KLEROS: “A Place Among Those Who Are Sanctified” – Acts 26:18

“I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

In the original Greek text of the New Testament, the word translated here as “a place” is “kleros.” The King James Version translated it “inheritance,” which is one of its meanings. Kleros is a very important word in both the New Testament and in the Greek version of the Old Testament that the Apostles used in the early church (called the “Septuagint”).  This is the first in a series of lessons exploring the meaning of this term.

Reference books list the main definitions of kleros as “lot, portion, or share.”  It is the word used for casting lots to inquire of the Lord in Acts 1:26.  Peter told the money-loving Simon Magus that he had “no share in this ministry” in Acts 8:21 (“neither part nor lot in this matter”), using the same word “kleros” for “lot” or “share.”  In Colossians 1:12 Paul uses the word for the “inheritance” of the saints, and in 1 Peter 5:3 it uses the same word to call the faithful church the Lord’s “heritage” that has been entrusted to the pastors.  The common theme is our allotted portion or share, designated and revealed by God’s grace to us.

Here, kleros is a place among the true saints. When we experience salvation through Christ, we receive a place at His table, at the eternal wedding feast of the Lamb.  “He brought me to his banquet table, and his banner over me is love.”  (Song of Songs 2:4; see also Isaiah 25:6).  There is a place with your name, designated and reserved for you.

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WHAT WE BELIEVE

What do we believe? We hold to the classic truths of the Christian faith (including a belief in the Trinity, the Deity of Christ, Inerrancy of Scriptures, the importance of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, the imminent return of Christ, and active participation in the Body of Christ). Our focus is on fostering individual spiritual growth, learning to have God direct our lives, and working together as the Body of Christ. On the other hand, we do not require or even expect agreement with these points from those who attend – we welcome people from any background or viewpoint in our meetings. Those hosting and leading the meetings, however, share these common beliefs and faith.

Our meetings typically do not focus on discussions of doctrinal topics. Instead, we spend our time learning together from a passage of Scripture, letting it speak for itself. Our desire is to have people experience the living Christ in a more complete way as we look at Him through the Living Word. Members of our group also write for and maintain the website www.maranathaglobal.org, where you can find helpful sermons, articles, and essays about every book of the Bible.

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Why We Do Not Collect Offerings in Our Meetings

1 Corinthians 16:1-3 – “Now about the collection for God’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem.“

The New Testament indicates that we should avoid collecting tithes or offerings in a way that 1) makes people feel pressured; 2) gives an opportunity for wealthier church members to show off; or 3) makes it appear that the church or the pastors are interested mostly in people’s money. It appears from the Bible that the church in the Apostolic Era did not ask for money or take offerings during their public services.

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