Studies by Book
03 Acts 04 32-37 FELLOWSHIP WITHIN THE EARLY CHURCH 01 Acts 04 32 What does it mean to believe
📖 Acts 04:32-37
01 – 01Mar2023 – *What does it mean to believe?* - _Acts 04:32-37_ - THE FELLOWSHIP WITHIN HIS EARLY CHURCH - Bible reading: _Romans 08:03-04_
“Lord Jesus, help us to always remain in child-like faith in You. In Your name, we pray. Amen.”
We have completed the study of _Acts 04:12-31_, which we had titled, THE PRAYER OF HIS CHURCH. This study was of 23 lessons. We now begin a new study of _Acts 04:32-37_. We will title this study, FELLOWSHIP WITHIN THE EARLY CHURCH. We had a similar study of Acts 02:42-47, which we had titled, THE BUILDING UP OF HIS CHURCH. Here we are continuing to study the life and fellowship within His early church.
_Acts 4:32 Now *the multitude of those who believed* were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common._
The early church was made up of believers from a Jewish background. This was a big step for the Jews. The Jews considered that righteousness was by the keeping of the law and they stumbled at that stumbling stone. _Romans 9:31-33 but *Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. (32) Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone*. (33) As it is written: "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STUMBLING STONE AND ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND *WHOEVER BELIEVES ON HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME*."_
Whoever believes in Jesus will not be put to shame. The Jews did not understand that righteousness before God is by faith in Jesus. *_Romans 10:3-4 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. (4) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes._*
This is because Jesus became sin for us so that we could become righteous before God by faith in Him. *_II Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him._*
The law was not able to make us righteous. This was because there was the law of sin and death in our flesh that prevented us from keeping the righteous requirement of the law. Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh and condemned sin in the flesh. *_Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,_*
Jesus provided that justification for us before God, which the law of Moses was not able to provide. Through Jesus, we have forgiveness of our sins and our justification before God. _Acts 13:38-39 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that *through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; (39) and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses*._
The early church was made up of believing Jews. These were those who crossed the bridge of seeking righteousness by keeping the law and had crossed over to have the have righteousness which is by faith in Jesus. _Romans 3:20 Therefore *by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight*, for by the law is the knowledge of sin._
This is the big arena of being reconciled with God that these believers in the early church had come into. *_Galatians 2:16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified._*
For us, Gentiles, it has relatively been easy to believe, for we did not have the burden of the law, which was on the Jews. _Romans 9:30 What shall we say then? That *Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith*;_
Therefore, as Gentile believers, we must appreciate the Jewish believers of the early church. For them to come to righteousness by faith in Jesus was indeed a big step. Yet it was the Lord who had worked wonderfully in their lives, just as He has worked in our lives.
What we have begun in faith we must pursue in faith. It is by faith that we are dependent on His Holy Spirit, who enables us to fulfil all righteousness. *_Romans 8:4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit._*
The early church was made up of believers, who had come to righteousness by faith in Jesus and were also walking in righteousness because of their faith in His Holy Spirit.
May we always be believers in the full understanding of what it is to believe.