The LORD God’s plan from the beginning of time climaxed in the visit of His Son Jesus to earth.[1] Jesus is the Vine that unites the Old Testament and the New Testament because only Jesus permanently reconciles and unites His Holy Father with humans.[2] While on earth, Jesus taught His faithful disciples many things from the Law of Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophets and how the Old Testament must be fulfilled.[3] Moses in the Law of God, the Psalms, and the Prophets wrote about Jesus.[4]
The four New Testament Gospels give the message of Jesus’s public ministry on earth, including His life, complete death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven. After Jesus’s death and resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven by the glory cloud, and He is ALIVE! The message of the early church was that Jesus was ALIVE.[5] These early disciples witnessed and proclaimed the Resurrected Jesus because they experienced and eyewitnessed the Resurrected Jesus’ power and heard His message.[6] In addition, these disciples saw Jesus’ glorious Light, and they could testify that Jesus is the Light and hope of the world.[7]
Jesus is ALIVE at the right hand of His Holy Father.[8] At His Holy Father’s right hand, Jesus pleads and intercedes for believers, and He helps believers in times of trouble.[9] Before returning to heaven, the Resurrected Jesus informed His disciples that His Heavenly Father – Yahweh – had given Him all authority and power in the universe – heaven and earth.[10] The Sovereign LORD God made His Son Christ Jesus the Lord and Savior overall, and He placed all things and people under His Son’s power and authority.[11]
Following the four New Testament Gospels, the book of Acts is an account of the early church as it grew from a small, frightened band of Jesus’s disciples to a group of faithful believers that spread the Gospel message of Jesus. The book of Acts gives a fascinating glimpse into the early church. Jesus’s early disciples were in one accord in prayer, praise, and supplication.[12] Following Jesus’s ascension into heaven, Jesus’s disciples gathered in Jerusalem waiting to receive the Holy Spirit of God – the Promise.[13] During His public ministry on earth, Jesus promised to give His disciples the Holy Spirit of God from His Father, so they could continue His earthly ministry of repentance and forgiveness and become His witnesses throughout the earth.[14] Jesus commanded His disciples to go and make more disciples in all the nations of the world and proclaim the message of repentance and forgiveness of sins from His Heavenly Father through faith in Him.[15] Furthermore, Jesus instructed His disciples to teach and train all new disciples to obey all His commands He had given them.[16] Finally, Jesus promised that He would always be present with His disciples by the Holy Spirit of God as they witnessed to the world about Him and the Gospel.[17]
Acts chapter 2 opens with the Feast of Pentecost.[18] Jesus’s disciples and many others gathered in Jerusalem received the promised Holy Spirit of God, and the church was born.[19] From Jerusalem, a small group of faithful Jewish Christians preached the Gospel of Jesus starting in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, then Antioch, Asia Minor, Greece, Rome, and into all the world as instructed by Jesus in His Great Commission to tell all nations of His Good News.[20] The Holy Spirit of God empowered the early church, and they proclaimed the Good News about Jesus.[21] The Good News was that Jesus gave His life through death and suffering and rose again to deliver us from our selfish sins and the power of Satan by the cleansing of the Holy Spirit so we can now receive forgiveness of sins and live for righteousness and God’s glory in His Holy Kingdom.[22]
The early church called EVERYONE – Jews and Gentiles – to REPENT of their sins by TURNING from evildoing and TURNING wholeheartedly to the LORD God and His Kingdom.[23] The New Testament called ALL PEOPLE to REPENT and turn from evildoing and living a changed lifestyle of goodness for God’s glory.[24] Jesus sent His disciples and apostles also to preach a message of REPENTANCE.[25] The early disciples and apostles encouraged the church to turn away from sins, turn to the LORD God found in His Son Jesus, and demonstrate their repentance by living changed lives and doing good deeds and good works.[26] Through the early church, many people who believed Jesus received healing, salvation, and deliverance from the evil one because the Holy Spirit’s power was with Jesus’ disciples.[27] The early disciples' message was abundant life through repentance, faith, and obedience in the Resurrected Jesus, who is the Author of Life.[28]
