_I went up to Jerusalem._ THE JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM I. Which? The third (Acts 15:2), the first being that of the previous chapter (Acts 9:26), the second that of Acts 11:30, both the purpose and time of which forbid its being confounded with them. Both Galatians 2:1. and Acts 15:1. agree in time, g... [ Continue Reading ]
_And I went up by revelation._ I WENT UP BY REVELATION I. A fact. 1. Paul was not summoned by the apostles, who, by taking no action, must virtually have endorsed his conduct. 2. Paul was sent by the Spirit of God. (1) He was no stranger to these revelations (Ephesians 3:3). (2) He had them at... [ Continue Reading ]
_But neither Titus, who was with me._ BUT NEITHER TITUS 1. This incident is introduced by way of evidence, not by way of apology. 2. The circumcision of Titus is inconsistent with individual expressions in the passage. 3. For such a concession, both the time and the person were most inopportune.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And that because of false brethren._ FALSE BRETHREN I. The Church of God when at its best has wicked men and hypocrites in it. In Adam’s family there was Cain; in Christ’s family, Judas; in the earliest Church, false brethren. The sheep may be sometimes without the fold; the wolves therein. A per... [ Continue Reading ]
_To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour._ THE TRUTH IN THE CHURCH I. The truth of the gospel is essentially embodied in the doctrinal articles, and the devotional services, of the Church of England. Her basis is the Word of God. There is no one truth contained in the Bible which... [ Continue Reading ]
_But of those who seemed to be somewhat._ AUTHORITY AND TRUST I. A man who has truth on his side can be indifferent to mere authority. Because-- 1. Mere authority has no weight with the Author of truth. 2. The man of truth can gain nothing from the sanction of mere authority. II. Authoritative... [ Continue Reading ]
_To the apostleship of the circumcision._ THE RESULTS OF THE CONFERENCE Barnabas must have been struck with the coincidence between his own conduct towards the newly-enfranchised converts at Antioch (Acts 11:22) and that of the apostles towards the delegates of these converts. I. What the apostle... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars._ MINISTERS, PILLARS I. As founded on Christ. II. As supporting believers by-- 1. Sympathy. 2. Prayer. 3. Preaching. III. As presenting an example of stability. IV. As Adorning The Edifice Of The Church. JOHN AND PAUL This is the o... [ Continue Reading ]
_That we should remember the poor._ A PLEA FOR THE POOR Good men do not always think alike. When they differ, it is commonly from ignorance and a want of mutual explanation; and therefore when their understandings are informed, as their hearts were right before, they are like so many drops of wate... [ Continue Reading ]
_I withstood him to the face._ PAUL AND PETER I. Character is growth. The most zealous is not always the most steadfast. Fires slumber within which circumstances may fan into a terrible flame. We bring our evil tendencies with us into the Kingdom of God to be gradually curbed, restrained, overcome... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the other Jews dissembled._ BARNABAS WAS CARRIED AWAY It is not difficult to trace here the characteristic temperament of Barnabas on its weak side. He was just that kind of disposition which makes it easy to become a partisan, to flow on with the general current, to take the complexion of sur... [ Continue Reading ]
_But when I saw that they walked not uprightly._ MORAL SHUFFLING I. Its nature. 1. Literally--not to walk on straight feet, _i.e.,_ erect, or straightforwardly. 2. Morally. (1) Thinking rightly and acting wrongly. (2) Orthodoxy in creed, heterodoxy in conduct. (3) All compromises when conscie... [ Continue Reading ]
_Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law._ CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION I. Justification is properly a word applicable to courts of justice, but is used in a similar sense in common conversation among men. An illustration will show its nature. A man is charged, _e.g.,_ w... [ Continue Reading ]
But if, while we seek to be Justified by Christ. I. The blasphemy of making Christ the minister of sin. II. The perfect sufficiency of Christ for the justification of His people. III. The impertinence of the doctrine of justification by works; as-- 1. Impossible. 2. Needless. IV. The motive th... [ Continue Reading ]
_For if I build again the things which I destroyed._ I. Teachers are great offenders when good doctrine is joined to bad conversation. Good doctrine destroys the kingdom of darkness, bad doctrine builds it up again. II. Rulers are transgressors when good counsel which beats down wickedness goes wi... [ Continue Reading ]
_For I through the law am dead to the law._ DEATH AND LIFE I. Those who are justified are qualified for the highest service--“living to God.” II. Living to god is dying to sin. 1. The aim of crucifixion was the death of the body. 2. Its means: the Cross. 3. The death painful and protracted. So... [ Continue Reading ]
_I am crucified with Christ._ THE BELIEVER’S RIDDLE This verse enunciates three striking paradoxes which are realized in the experience of every Christian. I. The judicial paradox, or the mystery of the believer’s legal standing. The believer, be it remembered, is a dead man to begin with, _i.e.,... [ Continue Reading ]
_I do not frustrate the grace of God._ SALVATION BY WORKS A CRIMINAL DOCTRINE 1. The idea of salvation by the merit of our own works is exceedingly insinuating. When it gains the least foothold, it soon makes great advances. The only way to deal with it is to stamp it out. War to the knife. No sur... [ Continue Reading ]