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Why do you think there is only one way?


Introduction. The term "way" is used in different senses in the Bible. "Way" suggests a course or a path. It may be used literally or figuratively (Prov. 7: 8, Ps. 119: 104). There is the way of God (Ps. 119: 15), an evil way (Ps. 119: 104), and the way of righteousness that leads to life (Prov. 12: 28). The Bible says the way to heaven is narrow and Jesus is the way (Matt. 7: 13, 14, John 14: 6). Let us now particularly examine how "way" is used in Acts.

"Way" in Acts is used of a course or path. There was the way from Jerusalem unto Gaza (Acts 8: 26). There is also the "ways of life" (Acts 2: 28). "Way" (hodos) is often used by the historian to denote the system of Christianity (Acts 9: 2, 19: 9, 23; 24: 14, 22).

The right ways of the Lord can be perverted by man. Paul asked Elymas, "...Wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?" (Acts 13: 10). Paul also said, "Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways" (Acts 14: 16). God now requires repentance and does not over-look ignorance (Acts 17: 30, 31).

There is the way of salvation. A "certain damsel" followed Paul and his preaching company and cried out, "These men are the servants of the most high God, which show us the way of salvation" (Acts 16: 17). Apollos only taught partial truth and Aquila and Priscilla "expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly" (Acts 18: 26).

Conclusion. When the man from Ethiopia believed, repented, confessed Christ's deity, and had been baptized, "he went on his way rejoicing" (Acts 8: 40, see 26-40). "Way" is suggestive of intelligibility and definition. God does not deal in chaos and the abstract (1 Cor. 14: 33).
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