Acts 2:44

[Marymog]

Acts 2:44

What exactly does this scripture mean to you?
How does it apply to our christian way of living today?

Putting Acts 2:44 (were together and had all things in common) in context means they would sell their possessions and distribute the proceeds to the needy; they spent much time together in the temple; they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts (acts 2:45-46).

I suspect they also had in common keeping away from every believer who was idle and disruptive and did not live according to the teaching they received from the Apostles (2 Thess. 3:6).

Historically we know that the 1st century Christians gathered for liturgical services and broke bread together and baptized with water using the Trinitarian method.

It applies to our Christian way of life today by helping the needy, spending time together and breaking of bread at our services; just like they did. However today we give from our excess instead of selling our possessions.

Mary

 

[Hidden In Him]

Just seen this thread..
I haven't read any other posts so I don't know if anyone else has already said this ...but...

I would say that we CANNOT by "changing something or making a rule"
cause in any church that which is not first in the heart.
It is a first a heart thing, a grace thing... The Church in Acts were on fire and sold out to God first, and to each other. ...and today ??????

Can't remember how much I have shared on here, but I know I have shared some of our 'early days' with the Lord.

Here we are in Canada we left England to move here in 1975
We came to move into community living and sharing everything.
We had been married 14 years in 75 and had two children...we sold and gave away EVERYTHING... we arrived here with two suit cases each..and $600 to show for Emigration , (which I had borrowed from my uncle and would return as soon as we arrived here and got through the process safely...we had nothing )

Long story short...we hit the wall within a year. We found just what you ask here...

Man put his hand on it...the LIFE and heart was sucked out of it...they started organizing everyone , telling us what we can do think, believe, and buy..and when.
Fortunately hubby and I were invited here as part of the leadership of the community that we were in, 80 people in all.
We were in elders meetings until 2am many nights.
My husband is quieter than I and more controlled. Id end up yelling at some of the other elders who were draining the joy, spontaneity and giving heart out of the people. Giving and sharing from the heart was not now by love for God and for each other, but by rules, and regulations from the eldership.
We gave it our best , but after a year we said NO MORE...my parting words were..."You can have it, your God is not my God, and this is not what I left England for. "

After that, back in Edmonton we had 5 community homes in 17 years..we never lived by ourselves , we always had other brothers and sisters living with us... Community living is wonderful ..IF it is led by the Holy Spirit with no dictation by flesh.

But, here we are now been in Canada 44 yrs old now and just Dave and I and the old dog.
Although challenging on so many fronts, our 18 years of community living we the happiest of our lives. I have no regrets at all..except for the stupidity of man who thinks he can play God in other believers lives. We saw it big time. But, God showed us so many wonderful things , some painful things , we also had some faithful leadership who did not pull punches and shot from the hip... I'd go away and cry...but agree with God that they were right..I needed a hard word at the time. I grew up.

It starts in the heart ..and stays alive in the heart....or its just another dead work of the flesh.

Got a bit side tracked here...but I say IF you can do it without man killing and draining the life out of it ..go for it... but forget rules ....
- Organizing , telling people what to do, and rules for people lives removes the heart and love ...and things turn bitter.

I've only read through page 1, but this is close to what my response would be. The power of God was moving so strongly in Acts that the leadership of the church was unquestionably the Lord Himself. When the Lord Himself (through the Holy Spirit) is unquestionably manifest among His people, there is unity. But this can fade - sometimes quickly - and it did amongst the early church. Just look at the unity being described in Acts 4:31-37, and then compare it to what a God-awful mess things had turned into by the time James wrote his letter. They were quenching the Spirit left and right with their contentiousness, ambition, and cursing one another instead of blessing one another.

Only when the church returns to inviting the Presence of God, and even MORE powerfully than was present in Acts 2-4, will this sort of thing work for very long without being corrupted by men (Nature of the beast, i.e. the flesh, unfortunately).

Reason I started this thread is because I visited a coffee shop for lunch in Chilliwack BC which is operated by
a Christian group who are living together on a piece of property.

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"The Twelve Tribes is a confederation of twelve self-governing tribes, composed of self-governing communities. We are disciples of the Son of God whose name in Hebrew is Yahshua. We follow the pattern of the early church in Acts 2:44 and 4:32, truly believing everything that is written in the Old and New Covenants of the Bible, and sharing all things in common."

Hi, Triumph. Glad to see you are well (helmet and all, LoL).

If I'm being honest, that sort of thing would TERRIFY me, and I'm not kidding you. Unless the Spirit of God Himself was very powerfully in charge of a congregation like that and manifesting Himself unquestionably in prophecy, tongues/interpretation, Divine utterance in general, I would be absolutely spooked out of my shoes and running from that like an Olympic athlete going for the Gold. The greatest likelihood is that the leadership would silence any who disagreed with their theology, and if you have committed yourself to a community like that, now you are STUCK having to submit to the leadership "God has set in place." I am NOT well understood in my time. Most things God has shared with me I don't share with anyone, at least not yet, because He has not led me to in any great capacity. But at least in the free world I could do so at any time He so led me to. In a prison-like environment like that, I'd be ostracized if I deviated too far from the established leadership's teachings.

