THE FRUITS OF CHURCH GROWTH (III)
Preacher James Tan
Spiritual Growth in Doctrines
As noted earlier, the Great Commission has a double emphasis on teaching. Doctrines continue to be important after salvation, to help the believer to learn, and continue living as a testimony of Christ. The early church “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine” (Acts 2:42). This phrase “continued steadfastly” has the idea of being devotedly close, even to the point of being stubborn (in a good way). This is also used in Acts 1:14 to show how the disciples were devoted to prayer and waiting upon the Lord, right in Jerusalem itself where Christ was persecuted just weeks ago. The perseverance of these believers to continue gathering and learning from the Apostles sets a high biblical example for the church today. This is especially so in the heart of persecution in Jerusalem, facing the onslaught of the scribes and Pharisees who were often enraged that doctrines were taught (Acts 4:1-2, 5:21, 25).
The Apostle Paul’s ministry also featured heavily on the teaching of doctrines. When Barnabas sought for him all the way in Tarsus, he was invited to Antioch to teach for an entire year (Acts 11:25-26). The ministry for this whole year was simply summarized as “they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people”. There was the willingness of the believers there to learn, coupled with sound doctrine from the Apostle, the end effect was the believers being recognised as “Christians” a testament of how their lives were shaped by the doctrines they learnt. This pattern would continue when Paul and Barnabas returned to the same city again, “teaching and preaching the word of the Lord” (Acts 15:35).
When Paul was at Derbe (Acts 14:20-21), they “preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many”, as teaching follows evangelism. At Corinth, Paul “continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them” (Acts 18:11). Apollos was highly regarded because of his gift of teaching (Acts 18:24-28), and he “mightily convinced the Jews” publicly, “shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.” (Acts 18:28). This phrase “mightily convinced” comes from διακατελέγχομαι, a hapax legomenon (i.e. a word that occurs only once in the Scriptures), that has a strong emphasis on refuting through argument. The biblical pattern of teaching includes apologetics and polemics. This was beneficial for the church, as it “helped them much which had believed through grace” (Acts 18:27).
Paul’s final testimony to the Ephesian elders also emphasised that one of the key points of his ministry amongst them was his warnings to them for three years (Acts 20:31). This would include both the public ministry, and as well as from “house to house” (Acts 20:20). With clear con[1]science he could claim that he had “not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” (Acts 20:27), and his concern for the elders was to continue teaching, to “feed the church of God” (Acts 20:28), because he could no longer do so. This address captures the biblical pattern laid down, of how important teaching and doctrines are in the ministry, to the extent where it is the only real legacy left when one departs. He commends them to “the word of his grace, which is able to build you up”. The continued edification and sanctification in the church depends on how the Scriptures are taught and handled.
The closing note to the book of Acts reaffirms this pattern which Paul continues with no matter where he is found: “Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” (Acts 28:31). His two years spent in confinement was not wasted, but showed his consistency in continuing what mattered the most in the ministry. The Christians in every place that was ministered to by the Word of God would continue to grow spiritually as doctrines are taught, and the epistles sent to them, from Jerusalem, to Antioch, Corinth, Rome, and others.
