The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 2 — Section 161

cnch particular occasion of intercourse or of worshipping ; tho vnluo of all services clependin~ directly upon a man's mood of soul, o.s won by home culturo. The profit of n hearer <lepends first and chiefly upon himself.-R. T. Vol'II. 21, 24.-Paul's tutimony. "Testifying . . . repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." "To testify the gospel of the grace of God." The main lines of the apostle's work are nowhere given more simply or more clearly than in_ these sentences. Dean Plumptre suggestively says, "These," viz. repentance nnd ~a1th, '.' under all varieties of form, formed _the substance of the apostle's teaching. It 1~ obvious, however, tha.t out of these might _be developed a ~hole system of_ theo- lo~y-why repenta.nce we.s needed, and what 1t was, and how 1t should show itself; what was involved in the statement that Jesus was the Christ, and why men should hclieve in him, and what works were the proper fruit of faith. All these were questions which had to be answered before even the most elementa.ry truths could be rightly apprehended." St. Paul's ministry consisted in this, bearing witness," especially as a living example of its power (1 Tim. i. 12-16), of the good tidings that God was not a harsh Judge, but a gracious Father, willing all men to be saved (1 Tim. ii. 4), that "•.-as the truth to the proclamation of which his life was to be devoted." As the subjects are familiar, only an outline of treatment is necessary. We ta.ke the latter expression first, as being the more general one. I. G-On's GRACE m"To FORGIVE~"ESS. The gospel is precisely a message concerning God. It is: 1. A corrective message. God is not as men have thought. 2. A revealing message, bringing to light the fact that, by a sublime act of self-sacrifice, he has declared himself to be love, and has shown his grace. 3. A practical message, bearing directly on our sins, and giving assurance of forgiveness. ll GoD's OO~"DITIONS FOR THE MANIFESTATION OF ms GRACE UNTO FORGIVENESS. Without conditions we should set no value on the grace, the gift, or the forgiveness. The conditions are reasonable and necessary. They are : 1. Repentance. If we are not troubled about our sin, we shall not care about forgiveness. 2. Faith. If we do not open our hearts to God, he cannot work his good work in us. These are gospel foundations; but how much we ha.veto build thereon 1-R. T. Vers. 22-24.-The ckerful acceptane,e of a ha,rd lot. Give illustrations showing how severe, trying, and anxious St. Paul's missionary life had been and was likely to be to the end, taking as a basis his own account given in 2 Cor. xi. 23-28. Additional "hardness " came out of St. Paul's peculiarly nervous and sensitive temperament. He felt both joys and sorrows so keenly. With the apostle's life compare that of our Lord Jesus Christ. Both were divided into two parts: (1) a working part, in which God was served by active labours; (2) a suffering part, in which God was served by bearing and enduring afflictions, persecutions, and troubles. By both doing and bearing God may still he served ; and in both ways God tests the faithfulness of his people in our times. St. Paul was taught "how great things he must suffer for Christ's Name's sake;" and in the pe.ssage before us we see him learning this lesson, and giving some expression to his feeling in regard to it. The Spirit said in St. Paul that the time was now near when a special testimony for Christ amid scenes of suffering would be required of him; and the apostle received the revelation, not only calmly, but cheerfully, like the older apostles, counting it all joy that he was thought worthy to suffer for his Master's sake. L EXACTLY WRA.T ms LOT WAS TO BE.HE DID NOT KNOW. The Spirit was only pleased to give general indications. Complete knowledge of what is about to hap):len can never be good for man, because (1) it takes away the simplicity and naturalness of his conduct; (2) it prevents the proper exercise of his will upon due consideration of circumstances that arise; (3) it stops the process of moral and spiritual culture; and (4) it takes from him the call to a living, daily trust in God. The feeling that all is settled and known tends to prevent faith from keeping up a daily dependence. We cannot too thankfully rejoice that our future is wholly unknown to us, and that we are cast entirely upon the JJromise of" grace for the day," and upon the assurance that the "Lord will i,rovide." "I'd rather walk in the dark with God than go alone in the light." We know nothing. Nay, we know everything if we know our ever-present Guide.  OU. XX, 1-38,] THE AC'fS OF 'l'HE APOS'f LES. 167