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Acts Chapter Nine

 
Chapter Nine General Review
 
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
 
1) To study the conversion of Saul, comparing Luke's account in this
 chapter with Saul's own words recorded later on in chapters 22 and 26
 
2) To note two miracles by Peter, and the affect they had on many people
 who heard about them
 
SUMMARY
 
Not content with persecuting Christians in Jerusalem, Saul received
permission from the high priest to seek out those of the Way in Damascus
and bring them bound to Jerusalem. It was near Damascus that Saul was
blinded by a vision of the risen Jesus. Told to go into Damascus for
further instructions, Saul was led blind into the city where he waited
for three days, neither eating nor drinking (1-9).
 
The Lord then appeared to a disciple named Ananias and sent him to
restore Saul's sight and tell him what he would do as a chosen vessel
for Christ. With his sight restored, Saul was baptized and resumed
eating. For some days Saul remained in Damascus and began immediately
preaching in the synagogues that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God,
to the amazement of those who knew that he had come to the city to
arrest Christians (10-19).
 
After many days had passed (during which Saul apparently spent about 3
years in Arabia, cf. Ga 1:17-18), Saul barely escaped a plot to kill him
by the Jews in Damascus (cf. 2 Co 11:32-33). He went to Jerusalem where
after Barnabas spoke in his behalf he was accepted by the brethren.
Another plot by the Jews to kill Saul prompted the brethren to bring him
to Caesarea and send him on to Tarsus. The churches in Judea, Galilee,
and Samaria then enjoyed peace and grew as they walked in the fear of
the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit (20-31).
 
Luke then records two miracles performed by Peter. The first in Lydda,
where Peter healed Aeneas, a man paralyzed and bedridden for eight
years. This led many in Lydda and Sharon to turn to the Lord. In
nearby Joppa, a disciple named Tabitha (Dorcas) became sick and died.
Having heard that Peter was in Lydda, the disciples sent for him to come
without delay. Peter raised Tabitha from the dead, leading many people
in Joppa to believe on the Lord. Peter then remained in Joppa for many
days, staying with Simon, a tanner (32-43).
 
OUTLINE
 
I. CONVERSION OF SAUL (1-31)
 
 A. THE APPEARANCE ON THE ROAD (1-9)
 1. Saul granted authority by the high priest
 a. While aggressive in persecuting disciples of the Lord
 b. With letters to the synagogues in Damascus
 c. To find those of "the Way" and bring them bound to Jerusalem
 2. The Lord's appearance on the road to Damascus
 a. Approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven shone
 around him
 b. Falling to the ground, he hears a voice: "Saul, Saul, why
 are you persecuting Me?"
 c. When he asks, "Who are you, Lord?", he is told:
 1) "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting."
 2) "It is hard for you to kick against the goads."
 d. When asked what to, he is told:
 1) "Arise, go into the city."
 2) "You will be told what you must do."
 e. His companions stand speechless, hearing a voice but seeing
 no one
 3. Saul's arrival in Damascus
 a. Getting up, he sees no one
 b. His companions lead him by the hand into the city
 c. There he waits for three days, without sight, neither eating
 or drinking
 
 B. THE ARRIVAL OF ANANIAS (9-19)
 1. The Lord appears in a vision to Ananias, a disciple in Damascus
 a. Instructed to go to house of Judas on the street called
 Straight
 1) Where Saul is praying and has seen a vision in which
 Ananias restores his sight
 2) Ananias is reluctant, knowing of Saul's persecution of
 the saints
 b. Ananias is commanded to go, for Saul is a chosen vessel
 1) Who will bear the Lord's name before Gentiles, kings, and
 the children of Israel
 2) Who will be shown how many things he must suffer for His
 name's sake
 2. Ananias goes to Saul
 a. Laying hands on Saul as he explains his purpose in coming
 1) That Saul might receive his sight
 2) And be filled with the Holy Spirit
 b. Saul's sight is immediately restored, and is baptized
 c. He resumes eating and spends some days with the disciples
 
