A Jewish ruler came to Christ and many of the Corinthians believed and were baptized.

Acts 18:7-8

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.” Acts 18:7-8

Justus was a Jewish man who welcomed Paul into his home and embraced the testimony of Jesus Christ. The house of Justus happened to be next door to a Jewish synagogue. Subsequently, this led to the born-again experience of Crispus, who was the head over the synagogue. Many of the Corinthians followed Crispus who set the example for them to live for God through Jesus Christ.

Not everyone was receptive to receive the testimony of Jesus Christ through Paul. But Crispus was receptive to hear the Good News through Justus. Some people will reject Jesus simply because of who is bringing the message. Paul was rejected by the Jewish people, but when Justus spoke to Crispus [ruler of the synagogue], he was born-again. Then many of the Corinthians believed and joined the way of Jesus Christ. “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” 1 Corinthians 3:5-8

Over and over through the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit brings more success from a one-on-one witness than by preaching to many at one time. As followers of Jesus Christ, in this atheistic culture of today, there will be more success in speaking to an individual person than in speaking to many members of the community at the same time. The Holy Spirit speaks to people on a personal and individual level, not by the persuasion of the will of many people. This is why our Lord Jesus warns about following the people over His word, “And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” Matthew 15:9 Our Lord Jesus also said, “How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?” John 5:44

We live in a culture, which is global, that rejects the Gospel of Jesus Christ and does not want Him spreading through their social networks. They are not receptive to the Holy Spirit, and our Lord Jesus says, “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” Matthew 7:6 Today’s culture lives for the beast that corrupts the conscience and spirit [while oppressing the presence of the Holy Spirit] to give people what to think, feel, say, and do. That beast gives life to the image of the beast to speak and live through people as they are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do. By what they say and do, they reject God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

Our ministry has to be to individual people, open to receive the testimony of Jesus, who are that one lost sheep. “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” Matthew 18:12-14

“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:8-10

Our Lord Jesus also gives the parable of the lost son who had come home, Luke 15:15:11-32

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1