In the book of Acts, the early church continued the Gospel message of Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets explaining that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah) and why He suffered as predicted by the Old Testament.[29] These early disciples, who were Jews, proclaimed and reasoned from the Holy Scriptures — from Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth the Good News that the Resurrected Jesus is the long-awaited and promised Jewish Messiah and Lord as predicted by the Old Testament Jewish prophets.[30] In addition, Jesus’s disciples proclaimed the existence of the LORD God – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and they announced that Jesus is the Son of the living LORD God of heaven and earth.[31]
With the Holy Spirit’s power and grace, Jesus’ disciples proclaimed the Resurrected Jesus and His Gospel messages of REPENTANCE (turning from evildoing) and FORGIVENESS through faith in Him, who is Lord and Judge of all creation.[32] The rest of the New Testament revealed how the Resurrected Jesus worked through His disciples by the Holy Spirit of God to continue the Gospel message of God’s Kingdom. Through the Holy Spirit's providential work, the Good News message of the living LORD God and His Son Jesus was taken from a small gathering of one hundred and twenty (120) Jews in Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.[33] The Holy Spirit empowered this small group of Jews to proclaim the Gospel message not just to Israel but to the entire world. The Holy Spirit’s power gave ordinary men and women divine power to declare the Resurrected Jesus’ Gospel message.[34] Even more, the Holy Spirit of God empowered and strengthened Jesus’ disciples to proclaim God’s message with boldness, wisdom, and divine reason and testify about Jesus.[35] Through the hands of Jesus’s apostles, many signs, wonders, and healings were done amongst the people that confirmed the apostles’ message about Jesus.[36]
At first, the early church was composed of mainly Jews who had accepted Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah (Christ). Jewish Christians continued to attend the Jewish Temple services and celebrate the Jewish festivals and prayers.[37] As these small groups of Jewish Christians spread the Good News, they met fierce opposition and persecution.[38] However, the Jewish Christian persecution helped spread the Gospel message as many believers took the message of Jesus into the Gentile world as Jesus instructed.[39]
Through the early Jewish Christians, Gentiles (non-Jews) began accepting the Gospel message of Jesus, and they came into the church through repentance that led to life.[40] The Sovereign LORD God sent His Son Jesus in a human body as our sacrifice for sin so that we can be declared righteous and forgiven through faith in Jesus.[41] Jesus is the glorious Light of God that loves and cares for ALL PEOPLE – both Jews and Gentiles, and He brings salvation to EVERYONE through faith in Him.[42] The early church expanded and multiplied throughout Judea, Galilee, Samaria, Phoenicia, Antioch, Rome, and beyond as Gentiles and Jews alike accepted Jesus by faith and the Gospel message.[43]
This new movement of believers was first called Christians at Antioch and later called the Way.[44] Others in the book of Acts called this new movement the Life and the group of believers Nazarenes.[45] Again, this movement started with 120 people in Jerusalem after Jesus’s death and resurrection and later increased to 3,000, then 5,000 and beyond.[46] The church was strengthened daily in faith through the Gospel message and increased in numbers daily.[47] Peter was taking the Gospel of Jesus primarily to the Jews, while Paul took the Gospel message about Jesus to the Gentiles.[48] Jewish and Gentile Christians met in homes for worship on Sunday, the first day of the week since Jesus’s resurrection occurred on that day.[49]
