Acts 19 for kids!

Context –

Paul left Corinth and went to Syria and to Ephesus for the first time. Ephesus was 1 of the largest cities in the Roman world, which boasted 1 of the three largest libraries in the world, it was seen as an intellectual center of Asia. Think of Harvard or Yale but a whole city not just a particular college.

Chapter 18 ends Paul’s second missionary journey & ch. 19 begins his 3^rd missionary journey. Remember from the last chapter none of this moving forward would have been possible if God had not already guided Paul & protected him from Roman persecution/execution already.

As we follow Paul & his missionary journeys we often see controversy, conflict & even violence. It is only by God’s grace & protection that events unfold as they do so that the Apostle still survives. As Paul preaches the gospel it always generates conflict, especially against idolatry. And nowhere in the ancient world was this idolatry worst than in Ephesus. Ephesus with 1 of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World – the Temple dedicated to Diana (Artemis) her worship was 1 of the largest religions the world, at that time.

Acts 19English Standard Version (ESV)

Paul in Ephesus

19 And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland^[a] country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. ² And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” ³ And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” ⁴ And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” ⁵ On hearing this, they were baptized in^[b] the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. ⁷ There were about twelve men in all.

John the Baptist’s message was the Messiah is coming so you better repent (meaning get right with God) & Jesus messages was I am the Messiah (Christ) repent & believe in me. What I think Paul was getting at was that baptism (a physical symbol of repentance) was not just to repent but to repent & believe in Jesus the One whom John the Baptist’s ministry was pointing forward to.

⁸ And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. ⁹ But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way* before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.^{[c] 10} This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

*The Way – is what Christianity was called before “Christianity.” Tyrannus – was a hall of philosophy where it seems Paul was allowed to preach from & proclaim his religious ideas after abandoning the synagogue.

The Sons of Sceva

¹¹ And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, ¹² so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. ¹³ Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” ¹⁴ Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. ¹⁵ But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” ¹⁶ And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all^[d] of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. ¹⁷ And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled (**meaning praised, honored). ¹⁸ Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. ¹⁹ And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. ²⁰ So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

Hard to tell what 50K pieces of that some silver would be worth today, some say even back then it could have been up to 50,000 days worth of work (wages) but its an extremely large amount. Again like the baptism, this burning of pagan books was a physical symbol of repentance, rejecting their old lives & turning back to God. 

A Riot at Ephesus

²¹ Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” ²² And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

²³ About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way (Christianity). ²⁴ For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. ²⁵ These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. ²⁶ And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. ²⁷ And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”

Demetrius represents the wealthy, which were getting rich making & selling idols to visitors to the Temple of Diana (Artemus).

²⁸ When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹ So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel. ³⁰ But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. ³¹ And even some of the Asiarchs,^[e] who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater. ³² Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. ³³ Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. ³⁴ But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

The uniqueness of Christ & the realization of how blasphemous it was to trade genuine worship due God to lifeless idols of fictional gods & how that would impact the local economy lead Demetrius into conflict with Paul.

Paul’s preaching undermined their business. As people came from all over the world to visit her temple (on the site of a famous meteorite fall) they would also take home images, idols, and souvenirs of their visit.

³⁵ And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone (famous meteor) that fell from the sky?^{[f] 36} Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. ³⁷ For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. ³⁸ If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. ³⁹ But if you seek anything further,^[g] it shall be settled in the regular assembly. ⁴⁰ For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” ⁴¹ And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

In all these things Paul was brave and preach the truth of Christ to all who would hear, what could we take from his example of faithfulness for our lives?

Early Church History Newsletter: Should Christians Tithe
September 05, 2009

Should Christians Tithe?
Tithes, and Giving for Christians

It was a warm day, and the breeze coming off the Sea of Galilee was doing nothing to make it better.
The crowds, standing at first, began to sit down as the unusual but charismatic backwoods preacher, Jesus, called for them to let God and everyone else matter before themselves. Some murmured, some nodded, but all agreed that no one could challenge a soul like this Galilean.
He was preaching from a boat, forced onto it as the crowds pressed in, leaving him nowhere on the shore to stand. He was an excellent speaker. They were enthralled.
Then he paused and raised his hands.
 

