The Holy Scriptures - Acts and Romans

From: The Christian Shepherd: 2003

By: Nicolas Simon

Acts; Romans • 6 min. read • grade level: 9

The Acts of the Apostles

Acts, Luke’s second book, commences at the point where his first left off the ascension of our Lord (Luke 24:51⁵¹And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:51); Acts 1:9⁹And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. (Acts 1:9)). “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after that He through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen” (Acts 1:12¹²Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. (Acts 1:12)).

A better title for the book would be “The Acts of the Holy Spirit.” With the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit come down according to His promise (John 16:7⁷Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (John 16:7)), the church, the assembly of God, is formed. Even though Acts covers little more than thirty years, it brings before us an entire outline of the history of the church. We also see the practical guidance of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the apostles and the early church, a guidance that is no less real or applicable in our present day.

Divisions

The book has five divisions. Chapter 1 is prefatory to the whole book. While waiting for the Holy Spirit, the disciples are guided by the Word of God. In chapters 2-7, Jerusalem is the center as God lingers in grace towards the nation of Israel (compare Luke 13:6-9⁶He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. ⁷Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? ⁸And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: ⁹And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. (Luke 13:6‑9)).

After the stoning of Stephen chapters 7-12 the gospel goes out first in Samaria and then to the Gentiles more generally. Cornelius is brought in, and an assembly is established among the Greeks in Antioch. It is there that the disciples are first called Christians. Peter is prominent.

In chapters 13-20 we have the travels and labors of the Apostle Paul. Three journeys are recorded, each beginning in Antioch and all but the last ending there.

From chapter 21 to the end of the book, we have Paul the prisoner carried from Jerusalem to Rome.

The Early Church

Acts gives the only scriptural account of the early church where assemblies are seen as and act as one body. “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling” (Eph. 4:4⁴There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (Ephesians 4:4)). We do not find Jewish and Samaritan churches separated on national lines: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13¹³For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)). There are no independent churches in the book of Acts. What seemed good to the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem is likewise recognized in Antioch (see Acts 15⁴And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. (Acts 15:4), especially verses 28 and 31). “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3³Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3)). But the separation of the early church from what is Jewish is clearly unfolded (Acts 19:8-9⁸And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. ⁹But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. (Acts 19:8‑9)).

Paul’s return and captivity at Jerusalem prefigures what has happened to Paul’s doctrine in Christendom. Finally, Paul’s voyage from the Fair Havens to Melita gives us a striking summary of the history of Christendom (Acts 27). Though the boat is shattered into countless pieces, Paul is preserved, and a few (perhaps just Luke and Aristarchus) are found with him (Acts 27:2²And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. (Acts 27:2)). Not one principle laid down in this book is made obsolete by present circumstances. Sadly, the church has entirely forgotten her heavenly calling—that her Head is Christ in glory and has settled down in this world.

Romans

The grand subject of the Apostle’s letter is the gospel “the gospel of God” (Rom. 1:1¹Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Romans 1:1)). The gospel is neither a philosophy nor a creed; rather, the gospel concerns a divine and glorious Person, “Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 1:3³Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; (Romans 1:3)).

We do not find mention of the word “church” until Romans 16:1¹I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: (Romans 16:1). The gospel was the subject of promise, not the church. “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between Thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise Thy head, and Thou shalt bruise His heel” (Gen. 3:15¹⁵And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)). Now revealed, the gospel is no longer a promise. “All the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2 Cor. 1:20²⁰For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. (2 Corinthians 1:20)). For the Jew, the link to the promises was particularly important.

Although the letter is to Rome (Rom. 1:7⁷To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7)), it addresses both Jew and Gentile. There were many Jews in Rome (Acts 28:17¹⁷And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. (Acts 28:17)), and throughout the letter both groups are addressed. See Romans 7:1¹Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? (Romans 7:1) and 11:13, as well as chapter 1:34.

Outline

The Epistle to the Romans may justly be called the fundamental epistle of Christian doctrine. In chapters 1-8 Paul carefully lays out the foundational principles of Christianity, working from man up to God.

Chapters 9-11 are dispensational. They address the question, “How does the teaching of the first eight chapters affect God’s promises to Israel?”

In the third and final division, chapters 12-16, we have the practical consequences of the doctrine of the first. Each section contains within itself additional divisions.

Summary

Sins are not overlooked in the gospel; the bar has not been lowered. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23²³For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)). This is God’s standard. God has not been reconciled; it is man that needs reconciliation. In Romans, the gospel of God is the testimony of the righteousness of God. Of human righteousness, He will have nothing: “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6⁶But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)).

How can God be righteous in justifying the ungodly? The answer brings us to the feet of the Lord Jesus. Coming in the likeness of sinful flesh, He offered Himself a sacrifice for sin, thereby completely vindicating God’s righteousness, while revealing His love. God can now present Himself in grace be propitious to man (Rom. 3:25-26²⁵Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; ²⁶To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:25‑26)).