And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
To be added to the Lord is to become believers and followers of Jesus and to join His church through baptism, in ever-growing multitudes of both men and women. This adding followed the death of Ananias and Sapphira for lying to the Holy Ghost, when great fear came upon all who heard while the apostles stood in oneness and healed the sick and those troubled by unclean spirits from Jerusalem and the cities around. Only those united in heart with the believers dared join them, while others feared to join yet held them in high regard. The increase came through bold, Spirit-empowered preaching of Christ crucified, risen, and ascended, joined with earnest prayer and persistent labor, and through many signs and merciful healings that built confidence in the witness. It advanced despite rulers, threats, and efforts to silence it, proving that God makes His truth triumph and His church grow even as He surely punishes fraud and injustice, and showing that many more would be added if His servants were as zealous and persistent as the servants of evil are.
Setting and Meaning of Growth
The verse belongs to the larger account of humble disciples whose words and works reflected Jesus. Strengthened by Christ, armed with the word of God, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, they boldly testified to His birth, cross, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. Through that witness the cross is shown bringing hope and salvation to the world. The account itself does not explain the verse's specific statement about multitudes joining.
It stands immediately after Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead for keeping back part of the price by agreement. Their act was lying to the Holy Ghost, which is lying to God and tempting the Spirit of the Lord, and great fear came upon the church and upon all who heard. At that same time the apostles were in oneness in Solomon's porch. The sick and those vexed with unclean spirits from Jerusalem and the surrounding cities were brought out and healed every one.
To be added to the Lord means to become believers and followers of the Lord. It means to join the church through baptism. This took place in large numbers and multitudes of both men and women, added continually day by day. Only those united in heart and mind with the believers in Christ dared to join themselves to them, while others feared to join yet magnified them.
This growth took place despite opposition from the rulers and despite threats and punishment. It continued even when authorities tried to silence the witness. As the sick were healed and Jesus was proclaimed, multitudes turned from the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees to believe in Jesus.
Causes and Pattern for Today
The increase came through bold, Spirit-empowered preaching of Jesus as the crucified and risen Saviour, proclaiming his death, resurrection and ascension with great power. That witness was persistent missionary work supported by earnest prayer, and it continued even when authorities tried to silence it. As the risen Christ's work drew people to faith, crowds were led to praise God and glorify the Redeemer. It came also through works of mercy and power, in healing the sick and delivering those troubled by unclean spirits, and in many signs and miracles worked through the power of the risen Saviour fallen upon the workers. Those mercies and miracles, together with discernment of hidden sin, increased the people's confidence in the apostles and turned multitudes from the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees to believe in Jesus.
The adding of multitudes proves that God causes His truth to triumph and His church to grow even while He surely punishes deceptive, oppressive and unjust dealings in His work. That punishment reaches keeping back part of the price by agreement, lying to the Holy Ghost which is lying to God and tempting the Spirit of the Lord, exorbitant prices exacted, connivance at fraud, hindrances, and diverting His means into a wrong channel. The same adding teaches that more would be added to the Lord if His servants were as zealous, alert and persistent in His work as Satan's servants are in theirs. Its pattern is still seen when truth is proclaimed simply and in godliness, hearts are humbled in confession, and the people pray earnestly, with genuine conversions accompanied by healings and open doors for preaching. That kind of rejoicing work is compared with the work of 1843 and 1844. It belongs to a time when the apostles were men of faith and full of the Holy Spirit who healed the sick and did many mighty miracles, yet even they made no hasty movements in selecting men to important church duties but moved with much trembling and fear and with much prayer and reliance upon God when choosing those who should bear the burdens of the church.
To be added to the Lord is to become believers and followers of Jesus and to join His church through baptism, in ever-growing multitudes of both men and women. This adding followed the death of Ananias and Sapphira for lying to the Holy Ghost, when great fear came upon all who heard while the apostles stood in oneness and healed the sick and those troubled by unclean spirits from Jerusalem and the cities around. Only those united in heart with the believers dared join them, while others feared to join yet held them in high regard. The increase came through bold, Spirit-empowered preaching of Christ crucified, risen, and ascended, joined with earnest prayer and persistent labor, and through many signs and merciful healings that built confidence in the witness. It advanced despite rulers, threats, and efforts to silence it, proving that God makes His truth triumph and His church grow even as He surely punishes fraud and injustice, and showing that many more would be added if His servants were as zealous and persistent as the servants of evil are.
Setting and Meaning of Growth
The verse belongs to the larger account of humble disciples whose words and works reflected Jesus. Strengthened by Christ, armed with the word of God, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, they boldly testified to His birth, cross, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. Through that witness the cross is shown bringing hope and salvation to the world. The account itself does not explain the verse's specific statement about multitudes joining.
It stands immediately after Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead for keeping back part of the price by agreement. Their act was lying to the Holy Ghost, which is lying to God and tempting the Spirit of the Lord, and great fear came upon the church and upon all who heard. At that same time the apostles were in oneness in Solomon's porch. The sick and those vexed with unclean spirits from Jerusalem and the surrounding cities were brought out and healed every one.
To be added to the Lord means to become believers and followers of the Lord. It means to join the church through baptism. This took place in large numbers and multitudes of both men and women, added continually day by day. Only those united in heart and mind with the believers in Christ dared to join themselves to them, while others feared to join yet magnified them.
This growth took place despite opposition from the rulers and despite threats and punishment. It continued even when authorities tried to silence the witness. As the sick were healed and Jesus was proclaimed, multitudes turned from the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees to believe in Jesus.
Causes and Pattern for Today
The increase came through bold, Spirit-empowered preaching of Jesus as the crucified and risen Saviour, proclaiming his death, resurrection and ascension with great power. That witness was persistent missionary work supported by earnest prayer, and it continued even when authorities tried to silence it. As the risen Christ's work drew people to faith, crowds were led to praise God and glorify the Redeemer. It came also through works of mercy and power, in healing the sick and delivering those troubled by unclean spirits, and in many signs and miracles worked through the power of the risen Saviour fallen upon the workers. Those mercies and miracles, together with discernment of hidden sin, increased the people's confidence in the apostles and turned multitudes from the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees to believe in Jesus.
The adding of multitudes proves that God causes His truth to triumph and His church to grow even while He surely punishes deceptive, oppressive and unjust dealings in His work. That punishment reaches keeping back part of the price by agreement, lying to the Holy Ghost which is lying to God and tempting the Spirit of the Lord, exorbitant prices exacted, connivance at fraud, hindrances, and diverting His means into a wrong channel. The same adding teaches that more would be added to the Lord if His servants were as zealous, alert and persistent in His work as Satan's servants are in theirs. Its pattern is still seen when truth is proclaimed simply and in godliness, hearts are humbled in confession, and the people pray earnestly, with genuine conversions accompanied by healings and open doors for preaching. That kind of rejoicing work is compared with the work of 1843 and 1844. It belongs to a time when the apostles were men of faith and full of the Holy Spirit who healed the sick and did many mighty miracles, yet even they made no hasty movements in selecting men to important church duties but moved with much trembling and fear and with much prayer and reliance upon God when choosing those who should bear the burdens of the church.