 C. THE MINISTRY IN DAMASCUS (20-25)
 1. Saul immediately preaches Christ as the Son of God in the
 synagogues
 a. To the amazement of all who heard and knew his background
 1) How he destroyed those in Jerusalem who called on His
 name
 2) How he came to Damascus to bring them bound to the chief
 priests
 b. He increases in strength
 1) Confounding the Jews who dwelt in Damascus
  2) Proving that Jesus is the Christ
 2. Saul is forced to leave Damascus
 a. After many days, the Jews plot to kill him
 b. When the plot is revealed, they watch the gates day and
 night to kill him
 c. The disciples help Saul escape at night by letting him over
 a wall in a basket
 
 D. THE VISIT TO JERUSALEM (26-31)
 1. Saul joins himself to the disciples
 a. Though at first they were afraid and did not believe him
 b. Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them:
 1) How he had seen the Lord on the road, who spoke to him
 2) Of his bold preaching in Damascus
 c. Saul is accepted and circulates freely among the disciples
 in Jerusalem
 2. Saul is forced to leave Jerusalem
 a. He speaks boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus
 1) Disputing against the Hellenists
 2) Who attempt to kill him
 b. The brethren learn of the attempt to kill Saul
  1) They bring him down to Caesarea
 2) They send him to Tarsus
 
II. MIRACLES OF PETER (32-43)
 
 A. THE HEALING OF AENEAS (32-35)
 1. Peter comes to the saints in Lydda
 2. He meets Aeneas, paralyzed and bedridden for eight years
 3. Peter tells him that Jesus Christ heals him, and he arose
 immediately
 4. All who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the
 Lord
 
 B. THE RAISING OF DORCAS (36-43)
 1. At Joppa, a certain disciple named Tabitha (Dorcas) dies
 a. A woman full of good works and charitable deeds
 b. Her body was washed and laid in an upper room
 c. Two men were sent to Peter in nearby Lydda
 2. Peter raises Dorcas from the dead
 a. He is brought to the upper room, where weeping widows showed
 garments by Dorcas
 b. Sending the widows out, Peter kneels down and prays
 c. Telling her "Tabitha, arise", she opened her eyes and sat up
 d. Peter presents her alive to the saints and widows
 e. As it became known throughout Joppa, many believed on the
 Lord
 3. Peter remains in Joppa with Simon, a tanner
 
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER
 
1) What are the main points of this chapter?
 - Conversion of Saul (1-31)
 - Miracles of Peter (32-43)
 
2) What was Saul doing when he went to the high priest? (1)
 - Breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord
 
3) What did Saul get from the high priest? (2)
 - Letters to the synagogues of Damascus, authorizing him to arrest
 and bring those of "The Way" to Jerusalem
 
4) As Saul came near Damascus, what happened? What did he hear? (3-4)
 - Suddenly a light shone around him from heaven
 - Falling down, he heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why are you
 persecuting Me?"
 
5) When he asked "Who are You, Lord?", what was he told? (5)
 - "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting."
 
6) What did Jesus tell Saul to do? (6)
 - To go to the city, where he would be told what to do
 
7) How did the men with him respond to what was happening? (7)
 - They stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one
 
8) How was Saul led into the city? What did he do for three days? (8-9)
 - By the hand, for he was blind when he arose from the ground
 - He did not eat or drink, and remained without sight
 
9) To whom did the Lord appear in a vision? (10)
 - A disciple at Damascus named Ananias
 
10) What did Jesus tell him to do? (11)
 - To go to the street called Straight
 - To inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul
 
11) What had Saul been doing during this time? What had he seen in a
 vision? (11-12)
 - Praying; a man named Ananias laying hands on him that he might
 receive his sight
 
12) Why was Ananias hesitant to go? (13-14)
 - He had heard what Saul had done to the saints in Jerusalem, and why
 he had come to Damascus
 
13) What did the Lord say about Saul to reassure Ananias to go to him?
 (15-16)
 - Saul is His chosen vessel to bear His name before Gentiles, kings,
 and the children of Israel
 - He will be shown how many things he must suffer for the Lord's sake
 
14) When Ananias laid his hands on Saul, what did he say as to why the
 Lord sent him? (17)
 - That Saul might receive his sight
 - That Saul might be filled with the Holy Spirit
 
