the acts of the apostles-第27节

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in　the　order　of　God　that　chosen　workers　of　consecration　and　talent　should　be
stationed　in　important　centers　of　population　to　lead　out　in　public　efforts；
it　is　also　His　purpose　that　the　church　members　living　in　these　cities　shall
use　their　God…given　talents　in　working　for　souls。　There　are　rich　blessings
in　store　for　those　who　surrender　fully　to　the　call　of　God。　As　such　workers
endeavor　to　win　souls　to　Jesus；　they　will　find　that　many　who　never　could
have　been　reached　in　any　other　way　are　ready　to　respond　to　intelligent
personal　effort。

The　cause　of　God　in　the　earth　today　is　in　need　of　living　representatives　of
Bible　truth。　The　ordained　ministers　alone　are　not　equal　to　the　task　of
warning　the　great　cities。　God　is　calling　not　only　upon　ministers；　but　also
upon　physicians；　nurses；　colporteurs；　Bible　workers；　and　other　consecrated
laymen　of　varied　talent　who　have　a　knowledge　of

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the　word　of　God　and　who　know　the　power　of　His　grace；　to　consider　the　needs
of　the　unwarned　cities。　Time　is　rapidly　passing；　and　there　is　much　to　be
done。　Every　agency　must　be　set　in　operation；　that　present　opportunities　may
be　wisely　improved。

Paul's　labors　at　Antioch；　in　association　with　Barnabas；　strengthened　him　in
his　conviction　that　the　Lord　had　called　him　to　do　a　special　work　for　the
Gentile　world。　At　the　time　of　Paul's　conversion；　the　Lord　had　declared　that
he　was　to　be　made　a　minister　to　the　Gentiles；　〃to　open　their　eyes；　and　to
turn　them　from　darkness　to　light；　and　from　the　power　of　Satan　unto　God；　that
they　may　receive　forgiveness　of　sins；　and　inheritance　among　them　which　are
sanctified　by　faith　that　is　in　Me。〃　Acts　26：18。　The　angel　that　appeared　to
Ananias　had　said　of　Paul；　〃He　is　a　chosen　vessel　unto　Me；　to　bear　My　name
before　the　Gentiles；　and　kings；　and　the　children　of　Israel。〃　Acts　9：15。　And
Paul　himself；　later　in　his　Christian　experience；　while　praying　in　the　temple
at　Jerusalem；　had　been　visited　by　an　angel　from　heaven；　who　bade　him；
〃Depart：　for　I　will　send　thee　far　hence　unto　the　Gentiles。〃　Acts　22：21。

Thus　the　Lord　had　given　Paul　his　commission　to　enter　the　broad　missionary
field　of　the　Gentile　world。　To　prepare　him　for　this　extensive　and　difficult
work；　God　had　brought　him　into　close　connection　with　Himself　and　had　opened
before　his　enraptured　vision　views　of　the　beauty　and　glory　of　heaven。　To　him
had　been　given　the　ministry　of　making　known　〃the　mystery〃　which　had　been
〃kept　secret　since　the　world　began〃　（Romans　16：25）；〃the　mystery　of　His

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will〃　（Ephesians　1：9）；　〃which　in　other　ages　was　not　made　known　unto　the　sons
of　men；　as　it　is　now　revealed　unto　His　holy　apostles　and　prophets　by　the
Spirit；　that　the　Gentiles　should　be　fellow　heirs；　and　of　the　same　body；　and
partakers　of　His　promise　in　Christ　by　the　gospel：　whereof；〃　declares　Paul；
〃I　was　made　a　minister。　。　。　。　Unto　me；　who　am　less　than　the　least　of　all
saints；　is　this　grace　given；　that　I　should　preach　among　the　Gentiles　the
unsearchable　riches　of　Christ；　and　to　make　all　men　see　what　is　the
fellowship　of　the　mystery；　which　from　the　beginning　of　the　world　hath　been
hid　in　God；　who　created　all　things　by　Jesus　Christ：　to　the　intent　that　now
unto　the　principalities　and　powers　in　heavenly　places　might　be　known　by　the
church　the　manifold　wisdom　of　God；　according　to　the　eternal　purpose　which　He
purposed　in　Christ　Jesus　our　Lord。〃　Ephesians　3：5…11。

God　had　abundantly　blessed　the　labors　of　Paul　and　Barnabas　during　the　year
they　remained　with　the　believers　in　Antioch。　But　neither　of　them　had　as　yet
been　formally　ordained　to　the　gospel　ministry。　They　had　now　reached　a　point
in　their　Christian　experience　when　God　was　about　to　entrust　them　with　the
carrying　forward　of　a　difficult　missionary　enterprise；　in　the　prosecution　of
which　they　would　need　every　advantage　that　could　be　obtained　through　the
agency　of　the　church。

〃There　were　in　the　church　that　was　at　Antioch　certain　prophets　and　teachers；
as　Barnabas；　and　Simeon　that　was　called　Niger；　and　Lucius　of　Cyrene；　and
Manaen；　。　。　。　and　Saul。　As　they　ministered　to　the　Lord；　and　fasted；　the

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Holy　Ghost　said；　Separate　Me　Barnabas　and　Saul　for　the　work　whereunto　I　have
called　them。〃　Before　being　sent　forth　as　missionaries　to　the　heathen　world；
these　apostles　were　solemnly　dedicated　to　God　by　fasting　and　prayer　and　the
laying　on　of　hands。　Thus　they　were　authorized　by　the　church；　not　only　to
teach　the　truth；　but　to　perform　the　rite　of　baptism　and　to　organize
churches；　being　invested　with　full　ecclesiastical　authority。

