“Have You Been Added to the Lord?”

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

“And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” (Acts 5.14, ESV)¹

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¹What is meant by “added to the Lord” and how does one accomplish this? First, we should note that there are other verses where this language is used (cf. Acts 2.41, 47; 11.24) and second, whenever one is seeking to understand a passage it is not only wise to study all the passages together, but it is expected and commanded by God (Matt. 4.4; 2 Tim. 2.15; 2 Peter 1.19, etc.). In other words, one can easily come away from the verse above believing one thing when in fact not all the evidence has been presented.

Notice the following verses laid out in order:

“So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2.41, ESV)

• Notice that those who were baptized were those “who received his word” and “were added that day”.
• At least two questions arise: “What were they added to?” and “If they were not baptized, were they added?”
• The first question is answered in the same context in verse 47 below. The second question is “no”.

“praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2.47, NKJV)

• First, notice that the Lord does the adding; certainly, it is His right to do so.
• Second, our question above has been answered. They were added to the church by the Lord.
• Interestingly, we learn that those who are members of His church are also members of His body (Eph. 1.22-23, etc.). This means that those added by the Lord are added to His body; the same body He is the Savior of (Eph. 5.23).
• Also, note that the only ones that the Lord was adding were “those who were being saved”.
• Who was being saved? Per Acts 2.41 it was “those who received his word were baptized, and … were added that day”.
• Now we can better understand the next two verses.

“And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” (Acts 5.14, ESV) and “for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.” (Acts 11.24, ESV)

• These two texts do not exclude Acts 2.41 and 47.
• Much of the religious world see believers who were added as those who have a mental faith in Jesus. On the other hand, the bible shows that believers who are added are those who have received the word of God and have been baptized; one cannot separate the two.
• Therefore, when Luke writes “believers were added…” he is not recording anything different than he previously recorded, nor he is not claiming that “belief only” adds one to the Lord; he is simply letting the reader know that these were men and women who not only received God’s word, but obeyed it.

When we harmonize each verse above, we understand that to be added to the Lord we must receive the word of God, believe it, and obey it. To obey the gospel is to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2.38). Only then can we be called believers who have been added to the Lord (Acts 2.41, 47).

Are you interested in learning more about being saved and added to the Lord? E-mail Bryan Garlock or text 903.308.4905.

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