One of the central issues and debates in the early church was whether non-Jews (Gentiles) coming to Jesus had to become circumcised in the flesh and keep the Law of Moses to receive salvation and acceptance into the church.[50] The Jewish-dominated early church wanted Gentiles coming to faith in Jesus to live like Jews.[51] The Jews were proud of their physical circumcision of the body, even though this physical circumcision affected only their bodies and not their hearts.[52] Circumcision was the ritual that made a man into a Jew. The ritual of circumcision meant cutting away the foreskin from a male’s penis. Every male who was part of God’s family had to be circumcised.[53] Notably, circumcision began with Abraham in Genesis 17:9-14 and was later affirmed by Moses.[54] Abraham and his sons Ishmael and Isaac were circumcised in the flesh.[55] Ishmael was one of the first to experience the physical sign of God’s covenant – circumcision.[56] Moreover, John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus were circumcised on the eighth day as required in the Law of God.[57] Also, the Apostle Paul was circumcised on the eighth day.[58]
Acts 15 described the Jerusalem Council regarding rather Gentiles coming to Jesus by faith had to undergo circumcision and keep the Mosaic Law before being saved.[59] The Jewish-dominated early church met at the Jerusalem Council. Jews Christians at the meeting debated the issue of circumcision and keeping the Law of Moses by Gentiles.[60] Circumcision was a central debate of the early church, and Paul addressed the issue of circumcision and Gentiles’ acceptance into the church in Romans 2:25-29, Romans 4:9-16, Galatians 2:3-5, Galatians 5:2-12, and Galatians 6:12-15. After much debate, Peter and Paul announced to the Jerusalem Council that Gentiles were being saved and receiving the Holy Spirit of God through repentance and faith in Jesus, just like other Jews who repented and accepted Jesus by faith.[61] The LORD God’s salvation and Holy Spirit (rebirth, renewal) come to ALL PEOPLE by His grace and mercy through our repentance(turning) from sins and faith in Him and His Son, Christ Jesus.[62]
The Holy Bible declares that the living LORD God accepts ALL PEOPLE from every nation that loves and accepts Him and His Son Jesus and does what is good and right.[63] Every person – Jews and Gentiles – that wholeheartedly REPENTS, BELIEVES, and ACCEPTS Jesus by faith as Lord and God’s Son is forgiven of their sins, declared righteous (justified), holy (sanctified), saved from eternal condemnation, and adopted into the Sovereign LORD God’s family as Abraham’s holy descendent.[64] Righteousness and salvation come to everyone that believes and trust in Jesus as Messiah (Christ) and God’s Son.[65] Everyone that calls upon the Name of Jesus is saved from their sins.[66] In addition, believers share in God’s glory and become friends (reconciliation) with the LORD God through faith in His Son, Jesus.[67] Through faith and belief in Jesus, the Holy Spirit of God lives inside believers and changes their hearts.[68]Believers of Jesus receive regeneration (rebirth, revival) and renewal by the Holy Spirit of God so they have a NEW LIFE from the LORD God.[69]
Moreover, believers in Jesus have peace and union and, importantly, access to the Sovereign LORD God of heaven and earth through faith in His Son, Jesus.[70] Jesus is seated at the right hand of His Holy Father in heaven, and He prays and intercedes for faithful believers in Him.[71] Jesus is Lord and God, and He is One with His Holy Father – the Sovereign LORD God of heaven and earth.[72]
The Jerusalem Council agreed that Gentiles should not be troubled and burdened with keeping the Jewish customs and ritual laws. However, the Jerusalem Council decided that Gentiles coming to Jesus must abstain from sexual immorality (sex outside the marital bonds – fornication and adultery), abstain from things polluted by idols, abstain from what has been strangled, and abstain from eating blood (kosher).[73] As the Apostle Paul went on his missionary journeys, he declared to the Jews and Gentiles the decrees from the Jerusalem Council determined by the apostles and elders, and the churches were strengthened.[74]
At the Jerusalem Council, the Jewish-dominated members agreed that the Jewish people were unable to obey and keep the many burdens and rituals of the Mosaic Law.[75] The Jewish laws required basic moral requirements and many ceremonial rituals such as circumcision, kosher food laws, various festivals, and sacrifices. The early church noted that the Mosaic dietary laws and restrictions were abolished by Jesus.[76] In the Old Testament, the Law of God was central to Israel. The people of Israel received the Law of God from Mount Sinai.[77] Israel tried very hard to obey the Law of God, but they never succeeded because they did not accept the Law by faith.[78] The Law of God is established through our faith in Jesus.[79]
