Welcoming Fellow Believers

ENTERTAINING FELLOW-BELIEVERS IN NEW TESTAMENT TIMES In the days of the apostles, great importance was attached to the religious duty of believers entertaining fellow believers who came to their town. In time of persecution, such hospitality would be of great value. Luke tells of one such time of persecution thus: "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word" (Acts 8:4). How welcome a Christian home of refuge would be to one who had to flee from his home because of his testimony for CHRIST! The Apostle Paul stayed in the home of Aquila and Priscilla, while he carried on his missionary work in Corinth (Acts 18:1-3). One of the qualifications of a good bishop Paul gave in the words "given to hospitality" (I Timothy 3:2). And to laymen he stressed the importance of being "given to hospitality" (Romans 12:13). Peter told the saints, "Use hospitality one to another without grudging." (I Peter 4:9). The word translated "hospitality" means "friendly to strangers." Peter was not thinking of believers entertaining their Christian friends, but rather of their entertaining traveling Christians who were in need of food and shelter. The hospitality among the early Christians promoted Christian fellowship, and thus strengthened growth in the faith. It must have exerted a great influence upon the youth growing up in the homes where it was practiced. (See also Chapter Seven, "The Sacred Duty of Hospitality.") [Manners And Customs of Bible Lands]