Answer: We should hold out the Word of Life to this
crooked and depraved generation, (verses 15 and 16).
MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
The Greek word for "hold out" is
epechontes, meaning "to hold forth," or
possibly, "hold fast." Either way, a child
of God must "hold fast" to the Gospel before he/she can
make disciples by "holding out" the Gospel:
Matthew 10:26-27: [Jesus said,] "So
do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not
be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I
tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in
your ear, proclaim from the roofs."
Mark 16:15-16: "He [Jesus] said to
them, 'Go into all the world and preach the Good News to all
creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but
whoever does not believe will be condemned.'"
Luke 9:59-60: "He [Jesus] said to
another man, 'Follow Me.' But the man replied,
'Lord, first let me go and bury my father.' Jesus
said to him, 'Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go
and proclaim the kingdom of God.'"
Acts 2:36-41: "'Therefore let all
Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, Whom you
crucified, both Lord and Christ.' When the people heard
this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other
apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?' Peter
replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the
Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you
and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom
the Lord our God will call.' With many other words he
warned them; and he pleaded with them, 'Save yourselves from
this corrupt generation.' Those who accepted his
message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their
number that day."
Acts 13:44-49: "On the next Sabbath
almost the whole city gathered to hear the Word of the Lord.
When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and
talked abusively against what Paul was saying. Then Paul and
Barnabas answered them boldly: 'We had to speak the Word of
God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider
yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the
Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring
salvation to the ends of the earth.' When the Gentiles
heard this, they were glad and honored the Word of the Lord; and
all who were appointed for eternal life believed. The Word of
the Lord spread through the whole region."
Acts 17:22-23: "Paul then stood up
in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: 'Men of Athens! I
see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked
around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even
found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what
you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to
you.'"
Acts 20:27: "For I have not
hesitated to proclaim to you the whole Will of God."
2 Corinthians 5:17-20: "Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the
new has come! All this is from God, Who reconciled us to
Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of
reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself
in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And He has
committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore
Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through
us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to
God."
Colossians 1:24-29: "Now I rejoice
in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is
still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of
His body, which is the church. I have become its servant by
the commission God gave me to present to you the Word of God in its
fullness--the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and
generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God
has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of
this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We
proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so
that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I
labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in
me."
Colossians 4:3-6: "And pray for us,
too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may
proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in
the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every
opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace,
seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer
everyone."
2 Timothy 3:16-17: "All Scripture
is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting
and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be
thoroughly equipped for every good work."
1 Peter 4:11: "If anyone speaks, he
should do it as one speaking the very Words of God. If anyone
serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in
all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the
glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."
1 John 1:1-5: "That Which was from
the beginning, Which we have heard, Which we have seen with our
eyes, Which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this
we proclaim concerning the Word of Life. The Life appeared;
we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the
Eternal Life, Which was with the Father and has appeared to
us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that
you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with
the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to
make our joy complete. This is the Message we have heard from
Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness
at all."
