Continuing Stedfastly In The Apostles' Teaching
by Micky Galloway
Acts 2:42 says, “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers.” “They” who? In verse 41 we learn that the antecedent of “they” were the “three thousand souls” who were baptized that same day. In teaching these new converts the apostles were executing the commission Christ had given them (Matthew 28:20). These 3000 disciples “continued steadfastly”. It is just as important to keep saved as it is to be saved from past sins. Primary obedience alone is not sufficient, but continued obedience, or faithfulness, is required (Matthew 10:22). Some start out well as a Christian, but do not continue steadfastly. Galatians 5:7 says, “Ye were running well; who hindered you that ye should not obey the truth?” Here the life of a Christian is presented as a race. Likely the metaphor was borrowed from the Olympic contests. The apostle asked “who hindered you?” “Hinder” is here used to mean to check or retard. What has checked or retarded you from the Christian course? John 6:66-68 records a sad report of many who did not continue as disciples of the Master. Jesus said, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (John 8:31).
NOTE: Not merely those who have been baptized, or those who have their names on some church roll, but those who “continue steadfastly” are those who are rewarded. In the next few weeks, we are going to be discussing Acts 2:42 and the things in which we are to “continue steadfastly.”
“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' teaching (doctrine).”What is the Apostles’ Doctrine? They continued to abide in the teaching or instruction which they received from the apostles, for this constituted the doctrine of Christ. Paul indicated that those things he wrote were indeed from the Lord. “If any man thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of the things which I write unto you, that they are the commandment of the Lord” (I Corinthians 14:37). “Steadfastly” means “to be strong towards, to endure in, or persevere in, to be continually steadfast with a person or thing”, (Vine's Expository Dictionary, Vol. I, pg. 236). The lesson is that the early disciples adhered directly to the teaching of the apostles.
Some are now telling us that the apostles' doctrine was their interpretation or explanation of the Lord's teaching and may or may not have been correct. These also, tell us that there is a difference between “gospel” and “doctrine” and while we can and must agree on the gospel, that we cannot agree on matters of doctrine. What saith the Scriptures?
First, from whom or how did the apostles get their information? In Galatians 1:11-12 Paul told the Galatians that he had not been taught or received his gospel from men, but that he had gotten it by revelation from Christ. In Ephesians 3:1-5 he declared that what the Holy Spirit was revealing, he was putting in writing that others by reading it might understand what he had received from the Spirit. Why was the Holy Spirit sent to the apostles? Jesus said the Holy Spirit would come upon the apostles: to teach them all things and bring to their remembrance what Christ had said (John 14:26), to testify of Christ (John 15:26-27), and to guide them into ALL truth (John 16:13-14). That the Spirit did these things is evident from our being given all things that pertain to life and godliness (II Peter 1:3).
Second, as the apostles acted under the Spirit's guidance, they served as ambassadors or official representatives of the Lord who had chosen and assigned them their roles (II Corinthians 5:20; cf. John 17:8,14,18; Matthew 10:40; cf. John 12:48). Therefore, to reject their words is to reject God's word, who had given them the Spirit for guidance (I Thessalonians 4:8) and who now relates His message for man through His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2). Does this sound like the apostles' doctrine was just their explanation or interpretation of the Lord's teaching or does it sound like it was the Lord's teaching being given through them?
Thirdly, why is it called the apostle's doctrine if it is the teaching of Christ? The answer is because they were earthen vessels to whom the Lord entrusted the gospel for revelation and writing (II Corinthians 4:7). Paul was put in the Lord's service as a preacher, apostle and teacher of it and called it “my gospel” (II Timothy 2:8; Romans 2:16; 16:25). Paul considered the message “my gospel” because it “was committed to my trust” (I Timothy 1:11). This is true of the apostles’ doctrine” (Acts 2:42). It isn't a commentary by them on Christ's doctrine, but the doctrine of Christ as revealed through them. To “continue steadfastly” in the apostles' doctrine is to continue in the doctrine of Christ.
John considered it to be a serious offence for one to fail to abide in the doctrine of Christ. “Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into (your) house, and give him no greeting: for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works” (II John 9-11). To transgress is to progress beyond the bounds of its teachings and if one does it, he doesn't have God's approval, or His blessings, or His fellowship in what he does.
TO CONTINUE IN THE APOSTLES' DOCTRINE (Acts 2:42) AND TO CONTINUE IN THE GOSPEL (I Corinthians 15:1ff) AND TO CONTINUE IN THE FAITH (Col. 1:23) ARE ONE AND THE SAME! All are commanded. The gospel, when received or obeyed (I Corinthians 15:1-2; II Thessalonians 1:7-8) is God's power for salvation (Romans 1:16). But the Romans were told that they were made free from sin by obeying “the form of doctrine” which had been delivered unto them (Romans 6:17). Luke wrote of the priests who became “obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7). Paul warned the Galatians that some were perverting the “gospel” (Galatians 1:6-7). Yet, he left Timothy at Ephesus to “charge some that they teach no other doctrine” (I Timothy 1:3). Jude exhorted brethren to “contend earnestly for the faith” delivered to the saints (Jude 3). Are these warning about changes made in reference to the same thing or three different things? Titus was to teach servants to “adorn the doctrine of God in all things” (Titus 2:9-10). Paul taught the Philippians to let their manner of life “be as it becometh the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27), that whether present or absent, he might hear that they stood fast “striving together for the faith of the gospel.” A qualification a deacon must have is adherence to the “mystery of the faith” (I Timothy 3:9). Are adhering or striving for the faith, living becoming to the gospel and adorning the doctrine of God doing three different things, or are they doing the same thing? Paul assured the Galatians that the gospel that he preached was not from men (Galatians 1:11), but brethren in Judea had heard that he was “preaching the faith” which once he destroyed (Galatians 1:23). On Cyprus, a Roman deputy manifested interest in hearing “the word of God” (Acts 13:7), but a Jewish sorcerer tried to turn him “from the faith” (Acts 13:8), causing Paul to reprimand and cast a spell of blindness upon the sorcerer, which in turn caused the deputy to be “astonished at the doctrine of the Lord” (Acts 13:9-12). These denote, not three systems of teaching, but the one inspired revelation of our Lord.
