Mankind seems hell-bent on rebelling against God and His authority. Psalm 2:2-3 (NLT) paints a vivid picture of man’s insurgent and seditious attitude toward God’s rule: “The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one. ‘Let us break their chains,’ they cry, ‘and free ourselves from slavery to God.’” … read more
If a Spirit-filled believer can only quote one verse from that wonderful chapter, it is probably verse four, which reads: “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” As wonderful as that passage is, is what is described in that verse really the main purpose of Pentecost? We could also ask, “Was their speaking in tongues—in this particular situation—an end in itself, or was it a means to an end? …read more
Even if the Lord were only interested in our labor, He is wise enough to know that we do more work and better work when we’re rested and strong. But the Lord is not just interested in what we can do for Him. He offers us rest because He cares about us. Some of the old-time preachers were known to say, “I’d rather burn out than rust out.” Wisdom teaches us that we don’t have to do either. … read more
Of the phrase, “Ready! Aim! Fire!” Brian Stolle writes, “This legendarily accepted process of operations works universally whether shooting a gun, a bow and arrow, playing golf, or leading a team to achieve an objective. Prepare or ready yourself for the intended action; take aim on the objective and goals; and then fire, or execute.” … read more
Have you ever stopped to think about the different types of messages that are preached from pulpits? Certainly, all messages are not the same. I suppose there would be dozens of different ways to classify and categorize different kinds of sermons, but I want to look at two specific kinds in this letter. …read more
Years ago, I asked a number of pastors about the most fulfilling aspect of their work. While responses varied slightly, the majority of pastors said that they are most gratified and pleased when they see peoples’ lives changed through receiving and acting upon the Word of God. Conversely, when asked about the most frustrating aspect of ministry, the same group typically responded that it is when people “don’t get it” and are not changed. …read more
We are living in amazing days. There are more people alive on the planet than at any other time in history, and the potential for the Church to impact a sighing, crying, and dying world with a life-giving message and life-changing power has never been greater. But are churches ready? Are the laborers that Jesus prayed for equipped and energized, or are believers barely hanging on, trying to merely survive? …read more
As we traveled the Mediterranean recently, I found myself periodically looking out at the water and imagining Paul on one of his voyages. During the day when the sun is shining, the Great Sea (as it was called by the ancients) is stunningly beautiful. But at night, especially if there are rough waters, the Sea is daunting, intimidating, and not at all inviting. …read more
“Whatever it takes to get the job done” means that you are willing to roll up your sleeves, to get your hands dirty, to go the extra mile, and to go above-and-beyond the call of duty. It means that you are not a prima donna, that you are not too good to serve. It means that you are a person of resolve, determination, and conviction. … read more
Something believers need to strongly consider these days is the issue of authority, and more specifically, God’s authority. A fundamental question every human being must answer has to do with whether or not they will submit their lives to God’s rule and reign. …read more
In the past I did, but I no longer believe in food. If you stop and think about it, there is no unity or agreement in the food industry, so how could food be true? All you have to do is drive down the street and you’ll see countless contradictions when it comes to food. One place has Italian food, another place offers Chinese food, while yet another place promotes Barbecue. If you keep driving, you’ll see pizza joints, fast food places, and Mexican restaurants, all of which claim to provide—you guessed it—food. …read more
What does the Bible say about preborn children?
“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed” (Psalm 139:13-16 NLT).
Earlier David had written, “From My mother’s womb You have been My God” (Psalm 22:10 NKJV).
God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV).
Speaking of John the Baptist, the angel told his father, Zechariah, “He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth” (Luke 1:15 NLT).
When Elizabeth was six months pregnant with John the Baptist, Mary (who was pregnant with Jesus by the Holy Spirit) came to see her. Elizabeth said, “Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy” (Luke 1:43-44 NLT).
Everybody wants to be right. If you watch cable news and see a panel of “experts” debating a topic, you can hardly tell what anyone is saying as they incessantly talk over the top of one another, each trying to prove their own point. It’s not uncommon in society today to hear some vilify and defame anyone who disagrees with them, even if it means grossly misrepresenting the other person’s position and distorting their views.
Proverbs 21:2 tells us that “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes…” and Proverbs 12:15 (NLT) says that even “Fools think their own way is right…” While we all want to hold to clearly revealed truth with assurance and conviction, we would all be wise to make sure that we don’t falsely believe in our own infallibility. None of us are that smart.
I think we will discover in heaven that none of us were 100% accurate about every thought, idea, and interpretation we had. While I fully embrace the Bible as God’s inspired and infallible Word, I am reminded that even Paul said, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Though strong, bold, and fearless in his convictions, Paul remained mindful that God alone is omniscient.