15) What happened immediately thereafter? (18)
 - Something like scales fell from his eyes and his sight returned
 - He arose and was baptized
 - He was strengthened when he ate
 
16) What did Saul then do? (19-20)
 - He received food and was strengthened
 - He spent some days with the disciples at Damascus
 - He immediately began preaching in the synagogues Christ as the Son
 of God
 
17) What was the reaction of those who heard him? (21)
 - They were amazed, for they knew what he had done in Jerusalem and
 why he came to Damascus
 
18) As Saul increased in strength, what did he do? (22)
 - He confounded the Jews in Damascus, proving that Jesus was the
 Christ
 
19) After many days had passed, who plotted to kill Saul? How did he
 escape? (23-25)
 - The Jews, who watched the gates day and night
 - The disciples let him down through the wall in a large basket
 
20) When Saul came to Jerusalem, what did he try to do? What was the
 reaction? (26)
 - To join the disciples; they were afraid of him, for they did not
 believe he was a disciple
 
21) Who brought him before the apostles? What did he tell them about
 Saul? (27)
 - Barnabas; how Saul had seen the Lord who spoke to him, and how Saul
 preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus
 
22) What was Saul then permitted to do? (28)
 - To be with the disciples, coming in and going out
 
23) What did Saul do while at Jerusalem? What then happened? (29-30)
 - He spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed with the
 Hellenists
 - An attempt was made to kill him, but the brethren took him to
 Caesarea and sent him on to Tarsus
 
24) What was the condition of the churches in Judea, Galilee, and
 Samaria at that time? (31)
 - They had peace and were edified
 - Walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit,
 they were multiplied
 
25) Where did Peter go and what did he find there? (32-33)
 - He went to Lydda where he found Aeneas, paralyzed and bedridden for
 eight years
 
26) What did Peter do and what was the result? (34-35)
 - He healed him in the name of Jesus, all in Lydda and Sharon turned
 to the Lord
 
27) Who died at Joppa, and what did the disciples there do? (36-38)
 - A disciple named Tabitha (Dorcas), a woman full of good works and
 charitable deeds
 - They washed her body, laid her in an upper room, and sent two men
 for Peter
 
28) When Peter arrived, what did he see and what did he do? (39-41)
 - Widows weeping in the upper room, showing the garments Dorcas made
 - He sent the widows out, knelt and prayed, and then said "Tabitha,
 arise"
 - After she opened her eyes and sat up, Peter called the saints and
 widows back into the room and presented her alive
 
29) What happened when this became known throughout all Joppa? (42)
 - Many believed on the Lord
 
30) What did Peter then do? (43)
 - Stayed in Joppa for many days with Simon, a tanner

Saul Of Tarsus (9:1-19; 22:6-16; 26:12-18)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. From the conversion of "The Ethiopian Eunuch", we now turn our
 attention to what is perhaps the most famous of conversions in the
 New Testament...
 a. The conversion of Saul of Tarsus, chief persecutor of the early
 church - Ac 8:1,3; 9:1-2
 b. Who became Paul the apostle (Ac 13:9), a recipient himself of
 much persecution for the cause of Christ - cf. 2 Co 11:23-28
 -- Whose conversion stands as a powerful testimony to the 
 resurrection of Jesus Christ
 
2. There are actually three records of his conversion in The Book of
 Acts...
 a. Ac 9:1-19 - where Luke describes it as it happened
 b. Ac 22:6-16 - where Paul recounts his conversion before a large
 crowd
 c. Ac 26:12-18 - where Paul defends himself before King Agrippa
 
3. From the example of the conversion of "Saul of Tarsus"...
 a. We find not only a powerful testimony to the resurrection of 
 Jesus Christ
 b. But also more evidence concerning the nature of conversions as
 they are revealed in The Book of Acts
 
4. For example...
 a. When was Saul (Paul) saved?
 1) Was it on the road to Damascus, when the Lord appeared to him?
 2) Or was it in Damascus, at some point after he arrived there?
 b. How was Saul (Paul) saved?
 1) Through saying a sinner's prayer?
 2) Or by being baptized?
 
[Such questions can be answered by a careful consideration of Biblical
evidence. Let's begin with a review of the evidence provided by all 
three accounts of Saul's conversion...]
 