The　Christian　church　was　at　this　time　entering　upon　an　important　era。　The
work　of　proclaiming　the　gospel　message　among　the　Gentiles　was　now　to　be
prosecuted　with　vigor；　and　as　a　result　the　church　was　to　be　strengthened　by
a　great　ingathering　of　souls。　The　apostles　who　had　been　appointed　to　lead
out　in　this　work　would　be　exposed　to　suspicion；　prejudice；　and　jealousy。
Their　teachings　concerning　the　breaking　down　of　〃the　middle　wall　of
partition〃　（Ephesians　2：14）　that　had　so　long　separated　the　Jewish　and　the
Gentile　world；　would　naturally　subject　them　to　the　charge　of　heresy；　and
their　authority　as　ministers　of　the　gospel　would　be　questioned　by　many
zealous；　believing　Jews。　God　foresaw　the　difficulties　that　His　servants
would　be　called　to　meet；　and；　in　order　that　their　work　should　be　above
challenge；　He　instructed　the　church　by　revelation　to　set　them　apart　publicly
to　the　work　of　the　ministry。　Their　ordination　was　a　public　recognition　of
their　divine　appointment　to　bear　to　the　Gentiles　the　glad　tidings　of　the
gospel。

Both　Paul　and　Barnabas　had　already　received　their　commission　from　God
Himself；　and　the　ceremony　of　the　laying

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on　of　hands　added　no　new　grace　or　virtual　qualification。　It　was　an
acknowledged　form　of　designation　to　an　appointed　office　and　a　recognition　of
one's　authority　in　that　office。　By　it　the　seal　of　the　church　was　set　upon
the　work　of　God。

To　the　Jew　this　form　was　a　significant　one。　When　a　Jewish　father　blessed　his
children；　he　laid　his　hands　reverently　upon　their　heads。　When　an　animal　was
devoted　to　sacrifice；　the　hand　of　the　one　invested　with　priestly　authority
was　laid　upon　the　head　of　the　victim。　And　when　the　ministers　of　the　church
of　believers　in　Antioch　laid　their　hands　upon　Paul　and　Barnabas；　they；　by
that　action；　asked　God　to　bestow　His　blessing　upon　the　chosen　apostles　in
their　devotion　to　the　specific　work　to　which　they　had　been　appointed。

At　a　later　date　the　rite　of　ordination　by　the　laying　on　of　hands　was　greatly
abused；　unwarrantable　importance　was　attached　to　the　act；　as　if　a　power　came
at　once　upon　those　who　received　such　ordination；　which　immediately　qualified
them　for　any　and　all　ministerial　work。　But　in　the　setting　apart　of　these　two
apostles；　there　is　no　record　indicating　that　any　virtue　was　imparted　by　the
mere　act　of　laying　on　of　hands。　There　is　only　the　simple　record　of　their
ordination　and　of　the　bearing　that　it　had　on　their　future　work。

The　circumstances　connected　with　the　separation　of　Paul　and　Barnabas　by　the
Holy　Spirit　to　a　definite　line　of　service　show　clearly　that　the　Lord　works
through　appointed　agencies　in　His　organized　church。　Years　before；　when　the
divine　purpose　concerning　Paul　was　first　revealed　to　him　by　the　Saviour
Himself；　Paul　was　immediately　afterward　brought

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into　contact　with　members　of　the　newly　organized　church　at　Damascus。
Furthermore；　the　church　at　that　place　was　not　long　left　in　darkness　as　to
the　personal　experience　of　the　converted　Pharisee。　And　now；　when　the　divine
commission　given　at　that　time　was　to　be　more　fully　carried　out；　the　Holy
Spirit；　again　bearing　witness　concerning　Paul　as　a　chosen　vessel　to　bear　the
gospel　to　the　Gentiles；　laid　upon　the　church　the　work　of　ordaining　him　and
his　fellow　laborer。　As　the　leaders　of　the　church　in　Antioch　〃ministered　to
the　Lord；　and　fasted；　the　Holy　Ghost　said；　Separate　Me　Barnabas　and　Saul　for
the　work　whereunto　I　have　called　them。〃

God　has　made　His　church　on　the　earth　a　channel　of　light；　and　through　it　He
communicates　His　purposes　and　His　will。　He　does　not　give　to　one　of　His
servants　an　experience　independent　of　and　contrary　to　the　experience　of　the
church　itself。　Neither　does　He　give　one　man　a　knowledge　of　His　will　for　the
entire　church　while　the　churchChrist's　body　is　left　in　darkness。　In　His
providence　He　places　His　servants　in　close　connection　with　His　church　in
order　that　they　may　have　less　confidence　in　themselves　and　greater
confidence　in　others　whom　He　is　leading　out　to　advance　His　work。

There　have　ever　been　in　the　church　those　who　are　constantly　inclined　toward
individual　independence。　They　seem　unable　to　realize　that　independence　of
spirit　is　liable　to　lead　the　human　agent　to　have　too　much　confidence　in
himself　and　to　trust　in　his　own　judgment　rather　than　to　respect　the　counsel
and　highly　esteem　the　judgment　of　his　brethren；

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especially　of　those　in　the　offices　that　God　has　appointed　for　the　leadership
of　His　people。　God　has　invested　His　c