The Apostles' Doctrine?
by Phil Maxwell 2/97
One of the boastful claims commonly made amongst so-called Christians is that they
teach, preach, and practice the "Apostle's Doctrine," generally implying that
others do not. However, virtually all miss one critical point:
The Apostles' Doctrine included forsaking private
ownership of property!
The Apostles forsook all when they were called:
Mk.1:16-18 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his
brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto them, Come
ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they forsook
their nets, and followed him.
Mk.1:19-21 And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of
Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. And
straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the
hired servants, and went after him.
Mk.2:14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alpheus sitting at the receipt
of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
They continued to forsake all while Yahshua discipled them:
Mt.19:27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and
followed thee; what shall we have therefore
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me,
in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also
shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Yahshua instructed them (and all followers) to forsake all:
Lu.14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath,
he cannot be my disciple.
Mt.19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or
father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my names sake, shall receive an
hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Lu.12:15-34
15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a mans life
consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man
brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room
where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and
there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years;
take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of
thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for
your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse
nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought
for the rest?
27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say
unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is
cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of
doubtful mind.
30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father
knoweth that ye have need of these things.
31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added
unto you.
32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the
kingdom.
33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not
old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth
corrupteth.
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Mt.6:19-34
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust
doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole
body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore
the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love
the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and
mammon.
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or
what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more
than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather
into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they
grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like
one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to
morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink?
or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father
knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these
things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought
for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Mt.19:16-30
16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do,
that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that
is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not
commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what
lack I yet?
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and
give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had
great possessions.
23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man
shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can
be saved?
26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with
God all things are possible.
27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed
thee; what shall we have therefore?
29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or
mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my names sake, shall receive an hundredfold,
and shall inherit everlasting life.
30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
Lu.9:1-3
1 THEN he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority
over all devils, and to cure diseases.
2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
3 And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor
scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.
Lu.9:23-26
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his
life for my sake, the same shall save it.
25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or
be cast away?
26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man
be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Fathers, and of the holy
angels.
Lu.9:57-62
57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him,
Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests;
but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and
bury my father.
60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the
kingdom of God.
61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them
farewell, which are at home at my house.
62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and
looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
The Apostles and the First Members of the Church forsook all...
Ac.2:1 AND when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one
accord in one place.
Ac.2:41-47
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there
were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in
breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the
apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man
had need.
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking
bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the
church daily such as should be saved.
Ac.4:32-35
32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul:
neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they
had all things common.
33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord
Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors
of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
35 And laid them down at the apostles feet: and distribution was made unto every
man according as he had need.
...Until Fear Entered Into the Church:
Ac.5:1-14
1 BUT a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a
certain part, and laid it at the apostles feet.
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy
Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in
thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied
unto men, but unto God.
5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear
came on all them that heard these things.
6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what
was done, came in.
8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she
said, Yea, for so much.
9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the
Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the
door, and shall carry thee out.
10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the
young men came in, and found her dead, and carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the
people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomons porch.
13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified
them.
14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
So here we are today, somewhere between being added to the Lord's Church, His Body, and
forsaking all to follow Him, caught in fear. No doubt, He will pass by again, bidding His
sheep to forsake all and follow Him.
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