I can't tell you how much a situation like that would terrify me; the worst nightmare possible. I would certainly wish them the very best, because if they are all of the same mind on their theology, there could be some real benefits where their spiritual lifestyles were concerned. But bless God keep me out of it. Frightening is not even close to right the word.

 

[amadeus]

lets not forget that Paul was collecting alms for them later right

The ideal is of course really holding all things in common. What is really happening necessitates alms, but why?

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matt 5:48

Perhaps there are some who are not yet perfect!

 

[Hidden In Him]

But as has been explained already by others, men on their own were on the scene, or would soon be on the scene, and the result is a mixture of the things of men with the things of God which in the end cannot work the work of God perfectly.

Yep. Satan tempts people to "start their own ministry," even when they are not called, so when they see an opportunity to take over leadership of a group, selfish-ambition rises in people's hearts. They succumb to the temptation of being in a position of authority, and/or of making a living "serving God" instead of having to work a real job, LoL.

The same sort of selfish ambition was in play at the church at Corinth, as also among the Jewish congregations James had written to. Once selfish-ambition takes over, you will invariably have infighting, competition and strife, and once it gets to that place you can rest assured the congregation will not be led by the Spirit of God.

It's just the flesh is all. Many Christians don't realize how much they are led by fleshly desires until an opportunity presents itself to gratify their fleshly desires in the name of "serving God."

 

[amadeus]

Yep. Satan tempts people to "start their own ministry," even when they are not called, so when they see an opportunity to take over leadership of a group, selfish-ambition rises in people's hearts. They succumb to the temptation of being in a position of authority, and/or of making a living "serving God" instead of having to work a real job, LoL.

The same sort of selfish ambition was in play at the church at Corinth, as also among the Jewish congregations James had written to. Once selfish-ambition takes over, you will invariably have infighting, competition and strife, and once it gets to that place you can rest assured the congregation will not be led by the Spirit of God.

It's just the flesh is all. Many Christians don't realize how much they are led by fleshly desires until an opportunity presents itself to gratify their fleshly desires in the name of "serving God."

Yes, and some people in such situations will get weary in their well-doing and presume they are OK because Jesus has done it all for them.

Jesus did overcome the world, but it was NOT your world, or my world or their world. It was only the world of Jesus, the man of flesh. He opened the Way for us, and now it is possible for us to follow Him using all that has been provided by God... but the decisions to properly prepare ourselves and to walk on are ours... This is what men might call "free will": a choice between going God's Way and going our own ways.

 

[farouk]

Yep. Satan tempts people to "start their own ministry," even when they are not called, so when they see an opportunity to take over leadership of a group, selfish-ambition rises in people's hearts. They succumb to the temptation of being in a position of authority, and/or of making a living "serving God" instead of having to work a real job, LoL.

The same sort of selfish ambition was in play at the church at Corinth, as also among the Jewish congregations James had written to. Once selfish-ambition takes over, you will invariably have infighting, competition and strife, and once it gets to that place you can rest assured the congregation will not be led by the Spirit of God.

It's just the flesh is all. Many Christians don't realize how much they are led by fleshly desires until an opportunity presents itself to gratify their fleshly desires in the name of "serving God."

Good points there...

 

[Hidden In Him]

Jesus did overcome the world, but it was NOT your world, or my world or their world.

Yes. Reminds me of the following:

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

It's through Him that WE go through it, not that He has already gone through it for us. I hear so much of this kind of talk now. We have some long-time Hispanic friends and the husband always says things like that. So often I will hear him say "Jesus has already done it for me," which practically ends the conversation. Never mind that he is excusing himself from having to do anything personally. That line of argument will go through one of his ears and out the other as being nothing more than "self-righteousness" talk, LoL.

 

[amadeus]

Yes. Reminds me of the following:

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

It's through Him that WE go through it, not that He has already gone through it for us. I hear so much of this kind of talk now. We have some long-time Hispanic friends and the husband always says things like that. So often I will hear him say "Jesus has already done it for me," which practically ends the conversation. Never mind that he is excusing himself from having to do anything personally. That line of argument will go through one of his ears and out the other as being nothing more than "self-righteousness" talk, LoL.

Just praise the Lord, my friend!

 

[Hidden In Him]

Just praise the Lord, my friend!

Yep! Always look on the bright side of life!

Wait, wasn't that a Monty Python song...

Oh, well. I know what you mean!

 

[amadeus]

Yep! Always look on the bright side of life!

Wait, wasn't that a Monty Python song...

Oh, well. I know what you mean!

I gave you a like based on past experience. I am not sure who Monty Python is.