I. A HARMONY OF THE CONVERSION OF SAUL
 
 A. SAUL WAS ON HIS WAY TO DAMASCUS...
 1. To persecute more Christians - Ac 9:1-2; 22:4-5; 26:9-11
  2. When a light shone around him from heaven - Ac 9:3; 22:6; 
 26:12-13
 3. When a voice began to speak to him in Hebrew...
 a. Identifying itself as the voice of Jesus - Ac 9:4-5; 
 22:7-9; 26:14-15
 b. Jesus then tells Saul...
 1) Why He has appeared to him - Ac 26:16-18
 2) To go on to Damascus, where...
 a) He will be told "what you must do" - Ac 9:6
 b) He will be told "all things which are appointed for
  you to do" - Ac 22:10
 
 B. SAUL ARRIVES IN DAMASCUS...
 1. Led by the hand, having been blinded by the light - Ac 9:8;
 22:11
 2. For three days, he neither eats nor drinks - Ac 9:9
 
 C. THE LORD SENDS ANANIAS TO SAUL...
 1. The Lord appears to Ananias in a vision, and tells him to go
 to Saul - Ac 9:10-16
 2. Ananias goes to Saul, and...
 a. Has his sight restored - Ac 9:17-18a; 22:12-13
 b. Is told why the Lord appeared to him and how he will be a
 witness of what he has seen - Ac 22:14-15
 c. Is told to be baptized and wash away his sins, calling upon
 the name of the Lord - Ac 22:16; cf. 9:18b
 
 D. HIS CONVERSION COMPLETE, SAUL BEGINS HIS WORK...
  1. Preaching immediately in Damascus - Ac 9:20
 2. And later in Jerusalem, Judea, and to the Gentiles - Ac 26:
 19-20
 
[As mentioned previously, the conversion of Saul is a powerful 
testimony to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What other reasonable
explanation can be given for the drastic change from "chief persecutor"
of the Christian faith to "chief proclamator" of the Christian faith?
 
But the conversion of Saul is also valuable for the insights we can
glean into the process of conversion. With that in mind, allow me to
share...]
 
II. SOME OBSERVATIONS
 
 A. CONCERNING "WHEN" SAUL WAS SAVED...
 1. It is often stated that Saul was saved on the road to Damascus
 a. When the Lord appeared to him
 b. That his conversion took place at that moment
 2. Saul was not saved until after he arrived in Damascus
 a. Note that while on the road, the Lord said it would be in
 Damascus where he would be told "what you must do" - Ac 9:6
 b. In Damascus, Ananias told him to "wash away your sins" 
 - Ac 22:16
 1) At that point, Saul was still in his sins!
 2) I.e., he was still not saved!
 -- While in one sense he was indeed "converted" on the road (his
 view of Jesus certainly changed), conversion in the sense of
 salvation did not occur until after he arrived in Damascus
 
 B. CONCERNING "HOW" SAUL WAS SAVED...
 1. From the statement of Ananias in Ac 22:16 (to wash away his
 sins), we learn that:
 a. Saul was not saved by virtue of the vision on the road
 b. Saul was not saved by virtue of the prayers and fasting he
 had offered for three days - cf. Ac 9:9,11
 2. Saul was saved when his sins were "washed away" - Ac 22:16
 a. Which occurred after spending three days in Damascus
 b. Which occurred when he was baptized to wash away his sins!
 -- This concurs with what Peter said about the purpose of
 baptism in Ac 2:38
 
 C. CONCERNING BAPTISM AND CALLING UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD...
 1. After quoting Joel who wrote of calling upon the name of the
 Lord to be saved (Ac 2:21), Peter told his crowd to be 
 baptized - Ac 2:38
 2. Now Ananias commands Saul to be baptized, "calling upon the
 name of the Lord" - Ac 22:16
 3. As Peter wrote, baptism saves us, and is an appeal for a clear
 conscience - 1 Pe 3:21
 4. In baptism, then...
 a. We are "calling upon the name of the Lord"
 b. We are appealing to God by the authority of His Son Jesus
 to forgive our sins
 5. While we can certainly pray as we are being baptized, baptism
 itself is a prayer (an appeal) to God for a clear conscience!
  
