According to verse 44, the next Sabbath almost all people in town came to hear the word of God. That was because the week before when Paul preached many people believed in Christ and were set free from their sins. This news spread throughout the town and everyone wanted to hear the word of God. However, not every one believed. There were some people that were against what Paul was preaching. This is the same in all ages. There are always 2 groups, those who believe and those who are against the Gospel. In other words, there are those who receive eternal life and there are those who don’t. According to Ephesians 1:4,5, it was decided “before the creation of the world” those who would believe and be saved. However, this doesn’t mean God sat down and hand picked who was going to be saved and who was going to be eternally punished. Therefore, it is important that we understand this concept more fully. Today let’s look at 3 aspects of being appointed by God for eternity.
I. Remaining in God’s grace (verses 44-47)
According to verses 44-47 those who have eternal life are those who remain forever in God’s grace. Paul’s message had a great impact on those who lived there. According to verse 43 a lot of Jews who worshipped God, followed Paul and Barnabas, and the next week almost the whole town came together to hear the Word of God. However, there were some that saw all the people following Paul and Barnabas. They became jealous and thus spoke against what Paul and Barnabas were saying. Even though they themselves had believed in Christ the week before, when they saw the Gentiles coming to know the Lord, they couldn’t accept Paul and Barnabas’ teaching. This was because they thought that they were the center of the world. Their thinking about faith was self-centered too. They thought that for the Gentiles to be saved that they needed to be circumcised and follow the law first. They thought that the Gentiles first had to become Jewish before they could be saved. However, the Gospel that Paul preached wasn’t teaching that. Paul taught that anyone who believed in Christ could be saved. A Gentile could be saved as a Gentile. A sinner, no matter what he had done in the past could be saved if he believed in Christ and repented. However, they couldn’t accept this teaching. As a result of jealousy they threw away their new faith. Jealousy is really a dangerous thing.
According to verse 46, Paul and Barnabas clearly stated that the Gospel first needed to be preached to them. However, they themselves decided that they were “not worthy” for eternal life. Therefore, Paul and Barnabas will start their ministry to the Gentiles because that is what God has called them to do.
God’s plan was that the Gospel would first be preached to the Jews. Then through those who accepted the faith, the Gospel would be spread to the Gentiles. However, the Jews didn’t accept the Gospel. Therefore, Paul says that he himself is going to go to the Gentiles because that is what is commanded in the Old Testament. The words in verse 47 are from Isaiah 42:6 and 49:6. “You” refers to the Jews who had been chosen to be a light to the nations, and through them the other nations were to be saved. In fact “chosen people” does not mean that they were chosen to have salvation. It means that they were chosen to bring the Gospel to other peoples.
I Peter 2:19
The Jews were a chosen people, priests, a holy people, God’s people. That was so that they could become a light in the darkness, and share God’s works with others. However, they were jealous about the Gentiles being saved. This was against the will of God. This was proof that the Jews were not remaining within the grace of God. This is Paul and Barnabas meant in verse 46.
When we talk about what it means that God has chosen or appointed us to be saved, we tend to think of God decided “before the creation of the world” who would be saved and who would not be. It as if God hand picks some people to be saved. However, this is not what this passage is saying. Here it is saying that in verse 47 that they themselves made themselves unworthy for salvation. It was their own responsibility. Of course God knew from “before the creation of the world” that they would reject the Gospel so in that respect it was decided on from “before the creation of the world”. Therefore, Paul urged them in verse 43 to remain in the grace of God forever. Those who remain forever in the grace of God are those who are appointed to have eternal life. In other words, it is those who remain in the faith to the end who are appointed to have eternal life. It is those people that we can say are chosen.
Hebrews 12:2
Let’s not be like these Jews who one time had faith, but as a result of jealously they weren’t able to continue in their faith. Let’s no matter what, be careful to keep our eyes focused on Christ and remain in God’s grace.
II. Rejoice in God’s Word and praise God (verses 48 and 49)
There were men who became jealous and opposed Paul and Barnabas. At the same time there were others who heard God’s Word and rejoiced in it and who praised God. These were the Gentiles. Then those who were to have eternal life, who prepared themselves for eternal life, entered the faith.
They prepared themselves by rejoicing in the Word of God and praising God when they heard the Gospel message. Real faith rejoices in the Word of God and praises God. Real faith doesn’t praise the church or the pastor, but rejoices in the Word of God and praises God. No matter what happens in the church or if the pastor leaves, or what storms come in life, real faith stands on the Word of God. This type of person rejoices in the Word of God, praises God and lives by the Word of God.
Psalms 1:1-3
III. Be filled with the Holy Spirit (verses 50-52)
There were those who rejoiced in the Word of God and entered the faith. But there were also those who opposed Paul and Barnabas. They roused up the powerful leaders in the city. They had Paul and Barnabas thrown out from that area. Paul and Barnabas shook the dirt off their shoes and left for Iconium. This is a sign that they are shaking the dirty sin of people off of them. In other words, they are cleansing themselves from the sin of the people. The fact that these Jewish people were against the Gospel that Paul and Barnabas preached means that they were not really men of faith. They were no different from nonbelievers. To have had people enter the faith and then not continue in the faith, turn against you, persecute you, and then be thrown out must have been a bitter experience for the disciples, but verse 52 tells us that disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
When those who have believed in God wander from the faith or when we are heavily persecuted, or when we have deep troubles, if in the midst of these things, we can rejoice, then we have real faith. We are able to do this through the Holy Spirit. The disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit so they were able to rejoice. In other words, God was living within them. God was controlling their hearts. This is the secret to a victorious life. In other words, they were able to remain in God’s grace, rejoice in the Word of God, and praise God because of the work of the Holy Spirit. We are not able to do that by our own strength. It is only through the Holy Spirit controlling our hearts, helping us and supporting us that we are able to do so. It is only by the Holy Spirit living in us that we are able to stand.
John 14:16,17
To be filled with the Holy Spirit is the greatest proof that we are appointed to have eternal life. We need to realize that God has all authority, and at the same time walk by the Holy Spirit. A person that is appointed for eternal life walks rejoicing in the Word of God, praising God, and remains in the grace of God.
In our lives we run into many problems, but in the midst of these problems we can walk in joy and the filling of the Holy Spirit. We don’t follow the conditions we live in, but we follow the Word of God and we are filled by the Holy Spirit so we can walk in joy. We need to be led by God’s Word which never changes and be filled by the Holy Spirit. Then by walking looking at Jesus’ back, we will be able to overcome the problems. By having faith in our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ is the secret to a victorious life on this earth. Let’s remain in Christ’s grace to the end of our life. That type of person is appointed to have eternal life.