从古代开始，新约《圣经》的第五卷就被人们称为“使徒行传（the acts of the apostles）”，但在这卷书中却找不到这个标题。在最早的《圣经》手稿即西奈抄本中，这卷书的标题只是简单的一个词“行传（acts）”，并没有提到使徒。这是有理由的。这卷书记录的不仅仅是十二个门徒所做侍奉的简要历史，更不仅仅是四位领导者彼得、雅各、约翰和保罗一生工作的主要事迹。[1]
这卷书是“所亲爱的医生”（西4:14）路加写给全体教会的，包括犹太人和外邦人，他本人是皈依基督教的外邦人。书中的记录虽然只包括三十多年的历史，却带给每个时期的教会重要的教训。在这卷书中，上帝明确指出：在五旬节时带着大能降临的圣灵，曾点燃了福音信息的火焰，今天的基督徒应该经历同一圣灵的同在。圣灵通过彼得、保罗、约翰、雅各和其他人所行的（acts），能够再现在现代门徒当中。[2]
这卷书突然性的结尾并非偶然；它特意暗示充满激情的叙述并未就此结束，上帝通过圣灵的作为，应当通过整个新约历史有其继续和结局——每一连续世代都在前一代之后增加有力和优美的一章。这卷非凡的书所记录的，从真正意义上来说是“圣灵行传”，因在使徒时代是圣灵显现作为基督教领袖们的保惠师与帮助者。在五旬节，恒切祷告的门徒们被圣灵充满，带着大能传讲福音。被拣选作执事的七个人“被圣灵充满、智慧充足。”（徒6:3）是圣灵引领扫罗接受按立（9:17）；是圣灵接纳外邦人成为教会的教友（10:44-47）；是圣灵引导保罗在传道工作中与巴拿巴分离（13:2-4）；是圣灵充满耶路撒冷的会议（15:28）；是圣灵陪伴保罗的布道行程（16:6-7）。当教会受罗马人犹太人的疯狂逼迫时，同样是圣灵保守信徒远离错误。[3]
本书是作者最后的著作之一，并在她去世前几年出版，这是出自她多产之笔的最富有启发性的作品之一。所有读者都会从中发现基督徒见证之光。书中的信息是切合时代的，作者努力指明二十一世纪将见证圣灵大能的显现，超过五旬节时代，由此我们可以看到此书与现今的关联。在福音工作结束时，圣灵会以比福音初传时更大的能力运行。[4]
但愿读者保守自己不被灵魂之敌狡猾的伪装所迷惑，并同来分享早期教会的荣耀景象在末时代的再现！[5]
THE FIFTH BOOK OF THE NEW TESTAMENT HAS BEEN KNOWN FROM ANCIENT TIMES AS THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES; BUT THIS TITLE CANNOT BE FOUND IN THE BOOK ITSELF. ONE OF THE EARLIEST MANUSCRIPTS, THE CODEX SINAITICUS, GIVES AS THE TITLE THE SIMPLE WORD ACTS, WITH NO MENTION OF THE APOSTLES. THERE IS A REASON FOR THIS. ACTS WAS INTENDED TO BE MORE THAN A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SERVICE RENDERED BY THE TWELVE DISCIPLES, MUCH MORE THAN THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS IN THE LIFEWORK OF ITS FOUR LEADING CHARACTERS, PETER, JAMES, JOHN, AND PAUL.[1]
THE BOOK OF THE ACTS WAS WRITTEN BY "THE BELOVED PHYSICIAN," LUKE, A GENTILE CONVERT, FOR THE WHOLE CHURCH, JEWS AND GENTILES ALIKE. WHILE IT COVERS A PERIOD OF A LITTLE MORE THAN THREE DECADES, IT IS FILLED WITH IMPORTANT LESSONS FOR THE CHURCH IN EVERY AGE. IN THE BOOK OF THE ACTS GOD CLEARLY INDICATES THAT THE CHRISTIAN TODAY SHALL EXPERIENCE THE PRESENCE OF THE SAME SPIRIT WHO CAME WITH POWER AT PENTECOST AND FANNED THE GOSPEL MESSAGE INTO A FLAME. THE ACTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THROUGH PETER AND PAUL, JOHN AND JAMES, AND OTHERS, CAN BE REPEATED IN THE MODERN DISCIPLE.[2]
THE ABRUPTNESS WITH WHICH THE BOOK OF ACTS CLOSES IS NOT ACCIDENTAL; IT DELIBERATELY SUGGESTS THAT THE THRILLING NARRATIVE IS UNFINISHED, AND THAT THE ACTS OF GOD THROUGH THE SPIRIT ARE TO HAVE THEIR SEQUEL THROUGHOUT THE CHRISTIAN DISPENSATION--EACH SUCCESSIVE GENERATION ADDING A CHAPTER FULL OF BEAUTY AND POWER TO THE ONE THAT PRECEDED IT. THE ACTS RECORDED IN THIS REMARKABLE BOOK ARE IN THE TRUEST SENSE THE ACTS OF THE SPIRIT, FOR IN APOSTOLIC TIMES IT WAS THE HOLY GHOST WHO APPEARED AS THE COUNSELOR AND HELPER OF THE CHRISTIAN LEADERS. AT PENTECOST THE PRAYING DISCIPLES WERE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT AND PREACHED THE GOSPEL WITH POWER. THE SEVEN MEN CHOSEN AS DEACONS WERE "FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST AND WISDOM." ACTS 6:3. IT WAS THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO LED IN THE ORDINATION OF SAUL (9:17); IN THE ACCEPTANCE OF GENTILES INTO CHURCH FELLOWSHIP (10:44-47); IN THE SEPARATION OF BARNABAS AND SAUL FOR MISSIONARY WORK (13:2-4); IN THE COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM (15:28); AND IN PAUL'S MISSIONARY JOURNEYS (16:6, 7). ANOTHER TIME WHEN THE CHURCH SUFFERED INTENSELY AT THE HANDS OF ROMAN AND JEWISH PERSECUTORS, IT WAS THE SPIRIT WHO SUSTAINED THE BELIEVERS AND KEPT THEM FROM ERROR.[3]
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES WAS ONE OF THE LAST BOOKS WRITTEN BY ELLEN G. WHITE. IT WAS PUBLISHED A FEW YEARS BEFORE HER DEATH. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST ILLUMINATING VOLUMES THAT CAME FROM HER PROLIFIC PEN. THE AVERAGE READER WILL FIND IN IT LIGHT FOR CHRISTIAN WITNESSING. THE MESSAGE OF THE BOOK IS UP TO DATE, AND ITS RELEVANCY IS REFLECTED IN THE EFFORT OF THE AUTHOR TO SHOW THAT THE TWENTIETH CENTURY WILL WITNESS A BESTOWAL OF SPIRITUAL POWER EXCEEDING THAT OF PENTECOST. THE WORK OF THE GOSPEL IS NOT TO CLOSE WITH A LESSER DISPLAY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT'S POWER THAN MARKED ITS BEGINNING.[4]
THAT THE READER MIGHT PARTICIPATE IN THIS RE-ENACTMENT OF THE GLORIOUS SCENES OF THE EARLY CHURCH AND AT THE SAME TIME BE PRESERVED FROM THE SUBTLE COUNTERFEITS OF THE ENEMY OF SOULS IS THE PRAYER AND EARNEST WISH OF-- THE PUBLISHERS.[5]
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