Evangelism | A People for His Name

Putting Peter in His Place: Learning Evangelistic Theology and Practice from the Jerusalem Council

October 24, 2011

Any occasion on which all the top leaders of the early church would have gathered to decide a vital doctrinal matter would obviously have been a crucial event in church history. Acts 15 provides us with the only inspired record of such a gathering, the Jerusalem Council. The record of this event in Acts 15, therefore, provides information that must vitally inform our theology and practice.

Petrine, Not Pauline, Priority in the Record of the Jerusalem Council

In that record, Luke relates that false teaching from some men concerning Gentile salvation (15:1) elicited vigorous responses from Paul and Barnabas (15:2a). As a result, the brethren decided that Paul and Barnabas and certain other men should go to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders to address this vital matter (15:2).

The apostles and elders’ meeting with Paul and Barnabas about this issue resulted in “much disputing” (15:6-7a). In response to these developments, Peter (15:7b-11), Paul and Barnabas (15:12), and finally James (15:13-21) addressed the gathered believers.

The inspired record of the deliberations of the Council thus reveals that the Holy Spirit directed Luke to record at varying length the contribution that each of these early church leaders made in settling the issue. Whereas the records of the ministries of Peter and James comprise multiple verses (5 verses and 9 verses, respectively), only one verse records the contribution of Paul and Barnabas.

Moreover, Luke relates another important difference among the testimonies borne by these church leaders. Whereas the recorded speeches by Peter and James both refer to the same specific evangelistic encounter involving Peter (15:7, 14), the record of the testimony borne by Barnabas and Paul refers generically to what God had done among the Gentiles through them.

The order in which these leaders addressed the Council is also significant. First, Peter spoke, followed by Paul. Having heard both of these leading apostles address the Council, James then appears to have weighed in decisively to settle the issue at hand.

James had both Peter’s testimony to the Council and Paul’s testimony to it to draw from in making his decisive remarks. We are not told that he referenced what God did through Paul in saving Gentiles; instead, he specified Peter’s ministry in Caesarea as the evangelistic encounter with Gentiles that provided the definitive evidence of how God had saved Gentiles without their being circumcised or being directed to keep the Mosaic Law.

These observations show that although the crucial issue of how Gentiles were to be saved was decided by ministry from all these church leaders, the record conveys not Pauline priority in these proceedings but Petrine. Our theology and practice must account for this fact properly.

The Jerusalem Council and A Proper Evangelistic Theology and Practice

Several important applications of the Petrine priority seen in the record of the Jerusalem Council inform us about a proper evangelistic theology and practice.

Acts 10 is a more important record of apostolic evangelism than Acts 13

First, the NT records at length two major evangelistic encounters each of both Peter (Acts 2, 10) and Paul (Acts 13, 17). Of these encounters, Paul’s ministry at Athens (Acts 17) took place after the Council and therefore does not pertain directly to the proceedings of the Council.

Acts 15 records explicitly that Peter’s ministry at Caesarea was vitally referenced at the Council, but it does not provide any explicit record that Paul’s ministry at Antioch of Pisidia played an important role in the decision making process of the Council. Thus, the inspired record of the Jerusalem Council teaches us that we should not hold that Acts 13 is a more important record of Gentile evangelism than Acts 10 simply because the former concerns the ministry of Paul and the latter concerns the ministry of Peter. In fact, Acts 15 instructs us that we should give greater importance to Acts 10 than to Acts 13.

Acts 10 must be properly correlated with 1 Corinthians 15 in order to have a proper understanding of the gospel

Second, although we certainly should regard 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 as important for our understanding of gospel preaching, we should note that Paul had not yet ministered in Corinth when the Council took place. Because the Council was able to settle decisively the truth of how Gentiles are to be saved by vitally referring to Peter’s ministry in Caesarea and without any contribution from the record of what Paul ministered in Corinth, we should not elevate 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 in such a manner as to regard it as of exclusively decisive significance for our understanding of Gentile evangelism. Rather, the record of Peter’s ministry in Caesarea must also play a central role in our understanding of Gentile evangelism.

The correctness of this interpretation is confirmed by our noting that Acts 15 records that Peter declared at the Council that “God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel , and believe” (15:7). This statement makes clear that Peter asserted at the Council that he had preached the gospel at Caesarea, and the fact that the record does not show anyone (including Paul) challenging his assertion as flawed teaches us that everyone at the Council regarded Peter’s ministry at Caesarea as authentic gospel ministry. We, therefore, should regard Acts 10 as a key passage that must be correlated with 1 Corinthians 15 in formulating our understanding and practice concerning gospel preaching.

