The Contentment of the Early Church

32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. 34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need. 36 And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, 37 having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Continuing from our last study we witnessed how persecution united the apostles and early believers in their trust of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were able to continue in thanksgiving and praise for the love that Christ has shown them through His sacrificial death. It was this common love and thanksgiving for the Lord that was the backbone and strength of the early Church. Persecution was not strong enough to douse the flames of love that began at Pentecost.

Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; . . .

At this point there was a multitude that believed. Previously we concluded that there was about five thousand believers at this point according to Luke’s records. How do you get five thousand men, plus women and children, to be of one heart and one soul; if the life, miracles, teachings, death, and resurrection of one Man named Jesus Christ was a lie? The answer should be obvious. We can’t even get the churches today to be one heart and one soul. But the reality is that over five thousand believers witnessed the life of Christ and the Acts of the Apostles and remained steadfast in faith under severe persecution. That is a tremendous testimony about the authorship of this Bible. All of these witnesses were in agreement to record these facts and doctrine about the faith delivered to us today.

Jude 1:3

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

What does it mean to be one heart and one soul? First, I don’t believe Luke intends to separate these terms but is simply reiterating and emphasizing the same point with a synonymous term. When these believers came to faith in Christ it was with their whole heart, mind, and body (Jer.24:7). Some literally gave their bodies to be burned, but without their mind and heart it would not have done their bodies much good (1Cor.13:3). The heart should never be separated from the mind. In fact the mind should lead the heart, rather than the heart leading the mind. If we believe simply because if feels good in our heart we can easily be led astray. (Jer.17:9) The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? Second, we need to know our hearts, as Jeremiah Burroughs exhorts us to study our hearts in his book, “The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment”. In his book he states the following:

Christ teaches the soul whom He brings into this school in the knowledge of their own hearts. You must learn this or you will never learn contentment. You must learn how to know your hearts well, to be good students of your own hearts. You cannot all be scholars in the arts of sciences in the world, but you may all be students of your own hearts. Many of you cannot read in the Book, but God expects you every day to turn over a new leaf in your own hearts. You will never get any skill in this ministry of contentment, except you study the book of your own hearts. By studying your heart you will come soon to discover wherein your discontentment lies. When you are discontented you will find out the root of any discontent if you study your heart well. Many men and women are discontented, and the truth is they do not know why; they think this and the other thing is the cause. But a man or woman who knows their own heart will soon find out where the root of their discontent lies, that it lies in some corruption and disorder of the heart, that through God’s mercy I have now found out. This knowledge of our hearts will help us to contentment, because by it we shall come to know what best suits our condition. A man who does not know his own heart does not think what need he has of affliction, and for that reason is uneasy, but when God comes with afflictions to the man or woman who have studied their own hearts, they can say, ‘I would not have been without this affliction for anything in the world. God has so suited this affliction to my condition, and has come in such a way that if this affliction had not come I am afraid I should have fallen into sin.’ Carnal men and women do not know their own spirits, and therefore they fling and vex themselves at every affliction that befalls them, they do not know what disorders are in their hearts which may be healed by their afflictions, if it pleases God to give them a sanctified use of them. By knowing their own hearts they are able to know what they can manage, and by this means they come to be content. Many men and women who do not know their own hearts would fain have as prosperous a position as others, but if they knew their own hearts they would know that they were not able to manage it.

. . . neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, . . .

It was the ‘affliction’ of persecution that taught these disciples the art of contentment. As the verse continues to clarify that all five thousand men gave all their possessions to the Lord. This does not mean they literally gave every possession; but that if called upon, they were ready to do it as an act of love. They opened up their homes to welcome traveling saints or for persecuted believers who were beaten or robbed. This was a self-sacrificing Church. It was the mind of Christ that dwelled in them that motivated them to such love and having the mind of Christ is what made all things common to them.

. . . but they had all things in common.

Not everyone had the same possessions, but by having the same mind about contentment, these early Christians were able to dwell together, being rich in faith and good works towards each other as unto God.

1Cor.2:16

For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

As Jeremiah Burroughs earlier indicated Christ is the one who instructs us in the heart. The mind of Christ should be our guide. Too often we tell God how to do things, but are slow to hear Him speak to us. In love, He sometimes has to raise His voice to quiet us and get our attention.

Zep.3:17

The LORD your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.

One of the central doctrines of the Christian faith is the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. If Christ is not raised we are to be pitied above all men, because we are still in our sins, as Paul pointed out to the Corinthian church.

1Cor.15:24 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

What was the power that gave witness for the apostles? In the beginning of their ministry God gave them the grace of miracles to validate their authority, but close to the end the only power they had was through persuasion. In the end it came down to their arguments in preaching and the testimony of the Word. The miracles drew the crowd but the truth changed lives. It is a greater grace to have believed without being a personal eyewitness of the Lord Jesus and still be willing to suffer for His Name.

John 20:29

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Matthew 5:11

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.

Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, . . .

The government of the Church was nothing like political government of Rome or Israel in that day. All things are ours in Christ (1Cor.3:21). In the body of Christ believers had access to whatever they needed. Let me clarify again that it was what they needed, emphasis on 'needed'. If someone was hungry and did not have the means to provide for themselves the body of Christ was there to provide what was ‘needed’. With this mind no ‘true’ believer lacked anything. In the beginning the Church understood her mission. Her mission was to: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

(Matthew 28:19-20) The early Church did not deviate from this primary mission to preach the gospel and simply feed the poor. The provision for the poor was always in abundance to what the Church took in as the first fruits of the gospel. In other words it was always in support of what they were teaching and preaching, not a mercy ministry. The apostles did not compromise the gospel to provide for the poor. They were soldiers who stayed on mission and allowed no distractions.

Acts 6:3-5

Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And the saying pleased the whole multitude.

. . . and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

Contrary to popular belief this was not a form of socialism. Those who had lands voluntarily sold them to provide for the community of believers. This was not a welfare pool.

2 Thessalonians 3:9-11

. . . not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.

And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

We will learn much about Barnabas in the study of Acts. Barnabas is a key character who gives well beyond his land and encouragement to the apostles. Barnabas will be a factor in the growth and development of the Lord’s apostle - Paul, also known as the persecutor - Saul. Barnabas may well have been the thorn in Paul’s flesh, a messenger of Satan, to keep Paul humble (1Cor.12:7). Barnabas knew Paul’s history of persecuting the Church of God. He may well have been God’s tool to make sure Paul continued to support the poor in Jerusalem. Paul having been an apostle to the Gentiles may well have had his heart on building those churches outside of Israel, but Barnabas was sent with him to keep him accountable to the Church in Jerusalem. This is my opinion of who the thorn in the flesh of Paul was, yet not limited to only one form of persecution if you look at the whole context, however, this doesn’t change the Holy Spirit’s testimony of Barnabas being an encourager. Often those who appear to be the most encouraging to others can be the most discouraging to some. Also, let me clarify that I am not teaching that the Holy Spirit and Satan are one, or if you are a Mormon, that they are brothers. I am saying that just as Peter was a messenger of Satan to Christ (Matt.16:23), Barnabas acted as an ‘indirect’ messenger of Satan to buffet Paul’s flesh. This is how the Holy Spirit works in His Church (Rom.8:28), so that we do not always have what we want. Sometimes the Holy Spirit throws us curve balls to keep our eyes open.

Galatians 5:16-18

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.