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Acts 4:32-5:16 describes for us the conduct of the early church towards one another and the response of the early church towards sin. In Acts 4:32-37, Luke specifically highlights the unity or oneness of the local church displayed by their care for one another. In Acts 5:1-11, we see sin punished swiftly and severely. Finally in Acts 5:13 we see the response the watching world had towards the early church: “None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.”

The early church gives us an example of how we should conduct ourselves towards one another before the eyes of the watching world. As you go about this next week, would you join me in giving careful thought to:

  1. How you conduct yourself with our local church. The early church modeled great care, humility, and unity towards one another. They were active in their pursuit of serving one another and were willing to sacrifice for one another. We ought to do likewise. As you examine your regular routine, give thought to how much time you give to our church family. Likewise, as you evaluate the time you give to our church family, give thought as to how you use that time to serve them. Scripture is replete with “one another” statements that we can (and should) seek to cultivate in our daily interactions with our church family. Let us even start this week by seeking to be ministers of grace to our church family. Would people observing us describe us as, “of one heart and soul?” What small decisions about interactions and priorities could you make this week that would reflect that kind of unity?
  2. How you respond to sin in the local church. While chapter 4 ends with a commendation for actions that show a pursuit of the unity and health of the body, chapter 5 provides a stark contrast with a swift condemnation for actions that threaten to tear the body down from within. Throughout Scripture, though we certainly see evidence of God’s great mercy, we also see numerous examples of God addressing sin swiftly in order to protect the unity and holiness of His people. The early church did not take sin lightly and neither should we. Though we are not responsible, nor have the right, to kill people (only God does), we do have the responsibility to separate from sin and rightly condemn it as sin. As we give thought to this, we would be remiss to not look firstly at how we deal with sin in our own lives. Do you deal with your sin with the severity that the Bible prescribes? Do you rightly seek to put to death the deeds of your flesh? Are you motivated to flee temptation so that you might not hinder the health of our local body? Give thought to these things this week as you seek to view sin as God views it.

The result of this conduct undoubtedly was beneficial to the early church. However, it also was of benefit to those outside. The way in which we conduct ourselves within the church ends up giving testimony to the watching world. Let us, together, be intentional in our conduct so that our testimony might properly reflect the God we serve.