80
THE KING’S BUSINESS
self is made certain by His resurrection from the dead. _ And who is forgiven? “Every one that believeth” (v. 39, R.V.), no matter who he is, or how bad he has been. Not only is he forgiven, he is “justi fied.” Justification is more than forgive ness. Forgiveness is negative, the putting away of sin; justification is positive, the reckoning the man righteous, the putting to his account the perfect righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. And how soon is the man forgiven and justified? The in stant he_believes. In Him “every one that believeth is justified.” Justification is not something we are going to get in the future, it is something we have the moment we believe. Verses 38 and 39 contain a marvel ously full statement of the doctrine of justification: (1) How men are justified— “by Him” (Greek, “in Him”). (2) Who are justified—“every one that believeth.” (3) From what are"men justified—“from all things.” (4) How no man can be justi fied—“by (rather, in) the law of Moses” (cf. Rom. 3:20). (S) When men are justi fied—the moment they believe. This is a wonderful gospel and it lays a tremendous responsibility Qn all who read it, for all despisers of this gospel shall “wonder and perish.” If then you reject this wondrous gospel you shall perish. Beware 1 Saturday, January 13 . Acts 13 : 42 , 43 . What Paul had said to them made them desirous to hear still more, so they asked that the truth might be presented to them on the following Sabbath also. The reason why the Sabbath was chosen for this further gathering was because that was the day on which they were wont to assemble for the study of the Word of God. There was as .yet no Christian church in Antioch or Pisidia, and here as elsewhere the gospel was first presented to the Jews, and their day of assembly was the day that was naturally used for that purpose. Paul, in his sermon, had made it as plain as day that Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God (vs. 23, 25, 27, 29-31, 33-37), that God had raised Him from the dead and
thus fulfilled the promise made unto the fathers (vs. 32, 33), and that “by Him every one that believeth is justified from all things” (vs. 38, 39). Such powerful and convincing presentation of the truth natur ally produced immediate and abundant fruit, there were numerous converts. These converts were of two classes: regular “Jews” and “proselytes.” Paul and Barna bas followed up their work by words of private instruction and exhortation. Hitherto the order» in which their names have been given was Barnabas and Paul (see v. 2 ), but from this time on it becomes “Paul and Barnabas,” Paul taking the leadership to which God had chosen him. The substance of the exhortation of. Paul and Barnabas was “continue in the grace of God” (cf. John 8:31, 32; 15 :5-10; Acts 11:23; 14:22;-, Col. 1:23). The sphere of their continuance was to be “the grace of God” : it was pure grace that Paul taught (vs. 38, 39; cf. Rom. 3:24; 11: 6 ; Eph. 2:8), and it is only in grace that one can “con tinue” or “stand” (Rom. 5:2; Gal. 5:1, 4). There is no exhortation more needed today than the exhortation to “continue.” There are many who start," but there are also many who fall. by the way.. Paul and Barnabas were very urgent in this exhorta tion, and we need to be urgent in it today. Sunday, January 14 . Acts 13 : 44 , 45 . The Word of God mightily prevailed. The whole city was shaken, and “almost the whole city” came to hear. What they came to hear was “the Word of God,” and that was what they heard (cf. 2 Tim. 4:2; 1 Thess. 2:13). Paul did not declare to them his own opinions, but that which God had revealed to him, and it was not Paul’s words, but God’s Word which thd^ heard (cf. 1 Thess. 2:13). But hearing the Word is one thing, believing and obeying the Word is something else (cf. Luke 8:5-7). It is not always the city where there are the. most hearers where there are the most conversions, and though “almost the whole city” came together to hear the Word of God, when they heard it many
Made with FlippingBook Online document