THE APOSTLES DOCTRINE
VS
THE CHURCH’S DOCTRINE
(Acts ch1-ch28)
In the study before us we will be looking in the book of Acts
for clues indicating the doctrine that the Apostles and early disciples held to
and walked accordingly.
Then we will take a look at where our new covenant brethren
are at in their thinking.
THE BIG QUESTION???
WHY????
Yikes Harrolds, haven’t you figured it out yet that those
folk are in La La Land?
No, this brief look at the book of Acts is not for us to
self-righteously look at ourselves and say “Those people are so far off base
that I’m not even going to waste my time trying to help them.
This very brief overview is to help those in the hebrew roots
camp understand the place that brother Ephraim is in and how He has been led to
believe what he believes, and how we as bondservants of YHWH God must begin to
prepare ourselves to help brother Ephraim DRAW NEAR!!!
Act
1:12 Then
returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from
Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. (KJV)
Act 1:12 Then they returned the
Shabbat-walk distance from the Mount of Olives to Yerushalayim.(CJB)
Is there a clue here about the apostle’s and early
disciples doctrine???
When we see a form of the greek word
σάββατον
sab'-bat-on
what day does it always indicate?????
Is it the same day that or NC
brethren observe????
From the evidence so far, would you say the
Apostles kept the law???
Were they keeping the Law to be saved???
(maybe, possibly, just a tiny bit, it was to draw
near)
Act 2:1
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one
accord in one place.
Is there a clue here about the apostle’s and early
disciples doctrine???
Pentecost simply means fiftieth.
So we know they were counting fifty days from some important start point.
It is unmistakable that they were counting the
Omer and observing Shavuot
Further NT evidence about counting the omer
Act 1:14
These all continued with one accord in prayer and
supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his
brethren.
These verses are EXTREMELY HEAVY DUTY
verses/instructions on counting the Omer straight out of the brit chadassah (NT)
From the evidence would you say the Apostles kept
the law???
Do our NC
brethren know or understand very much about counting the Omer, and that it is
especially a time o drawing near??
Act 2:11
Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful
works of God.
Is there a clue here about the apostle’s and early
disciples doctrine???
They are unmistakably making Proclamation!!!
These Apostles/Disciples had followed the procedure for drawing
near, kept the law, and as a result the Ruach Himself showed up to bear
testimony.
Yikes, these guys took the Law serious!!! Do our NC
brethren take it serious???
Act 2:42 And they
continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking
of bread, and in prayers.
So far from what we have seen, would you say the apostles
doctrine was to throw out the law or to walk t he law??
Act 6:1
And in those days, when the number of the disciples were multiplied,
there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows
were neglected in the daily ministration.
Act 6:2 Then
the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them,
and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve
tables.
Act 6:3 Wherefore,
brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of
the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
How many times in your NC past
were you taught that this was the first deacon election
Lets look for clues that just might lead us to believe that
they were walking Torah, not having a deacon’s election!!!
CLUE#1
Exo 22:22
Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.
Exo 22:23
If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will
surely hear their cry;
Exo 22:24
And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your
wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. (KJV)
Exo 22:22 "You are not to
abuse any widow or orphan.
Exo 22:23 If you do abuse them in
any way, and they cry to me, I will certainly heed their cry.
Exo 22:24 My anger will burn,
and I will kill you with the sword - your own wives will be widows and your own
children fatherless.(CJB)
CLUE#2
Deu 10:18
He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the
stranger, in giving him food and raiment.
CLUE#3
Deu 14:29
And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and
the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy
gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may
bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.
CLUE#4
Deu 27:19
Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger,
fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.
These men in Acts chapter 7 are simply showing
the fidelity with they regarded the Torah, the Law.
Our NC
brethren many times appoint deacons not knowing that their call is to walk Torah
and not to be the church Bosses.
Act 15:20
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols,
and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from
blood.
Act 15:21
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read
in the synagogues every sabbath day.
This verse marks the conclusion of what many NC
brethren would consider to be a revival or at least a major conference.
What were the conclusions of this major
revival/conference?