 

[Hidden In Him]

I gave you a like based on past experience. I am not sure who Monty Python is.

That's because you're a godly man. I wasn't always, LoL.

 

[Hidden In Him]

I gave you a like based on past experience. I am not sure who Monty Python is.

In case you were asking. British comedy. They were a tad on the sacrilegious side (and sometimes lewd), but occasionally funny.
This scene was clean; an imitation of a Biblical prophet, expounding on "scripture."

 

[amadeus]

That's because you're a godly man. I wasn't always, LoL.

Which one of us among men was always godly? Jesus alone! No, I've heard his name, this Monty Python, but he must not have been from an era when I paid that much attention to famous men in the world around me. I have no idea even what his occupation was/is, although I suspect from your post that he was a singer or a musician of some kind.

My declining interest in the worldly things in seen by my sports memories or lack thereof. I cannot today name the professional baseball teams in the United States, but I can probably still remember the entire normal starting lineup for the Brooklyn Dodgers when their top pitchers included Sandy Koufax, Carl Erskine and Don Newcombe. Now that is an important bit of trivia to keep in my head all of these years. I am certainly not against sports, but I am against the emphasis placed on it these days especially with good sportsmanship is seldom mentioned. It seems too often to be more important to win than to be a good sport.

I live in a fanatically sports oriented university city, but I scarcely know when games are being played until in my ignorance I get stuck in game day traffic.

 

[amadeus]

In case you were asking. British comedy. They were a tad on the sacrilegious side (and sometimes lewd), but occasionally funny.
This scene was clean; an imitation of a Biblical prophet, expounding on "scripture."

I just watched it but due to my hearing loss I was unable to follow it even with the closed captioning on... I could have rerun it a few times and done better, but I guess I did not miss anything important with my one time viewing. Funny? I have not a clue. Due to my lack of understanding I was dead pan. I know that I do have a sense of humor, but it is a more of a old fashioned kind than what tickles the funny bones of younger people. Of course what I cannot hear or understand is not funny.

I used to enjoy Laurel & Hardy, Abbot & Costello, Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis. The Three Stooges were a little harder to take but when I was desperate I watched them too.

 

[marksman]

Acts 2:44

What exactly does this scripture mean to you?
How does it apply to our christian way of living today?

I love your signature. Certainly gives the saying a new meaning.

 

[marksman]

Acts 2:44

What exactly does this scripture mean to you?
How does it apply to our christian way of living today?

Act 2:44 And all the believers were together and had all things common. This is the literal translation of the verse.

The word "common" is koinis in Greek which is related to koinonos or koinonia which means a sharer or sharing.

All things means a particle of a union. Hapas in Greek.

The New Testament Church was much more relational than the church is today. And...most of the time the favoured means of transport was walking, a donkey and cart or a horse. In other words, they did not live in the next town to where they fellowshipped together. They fellowshipped in the town or village where they lived, often in the same street where they lived.

Don't forget there were no denominations in scripture until the Corinthian church.

Being relational, they were much more likely to be aware of each other needs so it was a case of what is mine is yours.

Today in modern-day society it is much more a case of you in your small corner and I in mine. On Sundays, in church, we may speak to a few in attendance but the majority we never connect with. And the connection is often "Hello, how are you?" "Fine." "That's good. bye."

Our fellowship most of the time is with backs of other people's heads.

The New Testament church met in homes, sat together and ate a meal and chatted (fellowship) and shared the apostles teaching with each other (no sermons). Matters of importance were covered in prayer.

One thing I noticed was they finished the meeting with a song/psalm. No 30 minutes of "praise."

 

[Triumph1300]

Don't forget there were no denominations in scripture until the Corinthian church.

Any references to this?
Just wondering.

 

[marksman]

Any references to this?
Just wondering.

Thank you for your question. The word denomination was not one used in scripture regarding the church but it is inferred in the teaching of Paul when he castigated the Corinthians of claiming they were of Paul, or of Apollos or of Tom, Dick or Harry. Most denominations are born out of a particular person's emphasis theologically. That is why we have 101 different pentecostal denominations because one man decides he wants to emphasize one particular doctrine which his particular church did not address and did not want to.

I have studied every pentecostal denomination in my country to know what the reason for their beginning was.

One comes to mind in my country where a pastor in the AOG left and started his own pentecostal denomination because the AOG would not go with a doctrine he had invented.

 

[marksman]

I used to enjoy Laurel & Hardy, Abbot & Costello, Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis. The Three Stooges were a little harder to take but when I was desperate I watched them too.

Who wouldn't? They were sensational.

 

[Triumph1300]

That is why we have 101 different pentecostal denominations because one man decides he wants to emphasize one particular doctrine which his particular church did not address and did not want to.

I have studied every pentecostal denomination in my country to know what the reason for their beginning was.

That must have been a long study.
I don't think I could study 101 different pentecostal denominations.
Wow
And of course those are only the Pentecostal ones....

I just read my bible.