BELIEVERS ARE THE TRUE MEMBERS OF GOD’S CHURCH
Acts 2:41; Acts 5:14
(Doctrinal Study series – Church) Lesson no.2
July 3, 2022 - SUN a.m.
Almost all people and all religious denominations consider themselves as the believers of Christ. Let us take a look what is means to be a member of a spiritual body of Christ, which is the true church. The members of the early church were called “Believers”, not Baptist, nor church of such so and so of any denominational groups, that is what the Bible said in Acts 5:14 “And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.” It is clear once a person become a believer, that person was added to the Lord, it did not say they were added to the local church. Not because that person was baptized in water but because he became a believer of Christ. We want to know how many believers are they? During that time of the early church, there are five thousand men who were members of the church according to Acts 4:4 “Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.” The question, why are they called “believers”? Based on this verse, these men were called Believers because they not only heard God’s Word, but they also believed the Word. Not because they were baptized member of a certain local church. They received and believed the Word of God, so they are believers.
Let us know, how these people received the Words that they heard? The Apostle Peter preached the Word of God, and the people gladly received the Word of God, that is why a true believer is someone who gladly receives the Word of God. There is gladness in their heart when they received the Word of God after they heard it (Acts 2:41 “Then they that gladly received his word”). After they gladly received God’s Word what happened next? The Bible said, they were baptized, we can see that in Acts 2:41 “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” The true believer was baptized after receiving the Word of God, it did not say that they were first baptized then received the Word of God.
What is meant here by the word “receive”? The word “receive” in Greek is (apodexamenoi) means to welcome, entertain (with hospitality), embrace. From apo and dechomai; to take fully. That illustrates how you would receive or welcome a friend or visitor in your home. That is like when you tell your visitor that he is welcome to stay and abide with you and you tell the guest that is a real joy for your visitor to be your guest. You expressed your feeling to your guest that you are comfortable and happy when your guest is in your house. You are doing your best to make your guest at home. That is what it means to gladly received God’s Word.
The Believers in Samaria receive and welcome the Word of God into their lives. Acts 8:14 “Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:” Now, the Believers receive and welcome the Word of God not as the word of men, but the believers receive and welcome as it truly is, as the Word of God. Paul writes it down in I Thessalonians 2:13 “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” In other words, you gladly received the Word that you have read, and even the messages of the preaching you have heard, not because of the bombastic or excellent style of delivery of the preacher, not because of degree of theology the preacher attained, or honorable title gained by the preacher but because it is purely the Word of God not the words of men.
How about If you encountered someone that has his own opinion and say, “Paul was just a man like we are, that is why I do not believe all the things that Paul wrote in all his books.” Well, to answer and enlighten that person, let us show him what Paul had explained in I Corinthians 14:37 “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.”; I Thessalonians 4:15 “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.” Paul here stressing to all readers of his writings that they need to accept or acknowledge and therefore receive all the things he wrote because what he is saying are the commandments and words of the Lord. Preachers should preach exactly what the context had said. May the pulpit full of the Words of God not lot of stories and jokes. May the God’s Word be exalted in the church of God.
In light of our study, may you ask yourself, Is the Word of God your special guest and welcome at home in your heart? Are you a true believer of Christ?
If these believers in early church have joyfully and gladly received God’s Word, how about you? Have you joyfully and gladly received the Word of God? Can you say, “God’s Word is at home in my heart and mind and life”? Read Deuteronomy 6:6 “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:”; Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”; John 15:7 “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”; Psalm 1:2 “But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”; Psalm 119:11 “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”; Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
What is your attitude toward God's Word and how do you react toward God’s Word? Do you excitedly, eagerly welcome the Word of God by saying “come in into my heart, into my mind and into my life.”? Or maybe whenever you hear or read the Word of God, you shut the door of your mind, you shut the door of your heart, and you never allow the Word to be part of your life?
What is the reason why the Jewish Believers in Berea more noble than the Jewish Believers in Thessalonica? Find out in Acts 17:11 “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.” It says the Jews in Berea were more noble than the Jews in Thessalonica because they welcomed the Word of God with all eagerness of mind. Based on this verse, can you tell how often did these Berean believers search the Scriptures? The Jewish Believers of Berea have daily searched the Word of God. How about you? How often do you personally open, read, study and meditate God’s Word? Jesus said in John 5:39 “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” Having eternal life is not man’s invented doctrine, neither it comes originally from denominational teaching, the belief of having assurance of eternal life in this life is scriptural doctrine based on the scriptures.
There are different groups of Believers who received the Word of God:
1. The Samaritan Believers – Acts 8:14
Acts 8:14 “Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:”
2. The Gentile Believers – Acts 11:1
Acts 11:1 “And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.”
