84 (k) Holiness of Life, as the Fruit of the Spirit (Rom. 6:22). “ But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life.” (l) The Personality of Satan (1 Pet. 5 :8). “ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (m) The Everlasting Destruction of the Wicked (2 Thess. 1:7-10). “ And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the. Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels. “ In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; “Who shall be punished with ever lasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power.” This is a mere outline of the frame work of the Gospel as given through the mouths of the apostles by the Spirit. (4) The Peculiarity of the Early Church, vs. 42-47. They had fellowship with each other, and with the Lord (1 John 1: 3-7). They were of one heart, one soul, one Spirit (Phil. 2:3-10). They enjoyed communion— the break ing of bread (Acts 20:7). “ And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow.” (Also 1 Cor. 10:16, 17.) They had fellowship in prayer (Acts 4:31). “ And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were as sembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they
THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS spake the word of God with boldness.” Prayer is the tie which binds the hearts of believers in fellowship and communion. Whenever the church re sponds to the call to prayer, spiritual power manifests itself in the healing of dissensions, the yielding of the affec tions and the salvation of souls. The true communion is represented here. The cry of the communist is “ All yours is mine.” The spirit of the early church was “ All mine is yours.” Love projects a new thing and finds expression in a beautiful manifestation of the life of Christ. There were daily additions to the church. The normal condition of the church is one in which the work of grace is continual. When the Spirit of God governs an assembly, there will be daily accessions. A sweet aroma will pervade the atmosphere, and songs of praise will constantly ascend. Men women and children will be so influ enced by the heavenly bearing of the be lievers that they will seek to share in their unalloyed peace and joy. PRACTICAL POINTS (1) The promise of prophecy was ful filled by the pouring out of the Spirit. (2) There must be a fuller fulfillment, before the promise is fulfilled. (3) Peter preached a sentence ser mon, but it was all Scriptural. (4) The rejection of the crucified Christ is rebellion against a right eous God. (5) God hath ordained that the Christ of the Cross should become the King with the crown. (6) Preaching Christ crucified for sin produces conviction in the heart of the sinner. (7) The early Church was evangelical and therefore evangelistic. (8) A creedless Church is a Christless Church.
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