"Listen, all of you here," he thundered so all the crowd could hear him. "We are going to pause here!"
The crowd silenced, awaiting his announcement. "Simon the zealot will now come to the boat to sing you a song. While he is doing so, the rest of my apostles will be coming to you with baskets. If you would like to see this powerful Word continue to be preached, I ask you to help support this ministry. Ask God what he would have you to give. Remember, I myself have said, 'Give, and it will be given unto you.'"
It's a little out of place when we put that plea for help in Jesus' mouth, isn't it?

Giving the New Testament Way

Giving is not inappropriate, of course. Paul took collections for poor brothers in Jerusalem (2 Cor. 8:1-9:12). Others took collections for Paul (Php. 4:10-19), though it seems clear that he didn't ask for money for himself (Acts 20:34; 1 Cor. 9:14-17).
How collections were made to support and Paul and other teachers we don't know. We do know that when Paul asked for a one-time gift from Corinth to the poor in Jerusalem, he suggested they set money aside each week (1 Cor. 16:2). We also know that the Corinthians were told they would not have to give if they themselves were in need. Instead:

A Double Tithe?

Leviticus 27:30-32 mentions a tithe that seems different from Deuteronomy 12 and 14. I have heard it said several times that the Jews were required to give a double or triple tithe. [The triple would include the every three year tithe in Deut. 14, but that is clearly the same as the Deut. 12 tithe the other two years].
That might be true. I do not know. There's nothing later that suggests a double tithe. The Leviticus and Deuteronomy tithes could easily have been the same. There's nothing in Leviticus that makes it impossible that those tithes, holy to the Lord, were to be eaten in Jerusalem by the offerers. Even sacrifices, except the whole burnt offerings, were eaten, though it was the priest who ate them. Only the inedible parts were burned.
Either way, what we do know is that the Israelites were not very consistent in following either of those two tithe descriptions carefully .

Now, at this time, your abundance is a supply for their need, so that their abundance may also be a supply for your need, so that there may be an equality. (2 Cor. 8:14)

Shortly thereafter Paul adds, "Let every man give as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:7).
Think about this a moment: not grudgingly or of necessity; give this time so you can take the next time.
Doesn't sound much like tithing, does it?

Giving the Old Testament Way

For those of you that do not know, to tithe means to give one-tenth of something. In Abraham's case he gave one-tenth of his spoils of war to a Canaanite high priest named Melchizedek, a priest of El Elyon that Abraham identified as being the same as Yahweh, Abraham's God (Gen. 14:17-20). In the case of the Israelites, they were to give one-tenth of their year's increase of grain, lambs, cattle, etc. (Deut. 12:17).


You've probably never been told what I'm about to tell you. No matter how many times you've read the Bible, you've probably never noticed this. So, pay attention. Here goes:

The Israelites didn't give away their tithe. They ate it.

Look it up. It's in Deut. 12:17 and 14:23.

Just Bring the Animals!

The tithing page I mention later points out that no tithe commands mention money. Money was clearly in use throughout Genesis, but it is not mentioned in reference to the tithe. In fact, the tithe of Leviticus 27 could be redeemed with money if you added 20% to it (v. 31).
Also the Deuteronomy tithe could be sold if you lived too far from Jerusalem. You could then carry your money to Jerusalem and buy food (and wine and strong drink), as long as you shared your feast with the poor.

It is true that every third year the Israelites were required to give their tithe away. Even then, however, it supported not only the Levites--who didn't have their own land to farm--but also foreigners, widows, and orphans (Deut. 14:28,29).

Is Tithing a New Testament Principle?

First of all, have you ever seen a church collect the tithe once a year so that it could hold a giant, week-long feast for all its members which included "wine, strong drink, or whatever your soul wants"?
Probably not, huh?
There is simply no mention of tithing in the New Testament except in the Gospels where it's spoken of in reference to Jews. It is astounding to me that anyone would suggest that tithing is a New Testament principle.

Tithing in Early Christianity

Do you want to be completely overwhelmed with information about tithing? Try Should the Church Teach Tithing?
I also found an article in Christianity Today that I'm not going to link to. It was so dishonest that it made me mad. It said that Irenaeus said that Christians should surpass tithing with their giving. You can see in my quotes in the text that is exactly what he did not say!
Later, he refers to tithing as a minimum level of giving in the early Church.
For some bizarre reason, he also says that the Council of Trent added penalties for not tithing a century after the Council of Macon [mentioned in last section of this newsletter], when in fact the Council of Trent didn't meet for almost a millennium afterward.
Don't trust what you hear just because a "historian" says it. Some of them are not honest.

