#Acts of the Apostles 517-26. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

madewithonerib · 11 months

Text

Lesson #1: Book of Apostolic Acts in the Plan of GOD for all of Mankind

Hearing From GOD Q&A: is largely based on the lessons from this teaching on the Book of Acts & trying to unify together the entire Bible.

1.] In the beginning GOD: The Maker of all things, WHO is a personal agency working for righteousness & joy in human history and society, & WHOSE moral features are seen in JESUS CHRIST the reconciler of men to GOD.

[Ro 1:19-20; Acts 14:17; 17:23-29; Ps 19:1-4; 2Co 4:6; Jn 1:9; 18]

2.] GOD’s Aim in History: The creation of an all- inclusive Community of loving persons, with HIMSELF included in that community as its prime sustainer & most glorious inhabitant.

[Is 11:9; Is 65:17-24; Hb 2:14; Je 31:33-34; He 8; 10-12; Ep 2:19-22]

3.] The World-Side Revelation of this Aim: An actual, historical event. With the appearance in India of the Upanishads [800 to 600 B.C.]. Gautama, the Buddha [560-480 B.C.], Mahavira [599-527 B.C.], Confucius [551-479 B.C.] Lao Tze [604-517 B.C.], in China, Zarathushtra [660 to 538 B.C.] in Persia, &the Pre-Exilic prophets [750-586 B. C.] in Israel, sacrifices, ceremonies, propitiations, & other externalities ceased to be enough to make up the religious life of man.

In this period the principle of peace on Earth to men of good will swept across face of the Earth. [Micah 6:6-8; Is 58:1-59; 15; Ac 10:34-35; Ro 2:6-11]

4.] The World-Wide Barrier to the Realization of this Aim: Pride & Fear, complicated by the individuals relation to the Group or Culture [the “World”] & by Spiritual Warfare [the “devil”] now in process

[Ge 3:1-11; 11:1-9; Ac 5:17-18; Ro 12:2; Ep 6:12]

5.] The Vocation of Jewish People in GOD’s Plan: To be the Divine/Human Community, which is GOD’s Aim in History [see #2], by dwelling in GOD & by bringing all nations in

[Ge 12:3; Mi 4:1-5; Ex 20:1-17; Is 43:10-12; 44:1-8]

6.] The Failure of the Jewish Nation: By becoming just another, but still very special, social-natural unit.

• Mediators Called for [Ex. 20:18-26] • Kings Called for [1 Samuel 8:4-22] • Rituals: later, Circumcision – as the principle of inclusion among the “saved” [book of Leviticus] • Prophetic response [Hosea 6:6 & above passages] • Destruction of the Jewish Nation-State, Jerusalem [2 Chronicles 36:15-21; Lamentations 1:1-4] 7.] The Success of the Jewish Nation, in spite of itself, for GOD’s purposes: A social basis was prepared which was adequate for reception of Community [or Kingdom] of GOD. The “fullness of time” [Gal. 4:4] was come. A Divine/Human Community which did not rest on Pride and Fear could get its start in the ashes & cinders of the Jewish Nation, left by the killing of the best man by best people, & by physical destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

8.] CHRIST as the End of the Jewish Law & Nation. [Ro 3:20-31; 10:1-4; Ga 2:16; Ep 2:8-9; Ac 15:5-11]

9.] The Unity of GOD’s Community [Psalm 119:63; Ep 4:1-6; Ga 3:28-29]

10.] The Book of Apostolic Acts in the Process of Holy History. This book shows acts of 2 main Apostles: Peter and Paul, in process of GOD’s deliverance of the Universal Community of GOD from its “Jewish Captivity.” “Administrative” headquarters of the community moves from Jerusalem, to Antioch, & finally to Rome in the course of the Book of Acts. Galatians 6:14 is the heart of the msg of Acts: “But GOD forbid I should glory, save in the Cross of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, by WHOM the world is crucified unto me, & I unto the world. For in CHRIST JESUS neither circumcision counts for any thing, nor uncircumcision, but new creation”

Yet, the lesson is not learned, as we now know the Community only moved from a Jewish captivity to a Roman or Christian captivity.

The Jews came to be despised by “Christians” just as the Jews despised Gentiles. We today find the way of CHRIST cumbered by what we may, in general, call the “Cultural Captivity of GOD’s community.” Who is willing to accept as an equal in the righteousness of GOD anyone who only “does justice, loves mercy, & walks humbly with his GOD?” [Micah 6:8]. They are always better if they are like us in ways other than these.

0 notes