it is best addressed in a legally legitimate manner.

Act 19:37-41 For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess. 38 Therefore, if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a case against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you have any other inquiry to make, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly. 40 For we are in danger of being called in question for today's uproar, there being no reason which we may give to account for this disorderly gathering."

And by the grace of God (v.41), the crowd disbursed. Let the Church always side with sanity. I say this because too many people who profess Christ, get caught up in political wrangling that is often more like angry mob mentality than peaceful Christlikeness.

The madness of mob mentality

So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul's travel companions. And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not allow him. Then some of the officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent to him pleading that he would not venture into the theater. Some therefore cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together. Acts 19:29-32

In his commentary on Acts, Warren Wiersbe makes some insightful comments on the madness of mobs:

“Max Lerner wrote in The Unfinished Country, “Every mob, in its ignorance and blindness and bewilderment, is a League of Frightened Men that seeks reassurance in collective action.” It was a “religious mob” that shouted “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” to Pilate, and eventually got its way. Had this Ephesian mob succeeded in its plans, Paul would have been arrested and executed before the law could have stepped in to protect him.” ~ Wiersbe

The angry mob, likely numbering in the thousands, was “confused.” Luke used that word twice (vv.29 & 32). He further described their confusion by stating that “most of them did not know why they had come together.” Wiersbe quoted Benjamin Franklin who wrote, that a mob was “a monster with heads enough, but no brains.”

We have witnessed these kinds of mobs in our own country in the last two years as senseless protesters violently invaded cities, and even the US Capitol building. True to common mob mentality, those involved were “confused,” most not knowing “why they had come together.”

The riotous rabble in Ephesus were not stirred up by Paul’s preaching. They were agitated by a small number of “community organizers,” who were exploiting the people’s gullibility for personal gain. All Paul did was calmly preach the truth.

Consider how dangerous persecuted Christians are to their communities. They only want to follow Jesus, but mobs are moved to violence in opposition. May the Church never be a mob! And may God grant us mercy if and when angry violent mobs turn against the Church for simply being the Church.

Reactions to other people's conversions (to another religion)

He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: "Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship." Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" Acts 19:25-28

Whenever Christianity makes inroads into societies where other religions are prevalent, Christianity is virtually always opposed—and often most vehemently! Notice the devotees of the worship of the goddess Diana “were full of wrath” (v.28) when people turned to worship the only true and living God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

To be fair, people react this way no matter what religion their people turn to when turning away from the accepted religion. Hindu converts to Buddhism face similar wrath. Why is this so? Because people who practice any religion are convinced that their religion is the only true religion. They need not be convinced by evident facts or logic. Their devotion may be nothing more than emotion and devotion to their “religious team” (see the previous post, Once a Dodger fan always a Dodger fan).

And to be fair, we Christians are also distraught when one of “ours” converts away from Christ to follow a false religion. Here is the big difference (if we understand Christian salvation): Though we are deeply saddened, we do not (and we must not) resort to violence, much less “honor killings” as other major religions often do to avenge those who convert. Why?

Because we understand that salvation (belief in the Christian gospel) is a sovereign work of the Spirit of God. We cannot make a person trust in Christ, nor can we force them back if they turn away from Christ. Are we saddened when one departs from following Christ? Of course. So we pray, love, and seek to persuade—knowing that: (a) only the Holy Spirit can convert them (Jonah 2:9); and (b) if they never return to following Christ, they were never truly followers of Christ (1 John 2:19).

Once a Dodger fan, always a Dodger fan

He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: "Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship." Acts 19:25-27

Not only was Demetrius the silversmith upset that his income from making idols would be interrupted by people turning to Christ, he was jealous for the “great goddess Diana” and the magnificence of her temple. From this we have a window into another reason people are zealous for false religion. Besides the money, their reputation was at stake. The temple of Diana was indeed magnificent. It would have been considered a wonder of the world in that day. And, “We are all so devoted to it,” Demetrius must have reasoned, “What would we do if this were to pass away?!”