The Holy Bible teaches that EVERYONE must have FAITH and OBEDIENCE in the LORD God and walk blamelessly with Him.[80] Without faith, it is impossible to please the LORD God.[81] Even before the Law of God was given through Moses in the book of Exodus, the living LORD God instructed Adam and Eve, Enoch, Noah, and the patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – to TRUST, OBEY, AND WALK before Him blamelessly, which leads to righteousness and God’s grace.[82] Abraham was declared righteous (justified) before the LORD God because of his faith and belief in the LORD God FIRST, even before the Law and circumcision were given.[83] Our wholehearted trust and belief in the LORD God make one righteous.[84] FAITH and LOVE of the LORD God must be FIRST before any rituals, ceremonies, good works, or the Law of Moses.[85] The Law was added because of the people’s sins and transgression before the LORD God.[86]
The circumcision the LORD God always required is wholehearted faith and devotion to Him and blamelessly walking before Him.[87] Equally important, the LORD God instructed Abraham to command his descendants (including believers of Jesus) to walk and keep the ways of the LORD and do goodness and mercy.[88] The Holy Bible teaches no one is saved by doing good works; however, the LORD God graciously saves and redeems everyone by faith in Him and His Son Jesus so we can do good works for His glory.[89] Moreover, when we come to Jesus by faith in Him, believers are circumcised not by a physical procedure, but Jesus performs a washing by the Holy Spirit and spiritual circumcision – the cutting away of our sinful nature from within our hearts.[90] This circumcision of the heart comes only by faith and obedience in the living LORD God found in His Son, Jesus.[91]
The early church realized that the living LORD God commanded circumcision of the heart by His Holy Spirit.[92]Circumcision in the flesh is worthless if one continues doing wickedness, lawlessness, and evil deeds.[93] What matters to the LORD God is not circumcision or uncircumcision but first love, faith in Him, and equally important love and kindness towards others.[94] According to the early church, no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly or undergone physical circumcision. But a true member of the God’s family and a Jew is one inwardly through wholehearted faith in the living LORD God found in His Son, Jesus.[95] The early church like John the Baptist taught that being a descendent of Abraham does not make one right with the LORD God.[96] A person is declared right with the LORD God through repentance (turning from evildoing), turning to the LORD God, and producing good fruit and good works of loving kindness, fairness, mercy, peace, and truth.[97] The early church called those that had received Christ Jesus as Lord to abide and walk with Him with all thanksgiving and being fruitful in every good work.[98] The LORD God is the God of both the Jews and the Gentiles (non-Jews).[99]
The early church did not deny the benefits of circumcision or the Law of God.[100] The Law of God reveals and defines what is sinfulness.[101] The New Testament does not condone the continuation of sinfulness and evildoing.[102] Sadly, ALL PEOPLE are under the power of sin and darkness without Jesus.[103] Jesus gives everyone the power of God (Holy Spirit) to break evil and dark deeds within our lives through faith in Him.[104] The Holy Bible declares that EVERYONE is made right (declared righteous, saved, and justified) with the LORD God not by first keeping the Law or doing good works but FIRST through faith, belief, and acceptance of the LORD God and His Son, Christ Jesus. [105] FAITH COMES FIRST! Only through faith in the LORD God and His Son Jesus that we receive forgiveness of our sins and declared righteous.[106] Salvation and forgiveness are FREE GIFTS of grace that the LORD God graciously giveEVERYONE that has FAITH in Him and His Son, Christ Jesus.[107]
[1] See e.g., Genesis 3:15; Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21, 23; Luke 2:10-11; John 1:1-3, 14; John 3:16; Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 1:1-3.
[2] See e.g., John 15:1-8; Romans 5:1-2; 10-11; 2 Corinthians 5:17-19; Romans 7:4; Galatians 2:19; Ephesians 2:18, 20-22; Ephesians 3:12; Hebrews 7:23-27.