Acts 10 provides vital understanding of apostolic gospel preaching that 1 Corinthians 15 does not

Furthermore, when Acts 10 and 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 are compared thoroughly, we should note that they do not provide us with two differing approaches to gospel preaching. Rather, what Paul gives us in only the briefest summary form in 1 Corinthians 15 is filled out in at least two important ways by Luke’s record of Peter’s ministry found in Acts 10.

First, Acts 10 teaches us how an apostle preached Jesus as the Christ to unsaved Gentiles (10:38) before testifying to His crucifixion and resurrection (10:39-41). Second, it reveals to us a key truth (10:42) that an apostle proclaimed after testifying to His crucifixion and resurrection (10:39-41) and how he based his subsequent appeal to sinners for salvation (10:43) on the basis of his prior proclamation of that key truth.

Conclusion

A careful examination of the Jerusalem Council account in Acts 15 has shown that the Holy Spirit inspired Luke to write this account in such a way that it emphasizes Petrine gospel ministry in a unique way. We, therefore, should learn from the Jerusalem Council to put Peter in his place in our evangelistic theology and practice by carefully accounting for the priority given to him at the Council concerning his ministry to Gentiles that is recorded in Acts 10 and 11.

In Evangelism, Gospel, Interpretation

Evangelistic Emphasis on God's Empowering Jesus to Heal People Who Were Oppressed by the Devil

October 23, 2011

The record of Peter’s preaching of the gospel at Caesarea reveals that he included testimony to the miraculous aspects of Jesus’ works: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38). This statement suggests several important points about how we should testify to Jesus’ miraculous works in our evangelism.

First, Peter bore testimony to a specific aspect of Jesus’ miraculous works–healing those who were oppressed of the devil–that probably few people today regularly bear testimony to in their evangelism. Despite the contemporary popularity of emphasizing such miracles as His turning water to wine, raising dead people, walking on water, and feeding multitudes, we should learn from Peter foremost to bear testimony to His delivering Satanically-oppressed people.

Second, this record does not show that Peter stressed this miraculous work by Jesus as a proof of His deity; instead, it shows that he emphasized how God empowered Jesus to do that miraculous work. Our evangelism likewise should emphasize God’s empowering Jesus to deliver those who were oppressed by the devil.

Third, Peter explained Jesus’ healing all those oppressed people by saying, “For God was with Him.” He thus stressed that Jesus did not act alone in delivering those people–the Father was accompanying Him in some manner that Peter did not explain further. Based on this record, we should learn to stress that the Father was with Jesus as He was going about doing this miraculous work.

In Evangelism, Gospel

Evangelistic Trinitarian Testimony to Christ

October 22, 2011

In his seminal message at Caesarea, Peter preached Christ to unsaved Gentiles by declaring “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: Who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38). This statement confronted Cornelius and those who were with him with testimony to God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost. These unsaved Gentiles therefore were put in a position of having to believe an evangelistic message that testified not just to the deity of Jesus, but also to God who anointed Him with the Holy Spirit.

Peter’s evangelistic Trinitarian testimony to Christ did not hinder his hearers from getting saved; in fact, all of them were saved (10:44)! From this account, therefore, we should learn that instead of thinking that we have to keep the message simple by talking only about Jesus, we should witness to people by presenting Him rightly as the Christ by relating Him to both the Father and the Spirit.

Undoubtedly, we would enhance our proclamation of the gospel by doing so!

In Evangelism

The Matchless Greatness of the Bible from an Information Science Perspective

October 16, 2011

In his fascinating book, In the Beginning was Information, Werner Gitt “describes a new way of understanding creation and the Bible.” He powerfully argues for the matchless greatness of the Bible from an information science perspective:

— The Bible contains the most important information conceivable. It is divine in essence, and indicates the way to our Father’s house.

— The relevance value of the information of the Bible for every person is r = 1, the highest possible value. It comprises the best advice for this life, and is the only compass that guides us to heaven.

— The information of the Bible is always up-to-date (t = 1). Whereas most scientific publications become outdated after ten years, the Bible can never become outdated.

— We can readily access the information of the Bible (a = 1). It can be obtained all over the world, and the contents are easy to understand.

— The information of the Bible is comprehensive and complete (e = 1).

— No false information is contained in the Bible; it is the only Book of Truth (John 17:17).

— We find the highest semantic density of information in the Bible, as well as the best pragmatic information (commandments, rules of living, and our relationship with God and other people). It comprises the highest possible apobetics, namely an invitation to enter heaven!

— 161; bold text is in italics in the original; (r = relevance; t = timeliness; a = accessibility; e = existence)

Praise God for His goodness in giving us His Word! Let us all read our Bibles with a continuous awe of its matchless greatness.

In Apologetics, Bible reading, Christian Books, Quotes

Eight Witnesses to One-Hundred Percent Success in Mass Evangelism!

