As some of you may know, I am daily reading through Scripture in its order. Today’s devotion was Acts 9:19-31.
The key verse is Acts 9:31: “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.”
I had to read this Scripture three times, before I grasped the significance of this verse. Consider the context. In the previous verses in this passage, Saul (Paul) had miraculously changed from being a persecutor of the Church to being a preacher for the Church. The Jews plotted to do away with him. Saul’s disciples had to take him (Saul) by night and let him down in a basket through an opening in the wall to escape. The twelve disciples were still afraid of Saul, not willing to associate with him until Barnabas recommended him. The Hellenistic Jews were attempting to put Saul to death. Saul had to be sent away to Tarsus.
And yet, it is amazing to read the summary of Acts 9:31 which tells us that the Church enjoyed peace, was built up, was in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, and the Church continued to increase. What about all the prior verses which describe all the sufferings, difficulties, and other troubles?!
Throughout Scripture, we are confronted with God’s sovereignty and summary view. Although from man’s perspective things look quite bleak and hopeless, God is in control and is working to accomplish all of His good pleasure, and God can see the true summary condition of His Church.
There are those commentators who think that the reason why the Church experienced such peace was that Saul left the area for Tarsus. For example, Calvin in his Commentary on this verse states: “Then the Churches. Luke’s meaning is, that the enemies of the gospel were greatly provoked by Paul’s presence. … And whereas Luke saith, that the Churches had peace, let us know that it was not continual, but because the Lord granted his servants some short breathing.” There is a lesson to be learned by Calvin: “Therefore, let us learn not to abuse external peace in banqueting and idleness; but the more rest we have given us from our enemies, to encourage ourselves to go forward in godliness whilst we may.”
However, the Geneva Study Bible states in connection with this verse: ” The result of persecutions is the building of the Church, so that we will patiently wait for the Lord.” Walking out on this thin ice of disagreeing with Calvin, I conclude that this is the better interpretation. Peace, comfort, and increase do not come from the absence of conflict (in this case, Paul’s removal to Tarsus); peace, comfort, and increase come from God’s sovereign work often through (or as a result of) our afflictions, troubles, problems, and absences of what we want. “As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.” James 5:10-11.
In conclusion, we are part of God’s Church. We likewise should take comfort that despite how bad our individual circumstances may look to us, God is in control and is working to accomplish all of His good pleasure. Like the Church in Acts of which we are a part, God gives us peace and comfort and increase during all of our afflictions, troubles, problems, and absences of what we want. Finally, God does gives us such peace and comfort and increase to the extent, that in comparison, the summary of our lives omits inclusion of such troubles, and the summary only includes the glory of what God has wrought in us.
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Romans 8:18.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 