Our Statement of Faith – Part nineteen

“That the gospel consists of “the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the Name of Jesus Christ.” Article XVII

“Go Ye Into All The World”.

After His resurrection from the dead, Jesus spent a period of forty days with His followers. During this time He revealed Himself to certain individuals ‘by many infallible proofs”, establishing beyond all doubt the reality of His having been raised from the dead. Concurrent with this close association with the apostles, the Lord engaged in a course of instruction regarding the Kingdom of God. At the end of this period, Jesus gave

them specific direction concerning their subsequent preaching efforts. After receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit, they were to take the message concerning the kingdom into all areas of the habitable world, witnessing to Jesus, not only in Jerusalem and Judaea but also in Samaria and the uttermost parts of the World (Acts 1:1-8). Mark records the very words of Christ which He spoke to them just before His ascension to the Father’s right hand: “Go ye into all the world. and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:15, 16)

The good news concerned the same subject as that on which Jesus had so frequently expounded during His ministry. His teaching was confined almost exclusively to the subject of the Kingdom of God. Only rarely did the Master allude to His impending death and resurrection. On those occasions when He did speak of His eventual betrayal, suffering and death, His words fell on deaf ears; for they were incapable of comprehending them. (See Matt. 16: 21-24, Luke 9:44, 45, 18:31-34, etc. . .) We find then, that the apostles, up to the day of Pentecost preached only that part of the gospel which concerned the coming Kingdom of God. Being faithless relative to the significance of Christ’s sacrificial death, or even of His having to die, it was impossible for them to teach others those things which concern His name.

The Promise Of The Spirit

However, it was not the Father’s intention that these heralders of the Kingdom should remain in the dark about the most important aspect of the gospel. They were shortly to receive power from on high in the form of the Holy Spirit which Jesus had assured them would “teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (Jo. 14:26). The Lord had further told His apostles that the Holy Spirit “will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself . . . he shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you” (Jo. 16:13, 14). In other words, the Holy Spirit would teach and educate the apostles on these matters relative to the Lord’s death and resurrection. These were the “many things” which Jesus had yet to reveal to them, but which they could not at that time ‘bear”. (Jo. 16:12)

The time having now come, however, when the preaching of the gospel was to be carried on solely through the ministry of others, it behooved the Lord to fulfill His promise of a deeper and fuller understanding of His purpose. The apostles were instructed to remain at Jerusalem to await the outpouring of the promised spirit. Then days later was the feast of Pentecost, and it was on this occasion that it pleased the Lord to fill His followers with the Holy Spirit. It descended upon them with the appearance of fire and was accompanied by a sound likened to a “rushing mighty wind”. Luke states, “and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:4) The other tongues consisted of the languages of the devout Jews who had assembled at Jerusalem—Jews from various nations, who heard in their own tongues the wonderful works of God. Peter, being filled with the Holy Spirit was moved to offer an explanation for this strange phenomenon. How exhilarating it must have been to this spirited and impetuous apostle, who on other occasions had spoken inadvisedly with his lips, to now, with the greatest calmness and serenity, expound with certainty and without the slightest hesitation on the purpose of God. How clearly did Peter bring divine prophecy to bear on the strange happenings of that day, and with what conviction did he set forth the risen Jesus as “both Lord and Christ.” The authority in his voice, bolstered by the Spirit of God captured the attention and respect of about three thousand souls, who were subsequently baptized into the Name of Jesus. The confidence and exactness of Peter’s voice, however, was due to his suddenly being filled with the Holy Spirit. Just as His Lord had promised, the Comforter spoke not of himself to Peter, but rather of Christ and of God’s unfolding purpose in Him.

The Name of Jesus Christ

For the first time, the apostle elaborated on the things concerning the Name of Jesus Christ. A careful reading of the second chapter of Acts will demonstrate Peter’s sudden enlightenment on this phase of the gospel. He spoke of the Lord’s death and resurrection; and of His sojourn at the Father’s right hand, awaiting the time when His enemies would be made His footstool. Intertwined in his discourse were many references to the Kingdom of God and to the promises made to David. Truly, the full gospel was being preached.

The miracles wrought by the hand of the apostles and the instantaneous healing of the sick and afflicted testified to the truth of the message they bore. But of no less wonder was the change suddenly experienced by the apostles with their reception of the Holy Spirit. With what confidence did they testify the Name of Jesus, using any and every opportunity to witness to the significance of the wonders and signs as they related to the Lord. Consider the powerful and convincing argument of Peter at the people’s amazement to his healing of a man, lame from his mother’s womb; “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 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 bath 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.” (Acts 3:12-16) The apostle’s complete apprehension of the purpose of God is evidenced in the words which follow: “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.” (VV19-21)

The next day, set upon by Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and others of the kindred of the high priest, Peter and John were commanded to reveal “by what power, or by what name” the lame man had been made whole. Peter’s reply was without hesitation as he turned the argument back on his assailants; “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:10-12) The boldness and divine wisdom manifested by Peter and John caused the Jews to marvel, and they “took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” (V13)

Leaving the company of the apostles, we find Philip (not the apostle) after the death of Stephen, because of the persecution, journeying to the city of Sa­maria, where he preached Jesus. When the people saw the miracles which he did by the power of the Holy Spirit they believed the word which he spoke. Acting on the conviction which the gospel generated in them, we are told, “But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.” (Acts 8:12) Here, then is a concise and yet sufficient description of the saving gospel; viz. “the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ”. A lack of comprehension of either of these elements would render one’s faith incomplete, and, thus, ineffectual. The Jews’ rejection of Jesus in spite of their faith in the Kingdom of God, resulted in their rejection by God. Christendom in general today are willing to admit of the position of Jesus in God’s plan (though most imperfectly), but are faithless in the things concerning the Kingdom of God. Their worship likewise is not acceptable. One must be enlightened in both areas to develop the faith, without which he cannot please God.

The Work Of Paul

When Paul came to Ephesus he found certain disciples there who had known only the baptism of repentance ministered by John. The apostle then enriched their understanding of God’s purpose in Christ and baptized them “in the name of the Lord Jesus”. immediately after this, he is found in the synagogue, speaking “boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8)

In his farewell message to the elders of Ephesus (Ads 20), Paul reminded them that he “had not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God” (V27). He had taught them publicly as well as from house to house, “testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, repent­ance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (V20, 21). He had worked among them to bring them to God through the power of the Gospel, and now was about to depart. “And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gonc preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.” (V25)

In the last chapter of the Book of Acts we learn that Paul spent two years in Rome as a prisoner with unusual privileges. Though he was under Roman guard, he was permitted to dwell “in his own hired house”, and was given the freedom to receive and entertain any persons wishing to visit him. This consideration enabled Paul to carry on with his work of preaching the gospel without excessive harassment from the authorities.

Shortly after his arrival in the city of Rome, Paul summoned together the chief of the Jews that he might speak to them of his beliefs, related as they were to “the hope of Israel” for which he was bound with chains. The Jews advised the apostle that they were anxious to learn more about his convictions. “But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest; for as concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against. And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus. both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.” (VV22, 23) Some received his teaching favorably; others did not. But, the meeting held in Paul’s own home was only the beginning of a series of several, devoted to the exposition of the Truth. The final two verses of the Book of Acts record the apostle’s untiring effort to enlighten others in the gospel message, and demonstrate the essential ingredients of faith; “And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came to him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” (VV30, 31)