Some 2000 years ago in the town of Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, the church of Christ was born. In Acts 2, it is recorded for us that Peter preached a gospel message like none other. He told the people in attendance about Jesus the Christ. He preached unto them about Jesus' death and resurrection (Acts 2:23, 24). Peter might have literally pointed his finger at the people when he said, "let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ" (emp. jer Acts 2:36). Finally after all of this their hearts were "cut." This means that their spiritual hearts were pierced and they now believed. Their response was humbling as they cried out "men and brethren what shall we do" (Acts 2:37).
Now this is the point at which 2000 years later the religious world goes off the beaten path. Some say that Peter's answer to them was "do nothing but believe." Others claim that he said to them, "grace alone will save you." Still others argue that Peter's response was not complete and another testament of Jesus had to be written. But when I read the scripture here in Acts 2:38, I see revealed to me this response from Peter, "Repent and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
I could stop there and it would be enough because it was God through the Holy Spirit who gave these words to Peter. But the next verse shares even more with us about what we should be teaching today. Peter tells the people not only what to do but who is to do it and for how long it would last. In Acts 2:39 Peter says, "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." This is essential to understanding the length of time and to whom God was speaking. This message, the gospel saving message, cannot change.
We have far too many denominations, and religious groups that have somewhere in the last 2000 years veered off the Gospel path and onto the unauthorized path of creeds and beliefs. The apostle Paul saw divisions happening when he wrote, "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgments" (1 Corinthians 1:10). This is the plea to restore the church back to the original. Back to its spiritual roots. In an outstanding article written on this subject the author wrote, "calling for a return to the Bible, for abandonment of denominational names and creeds, and for obedience to the authority of Christ" (Alan Highers, "Our Purpose and Our Plea," The Spiritual Sword, vol. 28 no. 2, January 1997). We must become exactly what God wants the church to be.
Who will join this restoration plea and drop all denominational names, creeds and everything else that Christ has not authorized? Let us once again become the New Testament church! I will be writing more about just how we all can become part of this restoring effort.
Minister with this message!!!
