Something Greater

Spiritual Ignorance Paul described his past as a blasphemer, persecutor and insolent opponent. He knows firsthand how the "certain persons" are acting in Ephesus, because he once was the same. He used the Law of God as a weapon and a rod , exerting control over others and protecting his own power and influence. Paul had used the law unlawfully. But Jesus graciously forgave and transformed Paul. "But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." 1 Timothy 1:13-14 (ESV) Ignorance causes unbelief , and actions flow from that unbelief that can hurt one's own self and others. IGNORANTLY: agnoeo (not to know, to ignore); from a (not) and noeo (to exercise the mind, to observe, to comprehend or heed); from nous (the intellect, the mind, meaning); from ginosko (to know absolutely) We use a similar word in English: agnostic. "Agnostic" ...

Scattered Seed The religious rulers had decided upon a policy regarding the heresy called Christianity: Attack, Assault and Arrest . Saul became their chief Enforcer, ravaging the church in Jerusalem and surrounding towns. "Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was much joy in that city." Acts 8:4-8 (ESV) The Christians were scattered. SCATTERED: diaspeiro (to sow throughout, to distribute); from dia (through, as a channel) and speiro (to scatter or sow); from spao (to draw) Elsewhere, the Bible describes this scattering as extending throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, as far as Phenice, Cyprus...

Christ's Church Ravaged and Scattered Stephen was stoned to death by enraged religious leaders who felt threatened by the growing community Christians, among whom Stephen had become one of the most outspoken. The religious rules were Jews, locked in tradition and pride , relying upon their ancestral relationship with God. They had charged Stephen with heresy. Stephen responded with a carefully built argument that revealed both the faithfulness of God and the fickleness of the Jews. Generation after generation of religious leaders had rebelled against God's direction and killed God's prophets, yet they still maintained that they were the guardians of the faith. As guardians of the faith, they believed their fear and anger justified the killing of Stephen. "And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apost...

Sound Doctrine Paul grouped six terms together, breaking them into three pair of related words to describe the audience for whom the Law was intended: "The law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane." (1 Timothy 1:9) Lawless: Those with no law, not included in any government or supervisory system Disobedient: Those with law, but refusing to obey, rejecting governing authority Ungodly: The irreverent, those not adoring God Sinners: The losers, those who miss the mark and fail to obtain a prize Unholy: Those in the wrong, those who are untrue, weak, and common Profane: The wicked, those who live worthless lives, filled with coarse, easily-satisfied appetites that are often based upon superstition or myth The three groups of descriptors can be separated according to their focus: Lawless and Disobedient: Authority Ungodly and Sinners: Pleasure Unholy and Profane: Hist...

The Prayer As they were stoning Stephen, his last words were to Jesus alone, as final prayers: "He called out, - Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. - And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, - Lord, do not hold this sin against them." Acts 7:59-60 (ESV) SPIRIT: pneuma (a current of air, breath or breeze; figurative for the human rational soul, vital principle, mental disposition; used to refer to an angel, daemon, God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit); from pneo (to breathe hard, a breeze) Stephen was dying. His last words reflect what he passionately believed was true: Jesus was his Lord , his body was injured beyond repair, the only imperishable portion of his life was his spirit, the very breath of God given him at his conception, returning now to the One to Whom it truly belonged. The Babe in the womb of Mary was conceived by God's Breath. Jesus assured His disciples that God's breath would speak through them, especially in times ...

The Attack With the conclusion of his defense argument, at the height of his accuser's blood-red rage, Stephen realizes that his time on earth was finished... his immediate future is in heaven . Stephen exclaims aloud the incredible vision of the heavens opened and Jesus standing beside God. Stephen's accusers, the religious rulers of Jerusalem, did not join him in wonder and awe. "But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him." Acts 7:57 (ESV) These were grown men, with the power to judge and convict, educated and experienced in dealing with people. Yet in the face of incontrovertible evidence of their own sin, they become like children, worse than children, they become like animals . STOPPED: synecho (to hold together, to compress); from sun (together) and echo (to hold) The enraged religious rulers literally held both hands to their ears to muffle the words of Stephen. His defensive argument and counter-accusa...

Unholy and Profane The third and final pair of terms used by Paul in his letter to Timothy: "We know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane." 1 Timothy 1:8-9 (ESV) UNHOLY: anosios (wicked); from a (not) and hosios (intrinsically or divinely right, hallowed) PROFANE: bebelos (accessible, as by crossing a door-way; heathenish or wicked); from baino (to walk) and belos (a threshold) "Unholy" is best understood by looking at its opposite meaning: holy. "Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." Revelation 15:3-4 (ESV) HOLY: hosios (intrinsically or divinely ...