The Apostles Doctrine

Transcription

1 The Apostles Doctrine Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:41-42) Those that "gladly received the Word," in this passage, were said to do a number of things. But before we examine those things they did, notice that it was all based on their RECEPTION of the Word with gladness. In other words, they EMBRACED the Truth. And once they embraced the Truth that Truth had such an effect upon them, that they did the things described in the passage. You cannot "receive the Word with gladness" and be the same as you were before. You can t. You cannot remain passive either. If all we were talking about is giving intellectual assent to doctrines, we must see how there would not be much effect in our lives. But once we understand that what these people received was eternal Truth well, and then we see that what was going on here was that they were being set free to worship Yahusha (Jesus), to walk with Yahusha (Jesus). They began, at this point, to act like it. Do we actually think that we can encounter Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) and have it NOT affect us? Do we think that being believers in Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) is nothing more than, "getting religion," or "learning a belief system?" Becoming a believer and follower of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) is a new life. It is "Mashyach (Christ) in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27)." You cannot repent, and place your faith in Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ), and become one with Yahuah (God) through His Son, and be the same! You aren t the same. That s the whole point! Your whole lifestyle changes. What we find in the book of Acts is a group of people who had their lives drastically altered by a revelation to them of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ), and by a conversion to Him which was real and life-changing. This wasn t about agreeing with teaching, or about joining an assembly or synagogue. It was about having Yahuah (God) come and live inside of you. The Apostles Doctrine Luke writes that these new believers in Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine." There are three questions here. 1. First, what does that mean, "to continue steadfastly?" 2. Secondly, what is meant by the term, "the apostle s doctrine?" 3. Thirdly, what was that doctrine? First, "to continue steadfastly," means to LIVE IN. It means to seek the Truth, discuss the Truth, find the Truth, and practice the Truth. 1

2 In other words, these believers adjusted their lives in accordance with their new life in Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ). The apostles were instructing them along those lines. This is what they CONTINUED in. They were not doing this on their own. They had the Set Apart Spirit, who was seeking to guide them into all Truth. They also had the apostles themselves. Today, we have the apostle s doctrine. It is the Scriptures. The entire Apostolic Writings (commonly called the New Testament) was written by an apostle, or a close associate such as Luke. All the authors of the Apostolic Writings were personal eye-witnesses to the resurrection of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ). So "to continue steadfastly," means to keep walking in the Truth. It means to be growing in the unmerited favour and knowledge of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ). These people had "gladly received the Word of Truth." Now, having received it, and been converted to Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ), they CONTINUED STEADFASTLY in it, by coming under its power, and by living in it. So who exactly were these people that accepted Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) and were immersed or baptised in His Name? Acts 2:5 Many religious Jews from every country in the world were living in Jerusalem. The Greek for living is G#2730 Katoikeo and means to house permanently or reside these were NOT people who travelled to Jerusalem from other parts of the earth to keep the feast of Pentecost; they were people who had converted to Judaism from out of the nations, now living in Jerusalem. Once Peter began to preach Yahusha as Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) they were told this by Peter in Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel (All 12 Tribes) know for certain that Aluah (God) has made this Yahusha (Jesus) whom you impaled, both Master (Lord) and Mashyach (Christ). These men who had converted to Judaism now living in Jerusalem were pricked in the heart. 2

3 The Greek word for Pricked or Pierced is G#2660 and has the following meaning: To pierce thoroughly or agitate violently. These Religious converts to Judaism were very angry they were agitated to the point of violence; the same spirit operates in those who convert to Judaism today, they hate Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) and those who accept Him by faith to the core. Acts 2:40-41 Amplified Bible (AMP) 40 And [Peter] solemnly and earnestly witnessed (testified) and admonished (exhorted) with much more continuous speaking and warned (reproved, advised, encouraged) them, saying, be saved from this crooked (perverse, wicked, unjust) generation. Who was Peter speaking about here? Who were the crooked (perverse, wicked, unjust) generation? Let s have a look at Matthew 23:1-39 and find out just who this crooked (perverse, wicked, unjust) generation is. 1 Then Yahusha (Jesus) said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 The experts in the law and the Pharisees sit on Moses seat. 3Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach. 4 They tie up heavy loads, hard to carry, and put them on men s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing even to lift a finger to move them. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries wide and their tassels long. 6 They love the place of honour at the feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces, and to have people call them Rabbi. 8 But you are not to be called Rabbi, for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers. 9 And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called teacher, for you have one teacher, Ha Mashyach. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. 13 But woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven! For you neither enter nor permit those trying to enter to go in. This is happening today when the Jews (Those of the religion of Judaism) deny Yahusha is Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) and came to shed His blood for the remission of sin. By making statements that the Apostolic Writings are not real and made up by someone. 14 Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore you will receive the greater damnation. 15 Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites!you cross land and sea to make one convert, and when you get one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves! Yahusha (Jesus) says those who convert to the religion of Judaism are twice as much a child of hell then them. 3