CONCLUSION
 
1. From the conversion of Saul we learn that one is not saved by...
 a. Visions of the Lord (who could have a vision more impressive than
 Saul's?)
 b. Saying the sinner's prayer (Saul had been praying and fasting for
 three days!)
 
2. In keeping with what we have seen already, one is saved when...
 a. They are baptized for the remission of their sins - Ac 2:38
 b. They are baptized to have their sins "washed away" - Ac 22:16
 
3. Of course, we learn from Paul's discourse in Romans 6 that the 
 simple rite of baptism is efficacious because in baptism...
 a. We are baptized into Christ's death - Ro 6:3-4
 b. We are united with Christ in the likeness of His death - Ro 6:5
 c. We are crucified with Christ, and our body of sin is done away 
 - Ro 6:6
 d. We die to sin, and are therefore freed from sin - Ro 6:7
 -- Of course, such baptism is conditioned upon faith and God's 
 working - Ac 8:36-37; Co 2:12
 
4. In his commentary on Ro 6:3, Martin Luther wrote:
 
  "Baptism has been instituted that it should lead us to the
 blessings (of this death) and through such death to eternal
 life. Therefore IT IS NECESSARY that we should be baptized
 into Jesus Christ and His death." (Commentary On Romans, 
 Kregel Publications, p. 101)
 
And so we say, as did Ananias, to anyone who has yet to be baptized for
the remission of their sins...
 
 "And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash 
 away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord."

"WALKING IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD"
 
 Acts 9:31
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In writing about the early church, Luke recorded:
 
 "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and
 Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and
 in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied." (Ac 9:31)
 
 Note that they were "walking in the fear of the Lord"!
 
2. In writing to the church at Philippi, Paul told them:
 
 "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my
 presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own
 salvation with fear and trembling;" (Ph 2:12)
 
3. The concept of "fear and trembling" in connection with God is not a
 popular concept today
 a. People prefer to hear about God's love, longsuffering and mercy
 b. Sometimes, when we point out God's righteous indignation,
 holiness, and justice, people reply "My God is not like that!"
 
4. The emphasis on God's love and mercy today is probably an reaction
 to the "hell, fire, and brimstone" preaching of another generation
 
5. But could it be that we have gone to other extreme?
 a. Where there is no concept of "fear and trembling" as it relates
 to the Christian?
 b. Could this be why many Christians are apathetic in their service?
 c. Could it be we have forgotten Whom we should fear if we are
 negligent in our service? - cf. Mt 10:28
 
6. In this lesson, I hope to accomplish three things:
 a. Define the "fear of the Lord"
 b. Point out why the "fear of the Lord" is important to the
 Christian
 c. Suggest how we can develop a healthy "fear of the Lord" without
 going to one extreme or the other
 
[We begin by...]
 
I. DEFINING THE "FEAR OF THE LORD"
 
 A. THE WORD "FEAR"...
 1. In the Hebrew, the word is "YIR'AH" and is used in the Old
 Testament to describe:
 a. fear, terror
 b. awesome or terrifying thing (object causing fear)
 c. fear (of God), respect, reverence, piety
 2. The Greek word is "PHOBOS", and it is used to describe:
 a. fear, dread, terror
 b. that which strikes terror
 
 B. IN CONNECTION WITH THE "FEAR OF THE LORD", IT IS OFTEN DEFINED AS
 "REVERENCE" OR "AWE"...
 1. Which is fine as far as it goes...
  2. But I wonder if this definition truly goes far enough...
 3. For though the terms "reverence" and "awe" imply a place for
 "trembling", do most people make the connection?
 
 C. THE "FEAR OF THE LORD" SHOULD INCLUDE A PLACE FOR "TREMBLING"!
 1. Even as Paul indicated in Ph 2:12, by combining "fear and
 trembling"
 2. The Greek word for "trembling" is "TROMOS" and means "a
 trembling or quaking with fear"
 3. Just as one would likely tremble in the presence of one who
 could take our life, so Jesus taught us to fear the Lord
 - Mt 10:28
 
 D. A PROPER "FEAR OF THE LORD" WOULD THEN INCLUDE...
 1. "reverence and awe..."
 2. "being afraid to offend God in any way" - HENDRICKSEN
  3. A trembling and quaking if one knows they have offended God
 and have not obtained forgiveness! - cf. He 10:26-27, 30-31;
 12:28-29
 
[The value of such an attitude is seen as we continue on and now
notice...]
 
II. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE "FEAR OF THE LORD"
 
 A. FROM THE BOOK OF PROVERBS, WE LEARN...
 1. The "fear of the Lord" is the beginning of knowledge - Pr 1:7
 2. The "fear of the Lord" will cause one to hate evil - Pr 8:13
 3. The "fear of the Lord" will prolong life - Pr 10:27
 4. The "fear of the Lord" provides strong confidence and is a
 fountain of life - Pr 14:26-27
 5. The "fear of the Lord" prompts one to depart from evil - Pr
 16:6
 6. The "fear of the Lord" leads to a satisfying life, and spares
 one from much evil - Pr 19:23
 7. The "fear of the Lord" is the way to riches, honor, and life!
 - Pr 22:4
 
 B. WITHOUT THE "FEAR OF THE LORD"...
 1. We close ourselves to the treasures of God's wisdom and
  knowledge!
 2. We will flirt with evil and be corrupted by it
 3. Our lives are likely to be shortened by our refusal to heed
 God's word (e.g., suffering sexually transmitted diseases
 because we did not heed His Word on sexual relationships)
 4. We will not come to know the love of God that gives us
 assurance and confidence of our salvation
 5. When fallen into sin, we will not be motivated to repent and
 turn to God!
 6. We will not be motivated to truly "work out our own
 salvation"!
 
[Without the "fear of the Lord", we cannot please God (cf. Is 66:1-2).
Only the person who "trembles at His Word" has God's promise to receive
His tender mercy! (cf. Ps 103:17-18).
 
But how does one develop the proper "fear of the Lord" without going to
the extreme of earlier generations?]
 
III. DEVELOPING THE "FEAR OF THE LORD"
 
 A. THE "FEAR OF THE LORD" COMES THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD!
 1. Just as "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of
 God" (Ro 10:17), the same can be said for the "fear of the
 Lord"!
 2. Notice Deu 31:10-13, where the children of Israel were told
 to gather every seven years to read and hear the Word...
 3. The purpose? "...that they may learn to fear the Lord"!
 4. As one reads the Word of God, they should gain a healthy
 degree of the "fear of the Lord"
 a. Consider the words of Paul in Ro 2:4-11
 b. Or how about the words of Peter in 2 Pe 3:7-14
 
 B. THE WORD OF GOD, PROPERLY USED, WILL MAINTAIN A PROPER BALANCE...
 1. It is important to emphasize, however, that to avoid extremes,
 we must read ALL of God's Word
 a. Some read only those portions will reveal God's love and
  mercy, and have no "fear of the Lord"
 b. Others emphasize the "fire, hell and brimstone" passages,
 and know nothing of God's everlasting lovingkindness
 c. The one develops an attitude of permissiveness that
 belittles God's holiness and justice
 d. The other develops a psychosis of terror that forgets God's
 grace and compassion
 2. Even in the passages noted above, the context of each speaks
 much of God's grace and forgiveness for those who will repent!
 3. So we must be careful how we use the Word of God, but use it
 we must!
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. The Psalmist said...
 
 "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to
 be had in reverence of all [them that are] about him." (Psalms 89:7)
 
2. Why do we need to "fear the Lord"? So we will be sure to "work out
 our salvation with fear and trembling"!
 
3. The warning is necessary, for as it is written in Hebrews:
 
 "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left [us] of entering
 into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto
 us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word
 preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them
 that heard [it]." (Hebrews 4:1-2)
 
 And again...
 
 "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall
 after the same example of unbelief." (Hebrews 4:11)
 
4. With the proper "fear of the Lord", we will "work out our
 salvation", we will "labour...to enter into that [heavenly] rest"!
 
 "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse
 ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
 holiness in the fear of God." (2 Co 7:1)
 
Are you "perfecting holiness in the fear of God"?

－－《Executable Outlines》