PT-2 It was a Saved Church (Acts 2:42a)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/11/2017 9:36 AM

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus: PT-2 It was a Saved Church

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Acts 2:42a

            Message of the verse:  “they were continually devoting themselves”

            In our last SD I promised that I would give a quote from the letter of 1 Thessalonians on the importance of belonging to a saved church.  John MacArthur writes “Paul commended the Thessalonians in terms that leave no doubt that they were saved:

‘1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.  2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, 4  knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; 5 for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.  6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8  For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. 9  For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.’

“In that passage, Paul described the people in the Thessalonian church as in the Father, Christ (v. 1), and the Holy Spirit (v. 5).  He noted that they possessed the great triad of Christian virtues, faith, hope, and love (v. 3).  He was confident of God’s choice of them for salvation (v. 4).  They were imitators of Paul and Christ (v. 6), so much so that they were an example to the other believers in their region (vv. 7-9).  Clearly it was a congregation of saved people.”

            Now as we look at Revelation 2:14-16 we see a rebuke from our Lord to the church a Pergamum as they allowed itself to be infiltrated by unbelievers:

“14  ’But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. 15 ’So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 ’Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.”

            The story of Balaam and Balak is found in the OT book of Numbers as Balak wanted to pay Balaam to curse Israel, but God would not allow it and so Balaam taught Balak to infiltrate the children of Israel by having him give the wives of his people to Israel and it worked.  This kind of thing can happen in churches today if the leaders are not careful.

            When I was studying the OT book of Exodus and read about all the troubles that Israel was having with obeying God as they were complaining to God about not having water and many other things.  Dr. Warren Wiersbe pointed out that the ones who were starting these quarrels with God were not true children of Israel.  These kind of things can happen in churches today who do not try to make sure that those who are coming into the church as members are not saved. 

            John MacArthur concludes by writing “The first fellowship passed the initial test of spiritual duty; it encompassed only those who knew and loved Jesus Christ.  Luke later points out that while many were drawn by the Lord to salvation, unbelievers were actually afraid to go near the church in Jerusalem because sin was being dealt with so severely (Acts 5:13-14).”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  To pray that the church I attend has great leadership so that they will not allow those who are unsaved into our flock.

 My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust the Lord to give me wisdom as I continually prepare for my Sunday school lesson.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Mary Magdalene” (Luke 8:2).

Today’s Bible question:  “How do the opening verses of Matthew’s gospel relate back to the Old Testament?”

Answer in our next SD.

8/11/2017 10:00 AM