4 16 Woe to you, blind guides, who say, whoever swears by the temple is bound by nothing. But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by the oath. 17 Blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 And, whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing. But if anyone swears by the gift on it he is bound by the oath. 19 You are blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and the one who dwells in it. 22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of Aluah and the one who sits on it. 23 Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you neglect what is more important in the lawjustice, mercy, and faithfulness! You should have done these things without neglecting the others. The same Pharisaic spirit operates within Judaism and Messy-Anic circles today, arguing over feasts and whether or not one should wear Tzytzyt or not, yet forget the most important aspects or Yahuah s (God s) instructions justice, mercy, and faithfulness. 24 Blind guides! You strain out a gnat yet swallow a camel! 25 Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside may become clean too! 27 Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29 Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have participated with them in shedding the blood of the prophets. 31 By saying this you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Those within Judaism are direct descendants of Jezebel, now you know why in Judaism and Messianic Judaism they take there ancestry from their mothers it goes all the way back to Jezebel. 32 Fill up then the measure of your ancestors! 33 You snakes, you offspring of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Yahusha (Jesus) asks these religious people of Judaism, what hope do they have to save them from eternal death? Judaism today do not have a Saviour the one that came they did not receive him and still deny his existence today. 34 For this reason I am sending you prophets and wise men and experts in the law, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town, 35 so that on you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachyah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 I tell you the truth; this generation will be held responsible for all these things! 4

5 Remember what Peter said in verse 40 of Acts Chapter 2, With many other words he testified and exhorted them saying, Save yourselves from this perverse generation! 37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it! Israel (All 12 Tribes) time and time again has rejected Yahuah (God), how? By rejecting Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) you reject Yahuah (God) because He is Yahuah (God) in the flesh. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate! 39 For I tell you, you will not see me from now until you say, Blessed is the one who comes in the Name of Yahuah! Now back to Acts 2:41 41 Therefore those who accepted and welcomed his message were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. What does the term, "apostles doctrine" mean? It means the teachings of the apostles; of those who had walked and talked with Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ), and had been called for this special purpose. The apostles had been given great revelation from Yahuah (God). They passed it on to the believers of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) who accepted Him by faith. We see here that Yahuah (God) uses people. He is in charge, of course, by His Set Apart Spirit. But all of us need articulation and explanation we can understand. So despite the fact that the Set Apart Spirit is really the One who is doing all of it, Yahuah (God) uses people as instruments. The apostles were the first of these, and once they all died, those that believed on Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) through their word continued teaching and preaching Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ). What was the apostle s doctrine? Well, their doctrine was about a PERSON: Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ). We see that this was the first of a number of ESSENTIALS, if we read the writings of the apostle John: 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not remain in the teaching of Mashyach (Christ) does not have Aluah. The one who remains in this teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house and do not give him any greeting, 11 because the person who gives him a greeting shares in his evil deeds. (2 John 1:9-11) Note the words of John carefully. He is not merely saying, "You must talk about Yahusha (Jesus) in correct doctrinal terms." He is not simply saying, "Your statement of faith must reflect true Scriptural doctrine. Both those things ARE necessary. But John is saying more. He is saying to us, "You must LIVE IN the doctrine of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ)." 5

