Most that go to the buildings called “churches” are those that qualify as the bobbing heads.

Yet why do they qualify?

They qualify because they take the words of the person standing upon the dais or behind the pulpit as sacred and true.

They qualify because they do not verify through the Word of God.

 1 Thessalonians 5:21 NKJV – Test all things; hold fast what is good.

Acts 17:11 NKJV – These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

1 John 4:1 NKJV – Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

One of the greatest examples of the need to do this is found in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. For within this chapter, we see two sides of one coin. The coin of belief in God. Yes, it is now Scripture, but within it we must still test it. However, the bobbing heads don’t, nor ever have for the most part.

Therefore, we will do now what most have never done. For they would rather bob their heads then to even bother to open the Word of God and see what is True or was found wanting.

We will begin after the greeting. We see the Truth of the Word of God and of Jesus Christ:

Acts 1:6-11 NKJV – Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

We need to note these Words form our Savior:

“And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’”

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”

The “you” in this sentence was aimed to all. For none had yet received this power that is the Holy Spirit, because we know that this Spirit is named and so is Jesus Christ.

Why point this out? Because something that occurs in the coming verses, which should make people pause. To research, to study, to verify. So, let us now look to these verses:

 Acts 1:12-17 NKJV – Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.”

In these verses Peter makes mention of the Holy Spirit which has not yet descended upon them:

“This Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who because a guide to those who arrested Jesus.”

Psalms 41:9 NKJV – Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.

Yet does the Holy Spirit speak through the OT about appointing through humans a replacement for Judas?

Peter used these verses:

Psalms 109:1-13 NKJV – To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Do not keep silent, O God of my praise! For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful Have opened against me; They have spoken against me with a lying tongue. They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, And fought against me without a cause. In return for my love they are my accusers, But I give myself to prayer. Thus they have rewarded me evil for good, And hatred for my love. Set a wicked man over him, And let an accuser stand at his right hand. When he is judged, let him be found guilty, And let his prayer become sin. Let his days be few, And let another take his office. Let his children be fatherless, And his wife a widow. Let his children continually be vagabonds, and beg; Let them seek their bread also from their desolate places. Let the creditor seize all that he has, And let strangers plunder his labor. Let there be none to extend mercy to him, Nor let there be any to favor his fatherless children. Let his posterity be cut off, And in the generation following let their name be blotted out.

Yet we have no record of Judas having a wife or children. Therefore, we must question the relevance of connecting these verses to Judas.

Peter, the man who denied Christ three times. Shouldn’t these verses apply to himself in some form? Additionally, we see nothing within the teachings of Christ to make such an endeavor by those that profess to follow Christ. We are to seek all things through Christ and verify that they fall within the Word of God. Since there is doubt here. Why did Peter insist they pursue such an enterprise without first waiting for what he had made clear David heard ……. The Holy Spirit, which has not descended upon them as of yet. Simply why did He not just wait?

It is the Holy Spirit that is the guide, the leader, the focal point. Without the Holy Spirt how can it even be considered Holy?

Therefore, what is done here is not Blessed by God. This is given foundation by the fact that they seek to pray as a group in defiance of the commandment given by Jesus Christ:

Matthew 6:5-6 NKJV – “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Christ makes it clear where we are to pray and why.

“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place.”

“For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men.”

Now just because you go into a “secret place” as a group of followers of Christ does not remove the key element of praying secretly.

“that they may be seen by men.” Are not your fellows humans? Then they qualify as men. Therefore, NONE should pray as a group or in a church. Prayer is a private time between you and God.

So, back on topic.

So Peter is forcing an issue with dubious Scripture since Judas had no wife or offspring that we are aware of. We must ask why not wait for the Holy Spirit first then seek to appoint a replacement?

This is an act of religion. Which is something that Peter was found guilty of pursuing in Galatians when Peter was forcing circumcision, as covered by the True replacement to Judas – Saul who will be called Paul when his apostleship begins. Therefore, We see the other side of the coin. Those that seek to place men’s action above the blessing given by the Holy Spirit.

Especially since the choice was achieved through the casting of lots in addition to the breaking of a commandment in how to pray from Christ Himself.

Acts 1:21-26 NKJV – “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

So list for us the great teachings and wonders accomplished from Matthias beyond dying a martyrs death.

There is none!

Because this is what comes from religion and not faith through Jesus Christ via the Holy Spirt whose name is Jesus Christ.