Tithing is not just absent from the New Testament. It's absent from church history for almost 700 years afterward!
Between the New Testament and A.D. 185, a span of about 100 years, tithing is simply not mentioned in any Christian writing. Then, finally, Irenaeus of Lyons addresses it in his great work Against Heresies:

Instead of the law enjoining the giving of tithes, he told us to share all our possessions with the poor. (IV:13:3)

He mentions it again five chapters later:

And for this reason they [the Jews] did consecrate the tithes of their goods to him, but those who have received liberty set aside all their possessions for the Lord’s purposes, bestowing joyfully and freely not the less valuable portions of their property, since they have the hope of better things.

Clement of Alexandria mentions it in his Miscellanies something less than a decade later:

The tithes of the fruits and of the flocks taught both piety towards the Deity and not to covetously grasp everything. Instead, one should share gifts of kindness with one’s neighbors. For it was from these, I reckon, and from the firstfruits that the priests were maintained.

Notice how he comments on the past and speaks very unsurely about the purpose of the tithe. This is because Christians didn't tithe in his day. It was simply an artifact of history, something the Jews did. Clement was a prodigious writer. Depending on the version of The Ante-Nicene Fathers you have, his writings take up at least 400 pages of small print, yet he mentions tithing but this one time!
Remember, too, that Clement was the teacher of new Christians in Alexandria, one of the largest churches in the empire. Can you imagine a new persons class in a modern church that didn't include tithing?

Giving in Early Christianity

But don't let yourself off the hook! Did you notice what Irenaeus contrasted tithing with?
We're to share all our possessions with the poor [most likely a reference to the Christian poor; see what follows]. We set aside all our possessions for the Lord's purposes, and we joyfully and freely bestow even the more valuable portions of our property.
Neat, huh?
It really is neat if the church has become family. It's supposed to be God's household. We are supposed to be family, and families share. That's just what they do!
How much more so the family of God?

You shall share everything with your neighbor. You shall not call anything your own. For if you are partakers together of things which are incorruptible, how much more things which are corruptible?

That statement is found in a tract called The Way of Light and of Darkness, which is included in both The Didache (c. A.D. 100) and The Letter of Barnabas (A.D. 120 - 130). It's a command, and we have at least two witnesses that Christians obeyed that command for 200 years after Christ:

We who valued above all things the acquisition of wealth and possessions now bring what we have into a common stock and share with everyone in need. (Justin, First Apology 14, A.D. 155)

The family possessions, which generally destroy brotherhood among you [Romans], create fraternal bonds among us. One in heart and soul, we do not hesitate to share our earthly goods with one another. All things are common among us but our wives. (Tertullian, Apology 39, A.D. 200)

Oddly enough, despite what you just read, both of them describe this sharing as being purely voluntary:

They who are well-to-do and willing give what each thinks fit. What is collected is deposited with the president [apparently a term for whoever is leading a Christian meeting], who helps the orphans and widows and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in need. [He also helps] those who are imprisoned and the strangers sojourning among us. In a word, he takes care of all who are in need. (ibid. 67)

Tertullian says something very similar, saying that the collection was taken on a monthly day (whereas Justin's church collected weekly).
The statement that they shared everything and the statement that they took a collection from the wealthy and willing don't seem to go together. They seem different. Yet this is exactly the apostolic way. Acts 2:44 and 4:32 say that the church in Jerusalem had everything in common, yet Ananias did not sell his possessions until some time afterward. Even then Peter said it was optional.
This is the pattern we have for New Testament giving.

The Tithe and the New Testament: A Review

Here's what we've seen:

• Tithing is not mentioned in the New Testament, and it is not a concept taught by the Church.
• Instead, Christians shared all their possessions with one another, the purpose being that there would be an equality. Those with much help those with little.
• This sharing was always optional, though it was commanded in a tract and was considered the proper Christian thing to do.

I must add that the Scriptures say that those who do not work ought not to eat. From experience I can tell you that it is absolutely essential to apply that in a church that shares the way we are talking about. You will have lazy bums and mooches, seemingly good people, who need to learn that working is not optional and that it cannot be avoided just because you don't enjoy it.

