Church

May

2021

Acts 2:44-45 – Were the early Christians the first communist?

Problem: Luke writes, “And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need” (Acts 2:44-45). Likewise, in a later passage, we read, “Not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them” (Acts 4:32). Doesn’t this imply that the first Christians were communists?

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May

2021

Acts 2:44–45 – Did early Christians practice communism?

Problem: Some have inferred from the fact that these early Christians “sold their possessions” and had “all things in common” that they were practicing a form of communism. However, even the Ten Commandments imply the right to private property, forbidding one to “steal” or even “covet” what belongs to another (Ex. 20:15, 17).

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May

2021

Acts 2:25-28 – Why does Peter cite Psalm 16:10 to demonstrate the resurrection of Jesus?

Problem: David writes, “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay” (Ps. 16:10). Peter cites this passage to refer to the resurrection of Jesus in Acts 2:25-28. Does this passage make his case?

Solution: According to the superscription, David is the author of this psalm. Thus, in order for this to be a messianic psalm, either (1) David is speaking about his offspring in the Davidic covenant or (2) David is speaking of the Holy One who is at his “right hand” (Ps. 16:8). Continue reading →

May

2021

Acts 2:16-21 – Does Peter misquote Joel 2:28-32?

Problem: While Joel 2:28-32 does predict the pouring out of God’s Spirit (v.17), it also predicts, “And I will grant wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come” (v.19-20). Amillennial interpreters argue that Peter is spiritualizing this OT passage. If the apostles believed that these OT prophecies should be interpreted in a spiritualized sense, then this would give us an allegorical hermeneutic for interpreting the OT. Is this the case?

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May

2021

Acts 2:1-4 – Does this passage support the Pentecostal doctrine of the second blessing?

Problem: Acts 2:1-4 states, “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.” Pentecostal theologians claim that this passage supports the doctrine of a Spirit baptism. Is this the case?

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May

2021

Acts 1:15-26 – Does this passage support papal succession?

Problem: Roman Catholic apologists argue that Judas’ replacement by Matthias supports the notion of papal succession. That is, instead of having a first century apostleship, this is carried on from generation to generation. Catholic apologist David Currie writes,

This is presupposed in what the apostles did in Acts 1. The fact that there was no discussion of the matter so soon after Jesus had been teaching them lends credence to the Catholic position. Christ himself must have provided for succession when he taught the apostles during the time between his Resurrection and his Ascension.[1]
Is the replacement of Judas support of papal succession?

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Apr

2021

Acts 1:16-20 – Doesn’t this passage imply fatalism?

Problem: Peter said, “the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus” (Acts 1:16). Later, he quotes Psalm 69:26 and 109:8 to support this. If Judas’ decision to betray Christ was predicted in the OT, then doesn’t this eliminate his freewill?

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Apr

2021

Coke-Cola And The Gospel

A pastor brought a can of coke-cola and held up and ask the audience if they knew what this was.

They cheered and said yes

Then the pastor them who has ever been to another country and about 4 people raised their hands.

OK name them, some one said New Zeland, Congo, Greece, Israel

Then the minster asked if they had coca cola, they all said yes

The pastor said then as of today only 2 countries (North Korea, Cuba) do not have coke-cola

The Pastor said when was coke-cola invented. Someone yelled 1886, pastor said correct.

That would make it about 135 years old

The pastor then asked If Coke-cola was good for you, Most of the audience said no not really.

The pastor then is Jesus good for you, most of the people said YES!!!

The pastor then said open your bibles and let us read Matt 28:19-20 Here is the great commission that the lord has given his church about 2,000 years ago. How has the church done? No so well, Only about 50% of the worlds population have heard and know who Jesus is.

Maybe Coca-cola should be spreading the gospel

The audience gasped and go silent.

Feb

2020

The Early Church

Somewhere along the line, it became popular to pursue Jesus while shunning organized religion. We even hear from people who “love Jesus but hate the church.” While no one can deny that the church has its share of problems, Jesus never gave us the option of giving up on His church. And He certainly would not approve of us “hating” her. The church was His idea, so it is impossible to follow Him while shunning the church He died to save.

The reality is that God is using His church around the world to transform lives and accomplish His will on earth. In many ways and in many places the church today is healthy and focused on fulfilling God’s mission. But it is also true that much of the church is in a state of disarray. Churches define themselves by virtually every issue under the sun. Christians are known more by their bumper stickers and T-shirts than by the love of Christ. Gossip and hypocrisy run rampant. Many churches are more concerned with preserving the status quo than reaching out to the people around them.

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Jul

2019

The Church Fathers: A Door to Rome

Many people have walked into the Roman Catholic Church through the broad door of the “church fathers,” and this is a loud warning today when there is a widespread attraction to the “church fathers” within evangelicalism.

The Catholic apologetic ministries use the “church fathers” to prove that Rome’s doctrines go back to the earliest centuries. In the book Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic, David Currie continually uses the church fathers to support his position. He says, “The other group of authors whom Evangelicals should read … is the early Fathers of the Church” (p. 4).

The contemplative prayer movement is built on this same weak foundation. The late Robert Webber, a Wheaton College professor who was one of the chief proponents of this back to the “church fathers” movement, said:

“The early Fathers can bring us back to what is common and help us get behind our various traditions … Here is where our unity lies. … evangelicals need to go beyond talk about the unity of the church to experience it through an attitude of acceptance of the whole church and an entrance into dialogue with the Orthodox, Catholic, and other Protestant bodies” (Ancient-Future Faith, 1999, p. 89).

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