A Word from Acts

 

I try to memorize at least one verse a week. That's approximately 52 verses each year. 

 

Only one verse a week. 

My verse for last week was from Acts 26 -- Paul's address before king Agrippa. Here is what the apostle told the court of what God had said to him on that Damascus road:

"But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you . . . to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’"

A couple of things stand out for me in this text:

First, ALL people belong to either the dominion of Satan or the dominion of God. Those are the ONLY choices. Our families, our friends, our neighbors, our spouse, our children, our grandchildren -- they either belong to the dominion of Satan or the dominion of God.

Second, the ONLY way anyone can belong to the dominion of God is to receive forgiveness of their sins, and sanctification by their FAITH in God -- specifically His promise of redemption through and by the sacrificial atonement provided us by Jesus' blood.

And third -- EVERYONE is spiritually blind to those truths unless and until their eyes are opened (by the Holy Spirit) so that they may turn from spiritual darkness to light.

We know from the total witness of the Scriptures that Jesus is the only light of the world. They who follow Him will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life -- eternal life.

So, application time: The apostle Paul is now with the Lord in heaven, but the Holy Spirit has left us his words to Agrippa as a guide. May He -- the Holy Spirit -- impassion us to do as best we can do for those all around us, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith" in Christ.

Amen.