Philip and the Ethiopian.—Acts 8:26-40

Notes

It is interesting to note how completely the work of the gospel in the early part of the first century was under the direction of the Holy Spirit. It will be a good point to keep in mind in succeeding lessons. Philip was not left to go here or there as chance might dictate, but was directed by the Spirit. When he went toward Gaza, he knew that there was work for him there to do. When he got there, the Spirit told him just what to do. Under such guidance there is no room for doubts or regrets. Is it now past that time for the Lord to thus direct his ministers in their work? Did the Lord set his servants to work in any different way from what he wants them to continue to the end?

Notes

"Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus." That scripture was the 53d chapter of Isaiah. There is a wonderful amount of gospel in that chapter. It describes man's lost condition, and Christ's humiliation and suffering because of it. "All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." It also describes his glorious triumph, when, having received those whom he has purchased with his own blood, Jesus sees the travail of his soul, and is satisfied.

He preached Jesus unto him. This was just what Philip preached to the Samaritans. Later, Paul determined to know only Christ and him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2), and would not glory in anything save the cross (Gal. 6:14). Ought anything different to be preached in these days? We have no warrant for it in the Bible. The apostle says that Christ is "the fullness of Him that filleth all in all." Eph. 1:23. Surely it would be difficult to get anything real outside of that fullness.

Notes

After Philip had preached Jesus awhile, the eunuch said, "See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized?" So we see that the preaching of Jesus necessarily includes baptism. Philip said: "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus is the Son of God." And upon this declaration Philip baptized him. Well, what is enough to save a man is surely enough to allow of his being baptized, and the apostle Paul says, "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Rom. 10:9.

Notes

Let us see what it is to believe in Jesus. In the first place, how do we know anything about him, what and who he is?—Only as we read in the Bible. Therefore to believe in Jesus means to believe all that the Bible tells about him. It takes all that the Bible says of him to describe him, so that we may know who he is. So if there is anything that the Bible says of him that we do not accept, we do not believe in Jesus. We must believe that he came to save sinners. 1 Tim. 1:15. We must believe that he has the power to do this. Matt. 28:18; Rom. 1:4; Heb. 7:25. He gave himself for the world. John 3:16; 6:51; Heb. 2:9. Therefore, he who believes in Christ must necessarily believe that without him every man is a sinner without life or hope of life. But he who believes this must acknowledge that he himself is a lost sinner. Now if a man acknowledges that he is a sinner, he will accept Christ as his Saviour, if he believes that Christ is the Saviour of sinners. The sinner who does not accept Christ as his Saviour from sin, does not believe in him. Therefore it follows, as the Scripture says, that whosoever believes in Jesus must be saved. Therefore the preaching of Jesus must embrace the preaching of every doctrine that the Bible sets forth as necessary for salvation. Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. John 14:6.