Lessons

The lesson on January 28, 2018 was part 8 of the “Mid-Acts or Acts 28?” study.  This week the lesson looked at the gifts given during the Acts period compared to the gifts given after Acts 28.  We learned how the gifts during Acts were given to everyone and that they collectively made parts of the body that was part of the church.  These gifts were designed to provoke Israelt to jealousy and Christians had to be careful how they behaved during this period because if they offended God, they would be killed as referenced in Acts 5.  The gifts given after Acts were people He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Ephesians 4:11-13 KJV).  This is quite a contrast and should make it clear that these individuals were called upon to readjust the believer to the new man freshly created where the Jew and Gentile were of the same body and had a new heavenly hope that was hidden in God before the foundation of the world.  The scripture reading was in 1 Corinthians 12:1-7 KJV

“1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. 3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”