October 10, 2011

Both Scripture and history provide us with stirring accounts of mass evangelism. Because we can only have total certainty about the genuine success of those mass evangelistic encounters that have been recorded in Scripture, we should give the most careful attention possible to the records of those encounters.

Many scriptural accounts record success in seeing a number of people truly saved (Acts 2:41; 4:4; 5:14; 6:7; 8:12; 10:44; 11:21; 13:43, 48; 16:15; 16:32-34; 17:4, 12; 18:8). Of these accounts, only Acts 2 and 10 provide us with sufficient information to know that there were many believers present to attest to the success of the mass evangelistic encounter that took place on those occasions.

At Pentecost, Peter and the eleven were present (2:14) when about three thousand people were saved (2:41). The account, however, does not clearly indicate to us that every lost person present was saved; in fact, it seems to indicate that was not the case by saying that “they that gladly received his word were baptized” (2:41), which implies that there were those present who did not receive his word.

At Gentecost, Peter and six other brethren were present (11:12) when he preached to Cornelius and “the many [“his kinsmen and near friends”; 10:24] that were come together” (10:27). While Peter was preaching his message, “the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word” (10:44).

These statements thus make clear to us that Peter enjoyed 100% success in this mass evangelism encounter, and that there were seven witnesses to the genuineness of the salvation of every lost person who heard Peter’s message (10:45-48)! The importance of these witnesses being present on that occasion is underscored by Peter’s reference to them (11:12) in his subsequent defense of his evangelizing them (11:4-17).

What’s more, at the Jerusalem Council, when the truth of how Gentiles were to be saved was being intensely debated, Peter referred back to Gentecost when he declared, “God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as He did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith” (15:8-9). God thus was the eight and Premier Witness to the genuineness of their salvation!

Because the Gentecost accounts provide us with this glorious record of many witnesses, both human and divine, to one-hundred percent success in mass evangelism of Gentiles, we who evangelize Gentiles today should make sure that we give this marvelous evangelistic account its rightful place of preeminence in our evangelistic doctrine and practice.

In Evangelism, Gospel, Ministry, Preaching

Barrett on the Canaanites and God's Justice

September 24, 2011

Those that defend the Canaanites as innocent victims of Israeli savagery fail to recognize the theology of extermination. To charge the Old Testament as being sub-Christian because of this divine order to kill all the Canaanites is to deny the holy justice of God. . . . In addition to the manifold evidence of the Old Testament about the heinous sins of these doomed people, the book of Hebrews gives some insight that silences every accusation against God and any defense of the inhabitants of Jericho: they perished because the did not believe (Heb. 11:31). What Rahab heard and believed about the God of Israel all the city heard (see Joshua 2:9-11). What they heard, however, they did not mix with faith. From every perspective they were without excuse before the Lord. . . . God’s judgments are always righteous; no sinner, whether from ancient Jericho or modern America, can claim innocence before the most holy Lord.

—Michael P.V. Barrett, Complete in Him: A Guide to Understanding and Enjoying the Gospel, 277

In Apologetics, Quotes

Michael Green on Evangelism by the Early Christians

September 17, 2011

The enthusiasm to evangelize which marked the early Christians is one of the most remarkable things in the history of religions. Here were men and women of every rank and station in life, of every country in the known world, so convinced that they had discovered the riddle of the universe, so sure of the one true God whom they had come to know, that nothing must stand in the way of their passing on this good news to others. As we have seen, they did it by preaching and personal conversation, by formal discourse and informal testimony, by arguing in the synagogue and by chattering in the laundry. They might be slighted, laughed at, disenfranchised, robbed of their possessions, their homes, even their families, but this would not stop them. They might be reported to the authorities as dangerous atheists, and required to sacrifice to the imperial gods; but they refused to comply. In Christianity they had found something utterly new, authentic and satisfying. They were not prepared to deny Christ even in order to preserve their own lives; and in the manner of their dying they make converts to their faith.

—Michael Green, Evangelism in the Early Church, 236; quoted in Perspectives of Evangelism: Encouraging Effective Evangelism, 45-46

In Evangelism, Quotes

"The Witness of the Ordinances"

September 10, 2011

Henry M. Morris makes an excellent argument for the authenticity of the New Testament based on the testimony provided by it and history concerning the two major Christian ordinances:

Christian churches everywhere, of almost all denominations, practice two of the most remarkable ceremonies. Though the particular form of the observance of each may have changed in some respects with the passing years, the very fact of the observance is itself a strong testimony to the authenticity of the New Testament and Christianity. These two ceremonies are what are known as the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

According to the Gospel records (e.g., Matthew 28:19) Baptism was commanded by Jesus Christ as an integral part of His Great Commission, to be given each new convert . . . Similarly observance of the Lord’s Supper was commanded by Him as a regular observance . . . (e.g., Matthew 26:26-28).

