Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 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. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” — Acts n. 37-40.
IN order to understand how they received the Word “gladly,” we must remember that they had been “pricked in their hearts.” They had been wounded; and now the healing is grateful. The Word had wounded; and now the Word heals. A little religion is a painful thing; but more religion takes the pain away. The Word is both a hammer to break the rock in pieces, and a balm to heal the broken heart. Its first effect is to convince a sinner that he is lost; its next, to make the lost rejoice in his Saviour.
It is of first-rate importance to keep these two functions of the Word distinct, and to keep the right one foremost. To preach a healing gospel where there is no wound on the conscience, is like pressing draughts of cold water on those who experience no thirst. I know of nothing sweeter than water to the thirsty; but I know of nothing more insipid than water to those who are already satisfied.
The apostles after Pentecost were skilful preachers — they rightly divided the word of truth. If you examine Peter’s discourse, as far as it is recorded here, you will find that its specific and consistent aim is, in the first place, to produce in the audience a conviction of their own guilt. The immediate purpose for which he appeals to Scripture is
Rightly dividing the Word of Truth. to bring home to those Jews who stood before him the guilt of crucifying the Son of God. It was not with gladness that they received that word: it was with grief, shame, remorse.
It was when the preacher saw that his first word had taken effect, that he delivered the second. He has succeeded in wounding; and at the cry of the suffering patient, he comes forward now to heal. The old stem had been cut off, and the tree is bleeding; he will turn now the knife that is in his hand, and with its other side insert the new graft, that there may be a tree of righteousness, the planting of the Lord.
You pour from your phial some burning drops upon a sore: their first effect is to increase the pain; but knowing the sovereign power of the remedy, you continue to pour it on the ailing place, sparing not for the patient’s crying. At length the continued application of that which caused the pain, takes all the pain away. When the Word of God wounds a soul, continue to ply that soul with the Word, until the sword that wounded become the balm that heals. Then, in this second stage, the hearer will receive the Word gladly.
Indeed, he who receives the Word will receive it gladly; for those who do not receive it gladly, will not long continue to receive it at all. The believers were immediately baptized. Of many interesting questions connected with this baptism, which might in proper time and place be profitably discussed, I shall here touch only one. It is clear from the narrative that regeneration was not the result of baptism, but baptism the result of regeneration. It was when they had received the Word with gladness, that they were baptized. The order of events is precisely that which the Master had enjoined (Matt, xxviii. 19, 20): “Go ye therefore, and —
1.” Teach [make disciples of] all nations,
2.” Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;
3. “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”
In this case Peter and his companions, in striving to build up the Church, strove lawfully. They first laid themselves out to make disciples of the people. Then, when they perceived by the successive pain and gladness produced by the preaching that the multitude had become disciples, they baptized them; and lastly, it is clear, from the concluding verses of this chapter, that these newly-accepted members of the Church were successfully taught to observe all the commandments of the Lord, for their subsequent life abounded in faith and charity.
But a dash of sadness is thrown into the midst of this happy scene; for “fear came upon every soul.” But this points to the outer circle — to those that as yet believed not. The conversions — many, sudden, and complete — shone like a light in the darkness. The onlookers were startled. When they saw so many entering into life, they were smitten with a sudden fear lest themselves should be left without and perish.
From the apostle’s view-point, however, this fear which they observed in their neighbours was a hopeful symptom. The example of believers had begun to tell. It is a good sign, when those who have hitherto lived without God in the world begin to be uneasy. Especially it is a good sign when the sight of multitudes pressing through the strait gate into the kingdom, stirs in those who are still without, a dread of being left behind. When one or more are raised up from the miry pit, and get their feet set on a rock, and a new song on their lips, many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in
Rightly dividing the Word of Truth. the Lord (Ps. xl.) The Christian community, in the freshness of a first faith, was suddenly thrown into society; and society was perturbed and put about by the new and unwonted presence. If a new planet should be projected into our system, it would make the old worlds stagger in their paths. Bodies in contact reciprocally affect each other, especially in respect of temperature. Pour hot water into a cold vessel; the water contributes to heat the vessel, but the vessel also contributes to cool the water. If a constant and strong stream of hot water is supplied, it will bring up the vessel to its own temperature.
A process like this goes on continually between the Church and the world. Fervent disciples, especially in a time of first love, affect with somewhat of their own warmth the society into which they are poured; but society, on the other hand, clasping round the converts, affects them with its own coldness. The world, being the larger body, will soon cool, will soon freeze these few disciples’ hearts, unless they contrive to maintain constant contact with the Head, and continually draw from his fulness.
A word here to those who live without Christ in the world. My friends, I confess that the Church in contact with you is more or less cold in spirit. Its faith and love are not lively. The visible Church in contact with society is not so bright and burning as to arrest and compel your regard. The disciples are not so manifestly like heaven as to send a thrill of terror through you lest you should fail to join their company. If you remain careless, I confess that we are much to blame. You have cause to blame Christians. But if you stumble over their coldness — stumble so as to fall — what comfort will it afford you that you could blame the Church for its lukewarmness? To blame them, even when they are blameworthy, will not save you when you are lost.
Lately in this city the father of a family had occasion to look over some workmen who were engaged in building a house for him. After the work was far advanced, he found one of the men lighting his pipe among the dry, light, inflammable shavings which were strewn about in all directions. Addressing the workman, the owner said, “If my house is burned by these sparks, the blame will rest on you.” Pausing and thinking over what he had said, he added with a sigh, “The blame will be yours, but the loss will be mine; for you cannot repay.” The thought sank into the proprietor’s heart; he saw the risk was too great: he went away and insured the house.
Oh, my brother, go and do likewise. Yourselves — not the house, but the immortal inhabitant — yourselves are in instant danger of being lost. Let it be confessed there is not such ardent faith in the Church as to awaken a slumberer — the Church deserves blame; but the loss is yours. Go and insure. Your soul’s life is too much exposed; hide it in a place of safety; hide it “with Christ in God.”
“And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.” — Acts ii. 46.
HEN you ascend from the centuries that succeeded
f Y the apostles’ days, into the upper stratum of history, in which the apostles themselves were actors, you seem to emerge from a stifled, airless cave, where all manner of fuugous growths luxuriate, into the open field where fresh