There are people who oppose Christ and the gospel because they have invested themselves so heavily in false religion that, in order to follow Christ, they cannot bring themselves to acknowledge that their religion is wrong. They have “done so much” they cannot bring themselves to admit that it was emptiness and all for naught. Pride disallows them to change, which is why they must be born again. It is only when one is given a new heart and affections that one can forsake falsehood to follow the One who is the Truth.

I know people who are imprisoned in false religion who do not even know much about their religion. They are devoted to being “members of that team” more than they are to teachings of their religion. “Once a Dodger fan, always a Dodger fan.” You may have been a team member of another religion (or perversion of Christianity), but God showered you with His grace. Pray that He will do the same to those who are blinded by their jealousy for their own “temples of Diana.”

Religion is big business

And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: "Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade…” Acts 19:23-25

Religion can be, and often is, big business that nets much money. This is one of the reasons some oppose religion so vehemently. From a Christian perspective, I would say that the culprits of religious greed are practitioners of false religion or perversions of the true religion (Christianity). The religious hucksters and charlatans who exploit people for the sake of dishonest gain promise what they cannot deliver (health, happiness, and/or wealth), in exchange for other people’s money.

Those who fall for these false and empty promises are mostly desperate people, often sick or aged, and are, therefore, somewhat vulnerable. Some send in their “love gifts,” while others willingly pay fees to be defrauded (as is the case with the victims of Scientology). All that anyone receives in exchange is a diminished bank account.

Why are these kinds of frauds so lucrative? (1) Because human beings are created by God to worship Him. But when human beings reject the true and living God of the Bible, because we are naturally “religious,” many flock to counterfeits. And (2) because being a religious con man or woman is so easy—providing one has no conscience.

The one “religion” that does not do these things and condemns those who do is biblical Christianity. Biblical Christianity follows the example of the Lord Jesus, who overturned the tables of the money changers in the temple. I stress the word biblical because there are so many purveyors of false Christianity who specialize in defrauding people. Biblical Christianity stresses the following that are the antithesis of the money grabbers:

• Biblical Christianity is not about what we do, nor is what we do in any way associated with getting something in return for anything we do.

• Biblical Christianity is about what God does for us, chiefly, forgiving our sins against Him based on what Jesus Christ has already done for us by dying on the cross and rising from the dead.

• Biblical Christianity is about being enriched spiritually by God’s grace—not physically, much less monetarily.

1 Timothy 6:6-10 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Omnipresence or delegation?

So he sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, but he himself stayed in Asia for a time.
Acts 19:22

Finally, something that we have in common with the Apostle Paul! None of us can be in more than one place at one time.

Some may not relate to this blog post as much as others. But there are others besides me who attempt to do more than we are physically able to do. I am not speaking only of limitations of physical strength (though that is becoming more of a reality too since I am no longer in my 30s!). I am speaking specifically of committing to being in more than one place at a time. Though God is everywhere present. omnipresent is, of course, impossible for human beings.

Now here is another thing at which Paul is far better than I am. He delegated some responsibilities that required him to be where he was not, to Timothy and Erastus. I’m not much better at delegating that than I am at being omnipresent. A common weakness among “Type-A” personalities is that we find it is easier to do things ourselves than it is to delegate to others. Easier? Maybe. Better? Not really.

Tell me I am not the only one! A simple example of this is when we insist that it is easier to do household tasks ourselves than to train our children to help. After all, we think, they will take longer and be less efficient. This mindset is not only fueled by our pride, it restricts others from learning and being helpful. Whether at home, at church, or for some at work, let us learn from Paul’s example that delegating is wise and more selfless.

Make plans, but...

Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome." And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. Acts 19:21-22 ESV

Yesterday we considered the importance of using reliable word-for-word translations of the Bible. In addition, we considered the danger of formulating doctrine (or dogmatic teaching) based on words that can be translated in different ways. Today, let’s see what this passage does not say for sure, and an important application we can take from it.

We do not know how “resolutely” Paul made his traveling plans in (v.19-22). Was he led by the Holy Spirit, or were his plans merely led by his own spirit (heart)? We do not know.

