THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE
April 2023
“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” —acts 2:42
The book of Acts is the blueprint for the local church. To be a true New Testament church, it must have the earmarks of the book of Acts, and those earmarks are:
• Powerful preaching and teaching of the gospel. The Holy Spirit must anoint the preacher or teacher. It’s not enough to be a great orator or one filled with great knowledge. Ability to speak and great knowledge, while good, are still not enough to penetrate the heart of man; it takes the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
• Great conversions, like those noted in Acts 4:4, 9:1-6, and in other verses of Scripture.
• Great boldness (Acts 4:13).
• Divine healing of which there are numerous accounts in Acts.
• Great miracles (Acts 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 16, 20, 28).
• Demons cast out (Acts 8, 19).
• Believers filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2, 8, 9, 10, 19).
• The gifts of the Spirit in operation (Acts 10, 19).
• Great persecution (Acts 4, 5, 8, 12, 14, 21).
• Doctrine, as Acts is doctrine, and carried out by example.
• Missions (Acts 8, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18).
Because of all these great events in a short time, the church grew from one hundred and twenty to several thousand. Acts 2:42 states that the early church “continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine.” So let’s look at what that doctrine is, which is actually found in Acts 2:38: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
REPENTANCE
Acts 2:38 records Peter stating, “Repent.” The message of repentance is for the church and the world. Actually, the message of repentance should be the foundational message of every church. Repentance means “to turn around”; when one turns from the wrong path onto the right path. The believer, though not a sinner (one who purposefully sins), is still in this evil world, and he will not find perfection until he is glorified, so the believer needs to live a repentant life characterized by a broken and contrite heart. We must constantly examine our lives to make sure there is nothing in our hearts that is not pleasing to the Lord.
WATER BAPTISM
Water baptism is an ordinance of the church; it is not a sacrament, meaning that there is no salvation in water. The act of baptism symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It is to serve as a testimony to the world that one is now born again, and his allegiance is to Jesus Christ. It is an outward portrayal of an inward act already performed.
Acts 2:38 is misunderstood by many, especially those who call themselves Apostolic or Oneness. They interpret this verse to mean that baptism is to be in the “name of Jesus,” as in, “I do hereby baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit who is our Lord Jesus Christ,” stating that Christ is the Father and the Holy Spirit, as well as the Son. Trinitarians believe that the only baptismal formula is what was given by the Lord in Matthew 28:19, which says, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
The last admonition of Acts 2:38 states, “And ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” After salvation, it is the will of God for every believer to go on and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
As life changing as salvation is to the sinner, so is the infilling of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues life changing to the believer.
The benefits and help of the Holy Spirit to the believer is incalculable to the believer. Without the help of the Holy Spirit, nothing can really be done for the kingdom.
STEADFASTLY
In Acts 2:42, we see that they didn’t just continue in this doctrine, but they did so “steadfastly,” which means, “to persevere, be constantly diligent, and to attend assiduously all the exercises.”
BREAKING BREAD
The “breaking of bread” had to do with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is also a portrayal of Calvary as the bread symbolized His broken body, and the cup represents His shed blood.
IN PRAYERS
The last part of Acts 2:42, “and in prayers,” concludes the matter by stating that the early church was a praying church.
As this was the doctrine of the early church, so it must be our doctrine today.