Acts helps believers see freedom
The missionary team to the Dinangat people of Papua New Guinea is teaching through the book of Acts, and the people are delighted as they begin to realize their salvation is based on trusting Christ alone.
Many were searching for a list of "dos and don'ts" to assure them of salvation. They had been part of a religious group that taught that eternal security was based on a system of works.
Missionary Jeremiah Markley discussed baptism, communion, prayer and singing with the believers and they discovered that even these good things are not necessary for salvation.
Jeremiah Markley wrote, "It has been wonderful to watch them grow in their understanding of their freedom from the law -- their relief is almost tangible. And their love for their Lord is blossoming."
They were taught under the old system that not only did some of these works determine their eternity, but they also had to be done a certain way or it was not effective.
Concerning communion they were taught that only the religious leader was qualified to serve communion, and it had to be a specific type of bread and wine. Once or twice a year a religious leader would come around to all the villages and perform this ritual of communion for them.
In the village, they have no way of making bread or buying wine or grape juice. The missionaries shared with them that the Lord would accept elements that were available and culturally normal -- sweet potatoes and water -- as long as their hearts were sincere in desiring to obey and remember His broken body and shed blood for our sin.
"We are so excited to see the Holy Spirit giving understanding and courage," wrote Jeremiah. "But they are not all there yet, so please keep praying. Pray for wisdom and boldness as this young church is challenged continually to take what they're learning, examine it in light of the Scriptures, and consciously let go of what they have been taught in the past."
Many were searching for a list of "dos and don'ts" to assure them of salvation. They had been part of a religious group that taught that eternal security was based on a system of works.
Missionary Jeremiah Markley discussed baptism, communion, prayer and singing with the believers and they discovered that even these good things are not necessary for salvation.
Jeremiah Markley wrote, "It has been wonderful to watch them grow in their understanding of their freedom from the law -- their relief is almost tangible. And their love for their Lord is blossoming."
They were taught under the old system that not only did some of these works determine their eternity, but they also had to be done a certain way or it was not effective.
Concerning communion they were taught that only the religious leader was qualified to serve communion, and it had to be a specific type of bread and wine. Once or twice a year a religious leader would come around to all the villages and perform this ritual of communion for them.
In the village, they have no way of making bread or buying wine or grape juice. The missionaries shared with them that the Lord would accept elements that were available and culturally normal -- sweet potatoes and water -- as long as their hearts were sincere in desiring to obey and remember His broken body and shed blood for our sin.
"We are so excited to see the Holy Spirit giving understanding and courage," wrote Jeremiah. "But they are not all there yet, so please keep praying. Pray for wisdom and boldness as this young church is challenged continually to take what they're learning, examine it in light of the Scriptures, and consciously let go of what they have been taught in the past."