When a person thinks he knows it all, arrogance and haughtiness abound. Paul said, “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1 NET). In the Message version, 1 Corinthians 8:3 says, “We never really know enough until we recognize that God alone knows it all.” Norman Grubb said it well when he remarked: “Being human, we can only receive infinite truth in finite doses.”
A minister friend told me once about a service he attended. He remarked that the people were all very enthusiastic. However, he noticed something interesting about the overall atmosphere and the tone of what was conveyed. He said that much of what was said in the message and even expressed in the songs was overwhelmingly self-congratulatory. They were, in essence, singing and speaking about how wonderful they were. They were on the cutting edge. They were the ambassadors of God’s newest and freshest move. They were the custodians of God’s deepest truths. Under the guise of worshipping God and giving Him glory, they were, in reality exalting and extolling themselves most lavishly.
Paul said, “When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them” (2 Corinthians 10:18 NLT). Just before that, he had referred to, “…some who exalt and furnish testimonials for themselves!” (2 Corinthians 10:12 AMP).
Gordon Lindsay wrote in his book, “God’s Twentieth-Century Barnabas,” “Some spiritual moves have been blessed of God, and then suddenly have faded away because of the presumptuous and erratic conduct of certain of the leaders. One such move occurred some years ago in America… At first we rejoiced in this outpouring of the Spirit. But very soon we saw something develop that alarmed us. Some of the leaders were claiming that they were the ‘Powerhouse’ and all other churches ‘dried up.’ They said that people should come to them to get recharged. When we saw such bold pretensions, we realized that the usefulness of such leaders could not last long.”
We need to avoid the trap of spiritual pride, and this includes falsely believing that we are always right and everyone else is wrong. Perhaps some attempts to validate oneself are really based on deep, underlying insecurities, but nevertheless, we need to remove the false props that only boost our egos and do nothing to advance the Kingdom of God. Here are some things we may need to remind ourselves of from time to time.
1. I am not necessarily right because my church (or following) is big.
Every pastor wants to have a lot of members and multitudes of people attending weekly. No pastor enjoys preaching to empty seats. Every preacher wants many people reading his books, watching his television show, listening to his radio broadcasts or podcasts, etc. Hopefully our motives reflect a desire to see people reached and impacted by God’s love, not because we want to bolster our egos or make ourselves look good or feel superior.
Further, if we happen to have a church of significant size or a number of people following our ministry, we must be careful not to assume that it is an absolute indicator that we are right about everything. I actually heard a minister say once, “I must be right; look how many people are following my ministry.” Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism all have large followings, as do certain so-called “Christian” cults. A large following does not necessarily equate to accuracy, or being right.
2. I am not necessarily right because my church (or following) is small.
On the other end of the spectrum, there are people who feel that they are more genuine, authentic, or holy than others because their church and/or following is not large. Some automatically assume that any large church has obviously sold-out, compromised, and has diluted the truth. It stands to reason, then, that if my following is small (they say), it’s because I’m ministering to the remnant, the chosen ones, and the true believers.
The truth of the matter is that there are some great small churches and some great large churches. There are also some unhealthy small churches and some unhealthy large churches. Numbers alone are not the ultimate or absolute litmus test of anything. If you stop and think about it, the crowds that Jesus had fluctuated drastically. He wasn’t right because His crowd was large at a given time, neither was He right because His crowd was small at a given time. Jesus was right because He remained perfectly aligned with His Father and focused on doing His will.
3. I am not necessarily right because my church (or ministry) is popular.
This is somewhat similar to the size issue. Every church and ministry likes to have people excited and “buzzing” about what’s going on. Popularity, though, is not something we are to pursue through slick marketing, catchy slogans, and clever PR. It’s true that Jesus was popular and that, “His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee” (Mark 1:28), but Jesus’ notoriety was based on the substance He ministered. Popularity was a by-product of the quality of what Jesus was actually ministering, not a goal to for the purpose of increasing His market share.
Honestly, I’m not against genuine advertising or even against good marketing, but we need to avoid hype and marketing with wrong motives, and we must avoid interpreting popularity (as fleeting as it can be) as some kind of stamp of divine approval. Some who thought their popularity was a sign of heavenly endorsement found out that, in fact, they were simply the “flavor of the month” among fickle Christian consumers. What I’m saying is that we need to focus on the steak, not the sizzle.
4. I am not necessarily right because my church (or ministry) is persecuted.
Over the years, I’ve seen various ministers get off on a weird doctrinal or methodological tangent, and they proclaimed that this new direction was based on a special revelation God had given them. When others did not concur with or celebrate their new course, they immediately began to play “the martyr card.” They began to use this so-called persecution as a validation that they were on the right track. I’ve heard different individuals say over the years, “Well, they persecuted the prophets, they persecuted Jesus and the apostles, and now they’re persecuting me.”
