THE K I N G U BUS I NES S
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47) “ th a t repentance and rem ission of sins should be preached in his nam e.” ^ L u m b y . Baptism means more th an being sprinkled or immersed while a certain baptismal formula is repeated. It means confession and renunciation of sin, faith in C h rist’s death and resu r rection in our behalf, identification w ith Christ in His death and resurrec tion. (Gal. 3:26, 27; Rom. 6:3, 4 ).— Torrey. Baptism was th e ou tw ard ex pression of th a t repentance and was therefo re for these. Jews a prelim inary necessity.— Anno. Bible. Submersion in rivers or larg er quantities of w ater probably took place only where th e lo cality conveniently allowed it.— Ols- hausen. In th e nam e of Jesus. While in Matt. 28:19 th e baptism is to be “ in th e name of th e F ath er, Son and Holy Ghost” and here it is only said “ in th e name of Jesus Christ,” we are not to suppose any change made from th e first ordinance It was belief in Christ as th e Son of God which constituted th e ground of adm ission to th e church. This made the whole of P e te r’s creed (Mt. 16:16} when Christ first pro nounced him blessed.— Camb. Bible. They did believe in th e F a th e r and the Holy Ghost speaking by the prophets, b u t now they m ust also believe in the name of Jesus and be baptized in th a t nam e.—Henry. F o r rem ission of sins. Remission of sin presupposes no effort or labor on th e p a rt of th e debtor. It is not a compromise, a dim inution of th e debt or a prolongation of th e term of payment. It is the free act of th e C reator, done a t once and for all.— Saphir. v. 41. Gladly received h is word. To receive the Word is to adm it its con victions and receive its promises.— Sel. Added a b o u t th re e thousand. No such effect had followed Jesu s’ own preach ing and H is prom ise th a t they should do g reater works a fte r His ascension th a n He H imself had w rought du ring H is hum iliation (Jno. 1 4 :12 ), was thus fulfilled.— Torrey.
v. 42. B reaking of bread. In con sequence of th e omission here and else where of any mention of th e wine, an argum en t has been drawn for com munion in one kind, b u t it is clear from the way P aul speaks of th e bread and th e cup in th e same b reath th a t such a pu tting asunder of the two p arts of the sacram ent which Christ united is un w arran ted by th e practice of the church of th e Apostles.— Lumby. Con tinu ing in prayer. P ray er will never be superseded till it comes to be swal lowed up in everlasting praise.— Sel. • v. 46. F rom house to house. The specially Christian in stitu tion of .break-* ing of bread was not a p a rt of the ser vice in th e temple b u t was observed a t th e ir own homes, th e congregations- meeting now a t one house and now a t another. Camb. Bible. G ladness and singleness of h ea rt. How happy they were! They had Christ and th a t was enough. No system of theology, creeds, set of forms, or any such th ing w ith which historical Christianity abounds, nothing b u t Christ.— Gaebelein. v. 47. Having favor. As it w as said of Christ, “ the common people heard him gladly” (Mk. 1 2 :2 7 ), so it seems to have been w ith H is apostles. The first attac k made on them is (4 :1 ) by the priests, captain of th e temple and Sadducees.— Sel. Lord added daily. Reaching one a t a tim e is to reach a ll in time,— T rum bull. • W hat th e church needs is no t a “ sp u rt” bu t a “ sp irit” of evangelism.—Aldrich. Our F a th e r’s House. Luke 2:22-40. Memory Verse: “E n te r into his gates w ith thanksgiving, and into his courts w ith p raise.” Psalm 100:4. Approach: How many of you boys an d girls, have a house to live in? All of you. Now I am going to show you a pictu re of a house; and I w ant you to
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