Let us be content to “continue steadfastly in the APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE.” Indeed, it is the doctrine of Christ. Let us never go beyond it (II John 9). Let us never attempt to justify the deeds of the false teacher, but contend if they continue in error, they shall be eternally lost (Matthew 15:14; II Thessalonians 1:7-9).
Continuing Stedfastly In Fellowship
by Chris Simmons
“And they were continually devoting themselves to … fellowship” (Acts 2:42). What were the early Christians “devoted” to when they were said to be “devoted” to “fellowship”? There are widely varying applications of what devoted fellowship is all about amongst “the religious”, the “denominational”, and members of the Lord’s church. It is vital that we do Bible things in Bible ways, and that demands of us that we do more than use an “evolutionized” definition of the English word “fellowship” and pay strict heed to how the word is defined in the Greek and actually used in the New Testament.
For example, a web site for a denominational church advertises a “Fellowship Sunday”, (which curiously occurs just every FOURTH Sunday), and is advertised as “Every Fourth Sunday of each month we have a covered dish dinner. We will come together and eat and join in a time of fun, food, and getting to know each other better. There will be plenty of food. Stay and enjoy one another.” Is that what is meant when Luke wrote that the brethren baptized on the day of Pentecost continued in “fellowship”?
Let us look at what the Greek word used for “fellowship” actually means. According to W. E. Vine, fellowship is from the Greek word “koinonia” and means; “communion, fellowship, SHARING IN COMMON…” Marvin Vincent in Word Studies of the New Testament defines “koinonia” as, “a relation between individuals which involves a COMMON INTEREST and a MUTUAL, ACTIVE PARTICIPATION in that interest and in each other… A CO-OPERATION…” The questions are, what were the early Christians sharing in common? What was their common interest? In what interest did they share a mutual and active participation? Was it not their newfound salvation? Was it not the efforts to continue to spread the same gospel that they themselves had responded to?
Above all else, what those who had been baptized into Christ that day enjoyed in common was a renewed fellowship with their Father in heaven. John wrote in 1 John 1:3, “what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.” Fellowship, as it is defined in God’s word, is something based on “practicing truth” and “walking in the light” according to verses 6 & 7 of I John chapter 1. The fellowship that the brethren devoted themselves to was, first to God, and second to all others who had likewise obeyed the gospel.
Paul further describes how we come into this fellowship in I Corinthians 1:9, “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” Not a mystical calling, rather we are told in II Thessalonians 2:13-14 how we are “called” into this fellowship “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Fellowship thus involves an active participation in efforts to spread the gospel that brings man into fellowship with God. Paul wrote in Philippians 1:3-5, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation (‘koinonia’; fellowship) in the gospel from the first day until now.” The brethren in Philippi did not share with Paul in recreation or potlucks but in the evangelism of the gospel. The brethren in Acts 2 also jointly participated in the gospel even as it was noted in the previous article how they continued in the apostles’ teaching. They continued to learn how to be pleasing to the Lord and thus how to remain in fellowship to Him. And as they continued to “walk in the light” together, they continued in fellowship together.
The question facing brethren today is, can we continue to be devoted in fellowship with those who do not preach and teach the truth? As we have already noticed, our fellowship with one another is based solely on our ability to practice, and teach, the truth of the gospel. How much can man deviate from the revealed gospel and still preach the one gospel? Paul stated in Galatians 1:6-8, “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” What was different in what Paul addressed in this passage? There were some who were seeking to add portions of the old law and bind them additionally upon Christians. This made a “different” gospel and makes those who teach and those who practice such to be out of fellowship with God and with brethren who hold to the true gospel. A modern day example: what about those who today teach, preach and practice that which the word of God clearly condemns (Matthew 19:3-9; Mark 6:17-18; Romans 7:1-3; I Corinthians 7:10-13) in regards to marriage, divorce and remarriage? To properly understand that God’s laws about marriage, divorce and remarriage apply to all mankind (I Corinthians 6:9-11; Matthew 19:9 (“whoever”)) is to understand that those who approve of and are engaged in adulterous marriages in the eyes of God are not in fellowship with God. And thus, those who understand that the sin of adultery will cost men’s souls will understand that we can not be considered to be in fellowship with them that are.
Indeed, many, if not most of “the religious” today view fellowship as a sharing in culinary or athletic interests. To have fellowship in basketball is fine for a basketball team and to have fellowship in cooking is fine for a cooking club but that is not what God has called us to jointly participate in. There is no doubt that Christians in the first century shared common meals together and we can do so as well today – but that is not scriptural fellowship and that is not the fellowship that those who became Christians on the day of Penticost continued to devote themselves to.