So How Did the Church Start Tithing?

Tithing has always provided a convenient percentage. 10% was not only the amount required for a tithe in the Law, but the kings of Israel imposed 10% as a tax on the Israelites to support the army and other government services.
The Catholic Encyclopedia says the earliest mention of tithing was in a letter by some bishops assembled at Tours in 567. The Council of Macon then included tithing in their canons [rules] in 585. It was not enforced, however, until much later. Charlemagne was the first to mandate it by secular law. One source I read gave 777 as the date for that, though others gave no date.
A history book I read a couple decades ago said that Pepin the Short, who preceded Charlemagne, mandate tithing to support the monks in France. I haven't found any sources to verify that.
Either way, they are obviously all agreed that tithing for the Church belongs to a date centuries after the apostles.

Good Works SS

Good Works

Opening quotes –

We ought first to know that there are no good works except those which God has commanded, even as there is no sin except that which God has forbidden. – Martin Luther

Truly, if faith is there, the believer cannot hold back….he breaks out into good works. – ML

True faith will no more fail to produce [good works] than the sun can cease to give light. – ML
@@@

Let’s read Ephesians 2:1–9 this makes it clear that we are not saved by our good works. In fact, before we were ever saved, our works, which were done in the flesh [term meaning Not according to the Spirit], cannot please God; even our most “righteous” deeds fall far short of God’s glory (Isaiah 64:6). We can be saved only because God is gracious and merciful and has designed a way for us to be declared righteous when we are not (Psalm 86:5). When Jesus took on our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21), we inherited His righteousness. Salvation is a divine exchange: our tattered rags of self-effort for the perfection of Christ. Because His death and resurrection paid the price for our evil deeds, we can be declared perfect before God. We are told to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” like a flawless garment.

Salvation cycle: O-, Our Neg., or Our Sin & J+, Jesus’s Pos., Jesus’ righteousness

At salvation, the Holy Spirit moves into the repentant heart (Acts 2:38). Self is no longer the uncontested lord of our lives. Jesus is now the boss. That’s what it means to say that Jesus is “Lord”. We were once headed south; we are now headed north. Everything is changed. We begin to view life from God’s perspective, not our own—as John Newton wrote, “I once was lost but now am found, was blind, but now I see.”

The sins we once committed without thought now brings conviction. To know God is to see sin the way He sees it. First John 3:9 says, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” Instead of sin, the born-again Christian produces “fruit in keeping with repentance”. Salvation enables us to live “in the Spirit” and so truly perform good works (Galatians 5:16-24).

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” God’s goal in saving us was not only to rescue us from hell, but also that we would reflect His character and goodness to the world. God delights to see us becoming more like His Son. We were created in God’s image. Sin marred that image. When God bought us back for Himself, it was to restore His image in us and free us to become all we were created to be. When the Holy Spirit comes to live inside us, He prompts us to do things that glorify God (John 14:26). Our desire to please God grows as our understanding of Him grows. That desire to please God results in good works.

It is biblically inconsistent to say that someone has been saved but has not changed. Many people go through the outward motions of giving their lives to Christ, but no lifestyle change follows. That is not real salvation but is a “dead” faith (James 2:26). When you walk into a dark room and flip the switch, you expect light. If no light appears, you rightly assume something is wrong. It would be logically inconsistent to say that the light is on when the room is still pitch black. Light naturally dispels darkness. When a dark heart receives the light of salvation, it is illuminated (John 12:46). Priorities change. Desires change. Outlook changes. Life is seen clearly for the first time. If the darkness of sin continues, we can rightly assume no light came on.

To use another biblical analogy, God wants to produce fruit [faith, repentance, doctrine, good works] in our lives (see Galatians 5:22–23). He is the Vinedresser, Jesus is the Vine, and we are the branches. The branches are naturally attached to the vine; from the vine they get their support, their ability to produce fruit, and their very life. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit” (John 15:5). That is the purpose of the vineyard—to produce “much fruit [fruit = metaphor for good works].” Good works follow salvation.