[3] See e.g., Luke 24:27, 44-47.
[4] John 1:45; John 5:46; John 12:41; Acts 13:27; see also e.g., Genesis 3:15; Genesis 12:3; Genesis 22:18; Numbers 21:9; Numbers 24:17; Deuteronomy 18:15-18; 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Psalm 110:1, 4; Isaiah 7:15; Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 50:6; Isaiah 52:12-53:12; Isaiah 61:1; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Daniel 7:13-14; Daniel 9:24-27; Micah 5:2; Zechariah 6:12; Zechariah 9:9-10; Zechariah 12:10; Zechariah 13:7.
[5] See e.g., Matthew 28:6-7, 17; Mark 16:6, 9-14; Luke 24:5-6, 34, 36-51; John 20:19-29; John 21:1-23; Acts 1:3-4; Acts 2:24, 32-33; Acts 3:15; Acts 10:40-41; Acts 13:31; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Revelation 1:18.
[6] See e.g., Matthew 28:16-17; Mark 16:11-14; Acts 9:1-9, 27; 1 Corinthians 15:1-9; 2 Peter 1:16-18; 1 John 1:1-4.
[7] See e.g., Matthew 12:21; Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:2-3; Luke 9:29; Acts 9:3; Acts 22:6-8; Acts 26:13-14; Colossians 1:23, 27; Revelation 1:16; Revelation 10:1.
[8] See e.g., Psalm 110:1; Mark 16:19; Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:2, 9, 12; Acts 2:24, 33; Acts 5:30; Acts 7:55-56; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; 1 Peter 3:22; Hebrews 1:3.
[9] See e.g., Romans 8:34; Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians 3:12; Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 7:25.
[10] Matthew 28:18; e.g., see also Daniel 7:13-14; Matthew 11:27; John 3:35; John 13:3; Colossians 2:9-10; Hebrews 1:2.
[11] See e.g., Matthew 1:21; Matthew 28:18; Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; John 17:2; John 20:30-31; Acts 2:36; Acts 5:30-31; Acts 10:36; Acts 13:23; Romans 14:9; 1 Corinthians 15:27; Ephesians 1:10, 20-22; Philippians 2:9-10; 1 Peter 3:22.
[12] See e.g., Acts 1:14; Acts 2:1, 46; Acts 5:12.
[13] See e.g., Joel 2:28-32; Luke 24:49; John 14:16-17, 26; Acts 1:4-5, 8; Acts 11:16-17.
[14] Acts 1:4-5, 8; see also Luke 24:47-49; John 15:26-27; Acts 2:33.
[15] Matthew 28:19; see also Jeremiah 31:34; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:8; Acts 5:30-31.
[16] Matthew 28:20; see also John 14:15.
[17] Matthew 28:20; see also Jeremiah 1:8-9; Ezekiel 2:6-7; Ezekiel 3:9-10; Matthew 1:23; John 12:26; John 14:15-21, 23-24; Acts 1:4-5, 8; Acts 18:9-10. The Gospel and Good News are used interchangeably when referring to Jesus. Christians use the word Gospel or Good News as the message of God's saving activity through the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of God's only and unique Son, Jesus.
[18] See Acts 2:1. Feast of Pentecost was part of the holy feasts celebrated by Jews, and this Feast is celebrated fifty (50) days after the Passover celebration. Pentecost is also known as the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of the Harvest, and the Day of First Fruits (see Exodus 23:16; Leviticus 23:15-22; Numbers 28:26).
[19] See Acts 2:1-4, 22, 38-41.
[20] See Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Acts 8:1-4, 14-17; Acts 11:19-30; Acts 28:31.
[21] See e.g., John 20:22-23; Acts 1:8; Acts 9:17; Romans 1:16-17; 1 Corinthians 1:18, 24.
[22] See e.g., Matthew 20:28; Luke 24:46-47; Acts 2:38; Acts 15:9; Acts 20:21; Acts 26:18-20; Romans 5:8; Romans 6:11-12; 1 Corinthians 15:1-5; 2 Corinthians 5:15-21; Galatians 1:3-4; Hebrews 10:22; 1 Peter 2:24-25.