We do know that Paul was unable to carry out the plans he made. Paul never made it to Rome. We would assume that if it was God’s will that Paul go to Rome, he would have made it there. This leads me to lean in the direction that the plans originated in Paul’s heart, not the will of the Holy Spirit.

Two applications:

First, do not say, “The Lord told me,” or “The Lord is leading me” to do this or that. Too many people say these things, but they either do not happen, or they turn out to not be God’s will. It is one thing to say “I think the Lord would have me to do…” This way we are assuming responsibility if things turn out differently than we planned. Otherwise, we present the Lord as having been wrong. He is never wrong!*

Second, we should make plans—but let us write them in pencil (rather than in ink)! It has been said, “Failure to plan is a plan to fail!” But let us always remember Proverbs 19:21, “There are many plans in a man's heart, Nevertheless the LORD's counsel—that will stand.”

*Footnote: Let us not forget that in God’s law, those who claim to speak for God, but do not are false prophets which is punishable by death. Though we are not under that civil aspect of the OT Law, the principle remains true.

Do synonyms always have exactly the same meaning?

Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome." And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. Acts 19:21-22 ESV

After these events. Which events all of the events that happened in Ephesus over the course of nearly three years was Luke referring to? Paul’s stay in Ephesus was longer by a long shot than in any of his other missionary outposts.

Paul resolved. The ESV employs the English word resolved. Resolved is a strong word. Other translations (NKJV, KJV, NASB) use the word purposed (a little less strong than resolved). The NIV says decided, which is even weaker.

In the Spirit. Another difference in how (v.19) is translated has to do with the word, Spirit, or spirit. Was Paul’s resolve prompted by the Holy Spirit, or did it originate in Paul’s spirit? (Note the capitalization, or not, of the word, Spirit—capitalization is not in the Greek!)

What difference does any of this make? It points out the need to read (at least for serious study) the best word for word English translations of the Bible. But wait! Even reliable word-for-word English translations differ! This means that there are passages that are not absolutely clear regarding translation.

Some might conclude (quite foolishly) that there is no way of knowing what the Bible says or means. That is not true, and here is the #1 reason why: the differences do no violence to the meaning of the text. In other words, they do not change the fundamental meaning. As in Acts 19:21, the differences in translation may add or take away a nuance but they do not change what happened!

Lesson number one on this text: The Bible is reliably translated—in the recognized word-for-word translations of the Bible.

Lesson number two on this text: Do not formulate doctrine or dogmatic teaching based on words that are variously translated. Stick with the main point of the passage. (And this is especially true when reading narratives.)

That said, tomorrow we will make some applicational observations on the text.

The cost of forsaking all to follow Christ

And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily. Acts 19:17-20

Two more observations on this short passage:

First, don’t miss that when people come to faith in Christ we need to forsake whatever opposes Christ. Many things in our lives that are not about Christ do not oppose Him. And as long as these things remain in their proper place in our priorities, that’s fine. Hobbies, sports, and some entertainment fall into this benign category. Even these good things can become dangerous, though, when our love for them rivals our love for Christ.

There are other things in our lives that must go! In the text, pursuits regarding the occult had to go. Are we holding onto sinful interests in our lives that we must let go of?

Second, as those in the text found, ejecting some things from our lives for the sake of following Christ will cost us. Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. The market value of what the new believers in Acts 19 tossed out was 50,000 pieces of silver. 50,000 is 1,667 times more than 30! Maybe letting go of what we must discard will costs us dearly (and maybe not only in terms of money!), but to quote Jesus, “What will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

God had even bigger plans

And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily. Acts 19:17-20

The humiliation of the seven sons of Sceva served God’s greater purpose. It wasn’t merely to shame those men—though it did do that. It was to strike fear in the hearts of those who saw and heard what happened.

Remember when we pointed out that God did miracles to validate those He called to speak for Him? In this case God ordained the humiliation of the false exorcists to draw even more attention to the trustworthiness of the Apostles and their message of Christ and the gospel.

