Paul at Ephesus
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or even praiseworthy, is now seen to be sinful. The apostle Paul states
that though he had, as he supposed, rendered obedience to the law of
God, yet when the commandment was urged upon his conscience by
the Holy Spirit, “sin revived, and I died.” He saw himself a sinner, and
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conscience concurred with the sentence of the law.
There are many at the present day who have unwittingly violated
one of the precepts of God’s law. When the understanding is enlight-
ened, and the claims of the fourth commandment are urged upon the
conscience, they see themselves sinners in the sight of God. “Sin is
the transgression of the law,” and “he that shall offend in one point is
guilty of all.”
The honest seeker after truth will not plead ignorance of the law as
an excuse for transgression. Light was within his reach. God’s word
is plain, and Christ has bidden him search the Scriptures. He reveres
God’s law as holy, just, and good, and he repents of his transgression.
By faith he pleads the atoning blood of Christ, and grasps the promise
of pardon. His former baptism does not satisfy him now. He has seen
himself a sinner, condemned by the law of God. He has experienced
anew a death to sin, and he desires again to be buried with Christ by
baptism, that he may rise to walk in newness of life. Such a course is
in harmony with the example of Paul in baptizing the Jewish converts.
That incident was recorded by the Holy Spirit as an instructive lesson
for the church.
As was his custom, Paul had begun his work at Ephesus by teaching
in the synagogue of the Jews. He continued to labor there for three
months, “disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom
of God.” He at first met with a favorable reception; but as in other
fields of labor, he was soon violently opposed by the unbelieving Jews.
As they persisted in their rejection of the gospel, the apostle ceased
preaching in the synagogue.
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The Spirit of God had wrought with and through Paul in his labors
for his countrymen. Sufficient evidence had been presented to con-
vince all who honestly desired to know the truth. But many permitted
themselves to be controlled by prejudice and unbelief, and refused to
yield to the most conclusive evidence. Fearing that the faith of the
believers would be endangered by continued association with these
opposers of the truth, Paul separated the disciples as a distinct body,