Acts 11:23 KJV
Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
Barnabas saw what had already happened in Antioch and was glad.
There were Christians who witnessed
There were lost people who had believed and turned to the Lord
There were tidings of this getting around the world
Barnabas was not there to win these people to the Lord that was already accomplished. However, he did have this message and that was "with purpose of heart they would all cleave to the Lord."
The word “cleave” means "to stay, remain, stick or persevere." And Barnabas said we would do it with purpose of heart or intentionally. No one will persevere with Christ unless they purpose to do so. This world, the flesh and Satan purposefully draw Christians away from Christ. The allure of this world is powerful enough to pull away anyone who does not intentionally cleave to the Lord.
Barnabas exhorted them all to cleave to the Lord. God's desire is not that there be a few really godly Christians who keep the rest of the casual Christians from getting too far away from the Lord. God's desire is that all of us would cleave to Christ. That all of us would be holy, separate and undefiled by this world.
Any Christian can bring that kind of message. We can implore and encourage other Christians to live for God after they are saved. And it is, I think, God's design that when we come to church we do exactly that.
Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
Barnabas saw what had already happened in Antioch and was glad.
There were Christians who witnessed
There were lost people who had believed and turned to the Lord
There were tidings of this getting around the world
Barnabas was not there to win these people to the Lord that was already accomplished. However, he did have this message and that was "with purpose of heart they would all cleave to the Lord."
The word “cleave” means "to stay, remain, stick or persevere." And Barnabas said we would do it with purpose of heart or intentionally. No one will persevere with Christ unless they purpose to do so. This world, the flesh and Satan purposefully draw Christians away from Christ. The allure of this world is powerful enough to pull away anyone who does not intentionally cleave to the Lord.
Barnabas exhorted them all to cleave to the Lord. God's desire is not that there be a few really godly Christians who keep the rest of the casual Christians from getting too far away from the Lord. God's desire is that all of us would cleave to Christ. That all of us would be holy, separate and undefiled by this world.
Any Christian can bring that kind of message. We can implore and encourage other Christians to live for God after they are saved. And it is, I think, God's design that when we come to church we do exactly that.
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