As commentator, Adam Clark noted: “The name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. They saw that there was a sovereign power in the name of Jesus, which could not be imitated by these lying exorcists: they therefore reverenced the name of the Lord Jesus, and despised those pretenders.”

The fear of God became so pronounced that people involved in the occult renounced their demonic practices (v18-19). And the Word of the Lord was exalted (v.20)!

"But who are you?"

Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims." Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. Acts 19:13-14

This is a classic warning to those who want miracles to beware! These guys didn’t know the Lord, they just wanted to be miracle workers.

But the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?" Acts 19:15

And the demons called these false exorcists out, “Who are you!?”

And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. Acts 19:16

The demons overpowered these frauds, beat them up, stripped them, and threw them out! Let this somewhat humorous episode be a warning not to usurp what God has not called and gifted us to do!

Some healings are true. Some simply are not.

And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. Acts 19:11-12

With all due respect to Christians who believe and teach that every Christian in every time should experience, and even expect miracles, the Bible teaches no such thing. The text before us (like others in Acts) specifies that the Lord did miracles at specific times through His specially appointed servants. Miracles were performed by Jesus, of course, and by the Apostles and some of their closest associates. It is never recorded that every Christian can perform miracles at will—regardless of their faith.

The pattern throughout the Bible is that those who spoke for God (Prophets and Apostles) were enabled to perform miracles as a means of validating the trustworthiness of God’s communication through them. This is why Jesus performed such an inordinate number of miracles, since His message was of the greatest importance of all. Likewise the Apostles, since they were laying the groundwork for the New Testament church and writing the New Testament.

Texts like Acts 19:11-12 record God performing miracles using even Paul’s handkerchief. Modern hucksters who claim to do the same should be soundly rejected. And yes, some of the so-called healing evangelists have sent out scraps of cloth that have been touched by these false prophets (for money, of course!) promising that if you place the scrap of cloth on your physical problem it will be healed.

Not only are these kinds of gimmicks shamelessly false, so are the doctrines peddled by them.

Let us rejoice in the true miracles recorded in the Bible and reject the false miracles and those who peddle them in our day.

Three meanings of the word “all”

But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. Acts 19:9-10

We are considering the fact that the Bible employs figures of speech, and that if we interpret them literally, instead of as figures of speech, we will misinterpret the Bible. The case in point is the use of the word “all.” Does Acts 19:10 really mean that every human being in Asia heard the gospel? No. It means that the message of Christ and the gospel spread widely throughout Asia. (And by the way, “Asia” in that day didn’t mean the entire continent of Asia as we think of it today, but “Asia Minor,” or modern Turkey.)

I promised examples of three ways the word all can mean three different things.

First, in Romans 3:23 we read, “all have sinned.” This is the universal “all.” How do we know that? Because the verses following that “all” describe all as absolutely universal—in no uncertain terms.

Second, in Luke 2:1 we read, “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.” This is an example of how all can mean all of a particular group, but not all universally. In this case the word “all” here means, “everyone in the Roman Empire,” not every single individual in the world. (People from other parts of the world were not included.)

Third, as for “all” in a virtual or hyperbolic sense, our text in Acts 19:10 is a perfect example. All Asia doesn’t mean every human being in Asia. In this case “all” means “very widely.”

And how do we know which way “all” is being used? (1) Context. (2) Common sense.
Let us read and interpret the Bible wisely and accurately.

The danger of "wooden literalism"

But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. Acts 19:9-10

Does verse 10 really mean that every human being in Asia heard the gospel? This is a great opportunity for a lesson in reading the Bible. Many pride themselves in the fact that they read and interpret the Bible “literally.” Those who actually do this, especially if they do it all the time, are surely going to misinterpret the Bible. One of the most common errors in “hermeneutics” (interpreting the Bible) is what I call “wooden literalism.” Wooden literalism interprets every word, every phrase, and every sentence in the Bible with absolute literalism. This is a BIG mistake!

Think of how confused you would be if you did this with everything you hear, or read outside of the Bible. If someone says it is “raining cats and dogs,” even a modicum of wisdom informs us that animals are not falling from the sky!

