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But soon, the numbers in the Church grew by MULTIPLICATION,
no longer mere addition: "And in those days, when the number of
the disciples was MULTIPLIED, ..." (Acts 6:1).
The Gospel was GOING OUT! These thousands of brethren
coming in were either carrying out the Gospel, or backing those
who did. And WHAT GOSPEL? The Gospel GOD SENT BY JESUS -- the
Gospel of the Kingdom of God -- which is both the FAMILY of God
and the GOVERNMENT of God. (Mark 1:1, 14-15, Acts 1:3, etc., etc.)
Philip went to Samaria proclaiming the KINGDOM OF GOD. (Acts 8:5,
12.) Paul proclaimed the KINGDOM OF GOD. (Acts 20:25, 28:23, 31.)
But SATAN now influenced a great PERSECUTION against the
Church to STOP the proclaiming of the KINGDOM OF GOD. He knows
that Kingdom will remove him from the earth and from deceiving the
world into accepting him as the god of this world. (Acts 8:1.)
Satan sent into the Church "wolves in sheep's clothing"
(Matthew 7:15). Even of ministers in the Church, Satan influenced
some to try to destroy the Church and the PROCLAIMING OF THE
GOSPEL. Paul, meeting with the ELDERS of the Ephesus Church, to
whom he preached the KINGDOM OF GOD (Acts 20:25) said, "For I know
this, that after my departing, shall grievous wolves enter among
you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves (the
MINISTERS) shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away
disciples after them" (verses 29-30).
Writing to the Church at Corinth Paul feared lest, as Satan
beguiled Eve through his "subtlety," their minds should be poisoned
against the TRUTH, and proclaiming the Gospel TO THE WORLD (II Cor.
11:3), being deceived by a DIFFERENT GOSPEL, a DIFFERENT SPIRIT
(of discouragement, confusion, doubt, bitterness). This was the
work of SATAN, working through human MINISTERS -- probably SINCERE
MEN, not realizing they were DECEIVED!
Notice, dear Brethren, for YOUR OWN ETERNAL LIFE may depend
on seeing through this subtle, deceptive, work of Satan!
Of those ministers Satan can use, God says:
"For such are FALSE APOSTLES, deceitful workers,
transforming themselves into (claiming to be) the apostles of
CHRIST. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an
angel of light. (Yes, they PRETEND that they are RIGHT, and God's
Headquarters WRONG.) Therefore it is no great thing if his
ministers (Satan's) also be transformed as (pretending to be) the
ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their
works" (II Cor. 11:13-15).
Yes, Satan influenced many IN the first century Church to
GO OUT. John wrote of them: "Little children, it is the last
time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now
are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last
time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for, if
they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us:
but they went out (WHY?), that they might be made manifest that
they were not all of us" (I John 2:18-19).