Part of the overall deception in some cases is a false belief that essentially says, “If you don’t agree with me and submit to my new revelation, then you are persecuting me.” Obviously, I am not in favor of anyone persecuting anyone else, but simple disagreement is not persecution. People are entitled to their own opinion and perspective, and if someone disagrees with me and I’m offended, maybe I just need to get a little thicker skin.
5. I am not necessarily right because my church (or ministry) is wealthy.
It is common for people to associate financial increase with the blessing and favor of God, and it can be. However, financial gain or accumulation is not absolutely synonymous with divine approval; some people have just learned how to play the game well (and some play dirty). The Bible is actually quite clear in teaching that material wealth alone does not automatically equate to divine favor. In Revelation 3:17, Jesus warned the church of Laodicea, “…you say, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” Proverbs 10:22 says, “The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.” There are ways of obtaining wealth (crime, manipulation, etc.) that have a distinct downside to it, and those we are to avoid. As much as we all appreciate abundance and prosperity, we must avoid coming to the conclusion that the presence of wealth is an absolute indicator of divine favor.
6. I am not necessarily right because my church (or ministry) is poor.
At the other end of the spectrum are people who think that poverty is a sure-fire indicator of God’s favor. They ascetically delight in their lack and deprivation, believing it is a sign of piety. While some have commendably chosen to have less instead of compromising (Hebrews 11:26), others may be lacking for less noble reasons. Wearing a “poverty mentality” as some kind of badge of misguided honor (in reality, it can be spiritual pride) is simply not in the Kingdom’s best interest as it often takes substantial finances and resources to carry out God’s work in the earth. I deeply appreciate all who have genuinely sacrificed for the Kingdom and for the benefit of others, but a believer or minister being dirt poor is not an absolute guarantee of spiritual superiority.
Like crowds and popularity, income can vary. Paul said, “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little” (Philippians 4:12 NLT). Just like Jesus wasn’t more right when crowds were growing than when crowds were shrinking, Paul wasn’t more right when finances were good than he was when finances were tight.
I really shouldn’t declare myself “right” based on the size of my following, large or small. I can’t assume I’m right based on popularity or persecution. And I can’t determine how right I am based on an abundance of money or the lack thereof. Perhaps one of the best things we can do is follow Paul’s admonition to a group of believers who were actively engaged in politicking for who their favorite preacher was. He said in 1 Corinthians 4:5, “…judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.”
Should we strive for accuracy? Absolutely. 2 Timothy 2:15 (AMP) says, “Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.” There are some workers who are approved, and others who are not. We should endeavor to be accurate so that we can properly represent and portray God to those who need to know Him, not so that we can arrogantly boast that we are right and everyone else wrong.
After preaching a service this past May in Thonon-les-Bains, France, I was looking around the church bookstore as we waited for the pastor to finish visiting with the people. The titles were all in French, but I recognized some names of the various authors and one of the titles caught my attention. I don’t know exactly what it said, but I could tell it was something about trusting God for the impossible. …read more
Have you ever seen someone playing the game called Whack-a-Mole? They stand before the game board with a padded hammer, just waiting for one of the little critters to pop its head up, and they try to whack it before it goes back in the hole. The longer they play, the faster and more erratic the moles are in popping up their heads. …read more
I probably don’t need to explain the title since most people have heard the phrase, “Liar, liar, pants on fire,” but if that snippet was actually true, there would be a lot of people these days with serious injuries to the lower half of their bodies. …read more
Those two words—multiplication and mobilization—have been strong on my heart in recent times. One of the verses that powerfully conveys the idea behind these two words is what we call “The 222 Principle” found in 2 Timothy 2:2, which reads, “And the things that you have heard from me… commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” …read more
No, I’m not confused about what month it is. I know that Easter is not until next month. I believe, though, it’s important that we not only think about resurrection when Easter comes around. I wonder how many believers appreciate all the ramifications of resurrection, and recognize its multi-dimensional influence in our lives. …read more
In spite of its great significance and importance, work is a word that many people do not want to hear when it comes to Christianity or spiritual things. Christians love words like, “grace,” “free gift,” and “rest.” Those are wonderful words—biblical words—and they all have a vital role in our Christian life. But work, in a positive sense, is also extremely biblical, and it also deserves our attention and study. …read more
The more we mature, the more we realize that we are eternal beings living in a temporal world. We all have certain limitations to work within, so it’s important to be wise about how we allocate our energies—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. This could have been a motivating factor behind the prayer we find in Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” …read more
This is not a time for the church to be passive, dormant, or timid. Instead of bemoaning the decay of the world system around us, the Word of God admonishes us to, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:14-15). …read more
Question: Tony, do you have any resources about the types of questions a prospective pastor should ask to a “pulpit committee” that is considering him as their new pastor?
