Psalm 16:2

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Acts 13. The Mind of the Spirit engaged the spirit of my mind in verse 48:

Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

The Jews in the Synagogue of Antioch rejected the gospel.*

When Paul finished his message and the Synagogue dismissed, many of the Jews followed Paul and believed (Acts 13:43). A week later, the entire city was stirred by news of Paul’s message and gathered to hear the word of God (Acts 13:44). The Jews were “filled with envy” and rose up against Paul and disputed against his mesage, “contradicting and blaspheming” (Acts 13:45). That’s when Paul rebuked the Jews and declared that becuase they had judged “themselves unworthy of everlasting life” that he would “turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46-47). This is the message that rejoiced the believing Gentiles.

Along the still waters, I pondered Acts 13:48. Much is made of the expression, “as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.”** Who is “ordained to eternal life” and when do they receive it?

We know that those who believe in and therefore receive Jesus Christ receive eternal life (John 1:11-13; 1 John 5:10-13), and that this occurs after they have heard the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation (Ephesians 1:13). We also know that God foreknew (knew in advance) who would believe and who would not (Romans 8:29). Those He foreknew, He predestinated (determined before) to be conformed ot the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). This is God’s predestined future for all He foreknew would believe on His Son. Those who would refuse to believe are also predestined to join Satan in the Lake of fire. That GOD knows beforehand who will believe and who will not does not affect our responsibility to preach the Gospel to all men everywhere.

The Gentiles who believed were ordained to eternal life, and these Gentiles who were ordained to eternal life believed what Paul said about the Gospel being sent to them. This made them glad, and they “glorified the word of the Lord.

Because these believers believed the preaching of Paul and Barnabas, the “word of the Lord was published throughout the region.” The unbelieving resisted and persecuted God’s preachers and expelled them from the city. They obeyed Jesus’ instructions and “shook off the dust of their feet against them” (Matthew 10:14; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5, especially see Luke 9:8-12).

And the Spirit spoke to my heart, This is what happens when believers believe.

In the valley, the voice of the LORD spoke clearly: You will only go forward in reaching your ‘region’ as you obey my call: ‘If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me’ (Luke 9:23).

At the table, Jesus anointed me with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. He nodded to Goodness and mercy. They quickly came and followed us into the harvest.

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live later. We are still very involved in helping our son prepare for his move. He will be heading out tomorrow, and we are finalizing preparations. Thank you for praying! He’ll be driving to W. Virginia.

[*Paul was a Jew, all the Apostles were Jews, the three thousand that received Christ on Pentecost were all Jews—Paul was not saying that none of the Jewish people believed on Christ. But as a nation, they rejected the GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM, and God determined that the Gospel would be sent to the Gentiles and that they would receive it (Acts 28:28).]

[** The following is a summary of a study I have available to any who ask:

The only way anyone receives eternal life is by receiving Jesus Christ, God’s Son, and this is done by believing in Him (John 1:10-13; 1 John 5:10-13).

This happens when they hear the word of truth, the gospel of salvation (Ephesians 1:11-14).

That’s when they were “ordained to eternal life” (Acts 13:48).

These believing Gentiles BELIEVED what Paul said in Acts 13:46-47.

These believers believed they were the glad beneficiaries of the GOSPEL and rejoiced.]