Abstain from Idolatry…
Abstain from sexual impurity……
Abstain from un-kosher foods and food
preparations………..
Show respect for life as it is from YHWH
God……….
Attend synagogue on Saturdays and hear Moses
taught………..
This list would be at best repulsive to our NC
brethren.
The Apostles understood that these things were
minimum requirements for those who had believed in Messiah and were saved to do
in order to start the journey of drawing near!!!
Question: How
have or NC brethren read these
same verses that we have read in the book of Acts, and come to the conclusion
that the book of Acts is proof that the law has been done away with and that we
have now moved from the dispensation of Law to the dispensation of Grace???
The task before us, to help Ephraim when he
finally realizes he has inherited lies, vanities, and things wherein is no
profit, is a task we should be preparing for now, simply by coming to a correct
understanding of scriptures that he, Ephraim, thinks he already has a firm grip
on.
It will be the word that changes
Ephraim’s mind not our personalities or learning or anything about us.
Act 16:4
And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the
decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which
were at Jerusalem.
Once again the Apostles decrees/doctrine….
Once saved the following is a minimal
Abstain from Idolatry…….
Abstain from sexual impurity……
Abstain from un-kosher foods and food
preparations………..
Show respect for life as it is from YHWH
God……….
Attend synagogue on Saturdays and hear Moses
taught………..
This is the official notice circulated by the
Apostles.
Act 17:2
And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days
reasoned with them out of the Scriptures,
Act 17:3
Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen
again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
Paul’s custom/manner was to attend synagogue on
sabbath (σάββατον
sab'-bat-on)
Looks more and
more like Paul kept the Law
Act 18:18
And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while,
and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with
him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea:
for he had a vow.
Num 6:2
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or
woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves
unto the LORD:
Num 6:3
He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall
drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any
liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.
Num 6:4
All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the
vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.
Num 6:5
All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon
his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself
unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the
hair of his head grow.
Explain the differences
Regardless of how some NC
individual may attack you over these differences this is most assuredly a
Nazarite vow as described in numbers ch6
This is some of the most obvious and undeniable
evidence that the Apostles/Disciples kept the Law.
Act 18:20
When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented
not;
Act 18:21
But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast
that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will.
And he sailed from Ephesus.
Exo 23:17
Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD.
Deu 16:16
Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God
in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the
feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear
before the LORD empty:
The man Paul is definitely walking Torah
Act 18:28
For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly,
showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
What were the scriptures at this time?? The Law and the
Prophets
Luk 24:44
And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you,
while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written
in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms,
concerning me.
Luk 24:45
Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the
Scriptures,
Paul, unlike many today, understood the real
purpose of the torah, the Law.
Rom 10:4 For the goal at which
the Torah aims is the Messiah, who offers righteousness to everyone who trusts.
Act 21:20
And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto
him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe;
and they are all zealous of the law:
Act 21:21
And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are
among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not
to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the
customs.
Act 21:22
What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they
will hear that thou art come.
The same dangerous circumstances that encompassed
Stephen in Acts ch7 have now encompassed Paul!!!
As usual the accusations are false!!!
Remember that Paul is
still a Pharisee
Act 21:23
Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow
on them;
Act 21:24
Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them,
that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things,
whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou
thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
Num 6:9
And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of
his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on
the seventh day shall he shave it.
Num 6:10
And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons,
to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
Num 6:11 And
the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt
offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and
shall hallow his head that same day.
Num 6:12
And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and
shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that
were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled.
The following offerings were to be made on the Altar:
An Olah
A Chatat
An Asham
Act 21:26
Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them
entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of
purification, until that an offering should be offered for every
one of them.
Act 21:27 And when the seven days were almost
ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up
all the people, and laid hands on him,
This mention of the seven days is the conclusive evidence
that these are Nazarite vows,
How many years has it been since Yeshua ascended??
Surely by now if the law was nailed to the cross and
destroyed Paul would not have agreed to an Olah, a Chatat, and an Asham
How is it that our NC brethren
can read these verses in Acts and still affirm that the law is no more and we
are in the dispensation of grace.