|
|
The
Gospel
The
doctrines vital for salvation are contained in the message known
as 'the gospel'. The gospel is defined as 'the good news concerning
the Kingdom of God and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ'. The gospel
is called by Paul 'the power of God unto salvation'. Both of these
statements indicate that the gospel contains those doctrines which
are vital for salvation.
What
is the simplest method of determining the content and scope of the
gospel message? Brother George Booker brilliantly identified the
fact that one of the surest methods is to examine the preaching
speeches of the apostles in the Acts. When we read these speeches,
we are reading what the apostles taught as the gospel.
Let's
have a look at where these speeches are in the Acts:
Apostolic
Statements of Faith
Peter
in Jerusalem - Acts 2:22-42 (Psa. 16:8-11; 110:1-7)
Peter
in Jerusalem again - Acts 3:12-26 (Gen. 12:1-3; 22:16-18; Deut.
18:15,19)
Stephen
in Jerusalem - Acts 7:2-56 (Gen. 12:1-3; 13:14-17; Deut. 18:15,19)
Philip
to the Ethiopian - Acts 8:30-39 (Isa. 53:1-12)
Peter
to Cornelius - Acts 10:34-48
Paul
in Antioch - Acts 13:15-39 (Psa. 2:1-12; Isa. 55:1-13)
Paul
in Athens - Acts 17:22-31 (Isa. 45:5-25)
Paul
to Felix - Acts 24:14-21
Paul
to Festus and Agrippa - Acts 26:2-27
As
we can see, the apostles preached in various different places, to
all kinds of different people. They preached in Jewish cities, in
Greek cities, in Roman cities. They preached to Jews, they preached
to Greeks, they preached to Romans.
What
we find is that they always preached the same message to all people,
wherever they were. That message was the gospel. Let's examine their
speeches now and see what they preached.
Details
of Apostolic Statements of Faith
1.
The Bible: the word of God, inspired
2. One God: the Father and Creator; the Holy Spirit, His
power
3. Jesus, the Son of God
4. Jesus, a mortal man
5. Jesus: his perfect life, sacrifice
6. Jesus: his resurrection, glorification, and ascension
7. Christ as the mediator
8. The second coming
9. Resurrection and judgment
10. Promises to Abraham: land inheritance
11. Promises to David: kingdom restored
12. Forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ, repentance,
and baptism
13. One body: fellowship and breaking of bread
Speeches
in full
Peter
in Jerusalem
|
Acts
2v22-42 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth,
a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and
signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves
also know:
Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge
of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified
and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains
of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden
of it.
For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always
before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should
not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue
was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because
thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer
thine Holy One to see corruption.
Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make
me full of joy with thy countenance.
Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch
David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre
is with us unto this day.
Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn
with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according
to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ,
that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did
see corruption.
This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having
received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath
shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself,
The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until
I make thy foes thy footstool.
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that
God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both
Lord and Christ.
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart,
and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and
brethren, what shall we do?
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one
of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,
and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to
all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall
call.
And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying,
Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and
the same day there were added unto them about three thousand
souls.
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and
fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Psalms
16v8-11 I have set the LORD always before me: because
he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh
also shall rest in hope.
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou
suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness
of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Psalms
110v1-7 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right
hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule
thou in the midst of thine enemies.
Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the
beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast
the dew of thy youth.
The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest
for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the
day of his wrath.
He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places
with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.
He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he
lift up the head.
|
Peter
in Jerusalem again
|
Acts
3v12-26 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people,
Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so
earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we
had made this man to walk?
The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of
our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered
up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was
determined to let him go.
But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer
to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom
God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
And his name through faith in his name hath made this man
strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him
hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you
all.
And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it,
as did also your rulers.
But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth
of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so
fulfilled.
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may
be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from
the presence of the Lord.
And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached
unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of
restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth
of all his holy prophets since the world began.
For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the
Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto
me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say
unto you.
And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not
hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow
after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these
days.
Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which
God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy
seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him
to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
Genesis
12v1-3 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out
of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's
house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee,
and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that
curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth
be blessed.
Genesis
22v16-18 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD,
for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld
thy son, thine only son:
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will
multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand
which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the
gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations
of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Deuteronomy
18v15,19 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet
from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto
him ye shall hearken; And it shall come to pass, that whosoever
will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my
name, I will require it of him.
|
Stephen
in Jerusalem
|
Acts
7v2-56 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken;
The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he
was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, And said unto
him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and
come into the land which I shall shew thee.
Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt
in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he
removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.
And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as
to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it
to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as
yet he had no child.
And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in
a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage,
and entreat them evil four hundred years.
And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge,
said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve
me in this place.
And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham
begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac
begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.
And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt:
but God was with him, And delivered him out of all his afflictions,
and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king
of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his
house.
Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan,
and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent
out our fathers first.
And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren;
and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.
Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and
all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.
So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,
And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre
that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor
the father of Sychem.
But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had
sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.
The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated
our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to
the end they might not live.
In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and
nourished up in his father's house three months: And when
he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished
him for her own son.
And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians,
and was mighty in words and in deeds.
And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart
to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and
avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: For
he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God
by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.
And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove,
and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are
brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?
But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying,
Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?
Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?
Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the
land of Madian, where he begat two sons.
And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in
the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame
of fire in a bush.
When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew
near to behold it, the voice of the LORD came unto him, Saying,
I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst
not behold.
Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet:
for the place where thou standest is holy ground.
I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which
is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come
down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into
Egypt.
This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler
and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer
by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.
He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and
signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the
wilderness forty years.
This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel,
A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your
brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.
This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with
the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our
fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them,
and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for
this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we
wot not what is become of him.
And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice
unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven;
as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of
Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices
by the space of forty years in the wilderness?
Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of
your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and
I will carry you away beyond Babylon.
Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness,
as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make
it according to the fashion that he had seen.
Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus
into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before
the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; Who found
favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the
God of Jacob.
But Solomon built him an house.
Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my
footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or
what is the place of my rest?
Hath not my hand made all these things?
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do
always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and
they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of
the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and
have not kept it.
When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart,
and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly
into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing
on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens
opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Genesis
12v1-3 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out
of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's
house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make
of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy
name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless
them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and
in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Genesis
13v14-17 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot
was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from
the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward,
and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will
I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that
if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy
seed also be numbered.
Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the
breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
Deuteronomy
18v15,19 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet
from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto
him ye shall hearken; And it shall come to pass, that whosoever
will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my
name, I will require it of him.
|
Philip
to the Ethiopian
|
Acts
8v30-39 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read
the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou
readest?
And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And
he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was
led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before
his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation
his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation?
for his life is taken from the earth.
And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of
whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other
man?
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture,
and preached unto him Jesus.
And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water:
and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder
me to be baptized?
And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou
mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ
is the Son of God.
And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went
down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and
he baptized him.
And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of
the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more:
and he went on his way rejoicing.
Isaiah
53v1-12 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the
arm of the LORD revealed?
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as
a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness;
and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should
desire him.
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from
him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows:
yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised
for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon
him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one
to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity
of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not
his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as
a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his
mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall
declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land
of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in
his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any
deceit in his mouth.
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to
grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin,
he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the
pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied:
by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many;
for he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and
he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath
poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the
transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession
for the transgressors.
|
Peter
to Cornelius
Acts
10v34-48 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth
I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness,
is accepted with him.
The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching
peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all
Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John
preached; How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost
and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that
were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the
land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged
on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God,
even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from
the dead.
And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify
that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick
and dead.
To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name
whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all
them which heard the word.
And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished,
as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also
was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then
answered Peter,
Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized,
which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.
Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. |
Paul
in Antioch
|
Acts
13v15-39 And after the reading of the law and the prophets
the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men
and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people,
say on.
Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men
of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.
The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted
the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt,
and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners
in the wilderness.
