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polytheism , sacram entarianism , poly gamy, drunkenness, licentiousness, the am phitheater, slavery; men were God- haters, inventors of evil, idolaters, m ur derers; they spoke in many languages, were of different trib es and races,— all of which conditions obtain— as we have said— today. The early church had to m eet th e intense h atred of th e Jews; th e idolatry of th e Greeks; th e cruelty of th e Rom ans; th e luxury and licentiousness of the Corinthians; agnosticism , race and caste prejudice and every other obstacle which confronts us' today. There was an absence of church ma chinery, organization, schools, colleges or sem inaries. The command to “ Go— preach” was given to every disciple. It was no t given to a few thousand men w ith special equipment to meet the learned agnosti cism and scientific scholars of th e day, — bu t ordinary men and women, as the Holy Ghost empowered them , went everywhere telling w hat th e Lord had done for them . In th e course of tim e th ere grew up church dissensions, apos tates, backbiters, etc., b u t in spite of them , w ithin th e lifetim e of P aul th e Gospel had been preached to all nations. There are no problems confronting th e church today th a t did h o t confront th e early church, and we need only to meet those problems in th e same sp irit of self-denial and sacrifice in order to accomplish the same blessed results,— remembering always th a t th e resurrec tion of Jesus Christ is th e g reat funda m ental tru th . It was th e central theme of every sermon recorded in th e Book of Acts. The resurrection of Jesus Christ in volved H is crucifixion. It set th e seal to th e tru th th a t Jesus Christ was very God, and th a t salvation is only th rough th e sacrificial offering of God’s Lamb, for “W ithout th e shedding of blood th ere is no rem ission.” (Heb. 9 :2 2 ). It involved the justification of th e be
liever, because it testified to H is accept ance by God when He appeared w ith His blood-offering in th e Holy of holies. (Heb. 9 :2 4 ). It involved, also, th e outpouring of th e Holy Spirit on th e day of Pentecost, verifying His promise th a t th e Spirit should be given afte r H is departu re (John 14:17; 1 6 :7 ). It involved an endued Church, for the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in every be liever, im parting the life of Christ, and empowering him for service. It involved the full inspiration of the Word of God, which testifies to th e fact th a t th is is a lost world, demanding th e fulfillment of th e la st command of our Lord to give the Gospel to every crea ture. This book of “The Acts of th e Holy Sp irit” is filled w ith m anifestations of His power, and a careful reading will show His manifest leading, directing and guiding in th e organization of the church; in the qualifying and empower ing of the leaders; in th e filling and equipment of w itnesses; in th e develop ment of doctrine. He fixed the direction th e Gospel was to tak e in its course from Jerusalem to Rome. He interposed and hindered as in 16:6, 7. He took apos tles like P eter and John, and also lay men such as Philip, Barnabas, Ananias and Saul. He not only selected and guided th e messengers, b u t equipped and empowered them to speak th e Word of Life. He is manifest in th e call and com mission of P au l; in th e m inistry of an gels (5 :19 , 20; 8 :26 ; 12:7-11, 2 3 ); in such seemingly incidental things as th e nam ing of th e stree t in which Ananias would find Saul (Acts 9 :1 1 ). The Holy Spirit is manifested th roughou t th e entire record in His use of th e messengers, and th e giving of a definite message. The apostles on th e ir journeys did ho t lecture on Greek art, or civilization or education. They de pended solely on th e Word of God.
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