the acts of the apostles-第45节

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of　the　second　coming　of　Christ；　when　the　people　of　God　shall　rest　from　all
their　cares　and　perplexities。

〃We　ourselves；〃　he　wrote；　〃glory　in　you　in　the　churches　of　God　for　your
patience　and　faith　in　all　your　persecutions　and　tribulations　that　ye　endure：
。　。　。　and　to　you　who　are　troubled　rest　with　us；　when　the　Lord　Jesus　shall　be
revealed

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from　heaven　with　His　mighty　angels；　in　flaming　fire　taking　vengeance　on　them
that　know　not　God；　and　that　obey　not　the　gospel　of　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ：
who　shall　be　punished　with　everlasting　destruction　from　the　presence　of　the
Lord；　and　from　the　glory　of　His　power。　。　。　。　Wherefore　also　we　pray　always
for　you；　that　our　God　would　count　you　worthy　of　this　calling；　and　fulfill
all　the　good　pleasure　of　His　goodness；　and　the　work　of　faith　with　power：
that　the　name　of　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ　may　be　glorified　in　you；　and　ye　in
Him；　according　to　the　grace　of　our　God　and　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ。〃

But　before　the　coming　of　Christ；　important　developments　in　the　religious
world；　foretold　in　prophecy；　were　to　take　place。　The　apostle　declared：　〃Be
not　soon　shaken　in　mind；　or　be　troubled；　neither　by　spirit；　nor　by　word；　nor
by　letter　as　from　us；　as　that　the　day　of　Christ　is　at　hand。　Let　no　man
deceive　you　by　any　means：　for　that　day　shall　not　come；　except　there　come　a
falling　away　first；　and　that　man　of　sin　be　revealed；　the　son　of　perdition；
who　opposeth　and　exalteth　himself　above　all　that　is　called　God；　or　that　is
worshiped；　so　that　he　as　God　sitteth　in　the　temple　of　God；　showing　himself
that　he　is　God。〃

Paul's　words　were　not　to　be　misinterpreted。　It　was　not　to　be　taught　that　he；
by　special　revelation；　had　warned　the　Thessalonians　of　the　immediate　coming
of　Christ。　Such　a　position　would　cause　confusion　of　faith；　for
disappointment　often　leads　to　unbelief。　The　apostle　therefore　cautioned　the
brethren　to　receive　no　such　message　as　coming　from　him；

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and　he　proceeded　to　emphasize　the　fact　that　the　papal　power；　so　clearly
described　by　the　prophet　Daniel；　was　yet　to　rise　and　wage　war　against　God's
people。　Until　this　power　should　have　performed　its　deadly　and　blasphemous
work；　it　would　be　in　vain　for　the　church　to　look　for　the　coming　of　their
Lord。　〃Remember　ye　not；〃　Paul　inquired；　〃that；　when　I　was　yet　with　you；　I
told　you　these　things？〃

Terrible　were　the　trials　that　were　to　beset　the　true　church。　Even　at　the
time　when　the　apostle　was　writing；　the　〃mystery　of　iniquity〃　had　already
begun　to　work。　The　developments　that　were　to　take　place　in　the　future　were
to　be　〃after　the　working　of　Satan　with　all　power　and　signs　and　lying
wonders；　and　with　all　deceivableness　of　unrighteousness　in　them　that
perish。〃

Especially　solemn　is　the　apostle's　statement　regarding　those　who　should
refuse　to　receive　〃the　love　of　the　truth。〃　〃For　this　cause；〃　he　declared　of
all　who　should　deliberately　reject　the　messages　of　truth；　〃God　shall　send
them　strong　delusion；　that　they　should　believe　a　lie：　that　they　all　might　be
damned　who　believed　not　the　truth；　but　had　pleasure　in　unrighteousness。〃　Men
cannot　with　impunity　reject　the　warnings　that　God　in　mercy　sends　them。　From
those　who　persist　in　turning　from　these　warnings；　God　withdraws　His　Spirit；
leaving　them　to　the　deceptions　that　they　love。

Thus　Paul　outlined　the　baleful　work　of　that　power　of　evil　which　was　to
continue　through　long　centuries　of　darkness　and　persecution　before　the
second　coming　of　Christ。　The　Thessalonian　believers　had　hoped　for　immediate
deliverance；

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now　they　were　admonished　to　take　up　bravely　and　in　the　fear　of　God　the　work
before　them。　The　apostle　charged　them　not　to　neglect　their　duties　or　resign
themselves　to　idle　waiting。　After　their　glowing　anticipations　of　immediate
deliverance　the　round　of　daily　life　and　the　opposition　that　they　must　meet
would　appear　doubly　forbidding。　He　therefore　exhorted　them　to　steadfastness
in　the　faith：

〃Stand　fast；　and　hold　the　traditions　which　ye　have　been　taught；　whether　by
word；　or　our　epistle。　Now　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ　Himself；　and　God；　even　our
Father；　which　hath　loved　us；　and　hath　given　us　everlasting　consolation　and
good　hope　through　grace；　comfort　your　hearts；　and　stablish　you　in　every　good
work　and　work。〃　〃The　Lord　is　faithful；　who　shall　stablish　you；　and　keep　you
from　evil。　And　we　have　confidence　in　the　Lord　touching　you；　that　ye　both　do
and　will　do　the　things　which　we　command　you。　And　the　Lord　direct　your　hearts
into　the　love　of　God；　and　into　the　patient　waiting　for　Christ。〃

