Today, we begin a study,
which is of utmost importance to every true Christian in the 21st
Century. It is an expositive consideration of the book of Acts. I say it is of
supreme importance, especially in these days, because the church is living in an
age, prophesied by the apostle Paul, when he wrote the second letter to his
son, in the faith, Timothy: “Know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves… having a form of
godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (2 T. 3:1, 2, 5).
First
of all, I want to point to the word power, reading from the Amplified
New Testament: “For [although] they hold a form of piety (true
religion), they deny and reject and
are strangers to the power of it.” The word power, of course,
is the same word we read in Acts 1:8… “You shall receive power…” The
Greek dictionary, Strong’s, defines it: Dunamis… gr. Force (literally or
figuratively); specifically miraculous power (usually by implication a miracle
itself): ability, abundance, meaning, might… and Strong’s continues with a
full page of definitions, due to the common usage of the word.
At
the time, when humanity comes to the end of its history, there will be a period
that is especially dangerous. Now, let’s look at the word perilous in 2
Timothy 3:1 (NKJV). Curiously, this word is only used here and one other time,
in Matthew 8:28, in the New Testament. Strong’s defines the Greek word,
chalepos, difficult, that is dangerous, or (by implication) furious: -
fierce, perilous, and Matthew uses this word to describe the Gadarene
demoniacs.
One
of the reasons that this time will be dangerous or fierce is because “men
will be lovers of themselves… having a form of godliness but denying its power.”
It is typical that in the formality of his religion, an individual will not
abandon it, but in a practical sense, what he or she believers, becomes inert
and dead. However, the faithful members will continue to defend it, violently
and fanatically, as the prophets of Baal before Elijah on Mount Carmel (1
K.18:25-29).
There
is a good deal of teaching these days, which could easily bring believers to
that state, by assuming that miraculous power ended with the apostles and
today, the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit have been annulled. They teach
the book of Acts, as purely historical. And precisely for that reason, I want
to begin a study of this book, to see it as something more than history, as it
relates to the works of the apostles, but as a model to show, what the church
should be anywhere, at any time.
Posts
Recommended Books