6 "If you don t, John says, "You have no access to Yahuah (God)." John also warns against giving any place whatsoever to those who do not teach, brings, or live in that doctrine, or Truth, of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ). In those days, services were held in houses. Thus, when John says not to receive these false teachers "into your house," he is warning against making room for such ones in any assembly. Furthermore, John says we should not "bid him Yah (God) speed." Does this mean that we aren t to say, "Hello," or, "goodbye," to someone who might be a heretic? No. To bid someone, "Yah (God) speed," means to affirm them, and to wish them well in their false teaching and heresy! Don t misunderstand. John is not talking about those who are ignorant, or even deceived, if they are open to the Truth. No. Rather, he is talking about those who BRING error about the Person of Yahusha (Jesus) who teach and promote error and who, when they are approached about it, DEFEND the error. There is nothing to work with in some people. They must not be given place in the assembly. Unfortunately, today if you have an advanced degree, it doesn t matter what you preach. If we were to follow the commands of the Scriptures, the landscape of our assemblies would change in a hurry. There would be a big upheaval to be sure. But it would adjust things back to where they need to be: Centred in Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ), NOT on the law and how to do good by works. Other Doctrines What else constituted, "the apostles doctrine?" Well, not only the Person of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ), but His redemptive work. And of course, HOW we might be saved through Him. 1 Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you unless you believed in vain. 3 For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received that Mashyach (Christ) died for our sins according to the scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) The gospel of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) and the Apostolic Message of Salvation is NOT the Law of Moses it is: The death of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) The burial of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) The resurrection of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) 1Therefore we must progress beyond the elementary instructions about Mashyach (Christ) and move on to maturity, not laying this foundation again: repentance from dead works and trust in Aluah (God), 2 teaching about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this is what we intend to do, if Aluah (God) permits. (Hebrews 6:1-3) 6

7 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or obedience resulting in righteousness? 17 But thanks be to Aluah (God) that though you were slaves to sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were entrusted to, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. (Romans 6:16-18) The apostle s doctrine included just about everything you find in the Apostolic Writings. It was their teaching. Thus, "to continue in it," is to continue in scripture. It is to walk in the Truth. Now, obviously, if the doctrine of the apostles was the Truth about Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ), and all that comes with it, then error is all that is outside of that. There are a number of scriptures which indicate specifically what some of those things are: 17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them! (Romans 16:17) Here we see that to cause division and offences which is anything which takes the focus off of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) is considered to be "contrary to the doctrine" of the apostles, this includes teachings about the old testament Law. 1 From Paul, an apostle of Mashyach Yahusha (Christ Jesus) by the command of Aluah (God) our Saviour and of Mashyach Yahusha (Christ Jesus) our hope, 2 to Timothy, my genuine child in the faith. Unmerited Favour, mercy, and peace from Aluah (God) the Father and Mashyach Yahusha (Christ Jesus) our Master! 3 As I urged you when I was leaving for Macedonia, stay on in Ephesus to instruct certain people not to spread false teachings, 4 nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies. Such things promote useless speculations rather than Aluah s (God s) redemptive plan that operates by trust. 5 But the aim of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere trust. 6 Some have strayed from these and turned away to empty discussion. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or the things they insist on so confidently. (1 Timothy 1:1-7) Paul charges Timothy to give heed to no other doctrine than that of, "unmerited favour, mercy, and peace, from Yahuah (God) our Father and Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) our Master." He says not to give heed to fables, etc., or anything which does not edify built up people in their faith in Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ). He goes on to elaborate and says that the "doctrine" which is acceptable is, "love out of a pure heart, and a good conscience." What we are seeing here, once again, is that doctrine, while it IS teaching, is also CONDUCT. Sure. Conduct speaks just as loudly as teaching. Thus, to continue in the apostolic doctrine meant, as we saw, to live a life in Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) reflective of the Truth. 7

