August 6
Bible Reading: Acts 11:4-18
Acts 11:16, “And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
The Word of God is the final authority for believers in all matters of faith and practice. This historical tenet of the Christian faith is well-founded and established in Scripture. Thus, the primary question for believers in all circumstances is, “What does the Bible say?” The Word of God holds the highest authority, even over personal experiences.
Peter addresses this in his second epistle. He was an eyewitness to the majesty of Jesus (2 Peter 1:16) and heard with his own ears the voice saying, “This is my beloved Son” (2 Peter 1:17). Yet, he directed his readers to the prophetic word, not his experiences. He emphasized the importance of paying attention to the Word (2 Peter 1:19). The Word, not our experiences, is the ultimate arbiter of our beliefs and behavior.
After receiving criticism for eating with uncircumcised men, Peter had to explain his actions. Verses 4-15 detail this account. While Peter’s experience had some value, the word of the Lord was paramount. Jesus had promised: “The Spirit will…bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). Peter, accordingly, recalled Jesus’ words: “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 11:16). It was not just Peter’s experience that validated the salvation of the Gentiles, but Jesus’ own words. Hearing this, his critics “fell silent” and “glorified God” for granting repentance to the Gentiles. Just as in this example, we need to be careful to sift all we hear and experience through a “but what does the Bible say?” filter.
“To build a theology on experience is to build on sand. But to build a theology on God’s inspired, revealed Word is to build on rock.” – John MacArthur
THY WORD IS A LAMP
Thy Word is a lamp to my feet, O Lord,
Thy Word is a light to my way;
It shines in my soul like a star by night,
And comforts and cheers me by day.
Refrain:
O wonderful, wonderful Word,
My treasure, my hope, and my stay;
Each promise recorded delights my soul,
And brightens each step of my way.
Thy Word is a lamp to my feet, O Lord,
And, trusting in Thee as my all,
Whatever of evil may cross my path,
I never, no, never can fall. [Refrain]
Thy Word is a lamp to my feet, O Lord,
And oh, when Thy glory I see,
For all the rich blessings its truth has brought,
The praises will I give unto Thee. [Refrain]
LookingtoJesus 