Lesson 1961

(Lesson 1961)(03-07-17) Acts 19:6-7

"And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve."

Today's lesson is an overlap of yesterday's extending through verse seven of that text.

Yesterday's quote clarified the difference between "the baptism of John", (The "baptism of John" being the message John taught as well as the water immersion "baptism" he administered to prepare the Jews for the coming of Jesus Christ.); and the baptism of the Holy Ghost which comes with, and empowers unto eternal salvation, those believing that Jesus is the virgin born Son of God who sacrificed His perfect life and was raised from the dead to remit the sins of those who will trust in Him.

We know the above to be true because of the example given in Acts 10:43-44 concerning the coming of the Holy Ghost upon the house of Cornelius as they believed what Peter preached, "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHALL RECEIVE REMISSION OF SINS. While Peter YET SPAKE these words, THE HOLY GHOST FELL ON ALL THEM WHICH HEARD THE WORD."

Verse seven of that text seems to that the Holy Ghost can be given by the laying on of hands, in that it says, "when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them". I won't pretend to know exactly what is meant by Paul's actions in that particular instance, but I know, as we have witnessed through many other passages of scripture, that the Holy Ghost comes upon the children of God as they believe in the only begotten Son of God.~

Lesson 1960

(Lesson 1960)(03-06-17) Acts 19:1-5

"And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus."

Today's lesson is yet another very important one in that it more definitely affirms that the baptism that saves the souls of the lost is the baptism of the Holy Ghost, NOT WATER BAPTISM, as so many religious organizations contend.

In the first part of today's quote, Paul asked the few disciples at Ephesus whether they had received the Holy Ghost "since ye believed"? They answered, in essence, that they had not even heard of the Holy Ghost. That admission plainly tells us that those Ephesians had NOT been taught the gospel of Jesus Christ, because the Holy Ghost was integral to God's plan of eternal salvation. By not even knowing that the Holy Ghost existed, those Ephesians could not have been believers in Jesus Christ to the point of eternal salvation. Then what, we might ask, did they "believe" in. The answer is simple, they believed the "baptism (message) of John". Remember, John the Baptist was, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." (Mark 1:3) John's message was to prepare the Jews for the COMING of the means of salvation. John did not teach that the means of eternal salvation was already here, therefore, those Ephesians could not have believed in Jesus Christ because He had not yet come.

Therefore, when Paul, in the latter part of the quote, told those Ephesians to "believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus", they were "baptized", (eternally saved and thereby received the Holy Ghost.)~

Lesson 1959

(Lesson 1959)(03-05-17) Acts 18:24-28

"And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ."

This lesson contains some very important information that is often overlooked, or neglected, by many, so called, bible scholars.

We should specifically note what Paul said about Apollos and what was done to set him straight with the gospel.

Although Apollos was a devout and obviously sincere man, who was trying to forward the work of the Lord, Paul described him as being undereducated as to the full gospel of Jesus Christ and was, therefore, misleading those to whom he preached as to the true doctrine.

Paul justified his description of Apollos' capability by saying that he, (though obviously well educated in the ways of Jewish law), had known "ONLY" the "baptism of John", the message that John taught as well as a water immersion ritual that, so far as John and those he taught were concerned, applied to repentance and preparing the way for the Lord.

We know from previous study that the "baptism of John" had nothing to do with, nor was it a part of, the doctrine laid out by Jesus Himself whereby a lost soul may achieve eternal life. The doctrine established by Jesus had nothing to do with water baptism but rather was the method of eternal salvation by grace through faith in His virgin born life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension. The baptism of John was a water cleansing ritual demanded by the laws of the Jews, whereby any new convert to Judaism, or a Jew who was about to enter a holy place to pray or offer a sacrifice, was to cleanse him/herself.

John himself said, "I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost." (Mark 1:8) The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the baptism that empowers those who believe to become the children of God.

In summary, Paul took Apollos aside and taught him "the way of God more perfectly". Paul taught Apollos that "by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9 in part)~

Lesson 1958

(Lesson 1958)(03-04-17) Acts 18:9-23

"Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you: But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters. And he drave them from the judgment seat. Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things. And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow. And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not; But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus. And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch. And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples."

Today's quote relates the many travels Paul made as he and the others continued to spread the good news of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.~

Lesson 1957

(Lesson 1957)(03-03-17) Acts 18:1-8

"After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized."

Today's quote tells us of how Paul, after traveling to Corinth, met with Aquila and Priscilla. While there, Paul also reunited with Silas and Timotheus. Through Paul's preaching, many of the Jews, including the "chief" ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord and were "baptized" (empowered by the Holy Ghost).

The lesson also tells us that Paul, after finally growing tired of the constant harassment by the Jews and their never ending demands that he incorporate the rules of the old Law into the new law of salvation by grace through faith, decided to take his message more exclusively to the Gentiles.~

Lesson 1956

(Lesson 1956)(03-02-17) Acts 17:15-34

"And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed. Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.) Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. So Paul departed from among them. Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them."

Today's lesson contains the powerful sermon Paul preached to the idol worshipers at Athens This sermon contains a very, very important point. In the latter part of the quote, Paul said, "Because he (God) hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world IN RIGHTEOUSNESS BY THE MAN WHOM HE HATH ORDAINED; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead."

This passage demonstrates that individual sins are NOT what a believer will be judged by when our judgment time comes. Paul clearly said that the children of God, those of us who have, or will, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, will be judged by the righteousness of "the man whom He hath ordained". This means that, for those of us who remain in the sins of our earthly bodies, but have placed our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, His righteousness is all that will be seen in that judgment.

We must remember that the sins of those who have faith and believe are "JUSTIFIED" and will NOT be counted against us in that final judgment. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ". (Romans 5:1)~

Lesson 1955

(Lesson 1955)(03-01-17) Acts 17:1-14

"Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go. And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still."

Today's lesson relates the travels of Paul and Silas as they spread the glorious news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. The lesson also tells of their ongoing harassment by the leaders of the Jews.~