ACTS 9
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
'...consider the type of man he was when we first meet him: consider his ambitions, his education, his preeminent position in his own nation, and his dazzling prospects of ever-increasing power and prestige.
He had every possible advantage that a proud and ambitious Jew could desire (and freeborn Roman citizenship on top of all that).
How the Pharisees to whom he belonged loved the preeminence, and the fawning of the awed and worshipful multitude of the common people, and to be called, "Rabbi, Rabbi!"
Source unknown
.15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Nothing is plainer in the whole course of the apostolic testimony than that Paul is a Christ-appointed model for us to copy.
...A man chosen by Christ must needs be a safe example for all the servants of Christ to follow. Paul commands - and what he wrote were the commandments of the Lord (1 Cor. 14:37).
"Be ye followers of ME, as I also am of Christ"(1 Cor. 11:1).
The sense in which he means this is made abundantly evident in many places. He tells us expressly, for instance, that he, though a persecutor, received mercy that
"in him first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, FOR A PATTERN to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting" (1 Tim. 1:16).
Accordingly, to the Philippians, he says (4:9):
"Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, DO."
And, again (3:17):
"Mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example."
To the Corinthians he speaks thus plainly:
"Though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers . . . wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every ecclesia"(1 Cor. 4:15).
To Timothy he commends his own example in saying:
"Thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience"(2 Tim. 3:10);
And to the Thessalonians he says:
"Yourselves know how ye ought to follow us . . . We made ourselves an example unto you to follow us"(1 Thess. 3:7, 9).
"Stand fast," he tells them,
"and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word or our epistle."
"Ye are witnesses," he also said,
"and God also, how holily and justly and unblamably we behaved ourselves among you that believe."
It is customary in polite society to consider those sayings egotistical. The polite, however, judge by a false standard in the matter. It is not egotistical, according to the scriptural standard, for a man devoid of self-love to declare the truth concerning himself when that declaration is necessary.
Paul was no self -lover; but if he was the appointed example from Christ of the sort of man Christ would choose from mankind for association with himself in glory, it was kind and necessary that Paul should testify this and hold the fact well in the front. The fact stands so, and Paul has acted in accordance with the fact; and our wisdom is to study the pattern, that we may copy it, and stand with Paul in the day of resurrection, which is at the door.
Seasons 1.69.
27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
The prophets and disciples of John the Baptizer, believed the truth; while those taught by the apostles, believed it "as it is in Jesus." But one who merely believes that "Jesus is Son of God," though the proposition is true, do not believe "the truth" in him or out of him; therefore an immersion on such a basis is not valid; for in baptism we are justified by faith in the truth, and by that truth as it is Jesus.
But, on the other hand, he that understands the covenants of promise, and from an examination of the apostolic writings, confesses, that Jesus is the Son of God, and both Lord and Christ; and is immersed into the One Name (not into three), is validly baptized; and should not be, under any considerations, immersed again.
Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, June 1856.
A FEW FIRST PRINCIPLES
... the personal testimony of the Apostles, evidential of the rightful claims of Jesus to the Messiahship, or regal, imperial, and pontifical sovereignty over Israel and the world, may be next proceeded with.
This testimony is contained in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John's writings. They were written that men 'might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing they might have Life through his Name.' They show
1. That Jesus is the hereditary descendant of David, in whom is vested the sole right to his kingdom and crown;
2. That He is the acknowledged Son of God by paternity of first birth; and by being born again of his spirit from the dead;
3. That He possessed two natures; first, that of mortal flesh; secondly, that of his present one, which is holy, spiritual flesh,—'the Lord, the Spirit;'
4. That without the shedding of blood there can be no remission of sins,—Heb. 9:22:
5. That the blood of animals cannot take away sins,—Heb. 10:4:
6. That for a sin-offering to be an efficient atonement it must not only be slain, but made alive again; which constitutes it a living sacrifice;
7. That Jesus was such a sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, and without blemish—that is, 'without sin,'—Heb. 4:15.
8. That the blood of Jesus is 'the blood of the New Institution, shed for many, for the remission of sins,'—Matt. 26:28:
9. That He rose from the dead: and ascended to the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens and that he will return in like manner as he departed, and to the same place,
10. The attributes of Jesus constitute his name.
11. That through this name, repentance, remission of sins, and eternal life, are offered to all intelligent believers of child-like disposition.
