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Scriptures About The Sin Nature and its Implications: Acts 16:4

July 12, 2020 Speaker: Bob DeWaay Series: Acts of the Apostles

Scripture: Acts 16:4

As the word of the decision from Jerusalem by the apostles and elders was brought to churches, they were strengthened and grew. The terms used in the Greek tells us they were “watching over dogma” (literally). We mention that this shows that the ideas of the church growth movement are not Biblical. Many teach that people are not interested in doctrine so therefore not teaching it will help church growth. But those who so teach equivocate on the word “church.” In class we point to the definition in Ephesians 2 of saved people being built on the foundation of Christ as the cornerstone and the apostles and prophets. This is not about a lot of people from a community becoming religious in a building called “church.”

Then we discuss the interesting statement by Luke that the Holy Spirit would not allow them to speak the word in Asia at that time. We do not know the means that this word came to them. We discuss many false teachings about “hearing God’s voice” that have come into the church over the years. God in His providence gets us to the right place at the right time without having a “hot line to heaven” that involves personal revelations beyond Scripture. There is a robust discussion about this matter. What we know is that the apostles did visit Asia Minor later and Ephesus became a key place where the gospel had a strong impact.