Godbey's Commentary - Acts - Romans - Enter His Rest

living in a second probation, which supervened on the inauguration of the redemptive scheme after
the Fall, the first probation having been forfeited in the Fall. The same probation in which we live
will continue through the millennium down to the end of the mediatorial reign (1 Corinthians 15:24-
28), i.e., to the end of time, when our glorified Savior, having wound up His mediatorial reign in the
final judgment, will surrender up the kingdom to the Father. A materialistic heresy, teaching a future
probation for the wicked, is going abroad, but flatly contradictory of the inspired Word. Satan
propagates heresies on all lines of truth, to cover it up so the people will not see it and be saved.
Some of the devil’s heresies along these problems we are now discussing are so occult that none but
spiritually-illuminated eyes will detect them.
19. “Therefore I judge that we trouble not those from the Gentiles turning unto God,
20. “But to command them to abstain from things offered to idols, from fornication,
strangulation, and blood.” We see here that the Jerusalem council of apostles and elders, i.e., the
highest tribunal this side of heaven, eliminated everything out of the gospel dispensation but pure
spirituality; nothing but entire sanctification saves people from idolatry. Israel carried their idols in
all their wilderness peregrinations. Modern churches are full of idolatry, worshipping watergods,
day-gods, creed-gods, and sect-gods and many others. Thorough sanctification is the only remedy
for idolatry. Why is fornication here specified alone among all the vulgar vices? It is because if you
would be a member of the bridehood you must get married to the Lord Jesus Christ, thus forever
discarding all other lovers, delighted with Jesus only, your Savior, Husband, Friend. This spiritual
wedlock takes place in entire sanctification. Why is the blood specified? Because we are redeemed
and sanctified by the blood of Jesus, of which all the blood in the world is symbolic. Hence in our
abstinence from eating the blood and thus brutalizing it, we are constantly to realize the great
fundamental truth that we are saved by the blood, and go shouting night and day,
“The blood, the blood is all my plea;
Hallelujah! it cleanseth me.”
Oh, the transcendent wisdom and the fundamental truth flashing out from this Jerusalem council,
revelatory of the pure spirituality of the gracious economy, unencumbered by ecclesiastical rites,
ceremonies and institutions! The work of the gospel herald is to run to the ends of the earth and cry,
“Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.” We have nothing to do but preach
Jesus and get people saved.
21. “For Moses from ancient generations has those preaching him in every city, being read every
Sabbath in the synagogues.” At that time the Jews had synagogues in all the prominent cities of the
known world. Those apostles expected to fulfill this commission and remain on the earth till the
gospel was preached to every nation and actually hail their descending Lord, and in the
transfiguration glory fly up to meet Him in the air. Hence that wonderful flying artillery scheme,
utterly disencumbered of all human ecclesiasticism and local church machinery, running to the ends
of the earth preaching the gospel to every nation, calling out the elect, and thus with all possible
expedition preparing the world for their Lord’s return on the throne of His glory, to revive and
establish the theocracy of King David in all the earth, thus bringing the Jews again to the front, the
custodians of the universal Millennial Kingdom, for which they recognize the universal prevalence