Acts 28:22-28 [Among the Many Sects of the World, Which Sect Do the Disciples of Jesus Belong To?]

[Things to Meditate On]

1. Just as there are many denominations and sects today, it seems that there were also many sects at the time when the passage above was written (1 Corinthians 1:11-13, Acts 5:27-41). Because each group belonged to its own “sect,” they also treated Paul and the other disciples of Jesus as people belonging to one particular “sect” (verse 22, Acts 5:28). Because of this, even though the word Paul preached was the word of God, to them it was treated merely as the claim of one sect among many, and even as a sect that was spoken against everywhere. Therefore, they did not recognize the word of God being spoken to them. Thus, when one’s own thoughts and claims become strong, it seems that one becomes dull of hearing the words of Jesus and even closes one’s eyes to those words (verse 27).

2. Then what “sect” did the disciples of Jesus, including Paul, truly belong to? And what denomination or sect do you currently belong to?

In fact, the very idea that the disciples of Jesus belonged to some “sect” is strange. Nevertheless, if we must speak of a “sect,” then their “sect” would have been only this: that they belonged to Jesus. This is because the disciples of Jesus had nothing else to speak of except that they belonged to Jesus. Thus, the disciples of Jesus belonged only to Jesus. Then to whom do we belong? The many churches of today have continued down to this day from the early church established through the disciples of Jesus. In other words, just like the disciples of Jesus, we today also belong only to Jesus. If we say that, in addition to belonging only to Jesus, we also belong to people such as Peter, Paul, Calvin, the founder of Presbyterianism, or John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, then surely this would be something that even they themselves would not want. As in the passage below, they would rather rebuke us, saying, “Why do you say that you belong to us in addition to belonging to Jesus?”

1 Corinthians 1:11-13 “11For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. 12Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 13Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?”

Therefore, if people ask us which denomination or sect we belong to, the proper biblical answer for those of us who believe in Jesus would be, “We belong only to Jesus” (Song of Solomon 2:16, John 15:18-19). As Paul said above, there is only one Jesus, and the One who was crucified for us is also Jesus alone. Therefore, it is only natural that Jesus alone should be testified through us.

3. As in the Corinthian church, where there were contentions at that time, today also people are so different from one another that when they converse together, their claims often fail to agree (verse 25). But if the reason their claims conflict is that one person is speaking the words written in Scripture, while the other person is speaking according to the doctrine, theory, or thoughts of the group to which he belongs, then rather than stubbornly holding on to one’s own claims and pride, it is important to humbly search the Scriptures together to see what the word of God says (Acts 17:11-12). This is because the apostle Paul testified of Jesus to those who had gathered by using the law of Moses and the prophets (verse 23; for all the things written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms testified of Jesus. Luke 24:44-45, John 5:39), and yet among those who heard his words, there were still some who did not believe (verse 24).

Therefore, when the words of Jesus are delivered to us through someone, we must be careful not to refuse to listen simply because we are concerned about denominations, or because his words differ from our own thoughts (verses 24-25). Otherwise, because of our own thoughts, we may miss an important opportunity to understand the truth and receive healing (verse 28).

Romans 2:4-5 “4Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.”

Therefore, our hearts should always have a humble attitude that seeks first to search the Scriptures and see what the written word of God says, rather than a heart that insists on our own things. Only then, whenever and through whomever the words of Jesus are delivered to us, can we recognize the proper truth and humbly respond with “Amen” before that word (2 Corinthians 1:18-20).

John 1:45-49 “45Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see... 49Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.”

[Decision and Application]

God gives us faith through the words written in the Scriptures (Romans 10:17), and He enables us to understand the truth so that we may receive “healing”—that is, turning back, repentance, and restoration (Isaiah 6:9-10). Therefore, being able to read and hear the words of Scripture is truly a great blessing to us (1 Kings 10:8). The passage below clearly tells us how great a blessing it is for us to be able to hear the word of God and receive understanding.

Matthew 13:10-16 “10And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at anytime they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.”

Among these words, verses 14-16 and the words of Acts 28:26-27 above both quote the writing of the prophet Isaiah. They speak of how the hearts of the people of Israel had become hardened, so that although they heard, they did not understand, and although they saw, they did not perceive. The reason this is such a serious problem is that we must hear the word of God and receive understanding in order to be healed, that is, to turn back. But if we become dull of hearing the word and close our eyes before the word, we lose the opportunity to receive healing. Therefore, the apostle Paul also declared that the salvation of God had departed from them and had been sent to the Gentiles, when they disagreed among themselves and departed, even though he had expounded from morning until evening and testified of Jesus (verse 28). Therefore, we must remember that the time when we are allowed to read, hear, and understand the Scriptures is the accepted time and the day of salvation for us, and we must always seek to be humble before the words of Jesus.

2 Corinthians 6:1-2 “1We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 2For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Now we must no longer allow the fact that we belong to a certain denomination or sect, or the theories and thoughts we already know, to become so important to us that we fail to hear the words of Jesus. For this, we must have “circumcised ears” (Jeremiah 6:10-11, Acts 7:51), and circumcision is said to be the putting off of the body of the flesh (Colossians 2:11). In other words, we must cast down every theory within us and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Jesus (2 Corinthians 10:5). Therefore, laying down our own thoughts before the words of Jesus and humbly listening to Him truly becomes a blessing for us.

Matthew 13:16 “...blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.”

Revelation 1:2-3 “2Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 3Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”

Amen.