12. That if men would receive the benefits of the Name, they must believe in it, and put it on.
13. That this Name is inseparably connected with the institution of immersion—so that if a believer of the Gospel would put it on, he must be immersed into the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,—Acts 2:38; 10:44, 48.
14. That the Gospel is the glad tidings of the kingdom in the name of Jesus, if therefore a man would be saved, he must believe this gospel and obey it,—Mark 16:15, 16.
15. That if an angel preach any other gospel than this he is accursed,—Gal. 1:8, 9.
16. That all who obey not this gospel shall be punished,—2 Thess. 1:7–10.
17. That it is the law by which man shall be judged,—Rom. 2:12–16.
18. That the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God,—1 Cor. 6:9–11.
Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, Mar 1851
31 Then had the ecclesias rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the holy spirit, were multiplied.
A Royal Association of Believers
No organization, not even an apostolic one, can work well, that is, scripturally, which is not composed of elements more zealous for the advancement of the truth, and the promotion of the glory of its divine Author, than of their own notions and exaltation.
The first necessary thing is, that the members shall have become as little children, having their old Adam subdued by faith, and Christ substituted in his place by the same principle. Without this disposition, which is "peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy," no organization could work harmoniously and efficaciously, though framed and administered by the apostles themselves.
Even a bad organization with good materials would work better than a good one with a self-willed, heady, factious, and self-glorifying people. The members must all respect the apostolic teaching if they would have an organization that would be scriptural and satisfactory to all good men.
This teaching says, "By love serve one another." "Be not desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another." "Submit yourselves one to another in the fear of God." "Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel." "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." "Let your moderation be known unto all men."
"Put on, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which (peace) also ye are called in one body; and be thankful." "Be at peace among yourselves." "Be all of one mind, having compassion one of another: love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous." "Let love be without dissimulation. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another."
And the great teacher, even Christ, who, though the Lord of all, humbled himself, and became the servant of the least, enstamps this doctrine with the seal of his authority, saying, "He that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."
A people imbued with such doctrine as this would make almost any organization work well; and indeed would get along peaceably together without any written constitution at all; because peace, and righteousness, and the law of the spirit of life, would be written in their hearts and minds. A people so disposed is the great want of our age-a people who not only believe the gospel of the kingdom, but manifest the fruit of it in their walk and conversation, to wit, "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit."
It is the extreme scarcity of such that makes it almost impossible to plant heritages in the land with administrations even remotely approximating to the apostolic. An association of believers is better without an eldership, than to have one made up of persons destitute of the qualifications indicated in Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus. All who have obeyed the gospel are not "blameless," "watchful," "decorous," "given to hospitality," "apt to teach," "of a well regulated mind"-δωφζονα-"judicious rulers of their own house," and of good external report.
These qualifications are as necessary as faith and obedience to the gospel; and in order that their aptness to teach may be beneficially exercised, it is necessary that "the word of Christ dwell in them richly in all wisdom." Persons thus qualified would preside over an association of believers with great advantage for all to concerned. These were the sort of persons the apostles exhort us to obey; but before we can do what they require in the premises, the right persons must be manifested.
They do not exhort us to obey the incarnations of accident, or of majorities, or of party feeling; but only such as the Holy Spirit makes overseers-"able men, such as fear God; men of truth, hating covetousness." They should be wise, not in their own conceits; this the apostle forbids: but wise in the estimation of those that be wise, and disposed to avail themselves of their services. The greatest amount of the knowledge of divine things possessed in these days is but little at best.
How very minute, then, that which is little compared with this! and how little ability is there to use this small amount aright! A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. It puffs up, and "lifts up with pride," or inordinate self-esteem. It is expedient, therefore, that a newly-formed ecclesiastical association should enter upon such an arrangement as would give expression probationally to the principles set forth; that being taught by experience they may be the better able to judge of measures and of the fitness of individuals to carry them into effect with permanence.
Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, Jan 1854
32 And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.
The Saints
-This description is employed some sixty times or so in the New Testament. It defines the position of the disciples with respect to their surroundings. It tells them that they are holy ones, sanctified or set apart from the rest of the community (as the Levites were) for divine purposes; as it is written, "called to be saints."
Not saints, however, in the sense of the Roman Catholic calendar; but in the sense of being
"holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling."
The Christadelphian, Apr 1888