Answer: I don’t personally have any resources along those lines, but here are some I found on the internet. Hopefully these will provide some good food for thought.
http://thomrainer.com/2013/03/02/seven-questions-a-pastor-should-ask-a-church-before-he-says-yes/
http://www.9marks.org/answers/what-are-some-questions-pastor-should-ask-church-he’s-candidating
http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/1998/summer/8l3097.html
http://unashamedworkman.wordpress.com/2009/08/27/41-questions-to-ask-a-potential-church/
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/breyeschow/2012/09/26/interview-questions-pastor-search/
I have a question concerning public acknowledgment regarding the giving of an offering.
Based on Matthew 6:3-5 (in the Amplified Bible), if someone gets up in front of a congregation and announces their offering amount to the congregation publicly, do they disqualify themselves from receiving a reward from God for that offering? Is the applause of the congregation the only reward they will receive?
Also, if a person giving a large amount is recognized publicly for that amount, doesn’t that make a person who could only give $10 feel less than adequate?
Answer:
The “alms” that Jesus addressed in Matthew 6 was a very specific type of giving – it was charitable giving, or giving to the poor. I believe that one of the reasons Jesus emphasized what he did here was to protect the dignity of the poor. It can exploit the poor person (and be very embarrassing to them) if their receiving of someone else’s generosity becomes spotlighted for all to see, especially if the person doing the giving is really just “grand-standing” to make themselves look good.
Also of significant importance here is the attitude and motive of the giver. It was obviously very distasteful to God when people exploited someone else’s misfortune to make themselves look good to others. I’m reminded of 1 Corinthians 13:3 (Amplified) – Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God’s love in me), I gain nothing.
Having said that, though, I think it’s noteworthy that there are two specific examples in the book of Acts where a person’s generosity was specifically highlighted. One was commended, and one was condemned.
Acts 4:32-37 describes the generosity of Barnabas, and apparently, it was somewhat public. Barnabas took the proceeds from a real estate transaction and “brought the money and laid it at the Apostle’s feet.”
In sharp contrast to that, though, is the incident which immediately follows it in the book of Acts (5:1-11). Ananias and Saphira did the same thing externally that Barnabas did, but instead of being commended as the “Son of Encouragement,” they were struck dead. In this case, we could assume that the main issue wasn’t whether the giving was done in a public fashion, but rather it was an issue of the heart.
You raise a very valid point that sometimes people could feel that their relatively “small” offering was insignificant, and I think we need to minister in such a way as to dispel that thinking. Jesus did this most effectively when He told the story about the “widow’s mite.” “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury ; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.” (Mark 12:43-44).
There are definitely dangers involved in elevating people because they give a large offering. Scripture warns against partiality and respect of persons (James 2:1-4). Pride in the giver and the shaming of others are certainly dangerous pitfalls to be avoided.
However, there is also another side of the coin. Some have argued— and I believe there is some truth to this—that certain “public” disclosures about offerings can actually inspire others to be more generous and to give more freely to an important cause. For example, it appears that the Apostle Paul engaged in this somewhat when he was writing to the Corinthians. When you read 2 Corinthians 8:1-7, 24 & 9:1:5, you get the impression that Paul, in a good-spirited way, was “pitting two churches against each other,” telling each of them how generous the other church had been in order to stimulate each of them into more generous giving. It’s important to note here that Paul did not benefit personally from any of this… it was an offering for the poor saints in Jerusalem.
Finally, the Bible tells us about the huge amounts that David gave, in a very public way, from his own personal fortune toward the building of the temple:
1 Chronicles 29:2-10 (The Message Version)
I’ve done my best to get everything together for building this house for my God, all the materials necessary: gold, silver, bronze, iron, lumber, precious and varicolored stones, and building stones—vast stockpiles. Furthermore, because my heart is in this, in addition to and beyond what I have gathered, I’m turning over my personal fortune of gold and silver for making this place of worship for my God: 43,000 talents (about 113 tons) of gold—all from Ophir, the best—and 7,000 talents (214 tons) of silver for covering the walls of the buildings, and for the gold and silver work by craftsmen and artisans. “And now, how about you? Who among you is ready and willing to join in the giving?” Ready and willing, the heads of families, leaders of the tribes of Israel, commanders and captains in the army, stewards of the king’s affairs, stepped forward and gave willingly. They gave 5,000 talents (188 tons) and 10,000 darics (185 pounds) of gold, 10,000 talents of silver (377 tons), 18,000 talents of bronze (679 tons), and 100,000 talents (3,775 tons) of iron. Anyone who had precious jewels put them in the treasury for the building of The Temple of GOD in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite. And the people were full of a sense of celebration—all that giving! And all given willingly, freely! King David was exuberant.10 David blessed GOD in full view of the entire congregation…
This is an example of public giving done right, and it centers in the fact that David’s heart was entirely pure before God in this. He wasn’t into pride, and he genuinely was doing it to inspire others to give. Granted, no one could give as much as David did, but in this case, it didn’t seem to create a problem. There was an absolute atmosphere of celebration involved—it was giving that really glorified God. If you ever run the numbers on any of this, you’ll find that David literally gave BILLIONS of dollars worth of his personal fortune in this instance.
