But when he is put off a new nature is put on, and the new nature has new joys. The Immortality of the Soul:
And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except in the ancient writings of the Jews. (Swindoll's Living Insights). Most (but not all) refer to some aspect of the Gospel, Acts 20:23 being an exception where the Spirit speaks to Paul. This is a controversial verse so do not expect me to resolve the difficulties ably discussed by many expositors and commentators far more experienced than myself. Constable however explains that he interprets obedience this way -- "During Jesus' ministry doing the will of God boiled down to believing that Jesus was the Messiah and responding appropriately (John 6:29)." And he had come to Jerusalem to worship - The Ethiopian Eunuch was most likely a Jewish proselyte. 4. KJV Acts 8:34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? Not the NT writings for they were not yet written. Friberg adds that chrema refers to "what has been acquired to meet one's needs. Both Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch went down into the water with the eunuch's entourage witnessing the baptism. It describes an experience of being abased or caused to feel shame (cf "despising the shame" - Heb 12:2+). Ultimately Luke does not tell us whether he ever genuinely repented or not. As she listened, she decided she wanted to make a difference in her high school. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Our heart is the "control center" of our being. The novelist Joseph Conrad tells that, when he was a young sailor learning to steer a sailing-ship, a gale blew up. — Reprinted by permission. 18:8; Est. God invites you to become involved with Him in His work. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understand you what you read?…, At our meeting for prayer and fasting last Tuesday, a brother, who was, I think, the best man amongst us, made a confession of cowardice, and we all looked at him and could not understand how he could be a coward, for a bolder man I do not know. Acts 8:36-40. What Is The Evidence For/Against The Existence Of God? Expecting, perhaps, a word of commendation, he was surprised and rebuked when the old believer said, "Did you have the Holy Spirit's permission to speak to that man about his soul?" Moses indicated that the prophets God would send, apparently beginning with Joshua, would teach the people to resist such practices. Louw-Nida - "to practice magic, presumably by invoking supernatural powers.". In Mt 5:2 we read "He (JESUS) opened His mouth and began to teach them" the Sermon on the Mouth. Acts 8:27 So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. The missionary told me of some gourds that had been used by the witch doctor. (2 Cor 7:9-10). — Reprinted by permission. Philip lived to share the Gospel. Even Simon himself believed - It is interesting that the text does not say in WHAT Simon believed. What does it mean to be contrite? Have I not proved myself worthy of a broader ministry? It conveys the basic idea of an action which causes separation and refers to total detachment, total separation, from a previous location or condition. And Saul was consenting unto his death. And as we seek the Lord’s help and depend on Him, He will do the same for us. People searching for an answer, And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? It means to send forth or away from one's self. 11:4; Jos. Everything else is peripheral. And so he obeys the angel's commands without hesitation and with no evidence of grumbling or disputing (cf Php 2:14+). So what did Philip use? I hesitate and wonder, “Is this person ready to listen to the gospel? Peter as usual the lead spokesman turns this conversation in an entirely different direction. (ED: HE IS REFERRING TO IMPRISONMENT FOR OUR FAITH, ETC) We may endure a little mockery at school, a sarcastic slam at the office, some ruffled feathers in the neighborhood, but little more. God’s Spirit can neither be manipulated nor bought. If men did but know it, the greatest boon a city can have is to have the gospel preached in it. Saul, having tasted blood in the murder of Stephen, became more and more furious in his persecution of the Church of Christ at Jerusalem, and the brethren had to escape for their lives. The same Holy Spirit who used Philip to reach the Ethiopian eunuch and who used Spurgeon to reach thousands with the gospel wants to use you and me to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to Flagstaff and beyond. Steven Cole comments that "We can infer (THE FACT THAT HE DESIRES BAPTISM), then, that God graciously imparted new life and obedient faith to this man when he heard Philip present the gospel. 24:15; 2 Ki. Throughout those passages we read that unclean spirits can possess people and cause them sickness (ED: NOTE THAT MOST SICKNESS IS NOT RELATED TO DEMON POSSESSION!)