[23] See e.g., Matthew 3:2, 8; Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:14-15; Mark 6:14; Mark 16:20; Luke 3:3, 8; Luke 24:27, 44-47; Acts 1:3; Acts 3:19-20; Acts 5:31; Acts 14:15-17; Acts 16:30-31; Acts 17:24-31; Acts 26:15-21; Acts 28:23, 31.
[24] See e.g., Matthew 3:2, 8; Matthew 4:17; Matthew 6:33; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 3:3, 8; 2 Corinthians 7:9-11; Ephesians 2:10.
[25] See e.g., Mark 6:12; Luke 24:47; Acts 17:30-31.
[26] See e.g., Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19; Acts 11:16; Acts 13:24; Acts 17:30-31; Acts 26:19-20; Titus 2:11-12; Hebrews 10:24.
[27] See e.g., Acts 3:6-8, 16; Acts 4:12-16; Acts 8:5-8; Acts 9:34-35; Acts 10:43; Acts 11:21; Acts 13:38-39.
[28] See e.g., Isaiah 53:11; Jeremiah 31:34; John 1:4-5; John 6:63, 68; John 10:10; Acts 3:15; Acts 5:20; Acts 10:38, 43; Acts 13:38-39.
[29] See e.g., Acts 3:12-15, 18-26; Acts 7:1-53; Acts 8:30-35; Acts 10:43; Acts 13:15-41; Acts 17:2-3; Acts 18:5, 28; Acts 19:8; Acts 24:14; Acts 26:22; Acts 28:23-24.
[30] Acts 2:36; Acts 5:42; Acts 8:4-5; Acts 9:22; Acts 17:2-3; Acts 18:5, 28; see also Isaiah 11:1-10; Isaiah 42:1-9; Ezekiel 34:23-24; Micah 5:1-6; Matthew 1:1, 16-17; Matthew 16:16; Matthew 27:17; Matthew 28:18; Luke 2:11; John 1:41; John 4:25-26; John 11:27.
[31] See e.g., Matthew 16:16; John 1:34, 49; John 11:27; Acts 7:32-33; Acts 9:20, 21; Acts 17:24-31.
[32] Matthew 28:18; John 5:22, 27; Acts 4:8-12, 33; Acts 5:31; Acts 8:35; Acts 10:34-36, 42-43; Acts 13:4, 48-49; Acts 15:11; Acts 16:30-32; Acts 17:31; Acts 20:21, 24; Acts 24:24-25; Acts 26:18, 20; e.g., see also Luke 24:45-49; Romans 1:16-17; Romans 10:9, 11-13.
[33] See e.g., Acts 1:8, 15; Acts 9:15, 17; Acts 13:47.
[34] See e.g., Acts 14:1, 7, 15-18.
[35] See e.g., 15:26-27; Acts 4:13, 29, 31; Acts 6:8-10.
[36] See e.g., Mark 16:20; Acts 2:22, 43; Acts 3:6-11; Acts 4:30-31; Acts 5:12-16; Acts 14:3.
[37] See e.g., Acts 3:1; Acts 21:17-26.
[38] See e.g., Acts 5:17-18; Acts 6:11-14; Acts 7:54-58.
[39] See e.g., Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Acts 6:9; Acts 8:1, 4; Acts 9:21; Acts 11:19.
[40] See e.g., Acts 11:18; Acts 14:27; Acts 15:3; Romans 10:12-13; Romans 15:9, 16.
[41] See e.g., Isaiah 53:5-6; John 1:29; Romans 1:17; Romans 3:21; Romans 8:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24.
[42] See e.g., Isaiah 9:2; Isaiah 40:3-5; Isaiah 42:6-7; Isaiah 49:6; Luke 2:32; Luke 3:4-6; Luke 4:18-19; John 1:4-5, 29; Acts 13:47.
