The New Testament Church According to the Book of Acts
As I have search deeper in the book of Acts I have found out more what a New Testament Church really is. What I’m about to state is not only about the early Church but also about us; the present New Testament Church. I can say that the early Church in the book of Acts as well as to the Epistles of Paul shall be our role model for today. For God requirements for His Church never changed. The following are what I have really loved about the early New Testament Church, and I believe that the character they possessed must be the character we must have and never let go.
The New Testament Church is a United Church- we will see they are people having the same spirit, in chapter 1-2 they were all together gathered to pray and wait. It is also mentioned that every day they gather together to pray; “All the believers were together and had everything in common” 3:44 and it is a sign of a united church. I remember a saying that; “Satan does not fear us when we go to Church, but he trembles when we pray as a church (united church)” Another indication of their unity is they are willing to sell even their own properties for the good of all; “32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land
or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need” 4:32-35. May the present New Testament Church be united.
The New Testament Church is a Church of Earnest Prayers- again it will be seen at the very first chapter of the book. Many times we can read that they all pray continually; everyday. “5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” 12:5 This another example is a remembrance of their earnest prayer. Because of this earnest prayers, Peter who is bound and imprisoned was miraculously and supernaturally released. Imagine when the Church today is having this heart of earnest and unfailing-faith filled prayers! We could have turned the world up-side-down, the way the Apostles and the New Testament Church did before.
9:31 “Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers” There is no more source of their peace, strength, courage, and increase; only the Lord! The Holy Spirit. I have come up that the New Testament Church must continue to live in the fear of the Lord and be connected to the Holy Spirit.
The New Testament Church is encouraged to remain true to the Lord with all her heart – 11:23 “When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.” This encouragement from Barnabas must be passed through all the generation of believers, for we all know we are in the last hour of the last day and being true to the Lord with all our hearts is being faithful to Him in all our ways until the very end. Above all, A New Testament Church is a Holy Ghost generated Church Acts 1-28.