The word “all” is commonly misinterpreted in the Bible. I remember being told “All means all, and that’s all it means.” Sometimes, yes. Many times, not at all! A friend tells you that he attended a party and says “everyone was there.” Would you naturally assume that every human being in the world was there? I hope not! Even if your friend was reporting on an office party, or a family reunion, and he said “everyone was there,” would that axiomatically mean that everyone from the office or family was there? Not necessarily.

The Bible is filled with figures of speech (as our communication often is). The usage of all or everyone is often a figure of speech. The world “all” can mean all literally, but it can also mean: (1) all of a particular group; or (2) all hyperbolically, or virtually. I’ll give some examples of these next time. For now, let us resolve to NOT make the common mistake of reading the Bible with wooden literalism, but with discernment to know what is being said and what isn’t.

Why ask, "What is the gospel?"

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.. Romans 1:16

Why ask, "What is the gospel?"

Because unless one hears the gospel, the Holy spirit cannot enlighten the heart and mind to believe when is it heard. (Romans 10:14}

Because a great many Christians answer the question, “What is the gospel?” incorrectly. Many default to a list if things Christians must do instead of explaining the gospel and calling people to trust in Jesus. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Some get the “trust Jesus” part right, but miss the reason. The reason is to be forgiven of our sins against a holy God—not to have other problems solved and to have a better life. (Matthew 1:21)

Still others either over complicate or over simplify the gospel by adding to, or leaving out, the essential points: Ruined (by sin), Remedy (only Jesus), Receive (Christ by faith which produces repentance.)

Let us get the gospel right, believe it, and declare it,

Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! (1 Corinthians 9:16)

What is the gospel?

But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. Acts 19:9-10

The last two post have been about what happens when a person is born again. Three points have been made: (1) One must hear the gospel. (2) The Holy Spirit must grant understanding and desire to receive Christ. And (3) regeneration (being born again) is a work of God—the person being regenerated does nothing to be born again.

Since hearing the gospel is essential, it seems wise to once again answer the question, “What is the gospel?” The answer is simple but it must be complete—no component can be omitted or else it is NOT the gospel.

We are RUINED by sin. There are three important sub-points to this first point. (1) We are sinful compared to the holiness of God, no matter how well we do compared to other people. (2) Sin has inescapable consequences: the just judgment and wrath of God. (3) There is nothing we can do to save ourselves from sin or it’s consequences.

Jesus is the only REMEDY for sin. There is no other way. Jesus is the only way because He alone is sinless. He alone died, and then rose from the dead to pay the penalty for the sins of those who trust in Him.

Each person must RECEIVE Jesus to be saved. Receiving Jesus means believing solely in Him as the only remedy for sin, and following Him as the Master of one’s life.

That is the gospel. Sadly, when most people hear the gospel they do not believe and follow Jesus. They either do not care, or flat out reject it. But those who hear the gospel and believe, do so because the Holy Spirit has given them hearts to believe and to follow Jesus. That work of the Holy Spirit is regeneration.

In case you are wondering, “Why is this so important—even for Christians?” Tomorrow…

How is one born again? (pt. 2)

But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. Acts 19:9-10

In answer to the question “How is one born again?” we said there are two essential facts. The first is that people must hear the gospel—the simple and accurate gospel.

The second essential fact is that the Holy Spirit must grant understanding. We say this because millions have heard—and rejected the gospel because to unregenerate ears, the gospel is “foolishness” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

People must hear the gospel, and the Holy Spirit must grant the ability to understand and respond to the gospel. When these two are in place, people will be born again. Both are equally necessary. So we must proclaim the gospel, and pray that the Holy Spirit will regenerate people, granting them understanding and the will to respond.

We must do our part, and when we do, God will do His part in the lives of those He is pleased to save. Now since we do not know which people God will be pleased to save, we need to give the good news of the gospel to as many as we can—with confidence that He will save His people, as we share Christ.

And don’t miss that it is all God’s work. The person who is born again does -0- to be born again!

What is the gospel? Next time…