So, although we cannot be saved by our good works, when we are saved, we will produce good works. Just as a baby will grow after birth, so a believer will grow after the new birth. We grow at different rates and in different ways, but a live birth results in growth. If a baby never grows, there is something very wrong. No one expects a baby to stay a baby forever. As he grows, the child begins to look more and more like his parents. In the same way, after salvation, we grow, and we begin to look more and more like our Heavenly Father. This is only possible as we “abide in Him” and allow Him to reproduce His character in us (John 15:4).

Good works do not produce salvation. Good works are the natural by-product of salvation. Jesus said to His followers, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

SS Final Judgment

Opening quotes - “I was thinking, that when my time comes, I should be very sorry if the only plea I had to offer was that of justice. Because it might mean that only justice would be meted out to me.”
― Agatha Christie, Murder at the Vicarage   *I like this quote cause it inherently calls out not for Divine Justice but for God’s Mercy (the very definition of the Gospel)

Clement of Rome AD 96 (Judgment as motivation) - Since then all things are seen and heard [by God], let us fear Him, and forsake those wicked works which proceed from evil desires; so that, through His mercy, we may be protected from the judgments to come. For where can any of us flee from His mighty hand? Or what world would receive any of those who run away from Him? (1 Clement 28)

Polycarp AD 125 – Polycarp standing before a Roman Proconsul was already sentenced to death & the Proconsul was deciding what sort of martyrdom he would suffer. Polycarp had already scoffed at being torn to pieces by wild animals in the Coliseum.

So the proconsul said to him, "I will have you consumed by fire, since you despise the wild beasts, if you will not repent!" The Proconsul wanted Polycarp to repent of Christianity & reclaim belief in the old Roman paganism.

But Polycarp said, "You threaten me with fire which burns but for an hour and soon after is extinguished, but you are ignorant of the Fire of the Coming Judgment and of Eternal Punishment, reserved for the ungodly. But why are you waiting? Bring forth what you wish." (Martyrdom of Polycarp 11)

   

Final Judgment - What I’m going to do today is not completely answer questions but give you some pictures; a collage - that together give us a good impression, idea & image of what the final judgment will be like.

The first thing to understand about the final judgment is that it cannot be avoided. Regardless of how we may choose to interpret ideas of the end times, we are told that “it is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment” Read Hebrews 9:24-28.

We all have a divine appointment with our Creator. The apostle John recorded some details of the final judgment: Read Revelation 20:11-15. “And I saw a great white throne, and Him sitting on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And a place was not found for them (the hiders). And I saw the dead, the small and the great, stand before God. And books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged out of those things, which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead in it. And death and hell delivered up the dead in them. And each one of them was judged according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death. And if anyone was not found having been written in the Book of Life, he was cast into the Lake of Fire.”

This remarkable passage introduces to us the Final Judgment—the end of human history and the beginning of the eternal state. We can be sure of this: no mistakes will be made in our hearings because we will be judged by a perfect God (Matthew 5:48; 1 John 1:5). This will manifest itself in many undeniable proofs. First, God will be perfectly just and fair (Acts 10:34; Galatians 3:28). Second, God cannot be deceived (Galatians 6:7). Third, God cannot be swayed by any prejudices, excuses or lies Read Luke 14:16-24.

Jesus will be the judge Read John 5:22-29. All unbelievers will be judged by Christ at the “great white throne,” and they will be punished according to the works they have done. The Bible is very clear that unbelievers are storing up wrath against themselves (Romans 2:5) and that God will “give to each person according to what he has done” (Romans 2:6). (Believers will also be judged, but differently since Christ’s righteousness has been imputed to us and our names are written in the Book of Life, we will be rewarded, not punished, according to our deeds.) At the final judgment, the fate of the unsaved will be in the hands of the omniscient God who will judge everyone according to his soul’s condition.

For now, our fate is in our own hands. The end of our soul’s journey will be either in an eternal heaven or in an eternal hell (Read Matthew 25:31-46). We must choose where we will be by accepting or rejecting the sacrifice of Christ with repentance & faith, and we must make that choice before our physical lives on this earth come to an end. After death, there is no longer a choice, and our fate is to stand before the throne of God, where everything will be open and naked before Him (Hebrews 4:13). Romans 2:6 declares that God “will give to each person according to what he has done.”

The great white throne judgment is described in Revelation 20:11-15 and is the final judgment prior to the lost being cast into the lake of fire. The books that are opened (Revelation 20:12) contain records of everyone’s deeds, whether they are good or evil, because God knows everything that has ever been said, done, or even thought, and He will reward or punish each one accordingly (Psalm 28:4; 62:12; Romans 2:6; Revelation 2:23; 18:6; 22:12).