[43] See e.g., Acts 2:47; Acts 5:14; Acts 6:7; Acts 9:31, 35, 42; Acts 11:19-21, 24; Acts 12:24; Acts 13:49; Acts 14:1, 7; Acts 15:3; Acts 16:5; Acts 17:4; Acts 19:20; Acts 21:17-18; Acts 23:11; Acts 28:28.
[44] See e.g., John 14:6; Acts 9:1-2; Acts 11:26; Acts 19:9; Acts 22:4; Acts 24:14, 22.
[45] See e.g., John 14:6; Acts 5:20; Acts 24:5.
[46] See e.g., Acts 1:15; Acts 2:41; Acts 4:4; Acts 6:1.
[47] See e.g., Acts 9:31; Acts 16:5.
[48] See e.g., Acts 9:15; Acts 13:46-47; Acts 22:21; Galatians 2:7-9.
[49] See e.g., Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2.
[50] See e.g., Acts 15:1-2, 5-6, 24.
[51] See e.g., Galatians 2:14.
[52] See e.g., Ephesians 2:11.
[53] See e.g., Exodus 4:24-26; Joshua 5:2-8.
[54] See e.g., Exodus 12:48-49; Leviticus 12:2-3.
[55] See Genesis 17:23-24; Genesis 21:3-4; Acts 7:8.
[56] See Genesis 17:25-26.
[57] See e.g., Luke 1:59; Luke 2:21-24.
[58] See e.g., Philippians 3:5.
[59] See Acts 15:1, 5.
[60] See e.g., Acts 15:2, 7.
[61] See e.g., Acts 10:34-45; Acts 11:15-18; Acts 15:7-9; Romans 10:12-13.
[62] See e.g., Matthew 3:2, 8; Luke 3:3, 8; John 1:12-13; John 3:3-8; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-13; Galatians 3:2, 14; Galatians 4:4-7.
[63] See e.g., Psalm 15:1-5; Psalm 24:3-5; Matthew 5:8; Acts 10:34-35.
[64] See e.g., Ezekiel 18:30-32; Joel 2:32; Luke 24:27, 47; John 1:12-13; John 17:2-3; John 20:30-31; Acts 2:38-40; Acts 3:19; Acts 4:10-12; Acts 10:36, 43; Acts 11:18; Acts 13:38-39; Acts 15:8-11; Acts 16:30-34; Acts 17:30; Acts 20:20-21; Acts 26:18-20; Romans 1:16-17; Romans 5:1-2; Romans 8:1; Romans 10:4, 9-13; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Galatians 2:16, 20-21; Galatians 3:24, 26-29; Galatians 4:5.
[65] See e.g., John 3:16, 36; John 20:30-31; Romans 5:1-2; Romans 10:4, 9-13; Ephesians 2:8-10; Galatians 5:5.
[66] See e.g., Romans 10:9-13.
[67] See e.g., Romans 5:2, 10-11; Romans 8:30; 2 Corinthians 5:17-18.
[68] See e.g., Romans 2:28-29; Romans 5:10-11; Galatians 2:19-20; Galatians 3:2, 14, 24.
[69] See e.g., John 3:3-8; Romans 5:5, 18; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:4-5; Titus 3:3-7.
[70] See e.g., Ezekiel 37:26; Luke 2:14; John 14:6, 27; John 16:33; Romans 5:1-2, 10-11; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians 3:12.
[71] See e.g., Psalm 110:1; Mark 16:19; Romans 8:34; Colossians 3:1-2; Hebrews 7:25.
[72] See e.g., John 10:30, 38; John 14:9-11, 20; John 20:28; Acts 10:36; Romans 9:5; 1 John 5:20; Hebrews 1:3.
[73] See e.g., Acts 15:19-21, 28-29; Acts 21:25; 1 Corinthians 6:15-20; 1 Corinthians 10:7-8; Colossians 3:5; see also Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 3:17; Leviticus 7:26; Leviticus 17:13-14. However, Paul in 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1 permitted believers to consume and eat meat offered to idols.