And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan,
he divided their land to them by lot.
And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of
four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them
Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the
space of forty years.
And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David
to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and
said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine
own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised
unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: When John had first preached
before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people
of Israel.
And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that
I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me,
whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.
Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever
among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation
sent.
For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because
they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which
are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning
him.
And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired
they Pilate that he should be slain.
And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they
took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
But God raised him from the dead: And he was seen many days
of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem,
who are his witnesses unto the people.
And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise
which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same
unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again;
as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son,
this day have I begotten thee.
And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now
no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will
give you the sure mercies of David.
Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer
thine Holy One to see corruption.
For David, after he had served his own generation by the will
of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and
saw corruption: But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through
this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
And by him all that believe are justified from all things,
from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Psalms
2v1-12 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine
a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take
counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed,
saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their
cords from us.
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall
have them in derision.
Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in
his sore displeasure.
Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou
art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance,
and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash
them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges
of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way,
when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they
that put their trust in him.
Isaiah
55v1-13 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters,
and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come,
buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and
your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently
unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul
delight itself in fatness.
Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall
live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even
the sure mercies of David.
Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader
and commander to the people.
Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and
nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of
the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath
glorified thee.
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while
he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous
man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he
will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly
pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways
my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways
higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and
returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh
it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower,
and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth
out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it
shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper
in the thing whereto I sent it.
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace:
the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into
singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead
of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be
to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall
not be cut off.
|
Paul
in Athens
|
Acts
17v22-31 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and
said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are
too superstitious.
For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an
altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore
ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that
he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made
with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though
he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath,
and all things;
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell
on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times
before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That
they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after
him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of
us:
For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain
also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not
to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or
stone, graven by art and man's device.
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth
all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a
day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness
by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance
unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
Isaiah
45v5-25 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is
no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known
me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from
the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and
there is none else.
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create
evil: I the LORD do all these things.
Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour
down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring
forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together;
I the LORD have created it.
Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd
strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say
to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work,
He hath no hands?
Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou?
or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?
Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker,
Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning
the work of my hands command ye me.
I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my
hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host
have I commanded.
I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all
his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives,
not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.
Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise
of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come
over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after
thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall
down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying,
Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no
God.
Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel,
the Saviour.
They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they
shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.
But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting
salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without
end.
For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself
that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it,
he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I
am the LORD; and there is none else.
I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth:
I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the
LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that
are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set
up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that
cannot save.
Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together:
who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it
from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else
beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside
me.
Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth:
for I am God, and there is none else.
I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in
righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee
shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and
strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed
against him shall be ashamed.
In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and
shall glory.
|
Paul
to Felix
Acts
24v14-21 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way
which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers,
believing all things which are written in the law and in the
prophets: And have hope toward God, which they themselves also
allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both
of the just and unjust.
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience
void to offence toward God, and toward men.
Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and
offerings.
Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple,
neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they
had ought against me.
Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil
doing in me, while I stood before the council,
Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among
them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question
by you this day. |
Paul
to Festus and Agrippa
Acts
26v2-27 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall
answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things
whereof I am accused of the Jews: Especially because I know
thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among
the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among
mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that
after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made
of God, unto our fathers: Unto which promise our twelve tribes,
instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which
hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God
should raise the dead?
I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things
contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints
did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the
chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice
against them.
And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them
to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted
them even unto strange cities.
Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission
from the chief priests, At midday, O king, I saw in the way
a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining
round about me and them which journeyed with me.
And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking
unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest
thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom
thou persecutest.
But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto
thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness
both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things
in the which I will appear unto thee;
Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto
whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from
darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that
they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among
them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly
vision: But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem,
and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles,
that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for
repentance.
For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went
about to kill me.
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this
day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things
than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that
should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people,
and to the Gentiles.
And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice,
Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee
mad.
But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth
the words of truth and soberness.
For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak
freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden
from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou
believest. |
|