It is known, of course, from the literature of the church through the ages that the churches have always practiced these two ordinances in one form or another. The authority for doing so comes from the New Testament. However, the ordinances do have a peculiar witness of their own, not shared by the other events recorded in the New Testament.

As a matter of fact, they antedate the New Testament since they were established by Christ Himself and have been practiced ever since. It is clear from the book of Acts that converts always were baptized soon after conversion (Acts 2:41; 8:12; etc.). Also the churches regularly observed the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:20-26), even before they had the New Testament Scriptures which commanded them to do so.

To appreciate the significance of this fact, one should try to imagine what it was like to be in one of these first century churches when they first began to receive copies of the epistles and other writings which eventually were to be the New Testament. Say, for example, it was a church which had been established as the result of the preaching of the Philip the evangelist. This church continued to exist, for, say, about twenty years after its founding before it began to receive copies of some of Paul’s epistles and perhaps another ten years before it obtained a copy of one of the four Gospels.

During this time it was guided in its practice by the teachings of its founder and perhaps also by other teachers whom God sent its way or raised up from its own members. Among the instructions they were following were, of course, those pertaining to Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Philip, who had been one of the original seven deacons, would certainly have been careful to emphasize the basic importance of these two ordinances in the life of the church. When they finally received the actual written accounts of how those ordinances were first established, this would merely strengthen and confirm them in what they were already practicing and knew to be in accordance with the verbal teachings they had received at first.

But, now, just suppose neither Philip nor any of their other teachers had ever told them anything about either ordinance and they had not practiced either Baptism or the Lord’s Supper before, and neither had any of their sister churches with whom they had contact. Suddenly they receive a document purporting to be from an apostle (say, the Gospel of Matthew, or Paul’s first Epistle to the Corinthians) in which these ordinances are discussed in such a way as to indicate they had been established by Christ and practiced by the churches ever since.

The obvious reaction by the church would be to assume the documents were fraudulent and to reject them forthwith. Their authors obviously could not have been the real apostles, because they were proposing two ceremonies as having existed in the churches since the days of Christ Himself, which the church receiving the documents knew, from their own previous contacts, did not exist in the churches. Thus, these documents would have been rejected as spurious by this church and by any other churches to which they came.

Thus, at no time after the days of Christ, could any such writings ever have gained acceptance as authentic records at all, unless these ordinances which they described were actually being practiced in the churches at the time of their writing and circulation. In this way the very existence of the two simple ceremonies of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, both picturing and commemorating the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus in obedience to His commandment, is in itself a powerful witness to the authenticity of the New Testament documents which describe their establishment and perpetuation. There is no way of accounting for the initiation of either of the ordinances except as described in these documents. The churches could never have been persuaded to begin practicing them by books or teachers who told them they had already been practicing them since the days of Christ, if in fact they knew otherwise. Therefore, the ordinances were established by Christ, and the New Testament writings which tell them about them are authentic.

Many Infallible Proofs: Evidences for the Christian Faith, 32-34; bold text is in italics in the original

In Apologetics, Evangelism, Quotes

Let Us All Heed the Lord's Gracious Invitation!

September 7, 2011

Isaiah 55:6-9 records the wonderful blessedness to which God graciously invites every sinner to come:

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Comparing these verses with Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him,” points to the following truths:

—Unrighteous people must forsake their thoughts either that there is no God (cf. Ps. 14:1), or that He is unable to be found, or that He is hopelessly far away (cf. Acts 17:27-28).

—Unrighteous people must stop thinking of God merely, solely, or primarily as the One who punishes people for their sins.

—Unrighteous people must turn from false thinking that everyone will receive mercy and be pardoned in the end regardless of whether they seek after God and return to Him or not.

—Unrighteous people must forsake thinking that they will be able to find God whenever they see fit to do so—they must seek Him while He may be found and call on Him while He is near.

—The wicked must forsake their ways of not seeking after God and calling on Him

Let us all by faith seek now after the God who is and who rewards those who diligently seek Him by having mercy on and abundantly pardoning those who call on Him!

In Evangelism, Interpretation

The Ministry of an Evangelist

September 5, 2011

While there are those who would make the evangelist a church-planter or equate him with the modern missionary, there is no real Biblical basis for such claims. The evangelist is a man of God who has been called of God to that particular ministry (Ephesians 4:11). A careful look at the life and ministry of Philip, the evangelist, reminds one of the ministries of the modern day evangelist. While his mode of travel may have undergone much change, his ministry remains much the same as described in Acts 8; mass evangelism, personal evangelism and an itinerant ministry in the churches.

—Ken Lynch, The Evangelist: His Life and Ministry to the Church and World, 24

In Evangelism, Interpretation, Quotes

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