One example I saw involving “public giving” that brought great blessing involved an American pastor who sensed a leading from the Holy Spirit to make a substantial contribution to a missionary serving overseas. The missionary was endeavoring to purchase a much-needed building, and the amount needed, in the natural, was going to require a miracle. The American pastor showed up in a church service where the missionary serves as the pastor, and asked if he could greet the people. He then proceeded to tell the missionary how God had put it on his heart to help them, and handed the missionary a check for hundreds of thousands of dollars. When the pastor had made out the check, he did not know it was the exact amount that was needed to purchase the building.
The rejoicing, celebration, and praise that erupted at that moment was amazing. The people had been giving sacrificially all along, and they knew that their giving was important, but they really needed that extra boost to get them over the hump. This public offering brought an enormous amount of encouragement to the missionary and to the entire congregation. The pastor gave it in a sweet, humble spirit, and everyone was blessed except the devil.
In summary, there are potential dangers and potential blessings in the public acknowledgement of offerings. Any type of giving that is based on pride, self-exaltation, and a desire to be noticed is to be avoided. However, if people’s hearts are really right, and if there is proper instruction (the people knowing that all gifts are precious to God), there can be cases where public acknowledgement of giving results in blessing. It takes wisdom and a steady hand to guide such activities to keep them from being offensive and creating a stumbling block to others. We don’t want to encourage any Ananias and Saphira situations, but neither do we want to preclude the blessing of Barnabas-type of generosity.
Did the Apostle Paul make a mistake in going to Jerusalem (Acts 21)?
Answer: This isn’t the first time I’ve been asked this, and the question has typically been connected to the interaction that Paul had with certain disciples in Acts 21 – the chapter you referenced – while he was en route to Jerusalem.
Acts 21:4 says, “And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.”
Paul did not submit to or comply with these warnings, but continued on his journey to Jerusalem. From an observational and circumstantial standpoint, what happened when he arrived there seems to have been nothing short of disastrous.
Acts 21:30-32
30 And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple… 31 Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
Later, Luke referred to a “tumult” and said that Paul, “…had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob” (Acts 21:34-35). After this, Paul was imprisoned in Jerusalem, then transferred to prison in Caesarea, and ultimately to Rome. In considering the circumstances, Paul’s decision to go to Jerusalem seems like a great mistake, but was it? To answer this question, it would be helpful to back up and look at the big picture. We must examine Paul’s calling and assignment. What was Paul called to do, and who was he called to reach?
In order to begin to evaluate whether Paul made the right decision in going to Jerusalem, it is important to step back and explore the exact nature of his original calling and assignment from God. After Paul’s Damascus Road experience, Jesus spoke to Ananias in a vision and told him to go and pray for Paul (Saul of Tarsus). Knowing Paul’s violent background and hostile intentions toward the church, Ananias protested this directive, and the Lord spoke to him (Acts 9:15-16) and said: "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake."
Notice that there were three distinct target audiences for Paul’s ministry:
Notice that Jesus also indicated there was going to be some suffering involved in the carrying out of his ministry assignment.
Paul later re-told his conversion experience, and in summarizing the experience, used different wording. However, his summarized accounts would still have accurately captured the gist of the original experience.
Quoting Ananias’ words to him, Paul later said (Acts 22:15): For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.
Notice here that the specific breakdown of people groups (Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel) is not articulated as it was in Acts 9. It simply refers to Paul’s assignment to share the gospel with “all men.” This summarized version in Acts 22 does not contradict the way it is related in Acts 9; it simply provides a simpler, overview description as opposed to an itemized listing.
Then in Acts 26, Paul is relating his conversion experience to King Agrippa. Paul begins by quoting Jesus and then discusses his response to the calling:
16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ 19 "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. 21 For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come — 23 that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.
Notice that Paul believed strongly that Jesus had commissioned him to reach both the Jewish people and the Gentiles with the gospel. Having done so, he was able to say that he had not been “disobedient to the heavenly vision.” In short, we can see that Paul’s preaching to the Jews and the Gentiles was not his own idea, but rather, it was a clearly defined assignment from Jesus.
