The Rejoicing is Gone
“Men! Brethren! …To us was the word of this salvation dispatched… we are bringing to you the good news… the pardon of sins… remain in the GRACE of God…Now on hearing this, the nations rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord” (Acts 14:26-48)
That is how it began. When Paul began to tell the world that their sins have been pardoned by the GRACE of God, everybody who heard rejoiced, EXCEPT the religious Jews who were offended that God would pardon the sins of everyone, even the gentiles.
“Yet the Jews spur on the reverent, respectable women, and the foremost ones of the city, and raised up persecution for Paul and Barnabas, and they ejected them from their boundaries...” (Acts 14:50-52)
2000 years later not much has changed. Those who hear for the first time Paul’s message of the free gift of salvation by the pure GRACE of God rejoice and want to worship and praise God. That joy remains until the religious folks get involved and turn them away from the good news.
"...everyone in the Province of Asia has deserted me...I am amazed that so quickly you are deserting from the One having called you in the grace of Christ to another gospel which is really not good newes at all..." (2 Timothy 1:15; Galatians 1:6)
They weren't deserting Paul, but the good news he had presented to them about the salvation of all by the grace if God. I have often heard that in the institutional church 20% of the people do 80% of the work. This is said to praise the 20% and to get the other 80% to repent. I used to be one of the 20% and finally figured out it was I who needed to repent and embrace the truth that the saving of everyone by the GRACE of God is a done deal - absolutely assured. What I had been zealous for was the traditions of men - a fabricated mixture of works and grace that robbed people of the JOY of Salvation and covered them with fear and guilt. That joy was restored when I came to a knowledge of the truth...
"Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit." (Psalm 51:12)
Paul wondered why the truth brought persecution from the Jews who should know better and abandonment from those Gentiles who had once received it with joy. It made no since to him – me either!
That is how it began. When Paul began to tell the world that their sins have been pardoned by the GRACE of God, everybody who heard rejoiced, EXCEPT the religious Jews who were offended that God would pardon the sins of everyone, even the gentiles.
“Yet the Jews spur on the reverent, respectable women, and the foremost ones of the city, and raised up persecution for Paul and Barnabas, and they ejected them from their boundaries...” (Acts 14:50-52)
2000 years later not much has changed. Those who hear for the first time Paul’s message of the free gift of salvation by the pure GRACE of God rejoice and want to worship and praise God. That joy remains until the religious folks get involved and turn them away from the good news.
"...everyone in the Province of Asia has deserted me...I am amazed that so quickly you are deserting from the One having called you in the grace of Christ to another gospel which is really not good newes at all..." (2 Timothy 1:15; Galatians 1:6)
They weren't deserting Paul, but the good news he had presented to them about the salvation of all by the grace if God. I have often heard that in the institutional church 20% of the people do 80% of the work. This is said to praise the 20% and to get the other 80% to repent. I used to be one of the 20% and finally figured out it was I who needed to repent and embrace the truth that the saving of everyone by the GRACE of God is a done deal - absolutely assured. What I had been zealous for was the traditions of men - a fabricated mixture of works and grace that robbed people of the JOY of Salvation and covered them with fear and guilt. That joy was restored when I came to a knowledge of the truth...
"Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit." (Psalm 51:12)
Paul wondered why the truth brought persecution from the Jews who should know better and abandonment from those Gentiles who had once received it with joy. It made no since to him – me either!