The book of Acts is an important book for understanding the actions of the apostles, mostly Paul and Peter, after Jesus's ascension into Heaven. It is an important book in understanding how we can be directed by the Holy Spirit and the role of Jesus' lessons in our lives. This is the story of Christianity's beginnings and how evangelism played a role in the spread of faith around the world.
Who Wrote the Book of Acts?
It is widely believed that the book of Acts is the second volume in Luke's gospel. While the first volume was what happened while Jesus was here on earth. It described the past. It described Jesus' story. However, in Acts, we learn more of how all the lessons inherent in Jesus's time with His disciples came to influence their lives after He ascended into Heaven. Luke, most likely, was a highly educated gentile. He was a physician who was believed to either be a very close friend to Paul or even Paul's doctor.
What Is the Purpose of the Book of Acts?
There seem to be several purposes of Acts. Like the gospels, it presents a historical account of the church's beginnings. It describes the founding of the church, and it continues to put an emphasis on evangelism as we see the church's teachings grow around the world. It also gives gentiles a reason for possible conversion. It describes the way people fought against the other prominent religions and philosophies of the day.
The Book of Acts also goes into principles of living. It describes persecutions and specific situations that we even face today as we evangelize and live our lives in Christ. It gives examples of how Jesus' promises came to fruition and how the disciple’s faced persecution and hardships head on. Luke describes the great devotion of the disciples to Jesus.
Without the Book of Acts, we would be looking at a far shorter New Testament. Between Luke and Acts, the two books make up a quarter of the New Testament. The book also provides a bridge between the gospels and the epistles that will come later. It provides us with a contextual reference for the letters we will read following.
Source: https://www.learnreligions.com/