Also at this time, another book is opened, called the “book of life” (Revelation 20:12). It is this book that determines whether a person will inherit eternal life with God or receive everlasting punishment in the lake of fire. Although Christians are held accountable for their actions, they are forgiven in Christ and their names were written in the “book of life from the creation of the world” (Revelation 17:8). We also know from Scripture that it is at this judgment when the dead will be “judged according to what they had done” (Revelation 20:12) and that “anyone’s name” that is not “found written in the book of life” will be “thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

The fact that there is going to be a final judgment for all men, both believers and unbelievers, is clearly confirmed in many passages of Scripture. Every person will one day stand before Christ and be judged for his or her deeds.

Closing quote – Called the Apostle’s Creed, as it comes from the very time of the Apostles; even if they did not write it particularly its always been held up to express what they believed & taught.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
    the Maker of heaven and earth,
    and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
    born of the virgin Mary,
    suffered under Pontius Pilate,
    was crucified, died, and was buried;

He descended into hell. [**note at bottom]

And on the third day He arose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven,
    and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
    from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost;
    the holy catholic (meaning universal) Church;
    the communion of the saints;
    the forgiveness of sins;
    the resurrection of the body;
    and the life everlasting. Amen.

** Calvin states, THE "DESCENT INTO HELL" AS AN EXPRESSION OF THE SPIRITUAL TORMENT THAT CHRIST UNDERWENT FOR US

What is prayer?

Question: "What is prayer?"

Answer: The most basic definition of prayer is “talking to God.” Prayer is not meditation or passive reflection; it is direct address to God. It is the communication of the human soul with the Lord who created the soul. Prayer is the primary way for the believer in Jesus Christ to communicate his emotions and desires with God and to fellowship with God.

on white board Should prayer be audible or silent? Private or public? Formal or informal? All prayer should be offered in faith (James 1:6) or unbelief? In the name of the Lord Jesus (John 16:23) or in our own name? Through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26) or by our own authority?

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia puts prayer this way, “Christian prayer in its full New Testament meaning is prayer addressed to God as Father, in the name of Christ as Mediator, and through the enabling grace of the Spirit”. The wicked have no desire to pray (Psalm 10:4), but the children of God have a natural desire to pray (Luke 11:1).

So why pray? - Prayer is described in the Bible as seeking God’s favor (Exodus 32:11), pouring out one’s soul to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:15), crying out to heaven (2 Chronicles 32:20), drawing near to God (Psalm 73:28, KJV), and kneeling before the Father (Ephesians 3:14).

Q & A follow-long - Paul wrote, “Do not be anxious about (what?) anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with (what?) thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7). Basically - Worry about nothing; but pray about everything.

Everything? Yes, God wants us to talk with Him about everything. How often should we pray? The biblical answer is “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We should keep a running conversation going with God all day long. Some find the ACTS formula of prayer helpful, but there is really no special formula for how to pray in the Bible. We should obey Nike & what? just do it. We can pray anywhere & under any and all circumstances. Prayer develops our relationship with God and demonstrates our trust and utter dependence upon Him.

Prayer is the Christian’s way of communicating with God. We pray to praise God and thank Him and tell Him how much we love Him. We pray to enjoy His presence and tell Him what is going on in our lives. We pray to make requests and seek guidance and ask for wisdom. God loves this exchange with His children, just as we love the exchange we have with our children. Fellowship with God is the heart of prayer. Too often we lose sight of how simple prayer is really supposed to be.

When we make petitions to God, we let God know exactly where we stand and what we would like to see happen. In our prayers, we must admit that God is greater than we are and ultimately knows what is best in any given situation (Romans 11:33–36). God is good and asks us to trust Him. In prayer, like Jesus, we say, essentially, “Not my will, but your will be done.” The key to answered prayer is praying according to the will of God and in accordance with His Word. Prayer is not seeking our own will but seeking to align ourselves with the will of God more fully (1 John 5:14–15; James 4:3).

The Bible contains many examples of prayer and plenty of exhortations to pray (see Luke 18:1; Romans 12:12; and Ephesians 6:18). God’s house is to be a house of prayer (Mark 11:17), and God’s people are to be people of prayer: “Dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love” (Jude 1:20–21).

