Your body is different from everyone else’s in the world! Yours is the only one to respond constantly to the commands of your brain. Only your heart, and lungs, and muscles, and senses, etc. are under the control of your head.
This illustration will help us to realise why a true Christian Church is different from every other church or religion.
The Church at Antioch got very good marks in a test God gave it, to see if this body of people would obey the Lord Jesus Christ, who should be their HEAD. (Ephesians 1:15-23. 2:19-22. 1stCorinthians 12:12-27.)
Here is the evidence that a person really belongs to the Body of the true Christian Church: That person will always want to be careful to know, and to obey what the Lord Jesus Christ has taught in His Word, the Holy Bible. He will not just be content to follow the lots of worthless religious “rules taught by men”. (Matthew 15:8-9. Acts 17:11.)
Many people do not want to carefully compare what they believe with what the Holy Bible teaches, in case they find it to be different from what they want to keep on believing! (John 12:48. 2ndTimothy 3:15-17.) Anyone not interested in obeying the Lord Jesus Christ as their only HEAD, clearly does not belong to His Body, the true Christian Church. (John 8:42-47. 10:4-5, 25-30.)
Is the Holy Bible the all-important Word of God for you?
“The Holy Spirit said to” the Church at Antioch, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them.” (verse 2.)
Was Saul to be chosen as an Ambassador for God, and to travel the world preaching about the Jesus Christ, whom he used to oppose and blaspheme? (Acts 8:3. 22:4. 26:9-11.) Was Saul the best choice? Would the Church at Antioch agree with God’s choice, of sending Saul with Barnabas? “They fasted and prayed, placed their hands on them, and sent them off.” (verse 3.) Here was a Church that was clearly working in obedience to Jesus Christ as its HEAD.
But, wouldn’t the ambassador’s offensive lifestyle of his past be a hinderance to Saul’s reputation, and work for God? NO! Saul had come to trust in Jesus Christ as his only Priest and Saviour. (Galatians 2:15-16. Romans 3:21-26.) He was truly a changed person now, and he wanted to put all his energy into being a worthy “ambassador for Christ”. (2ndCorinthians 5:17-21.) You see, God’s forgiveness is without limits, (1stTimothy 1:15-17.); but remember this, God’s forgiveness is only to those who come to accept Jesus Christ alone as their Priest. (Hebrews 7:23-27. 10:10-18.)
Are you wanting to live in obedience to Jesus Christ as your HEAD in everything? Is He your Leader and Saviour? (Acts 5:31-32.)
“Having been sent by the Holy Spirit, Barnabas and Saul went... to the island of Cyprus. When they arrived... they proclaimed the Word of God...” (verses 4-5.) These men were great ambassadors for Christ.
Read Acts chapter 13, verses 1-5.
For the next reading from Acts of the Apostles go to NEXT
In order to browse further "Good News Compage" prompts and commentaries for Acts of the Apostles go to
Acts COMPLETE index.
---------------oOo---------------