The　work　of　the　believers　had　been　given　them　by　God。　By　their　faithful
adherence　to　the　truth　they　were　to　give　to　others　the　light　which　they　had
received。　The　apostle　bade　them　not　to　become　weary　in　well…doing；　and
pointed　them　to　his　own　example　of　diligence　in　temporal　matters　while
laboring　with　untiring　zeal　in　the　cause　of　Christ。　He　reproved　those　who
had　given　themselves　up　to　sloth　and　aimless　excitement；　and　directed　that
〃with　quietness　they　work；　and　eat　their　own　bread。〃　He　also

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enjoined　upon　the　church　to　separate　from　their　fellowship　anyone　who　should
persist　in　disregarding　the　instruction　given　by　God's　ministers。　〃Yet；〃　he
added；　〃count　him　not　as　an　enemy；　but　admonish　him　as　a　brother。〃

This　epistle　also　Paul　concluded　with　a　prayer　that　amidst　life's　toils　and
trials　the　peace　of　God　and　the　grace　of　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ　might　be
their　consolation　and　support。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　26

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Apollos　at　Corinth


After　leaving　Corinth；　Paul's　next　scene　of　labor　was　Ephesus。　He　was　on　his
way　to　Jerusalem　to　attend　an　approaching　festival；　and　his　stay　at　Ephesus
was　necessarily　brief。　He　reasoned　with　the　Jews　in　the　synagogue；　and　so
favorable　was　the　impression　made　upon　them　that　they　entreated　him　to
continue　his　labors　among　them。　His　plan　to　visit　Jerusalem　prevented　him
from　tarrying　then；　but　he　promised　to　return　to　them；　〃if　God　will。〃　Aquila
and　Priscilla　had　accompanied　him　to　Ephesus；　and　he　left　them　there　to
carry　on　the　work　that　he　had　begun。

It　was　at　this　time　that　〃a　certain　Jew　named　Apollos；　born　at　Alexandria；
an　eloquent　man；　and　mighty　in　the　Scriptures；　came　to　Ephesus。〃　He　had
heard　the　preaching　of　John　the　Baptist；　had　received　the　baptism　of
repentance；　and　was　a　living　witness　that　the　work　of　the　prophet　had　not
been　in　vain。　The　Scripture　record　of　Apollos　is　that　he

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〃was　instructed　in　the　way　of　the　Lord；　and　being　fervent　in　the　spirit；　he
spake　and　taught　diligently　the　things　of　the　Lord；　knowing　only　the　baptism
of　John。〃

While　in　Ephesus；　Apollos　〃began　to　speak　boldly　in　the　synagogue。〃　Among
his　hearers　were　Aquila　and　Priscilla；　who；　perceiving　that　he　had　not　yet
received　the　full　light　of　the　gospel；　〃took　him　unto　them；　and　expounded
unto　him　the　way　of　God　more　perfectly。〃　Through　their　teaching　he　obtained
a　clearer　understanding　of　the　Scriptures　and　became　one　of　the　ablest
advocates　of　the　Christian　faith。

Apollos　was　desirous　of　going　on　into　Achaia；　and　the　brethren　at　Ephesus
〃wrote；　exhorting　the　disciples　to　receive　him〃　as　a　teacher　in　full　harmony
with　the　church　of　Christ。　He　went　to　Corinth；　where；　in　public　labor　and
from　house　to　house；　〃he　mightily　convinced　the　Jews；　。　。　。　showing　by　the
Scriptures　that　Jesus　was　Christ。〃　Paul　had　planted　the　seed　of　truth；
Apollos　now　watered　it。　The　success　that　attended　Apollos　in　preaching　the
gospel　led　some　of　the　believers　to　exalt　his　labors　above　those　of　Paul。
This　comparison　of　man　with　man　brought　into　the　church　a　party　spirit　that
threatened　to　hinder　greatly　the　progress　of　the　gospel。

During　the　year　and　a　half　that　Paul　had　spent　in　Corinth；　he　had　purposely
presented　the　gospel　in　its　simplicity。　〃Not　with　excellency　of　speech　or　of
wisdom〃　had　he　come　to　the　Corinthians；　but　with　fear　and　trembling；　and　〃in
demonstration　of　the　Spirit　and　of　power；〃　had　he　declared　〃the　testimony　of
God；〃　that　their　〃faith　should　not　stand　in　the　wisdom　of　men；　but　in　the
power　of　God。〃
1　Corinthians　2：1；　4；　5。

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Paul　had　necessarily　adapted　his　manner　to　teaching　to　the　condition　of　the
church。　〃I；　brethren　could　not　speak　unto　you　as　unto　spiritual；〃　he
afterward　explained　to　them；　〃but　as　unto　carnal；　even　as　unto　babes　in
Christ。　I　have　fed　you　with　milk；　and　not　with　meat：　for　hitherto　ye　were
not　able　to　bear　it；　neither　yet　now　are　ye　able。〃　1　Corinthians　3：1；　2。
Many　of　the　Corinthian　believers　had　been　slow　to　learn　the　lessons　that　he
was　endeavoring　to　teach　them。　Their　advancement　in　spiritual　knowledge　had
not　been　proportionate　to　their　privileges　and　opportunities。　When　they
should　have　been　far　advanced　in　Christian　experience；　and　able　to
comprehend　and　to　practice　the　deeper　truths　of　the　word；　they　were　standing
where　the　disciples　stood　when　Christ　said　to　them；　〃I　have　yet　many　things
to　say　unto　y