Paul’s calling seemed to have some priorities built into it. As time progressed, the Gentiles seemed to be his primary target audience. In speaking about his interaction with the leadership of the Jerusalem church, Paul said (Galatians 2:7-9):
7 “…when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter 8(for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), 9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
In saying this, Paul apparently did not believe that these assignments (Peter to the Jews and himself to the Gentiles) was in some way mutually exclusive. Obviously, Peter preached to the Gentiles in Acts 10, and Paul preached to Jewish audiences on numerous occasions. From this, we could conclude that ministers may have a primary target audience, but they are not entirely restricted to that audience; they may have secondary target audiences as well.
Consistency in Paul’s Methodology
As a matter of fact, Paul’s typical pattern was to go into a city, share the gospel in the synagogues to the Jews and the Gentile “God-fearers” first. Those who believed from that group became the nucleus of a new church in that city. That fledgling body of believers then served as the platform from which other Gentiles were reached with the gospel. We see this pattern over and over again in the book of Acts.
Consider the following examples:
Acts 13:4-5 (Cyprus)
4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews.
Acts 13:14-16, 42-48 (Antioch Pisidian)
14 …they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. 15 And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, "Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on." 16 Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen…
42 So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. 43 Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. 45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. 46 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’"
48 Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
Acts 14:1 (Iconium)
1 Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.
Acts 17:1-4 (Thessalonica)
1 …they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ." 4 And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.
Acts 17:10-13 (Berea)
10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men. 13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there also and stirred up the crowds.
Acts 17:17 (Athens)
17 Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there.
Acts 18:4-8 (Corinth)
4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. 6 But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, "Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." 7 And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.
Acts 19:8-9 (Ephesus)
8 And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.
New Direction
The consistency of Paul’s pattern is very obvious. As he was concluding his time in Ephesus, Paul made a determination regarding the future direction of his ministry:
Acts 19:21
21 When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome."
Jerusalem, then Rome. These are the two places Paul determined to go. Not to present Paul as infallible, but I believe that Paul knew how to be led by the Holy Spirit. I also believe that he was able to interpret God’s will for his life better than I can nearly 2,000 years later.
With all Paul suffered in Jerusalem (and in the events that followed his trip there), we might be inclined to ask if Paul had any inclination of how difficult that situation was going to be for him. Would going to Jerusalem lead to comfort and convenience? As Paul bade farewell to the Elders of the church at Ephesus, we see that Paul had a strong realization of the difficulties that his trip to Jerusalem would generate, and yet he chose to go anyway, believing that this trip was part of finishing his race and completing the ministry he had received from Jesus.
Acts 20:21-28
21 testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. 24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 "And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.”
Paul was clear to point out that he had excluded no one in his ministry—he had testified both to Jews and Greeks. Apparently, Paul felt that reaching “all men” with the gospel was part of his ministry responsibility and assignment.
So Paul begins his journey, knowing that “chains and tribulations” were awaiting him. As he travels toward Jerusalem, he has an interesting encounter with some believers in Tyre (this takes us back to the Scripture we used at the beginning of this article).
Acts 21:4-5
4 And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.
This statementÅthey told Paul through the Spirit not go to up to JerusalemÅis a key point at the core of the argument that Paul missed it in going to Jerusalem.
If a person understood this communication to be some form of “dictation,” that God, through these disciples, was ordering Paul not to go to Jerusalem, it would lend credence to the idea that Paul did, in fact, err in going on to Jerusalem and getting into all the trouble that he experienced.
However, the New Testament idea of prophecy does not lend itself to undertanding this encounter involving a rigid command from God for Paul not to go to Jerusalem. Regarding prophecy, Paul himself (inspired by the Holy Spirit) said that we “know in part and prophecy in part” (1 Corinthians 13:9). Concerning inspired utterances, Paul also said, “Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thess. 5:21-22).
Paul, no doubt, would have judged this prophecy. I believe he would have asked if God was really speaking to him through these believers. He would have asked if there was human emotion filtering into the prophecy that would have affected its presentation.
The Williams translation of the New Testament (Acts 21:4) would lend support to the latter possibility. It reads: “Because of impressions made by the Spirit, they kept on telling Paul not to go to Jerusalem.”
If this interpretation is correct, it simply means that these disciples were well-meaning people who cared about Paul. They had the right impression (that Paul was heading for trouble), but they made the wrong interpretation (that he wasn’t supposed to go to Jerusalem). It’s hard to fault these believers. They loved Paul, and didn’t want to see him suffer, but it would appear that human sentiment entered in and influenced their communication.
In actuality, these disciples were simply picking up on the same impression that Paul hadÅthe one he expressed in Acts 20:23 (“chains and tribulations await me…”). These believers and Paul simply arrived at different conclusions of what this impression meant.
A Prophet Speaks
Shortly, another experience happened that speaks to the whole issue of Paul’s journey to Jerusalem.
Acts 21:8-14
8 On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. 10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’" 12 Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." 14 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The will of the Lord be done."
