im new, need help

[Seeking Him]

So i am starting reading the bible, and i am starting in Acts.

Im having a little trouble understanding things.I understand thats its mainly about being a student and following the word of god.If you guys could maybe help me understand it a little more that would be very very helpful.


please post back thanks..

Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Hi Seeking Him,

Welcome to Christians Unite. We will be happy to help you all that we can. Is there anything in particular that you have a question on?

[Seeking Him]

Hi Seeking Him,

Welcome to Christians Unite. We will be happy to help you all that we can. Is there anything in particular that you have a question on?

TY, for the warm welcome.Im glad i found a christan forum home, yes there are some things you could help me on.Im just kinda woundering what Atcs is really all about, ive almost read the whole book of Acts and really dont understand it.


I was woundering if you could tell me what Acts means. .!.

to some it all down these are the questions i have....

1.How were there lives?
2. And how did they handle things??


if you could some it all down, it would be very helpful, and i can read Acts again with an understanding!


thanks Amen!

[Soldier4Christ]

The Book of Acts is quite extensive and the lessons there are many. Let's try to take a few things at a time.

A basic over view of the first chapter:

The first chapter starts out stating "all that Jesus began both to do and teach,  Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen". This is plainly telling us how Jesus prepared the Apostles for the things that they were soon to experience. We are also told of how the Apostles replaced Judas restoring the Apostles to twelve.

[Seeking Him]

ok, i fully understand that part

like you said im all about taking this a step at a time! I thank God and you Roger for being here for me! Amen!

hopefully we can move to chapter 2 next??

[nChrist]

Hello Seeking Him,

I can't remember if I welcomed you elsewhere on the forum or not, so WELCOME!

I sincerely hope that you enjoy Christians Unite. I look forward to having fellowship with you.
________________________________

Here's a little brief I made for you, and I hope that it helps.

Acts is really a history of the early Christian church, its beginning, its persecution, and its growth. There is some fairly heavy disagreements about Acts that I won't enter into, but I will try to give you a brief that will give you an idea and you can reach your own conclusions.

Chapters one through seven deal with the early Christian church in Jerusalem. Chapter one and two are quite beautiful, and you should spend considerable time here. Chapter one deals with our Risen Lord and Saviour's Promise of the Spirit and His instructions to the Apostles before He ascends back to heaven. He will leave His flock but promises He will send a comforter and guide. This comforter and guide is the Holy Spirit of God.

Chapter two deals with the Day of Pentecost and the actual Birth of the Church. This is greatly disputed, but I won't argue it. The Church spoken of is not a church made with human hands, rather the CHURCH WHICH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST, an Eternal Church with believers as the BODY and CHRIST as the HEAD.

Chapter eight and nine deals with the early Christian Church in Judea and Samaria. Chapter nine involves a massive event, the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. Saul would become the Apostle Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles. For the first time, the things of GOD would be offered to people other than Israel. Prior to this, the Gentiles were considered to be unclean heathen and pagans that the Jews were forbidden to interact with. The Gentiles were also too unclean for the Bible to be shared with them. This is and was a massive barrier that was broken - forever to impact all of mankind.

Chapters nine through 28 deal with the history of the CHURCH WHICH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST to the end of the earth. Much of this portion deals with the Apostle Paul preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles, Paul's missionary journeys, Paul's arrests and trials, and persecution of Christians.

I realize this is very brief, but maybe it will help you in your study. If you have a Study Bible and follow the references to other portions of Scripture, Acts is tied to many beautiful portions of the Bible.

Love In Christ,
Tom

John 10:27-28 NASB  "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

[txpiper]

blackeyedpeas,

That is a very good summary. If you guys are heading into Acts 2, I would like to interject something. Pardon me if I'm a little awkward in my timing.

There is a lot of controversy concerning 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."

The problem is, of course, the apparent implication that water baptism initiates something. There are no shortage of groups that have used this as a baseline for what I believe is a flawed doctrinal stance, one that is actually antagonistic to the concept of grace.

I believe that the real thought expressed is about baptism being a reasonable response of obedience, something done on account of sins being remitted rather than causing that remittance. A while back I heard an analogy with regards to this that I think is very good. If you were to see a poster that reads

TXPIPER

WANTED FOR MURDER

this could be interpreted two ways. The intent of the message is to announce that this guy has killed someone and needs to be brought to justice. A misinterpretation might assume that someone wants a murder to be committed and is soliciting tx to do the job. The same concept applies to 2:38.

The reality of why people are really saved is in verse 47:

"...And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved"

Christ is ever and always doing the saving.

[nChrist]

Hello Txpiper,

This is another controversy that I don't get involved with. I'll simply say that I firmly believe in the finished work of JESUS CHRIST on the Cross and the work of the HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD at the moment of Salvation. I'm happy that I don't place any trust in myself or other men. My faith and trust is in ONE who never fails, JESUS CHRIST. The HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD lives in my heart, and my heart is SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT setting me apart as a purchased possession of JESUS CHRIST, and this happens at the moment of Salvation.

I don't think that any of the above is subject to argument, and I don't like to argue anything else. My post was really just a little brief trying to help Seeking Him. We have tried to do quite a few Bible studies on the forum, and it's sad to say that most of them were derailed with arguments. That doesn't mean that we've given up, but we are exploring other methods to do Bible studies, especially on portions of Scripture that are controversial. Two separate threads might be an option, one being for arguments. We haven't thought about a study on Acts right now, but we are considering a study right now. We'll make an announcement if things work out.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Philippians 4:19-20 NASB  And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

[Bernadette]

Well, hey, good to know that you are being led to read the Word of God.  Do not worry about trying to interpret Acts at this point.  There is one Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ written by 4 different disciples.  One is not more right than the other.  Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John.  Start with Mathew and proceed through the New Testament.  Please read a Bible that you can understand.  Do not worry about which Bible because Christians do not disagree with the way it is worded.  Christians just like to disagree about how it is interpreted.  The point is to get the point.  Do not be concerned with which people you know is more holy or right.  Keep your eyes on the Christ crucified, pray to ask Him to lead your path, listen in silence to the voice in your heart, and read.  When the Lord wants you to worry about which "denomination", the Lord with let you know.  God be with you on your journey.

[Seeking Him]

wow, ty so much guys n gals.This is helping me understand ALOT better, i do get very very confused sometimes but that is why GOD has lead me to these forums, to help me understand.This is a great forum and there are great holly people here.Ive took some notes from what was said and it has helped.Yes as of right now i am reading the King James version and ummmm well its really hard.Think on pay day ima go out and get the American version i hear its alot better to understand and interpret.Thanks again guys and im sure i will be having more questions so please bare with me.


Amen.

[bluelake]

So i am starting reading the bible, and i am starting in Acts.

Im having a little trouble understanding things.I understand thats its mainly about being a student and following the word of god.If you guys could maybe help me understand it a little more that would be very very helpful.


please post back thanks..

Amen.

Seeking Him,
Hello,
My preference would be the book of John. The first verse reads, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. verse 2. He was with God in the beginning. Going to verse 14 we read, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Verse 17 tells us who this is.

God bless,
bluelake

[Debp]

Seeking Him, I would also suggest you start reading the Gospels first (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John).  It is best to start with the Gospel of John as this Gospel testifies of the divinity of Jesus Christ.  The Gospels are also the best to start with as you will read the words, claims and about the deeds of Christ.  Our faith is in Christ and the Gospels will feed your faith in Him.  As you grow more, start to read some of the other books of the New Testament.  The Holy Spirit will help you as you read.  God bless you in your Christian walk!