The first thing mentioned in this verse is... - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2024

They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 2:42.

The first thing mentioned in this verse is the doctrine, i.e. the teaching of the apostles. It is the foundation for the personal and the corporative life of Christians. It was to the apostles that the Lord had said: "When he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13). Their doctrine clearly showed that the Holy Spirit had instructed them.

The believers continued in the apostles' doctrine with perseverance and also remained accordingly in fellowship with the apostles. They led their life in harmonious Christian communion that characterised the company that they kept. Formerly they had shared the ways of the world. Now they had fellowship with the apostles, whose fellowship was "with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:3).

They equally kept up the practice of breaking bread, the sign of their Lord's death. This, too, is an expression of communion, as we learn from 1 Corinthians 10:17. In this way they were constantly reminded of their Lord, who had died for them, and were preserved from returning to their former connections.

Finally the early Christians persevered in prayers. In themselves they found no spiritual power. They received all from their Lord in heaven and the Spirit who had been given to them. This means that in order to maintain their spiritual life and the testimony they had in common constant dependence on God was imperative.

These characteristics were essential for the believers in those early days of Christianity, and they should be today, too.

Today's reading: Judges 2:6-23 · 2 Corinthians 2:1-17