3. The Berean Believes
Acts 17:11-12 “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. 12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.”
4. Thessalonians Believers
I Thessalonians 1:6 “And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.”
I Thessalonians 2:13 “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”
The unbelievers do not receive or do not welcome God’ Word and God’s truth into their hearts, into their minds and into their lives.
The description of the hatred and rejection of the unbelievers of the truth resulted for not being saved.
II Thessalonians 2:10 “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”
The truth that the unbeliever does not receive is the Word of God
John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
Whenever the unbelievers rejected the truth, they rejected the Word of truth, they actually rejected not the evangelist, not the preachers of the gospel.
What will happened to those unbelievers who rejected the truth which is the Word of God? The unbelievers who believed not or received not the truth will all be damned which means they will all be judged by God
II Thessalonians 2:12 “That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
What is the God’s truth or God’s Word that unbeliever rejected, on which they will be judged by God or damned and not be saved?
The Word of truth is the Gospel of salvation
Ephesians 1:13 “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,”
A person will be born again in the family of God, will have his second birth by the Word of truth
James 1:18 “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth,”
If the unsaved or unbelievers rejected the truth, the Word of God, the gospel of salvation, however those who have been chosen to salvation or those who are true members of Christ’s church, the spiritual body of Christ, gladly receive the Word of God because they believed the truth
II Thessalonians 2:13 “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:”
Now, would you please read, Luke 8:13 “They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.” The unsaved soul here described as the people who after hearing the Word “received the word with joy”, but this verse said that their reception did not last for long, which means the Word of God did not permanently stay in their hearts. These unbelievers initially welcomed the truth, but they rejected the truth when hard situations come their way. The unsaved people held God’s truth for only a short moment, which other people sometimes some mistakably consider these unsaved as a believer. The word of truth has no root in the unbeliever’s heart that is why they easily fall away when things got difficult.
Several comparisons of those who welcome God's truth and those who did not:
A. The Believer who received God’s Word of truth.
1. The Believer who received God’s Word of truth is going to read at home those interesting verses that the preacher had said in the pulpit to check if is really what God had said (Acts 17:11).
2. The Believer who received God’s Word of truth is so grateful that the verses he read and heard help himself to be a better student at school
3. The Believer who received God’s Word of truth will read in advance the next chapter even before going to church, since the Pastor is speaking on series of chapters in book studies.
4. The Believer who received God’s Word of truth take notes in Church since it helps him/her to pay attention and listen.
5. The Believer who received God’s Word of truth read at least three or four chapters each day as part of the daily bible reading in a year.
6. The Believer who received God’s Word of truth read and shared the Bible to their little sisters and brothers who enjoy the time.
7. The Believer who received God’s Word of truth memorize bible verses and encourage others to do the same.
8. The Believer who received God’s Word of truth always remember during Bible reading that the Bible is the love letter of God that has a very special and personal message for her/him.
9. The Believer who received God’s Word of truth enjoys sharing that Word of truth with friends and to his/her dear family. Also, very thankful whenever he/she has an opportunity to present the gospel to the unsaved lost soul about the love, hope and free gift of eternal life.
B. A person who did not received God’s Word of truth
1. A person who did not received God’s Word of truth cannot wait for the Pastor to stop preaching so that he/she can get home. Always looking at the clock, mind is flying and not listening to the sermon.
2. A person who does not received God’s Word of truth get bored in Sunday school and complain always while doing the studying of the Bible.
3. A person who did not received God’s Word of truth don’t read the Bible every day because there are lot of things, he/she consider more important than daily devotional or quiet time with the Lord.
4. A person who did not received God’s Word of truth hoping the worship service in the church is finished before the specific sports game telecast begins.
5. A person who did not received God’s Word of truth did not understand the topic of the Preaching and explanation of the Pastor, so she/he plans to ask the parents or Sundays school teachers or one of the elders in the church to explain about it after the church service.
6. A person who did not received God’s Word of truth do not spend time meditating the Bible because he/she has many other things to attend to in school, friends, sports, and watching tv series, and others.
7. A person who did not received God’s Word of truth would never come to Sunday school class in case he/her parents did not make his/her come to church.
8. A person who did not received God’s Word of truth is murmuring why still need to attend mid-week service and assumes that attending Sundays is enough.
9. A person who did not received God’s Word of truth is initially received the Word of God with joy but when he/she found out that it is too hard to live as a believer, when facing persecution, friends is making fun of him/her decided to fall away and has no evidence of salvation (Luke 8:13).
10. A person who did not received God’s Word of truth love to go to church and the only reason or motive is that most of his/her friends are in the church.
11. A person who did not received God’s Word of truth have regretted of going to church especially on Sunday because he/she can never watch the favorite television shows.
|