I skim-read an article about the New Apostolic Reformation authored by Richard P. Moore. This article is part of The World Evangelical Alliance’s Journal of Theology and Contemporary Application called Evangelical Review of Theology. In a nutshell, the author points out this dangerous movement who have instituted apostles and prophets with apostolic teaching as well as the recall of the spiritual gifting that the Holy Spirit withdrew as the First century ended. They support a one man re-write of the Bible to accommodate their “new theology”. This re-write is called “The Passion Translation” (TPT) written by Brian Simmons. He alters the Biblical text to include the New Apostolic Reformation’s doctrine and theology. Annually the organization puts out articles called “words of wisdom” which is extra-Biblical revelations from the prophets and apostles. You will be surprised who some of the leaders of this movement are. Two are … Peter Wagner who was professor of Church Growth at Fuller Seminary School of Missions and the other is John Wimber of the Vineyard Fellowship Church. Moving away from the Scriptures normally starts with people of influence in the Christian world. Keep this in mind as we think back to our last two Notes and as we proceed with the passage at hand over the next day or two:
Ac 20:22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. 25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.
If possible please read to the end of the passage. Remember Paul is giving instructions to the elders of the Church in Ephesus. He sent for them to come to Miletus:
Ac 20:17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.
1) Compelled by the Spirit.
Ac 20:22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
Where the word compelled” could mean “to chain”, here it means “bind” in the context of being “put under obligation”. Now we understand why he is so eager to get the Jerusalem. We know that on the one side it because he and his team are carrying the donation from the Gentile Churches to the struggling believers in the Mother Church at Jerusalem. Now we find out that he is bound by the Holy Spirit’s orders to get there. He is uncertain why he needs to be there, but he knows the Holy Spirit requires him there. Once again, we have the whole of Acts and know what will happen to him, but at this stage he does not know. There is a lesson for us to learn here. Do we need to know what will happen tomorrow? We love planning and it’s good. We love organizing our lives and it’s good. But there are parts of our life that the Holy Spirit only reveals at what we call the last minute but for Him it is precisely at the right time. It might be true of you too … as I write I cannot see the sky because of the clouds. I pray and pray and wonder what will happen. Yes God hears these prayers and in His time He shall bring about the right answers … yet, like Paul, I really don’t know what is about to happen. Like him though, you and I need to remain in the faith, faithful and going about our daily business for Him.
2) Warned by the Spirit.
Ac 20:23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.
This is profound! As they travel … reaching a city and then the next … the Holy Spirit somehow is preparing him for “prison and hardship”. Too often believers want to live life on earth as it they are in the Garden of Eden before the Fall. They want the lush easy life before sin without realizing that part of the results of the Fall is God’s curse not only upon the race … but the earth too. In other words, although we are in Christ, born by the Spirit and adopted into God’s eternal family, we cannot escape the consequences of the Fall. We shall need to work hard. We shall face and suffer illness, disease and death. Pain and suffering will come our way. We shall have relational dysfunction and financial crises. There will be wars, storms, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, changes to the planet and space as we know it. Crime, gangsterism and bad neighbors, politicians and colleagues will abound. There is no smooth ride. There is no easy going. That life does not and will not exist on this earth, this side of death. Now couple being Christian … because we follow Jesus, persecution will come our way. Because of our intentional commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord, God and King, we will draw opposition from family, friends, colleagues and just about anyone who resists the Truth of the Gospel. The Holy Spirit forewarns us through the Scriptures this will be our lot as we navigate towards the City of God!
3) Finishing the race.
Ac 20:24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.
A close friend and colleague always said to me … “Finish well”. What he meant was that as clergy we need to retire well through serving Jesus to the end. What is the task or ministry God has given to every pastor He calls to serve Him? It is preaching the Gospel of Grace through teaching the Word faithfully. Paul’s issue was not prison or hardship … it was finishing well. Completing the race … that is completing the Gospel Ministry God gave him to fulfil. Not only ought this to be every pastor or Christian worker’s duty, it ought to be every Christian’s duty. You are called to gospelize. Live it, demonstrate it and share it until the end … then you shall finish well!
4) Never be seen again.
Ac 20:25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.
Here we again see the urgency Paul presents to these elders. He has served faithfully … he has left their Church … they shall never see him again so they need to get on with the task of teaching the Word and evangelizing the lost! This is how a pastor ought to be preparing his Church leadership and congregation. He is temporary. His work is temporary. His life is temporary … but the Gospel is alive and they need to use the Gospel whilst they have life to reach the lost and care for the flock of Jesus. The local Church might fail … but did the pastor ready his leaders to do the work of ministry?
5) Innocent of the blood.
Ac 20:26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.
How could he say he is “innocent of the blood of all men”? Because he taught them the whole will of God. That is he took the complete Bible he had at his disposal (Old Testament), plus the Oral Tradition passed on to him through the other apostles as well as what the Lord Jesus had personally taught him together with the Holy Spirit’s teaching. He fulfilled the Great Commission which ends with:
Mt 28:20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
The Gospel Workers who neglect teaching their people the whole Bible … and at the very least … all the Doctrines of Scripture are not being faithful to their calling.
Father, thank You for the challenges and rebukes found in Scripture. Grant help to all clergy to fulfill their calling faithfully. Amen.