[74] See e.g., Acts 16:4-5; see also Acts 15:19-21, 28-29.
[75] See e.g., John 7:19; Acts 7:53; Acts 15:10.
[76] See e.g., Matthew 15:11; Mark 7:19; Acts 10:13; Acts 11:7.
[77] See e.g., Exodus 19:5-6; Exodus 20:1-17; Romans 9:4.
[78] See e.g., Romans 9:30-33.
[79] See e.g., Romans 3:31.
[80] See e.g., Genesis 6:9; Genesis 15:6; Genesis 17:1.
[81] See e.g., Habakkuk 2:4; Hebrews 10:38; Hebrews 11:6-7.
[82] Genesis 2:16-17; Genesis 4:7; Genesis 5:22-24; Genesis 7:1; Genesis 17:1; Genesis 26:2-5; see also Romans 9:30-32; Ephesians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; Hebrews 11:6.
[83] See e.g., Genesis 15:6; Genesis 17:10; Romans 4:3-5, 9-12, 16; Galatians 3:6, 9, 11-12; Ephesians 2:8-9; James 2:23.
[84] See e.g., Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3, 9, 22; Galatians 3:6-9.
[85] See e.g., Exodus 20:2-3; Deuteronomy 6:4-6; Habakkuk 2:2-4; Matthew 6:33; Matthew 22:37; Romans 1:16-17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:37-38; Hebrews 11:6.
[86] See e.g., Galatians 3:19, 24; 1 Timothy 1:8-10.
[87] See e.g., Genesis 15:6; Genesis 17:1-3, 9-14; Ephesians 1:4.
[88] See e.g., Genesis 18:9; Leviticus 19:16-18; Psalm 15:1-5; Psalm 24:3-5; Matthew 6:33; Matthew 22:39; Acts 10:35; 2 Corinthians 13:7; Galatians 3:26-29; Ephesians 2:10.
[89] See e.g., Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 Corinthians 10:31.
[90] Colossians 2:11-12; see also Deuteronomy 10:16; Deuteronomy 30:6; Jeremiah 4:4; Romans 2:28-29; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 10:22.
[91] See e.g., Philippians 3:3.
[92] See e.g., Romans 2:28-29.
[93] See e.g., Romans 2:21-25.
[94] See e.g., Deuteronomy 6:4-6; Matthew 22:37-40; John 13:34-35; John 15:12; Romans 12:9; Romans 13:10; Galatians 5:2-6; Galatians 6:15; 1 Thessalonians 4:9; 2 Peter 1:7; 1 John 3:11.
[95] See e.g., Deuteronomy 10:16; Deuteronomy 30:6; Jeremiah 4:4; John 1:12-13.
[96] See e.g., Matthew 3:9; Luke 3:8; Galatians 3:29.
[97] See e.g., Jeremiah 9:23; Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8; Matthew 3:2, 7-8, 10; Matthew 7:15-20; Matthew 23:23; Luke 3:8-9; 2 Corinthians 7:9-11; Galatians 5:22-23.
[98] See e.g., John 15:4-6; Colossians 1:10; Colossians 2:6-7.
[99] See e.g., Romans 3:29-30.
[100] See e.g., Deuteronomy 4:5-8; Romans 3:1-2.
[101] See e.g., Romans 3:19-20; Romans 5:20-21.
[102] See e.g., Romans 3:8.
[103] See e.g., Romans 3:9; Galatians 3:22.
[104] See e.g., Romans 3:23-26; Romans 5:12, 17.
[105] See e.g., Genesis 15:6; Deuteronomy 6:4-6; Matthew 22:37; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:21-23, 25-28, 30; Romans 4:3, 5-8, 16, 22-23; Romans 5:8-9; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9.
[106] See e.g., Romans 4:5, 13, 16; Galatians 3:22.
[107] See e.g., John 3:16; Romans 3:24; Romans 4:16; Ephesians 2:8-9.