ACTS prayer formula

Question: "Is the ACTS formula for prayer a good way to pray?"

Answer: The ACTS formula for prayer has been taught to children and new believers for many years. ACTS is an acronym that gives a basic model on how to pray: with Adoration, with Confession, with Thanksgiving, and with Supplication. While prayer formulas can help us learn to pray, they do not necessarily make our prayers more effective or ensure that our prayers will be answered. This model for prayer is loosely based on the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13), except for thanksgiving.

The ACTS model for prayer includes these elements:

Adoration – The A in the ACTS model stands for adoration, which means worship—glorying and exalting God. Through adoration, we show our loyalty and admiration of our Father. As we pray, we are called to worship God in adoration. This could be a song of praise to Him, praying a psalm of worship, declaring His attributes, or a myriad of other forms of worship.

Confession – The C in the ACTS model stands for confession. The word confess means “to agree with.” When we confess our sins, we agree with God that we are wrong and that we have sinned against Him by what we have said, thought, or done. God forgives us and restores our fellowship with Him (1 John 1:9).

Thanksgiving – The T represents thanksgiving. Philippians 4:6 says, “With thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (ESV). How is thanksgiving different from adoration? The difference is that worship focuses on who God is; thanksgiving focuses on what God has done. We can thank God for many things including His love, salvation, protection, and provision.

Supplication – The S stands for supplication, which refers to prayer for our and others’ needs. A supplication is a request or petition. We may pray for mercy (Psalm 4:1), leading (Psalm 5:8), wisdom (James 1:5), and much more. Paul encouraged us to make “supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18, ESV), which means to pray diligently for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Is the ACTS formula for prayer biblical? The acronym itself isn’t found in the Bible, but it can serve as a guide, especially when we are learning how to pray. Remember, prayer isn’t a formula, and each prayer doesn’t have to cover every type of prayer. God wants us to talk from our hearts and express ourselves to Him. As we grow in our love for Jesus Christ, we will naturally desire to talk to Him more.

What is the Gospel?

by Burk Parsons (Tabletalk Mag.) 

The great nineteenth-century Princeton theologian Charles Hodge said, “The gospel is so simple that small children can understand it, and it is so profound that studies by the wisest theologians will never exhaust its riches.” The gospel is absolutely fundamental to everything we believe. It is at the very core of who we are as Christians. However, many professing Christians struggle to answer the question: What is the gospel? When I teach, I am astounded by how many of my students are unable to provide a biblically accurate explanation of what the gospel is, and, what’s more, what the gospel is not. If we don’t know what the gospel is, we are of all people the most to be pitied—for we not only can’t proclaim the gospel in evangelism so that sinners might be saved, but we in fact may not be saved ourselves.

In our day, there are countless counterfeit gospels, both inside and outside the church. Much of what is on Christian television and on the shelves of Christian bookstores completely obscures the gospel, thereby making it another gospel, which is no gospel whatsoever. English pastor J.C. Ryle wrote, “Since Satan cannot destroy the gospel, he has too often neutralized its usefulness by addition, subtraction, or substitution.” It is vital we understand that just because a preacher talks about Jesus, the cross, and heaven, does not mean he is preaching the gospel. And just because there is a church on every corner does not mean the gospel is preached on every corner.

Fundamentally, the gospel is news. It’s good news—the good news about what our triune God has accomplished for His people: the Father’s sending His Son, the incarnate Jesus Christ, to live perfectly, fulfill the law, and die sacrificially, satisfying God’s wrath against us that we might not face hell, thereby atoning for our sins; and raising Him from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the victorious announcement that God saves sinners. And even though the call of Jesus to “take up your cross and follow me,” “repent and believe,” “deny yourself,” and “keep my commandments” are necessary commands that directly follow the proclamation of the gospel, they are not in themselves the good news of what Jesus has accomplished. The gospel is not a summons to work harder to reach God; it’s the grand message of how God worked all things together for good to reach us. The gospel is good news, not good advice or good instructions, just as J. Gresham Machen wrote: “What I need first of all is not exhortation, but a gospel, not directions for saving myself but knowledge of how God has saved me. Have you any good news? That is the question that I ask of you.”