8 10 sexually immoral people, practicing homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, perjurers in fact, for any who live contrary to sound teaching. 11 This accords with the glorious gospel of the blessed Aluah (God) that was entrusted to me. (1 Timothy 1:10-11) Conduct as the outcome and representation of doctrine is clearly seen in this passage. According to Paul, those who commit fornication, homosexuality, lies, and are false witnesses, are all walking contrary to sound doctrine. Of course we are supposed to be "living doctrines," or "living epistles." When people read our lives, they should be reading the result of what happens when Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) is Master (Lord) and Saviour of our lives. Truth Matters If you will notice, those first followers of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) believers in the book of Acts knew that it mattered as to WHAT they believed and practiced. It was not OKAY to believe and practice any thing they wished, and we have just read a number of passages which state the seriousness of this matter. But we do need to understand something about this. It is not as if Yahuah (God) sat down in heaven, and wrote down a bunch of doctrines, and then handed them to the Apostles of Yahusha (Jesus), saying, "This is the stuff you must believe, or I am going to be very upset with you." No. This isn t a matter of merely adopting a bunch of teachings. Rather, this is a matter of discovering the TRUTH HIMSELF. What we see here is that my doctrine is not merely the product of memorizing and swearing allegiance to doctrine. Rather, my doctrine is the product of allegiance to Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ). This is true, despite the fact that Yahuah (God) tells us all about the Truth of Yahusha (Jesus) even before we do surrender to Him. Thus, doctrine points to Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) and points back to Him. But Yahusha (Jesus) isn t a doctrine. He is Yahuah (God) our Lord and Saviour. If we did not have a single doctrine at our disposal, save that of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) crucified and raised, it should be a fact that we would eventually discover the same Truth as is revealed in the Scriptures. Why? Because Yahusha (Jesus) is the same Mashyach (Christ) as is in the Scriptures, and HE IS THE TRUTH! Thank Abba Yahuah (God) He has given us His Word, with all the doctrines and teachings. Thank Yahuah (God) He provided the apostles, the eyewitnesses to Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ). These gifts make things easier and provide a guide for us. But I say again, if we had none of these, but came to place our trust in Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ), we would end up discovering all of those Truths anyways if we continued believing and obeying that which edifies us in Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ). How can we know this? By the early followers of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) assembly. By the apostles. The Set Apart Spirit guided them into the Truth. It is always much easier to be told what you are going to find out before you find it out. But the apostles did not have that luxury. They were used of Yahuah (God) to provide us with that luxury. So just as the early followers of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) assembly, "continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine," so should we. The Scriptures are that for us today. It is the final authority with regard to the Truth. 8

9 If you look at the many assemblies today, you find all kinds of heresy, immorality, and spiritual sickness. You also find some wonderful things too. But every place you see bad things, you can trace it back to a wholesale neglect or rejection of scripture the apostle s doctrine. We ignore their mandates about assembly leadership. We do not take seriously the set apartness of Yahuah (God) in our assemblies. The only solution is to pay the price of repentance and obedience. Right now, you and I are "continuing" in SOME doctrine. Yahuah (God) wants it to be Scriptural and according to Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ). If it is, it WILL be the, "apostle s doctrine." Yahuah (God) never contradicts Himself. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. The same Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ), who dwelt in those first followers of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ), is in us here today. 2 Thessalonians 1: This is evidence of Aluah s (God s) righteous judgment, to make you worthy of the kingdom of Aluah (God), for which in fact you are suffering. 6 For it is right for Aluah (God) to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to you who are being afflicted to give rest together with us when the Master (Lord) Yahusha (Jesus) is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 With flaming fire he will mete out punishment on those who do not know Aluah (God) and do not obey the gospel of our Master Yahusha (Lord Jesus). 9They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Master (Lord) and from the glory of his strength, 10 when he comes to be glorified among his saints and admired on that day among all who have believed and you did in fact believe our testimony. 11 And in this regard we pray for you always, that our Aluah (God) will make you worthy of his calling and fulfil by His power your every desire for goodness and every work of faith, 12 that the Name of our Master (Lord) Yahusha (Jesus) may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the unmerited favour of our Aluah (God) and the Master (Lord) Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ). In closing It s through suffering we will enter the Kingdom of Yahuah (God). When Yahusha (Jesus) comes then and only then will we have rest. Yahusha (Jesus) is going to punish and destroy those who DO NOT KNOW ALUAH (GOD) and that DO NOT OBEY THE GOSPEL OF YAHUSHA HA MASHYACH (JESUS CHRIST). John 8:24 This I told you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I AM, you will die in your sins. 1) If one does NOT know and believe that Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) is Yahuah (God) the Father manifest in the flesh they will die in their sins. 2) If one does not obey the gospel of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) 9

10 What is the gospel? The death of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) The burial of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) The resurrection of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ) How do we obey the gospel of Yahusha Ha Mashyach? 1) We Repent (Die to ourselves and live for Yahusha/Jesus) 2) We are to be baptised in the Name of Yahusha (Jesus) by full water immersion (This is how we are buried with Yahusha Ha Mashyach/Jesus Christ) 3) We are also planted in the likeness of his resurrection, when we are baptised in the Name of Yahusha Ha Mashyach (Jesus Christ), please see Romans 6:1-14 That brothers and sisters is the gospel and the Apostolic Doctrine or message we must preach, teach and live. 10