There are three things that are very important to notice here:
*Agabus (a prophet), in verses 10-11) did not tell Paul not to go to Jerusalem; he simply told him what was going to happen when he arrived there.
*Agabus (in verse 12) was not identified as one of those who encouraged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. The ones doing that were those identified as “we” (that would have been Paul’s own team) and “those from that place” (that would have been those from Caesarea, and Agabus was not from that place; he had come there from Judea).
*Once they saw Paul’s determination, they said, “The will of the Lord be done” (verse 14). Apparently they came to the conclusion that even though they didn’t like the idea of heading into a situation that involved suffering, they resigned themselves to the idea that Paul must have been following God’s will.
It would be appropriate here to ask the question: “If Paul wasn’t missing it, then why all these warnings? Wouldn’t these have simply been discouraging to Paul?” In one sense, these warnings could have helped Paul prepare for what he was going to face. It would have been part of “counting the cost” in continuing in the journey he was in the process of making. Paul had already taken his stand (Acts 20:24), but these warnings served as opportunities for Paul to reinforce, and to perhaps even deepen his resolve.
From this point, Paul proceeds to Jerusalem, and the previously-mentioned riot takes place, nearly resulting in Paul’s death (Acts 21:15-40). Paul then addressed the crowd (Acts 22:1-21) and later the Sanhedrin (Acts 23:1-10). What is recorded next in the book of Acts brings us to a very important key to understanding whether Paul had missed it in going to Jerusalem.
Did Jesus Think Paul Had Missed It in Going to Jerusalem?
Interestingly, the very first verse after Paul is detained following the Jerusalem incident involves Jesus appearing to and speaking to him. Acts 23:11 says, “But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.’”
In saying this, Jesus seemed to strongly validate Paul’s journey to Jerusalem and the testimony he gave there. Jesus did not rebuke Paul for not having listened to the disciples who spoke to him “through the Spirit” back in Tyre or for having over-ridden the pleading of his friends following the prophetic utterance of Agabus.
Had Paul missed it in coming to Jerusalem, then Jesus would have, in essence, been commending Paul for his disobedience. He would have been saying, “Be of good cheer Paul, for as you have disobeyed me in coming to Jerusalem, you must also disobey me by going to Rome.” That doesn’t make sense, does it? Remember, there was a connection (especially in Paul’s mind) between the trip to Jerusalem and the trip to Rome. It was in Acts 19:21 that Paul Paul purposed in the Spirit… to go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome." Now Jesus is apparently validating both legs of the journey.
It was Paul’s trip to Jerusalem that set in motion a chain of events that enabled him to stand before kings and other rulers, a group that had been mentioned in Paul’s original calling (Acts 9:15) along with the Gentiles and Jews. It was the trip to Jerusalem that facilitated Paul testifying before:
*Felix (Acts 23:23 – 24:27)
*Festus (Acts 25:1-12)
*Agrippa (Acts 25:13 – 26:32)
*Ultimately, according to long-standing tradition, before the Roman Emperor, Nero.
Paul apparently never felt his journey to Jerusalem was a mistake. During his first Roman imprisonment, he said, (Philippians 1:12-15) But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
In another prison epistle, Paul said, (Phil. 4:22), All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household.
Far from bemoaning a mistake in direction, the Apostle Paul capitalized upon and made the most of the problems which began in Jerusalem. His imprisonments became platforms and opportunities, not only for testifying to guards and officials, but also to write several of the epistles that have been cherished through the ages.
One of the officials that Paul appeared before was Agrippa (Acts 25:23 – 26:32). At the end of Paul’s testimony, Agrippa said (Acts 26:28), “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”
As Paul was recounting his calling to King Agrippa, he again articulated that it was his calling to reach both Jews and Gentiles with the gospel, and he told the king that he had not been “disobedient to the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19). Paul said this specifically in the context of his trip to Jerusalem (see Acts 26:21). In Paul’s mind, for him not to have gone to Jerusalem on this particular journey would have been, in essence, disobedience to his calling.
It is understandable that Paul had both the Jewish people and the Gentiles on his heart, as all men were the intended recipients of God’s grace that had come in the person and the work of Jesus Christ. Peter and Paul were in agreement that everyone, both Jews and Gentiles, needed the gospel. Peter, who had first preached to the Gentiles in Acts 10, gave this summary of his understanding of the universal need for the gospel:
Acts 15:9, 11
9 and [God] made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they."
Paul shared and taught the same concept in the book of Romans.
Rom 3:28-30
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
Rom 10:1-3, 12-13
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION
The original question was, “Did Paul miss it in going to Jerusalem?” To me, the overwhelming evidence is that he did not. His going to Jerusalem before going to Rome was consistent with:
*His calling to testify of Jesus to the Jewish people, as well as the Gentiles, and kings (Acts 9:15).
