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Clear Gospel Campaign
— by Ronald R. Shea, Th.M., J.D —
 
Topics Touching the Message of Salvation
— Baptism —
Curriculum Outline and Study Guide | Resurrection | Assurance | Baptism | The Bema | Calvinism | The Gospel Message & Content of Saving Faith | The Creator | Dispensationalism | Eternal Security | Evangelism & Discipleship | Expiation, Propitiation and Redemption | Faith | Fruit . .. Don't you need it? | Grace | Hebrews 10 | Hebrews 6:1-15 | Heirship and Rewards | James 2:14-26 | Jesus is God | 1st John | John MacArthur | Justification | Bilateral Contract Salvation or "Lordship Salvation" | The Market Driven Church | Perseverance of the Saints | Predestination and Free Will | Public Confession of Christ | Regeneration | Repentance | Roman Catholicism | Salvation | Sanctification | The Sheep and Goats Judgment | Silly Gospel Substitutes | "Sovereign" (Irresistible) Grace | Stewardship of the Gospel Message | The Modern "Testimony" | The Ten Commandments: Their Relationship to the Believer | Theology and Doctrine | Total Depravity and `The Bondage of the Will` | Worship Music | Appendix I: Church History from a Free Grace perspective
The Problem
Acts 2:38--The "Causal eis" Debate
Acts 2:32--The Burden for the Causal eis
Acts 2:38--The analysis of the Causal Eis
Acts 2:38 - Blood Guilt: Forgiveness or Justification?
Acts 2:38 -- Blood Guilt: Corporate and Personal
Acts 2:38 -- Blood Guilt: Resolution and Closure
Acts 2:38 --A Covenant People and The Covenant
Acts 2:38 --A Covenant People and The Church Age
Acts 2:38 --A Covenant People: The Structure of Acts
Acts 2:38 --A Covenant People: Escaping National Judgment
Acts 2:38 -- Conclusion

 

 

Salvation and Water Baptism

 

by

Ronald R. Shea, Th.M., J.D.

 

 

 The Structure of the Book of Acts

The same motif as Acts 1:8 can be seen in the literary structure of the Book of Acts . . . the passing of the torch to the Gentile nations.

The chapter and verse divisions of our Bible today were not in the Greek text of Scripture.  The chapter divisions of Scripture were added by Stephen Langton, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in roughly the year AD 1227.  Later on, these chapters were broken up into individual verses.  The  verse divisions of the old testament were added by Rabbi Nathan and about the year AD 1440, and the verse divisions of the New Testament were later added by Stephanus in about the year AD 1555.

However, within the Book of Acts, Luke employed a  literary marker which divides the Book of Acts into separate sections.  This marker is used to attend up by the end of the chapter.  It is the reiteration that the gospel message was advancing by the providence of God, in abundance and strife.  We six such summary verses:

End of Section I:  Luke 2:46-47:

And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

End of Section II:  Luke 6:7:

And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

 

End of Section III:  Luke 9:31

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.

 

End of Section IV:  Luke 12:24-24:5

But the word of God grew and multiplied.  And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

The Structure of the Book of Acts

 

End of Section V:  Luke 16:5

And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

 

End of Section VI:  Luke 19:18-20

And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.  Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.  So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

 

And the final verses of the Book of Acts

 

End of Section VII:  Luke 28:30-31

And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

 

(Credit to E.D. Hirsch for hypothesizing these verses as section markers)

 

Often times, the theme of this section are summarized in the very first verse of that section.  Using these section markers, the Book of Acts could be outlined as follows.

 

I.    The gospel message goes forth in Jerusalem, the center of the Jewish world.  (Acts 2:1-46)

 

 II.   The early church forms in Jerusalem.  (Acts 3:1-6:6)

 

III.    The church is persecuted, but the word is going out to the outlying areas of Judea.  (Acts 6:7-9:30)

 

IV.    Peter, the apostle to the Jews (Acts 9:31-12:24)

 

V.     Saul / Paul, the apostle to the gentiles (Acts 13:1-16:4)

 

VI.    The message goes out to the outlying areas of the Gentile world.  (Acts 16:5-19:20)

 

VII.    The Gospel message goes to Rome, the center of the Gentile world.  (Acts 19:21-28)  (This section ends with Paul affirming the transition.  The gospel message is being received by the gentiles, and they will be stewards of this message during the church age.

 


Acts 2:38 --A Covenant People: The Structure of Acts

 
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