*His pattern of ministering the gospel in the synagogue first before more specifically focusing on the Gentiles in a given city.
*His overall philosophy of ministry (1 Cor. 9:19-22)
19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; 20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law(not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
Paul’s journeys to Jerusalem and to Rome were certainly not conducive to his own personal comfort and convenience. We must be on guard against falsely believing that if something is God’s will, it will automatically be easy… that if a particular direction is God’s will, there won’t be any problems. That might be wishful thinking, but it isn’t biblical thinking.
Paul did not choose what was best for himself, and he certainly didn’t take the path of least resistance. While I hold to the inerrancy of Scripture, I do not believe that Paul, as a man, was infallible (e.g., Acts 23:1-5). We must guard against exalting him as a person or deifying him in some way. However, I am not comfortable second-guessing Paul from centuries away. I believe he understood his calling and assignment better than I do, and I believe he knew how to be led by the Spirit of God. The testimony of Jesus and Paul’s personal reflections lead me to believe that when Paul “purposed in the Spirit… to go to Jerusalem, saying, ‘After I have been there, I must also see Rome,’" that he was, in fact, accurately following the plan of God for his life.
The Age of Accountability?
What happens to babies and young children when they die? I know they haven’t had a chance to learn about Jesus or accept Him as their Savior. Can they still go to heaven? What about the sin nature that everyone is born with? I hear people refer to “the age of accountability.” What does that mean, and what does it have to do with these issues?
Tony’s Response: This question obviously has several facets, and I believe each is important to address. Certain parts of this question are theological (sin nature, age of accountability, etc.). At the same time, nothing could be more personal to parents who have lost a child to death than the eternal destiny of that child. Any pastor who has ever stood with bereaved parents certainly understands how heart-wrenching that question is on a personal level.
Fortunately, the insights offered by Scripture not only serve to provide a theological understanding of this issue, but offer great peace and comfort as well.
The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 19:14, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (NIV). Jesus associated the innocence of children with what heaven is like, and He demonstrated a completely open heart and receptivity toward them.
Isaiah spoke of God’s wonderful, merciful nature (40:11, NIV) when he said, “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”
When David grieved the loss of his infant son in 2 Samuel 12:23, he expressed confidence in a future reunion with that child when he said, “But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”
The term “age of accountability” (or “age of responsibility”) refers to a time in a person’s life when they understand enough and become mature enough to be morally responsible for their own decisions and behavior. Because individuals mature differently, it is believed that this time – this age of accountability – is different for each person.
Paul referred to what happened in his own life relative to this in Romans 7:9: “I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.”
Paul appears to be speaking of a time in his life when he was “without the law.” It would seem the only time that this would have applied was when he was an infant or a very young child. He wasn’t speaking about being alive physically, because he didn’t die physically when he came to the knowledge of the law. It is true that we are born with a sin nature, but it appears from Scripture that the full consequences of that fallen nature (and our subsequent corresponding actions) aren’t counted against us until we come to a certain level of knowledge relative to God’s standards.
Paul said in Romans 5:13, “For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.”
It’s not that the sin nature or the propensity toward sin are not present in an infant or a child; it’s simply that God has chosen not to let the consequences be fully realized when a person cannot know any better. There are many Scriptures that present the idea that judgment is, to a degree, meted out based on the knowledge of the person (Luke 12:47-48, James 4:17, John 9:41, John 15:22, etc.).
Some would take this idea and go too far. They would say, “So if knowledge is the issue, then everyone who has never heard the Gospel has no responsibility.” Paul precluded and countered this argument in Romans 1-3 when he identified four levels of God revealing Himself to mankind (creation, conscience, law, and Christ). His point was that even those who have never heard the Gospel still have a responsibility to respond to the level of revelation which they do have available to them.
To me, the question is not whether children are born with a sin nature. Rather, the question is, “At what point does that child (or person) become accountable for that particular situation, along with the consequences for his or her own behavior?” Scripture seems to associate that with acquiring a certain level of knowledge. Only God knows the age of accountability for each person.
In summary, I believe that we can safely and confidently trust a loving and merciful God with the care of the souls of infants and small children who die. Jesus’ attitude toward small children was one of complete acceptance. This is not to downplay the importance of an individual accepting God’s forgiveness personally when they are old enough to understand their need for such forgiveness.
In closing, let me quote from my book, Life After Death. “Although the death of a child—whether by miscarriage, stillbirth, or premature death—is difficult to comprehend with our human reasoning, the Holy Spirit offers comfort and strength to help us through our sorrow. And even though we may not understand everything, we can be confident in God’s mercy and compassion. The good news of God’s mercy is simply this: Jesus loved, embraced, and welcomed children to Himself when He was here on this earth, and Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).”
