Hi RTP
You're presenting me with stuff I've never heard of before, but I do know the bible really well - so it's difficult for me to know where you're getting this from.
Did you read the bible on your own and come to this understanding, or does your Church teach this?
To be quite frank with you, I can't really follow what you're saying because you speak to me as if I know about this and really I don't.
Could you just answer these questions simply and without using scripture - in your own words...
1. Do you believe there was one set of rules for the Jews and one for the gentiles?
2. Do you believe there were two churches or just one that started after Acts?
3. Why do you think this whole topic is important? What difference does it make?
4. Do you believe in the Trinity, that Jesus is God, that He died for your sins and that if you believe in Him and serve Him you will go to be with Him upon Death? Oh. And do you believe in the resurrection?
That would make things clearer for me.
Thanks.
Fran
I understand why you have never heard of it before. Most haven't and that's why I am trying to share it. It's been this way ever since Paul was raised up. There have always been a small group of believers throughout history who understood these things. Unfortunately, churches and tradition, even bible colleges, teach systematic theology. What is there is a biblical theology that's right there in the scriptures for us to follow? And not some theology man created. I'll answer your third question first because it's important to understand why.
"3. Why do you think this whole topic is important? What difference does it make?"
Satan keeps believers and unbelievers from knowing and understanding the
mystery (it's the number one thing he is doing today), because it's that same mystery that will defeat Satan (i.e. cause the rapture and end-time prophecies to happen. Daniels 70th week). There are positions in heaven called principalities, powers, might's, dominions, thrones, and every other name that is named ("every other name" is most likely positions in heaven of NO authority. People who do not get the mystery truths in them with just be "another name").
These seats in heaven will be occupied by the members of the body of Christ. Currently, Satan has possession of these seats. This is the purpose of the body of Christ. We will reclaim the heavens, while Israel will reclaim the earth. The issue is that these seats cannot be filled if enough members do not
qualify to hold these seats/positions. This is one of the major reasons why it's important to understand, but certainly not the only one.
There is also the issue of reward Paul warns about and warns not to be IGNORANT of it. You may believe that you can lose your salvation. Paul says otherwise; but he does say and warn about is loss of reward. And these rewards are not based off of how much "good" works you think you have done. These rewards are based on the DOCTRINE that you understand and what it produces in you; at least in part. If you are not building on
Paul's foundation of Christ that he lays, than you are in
great jeopardy of having little to NO reward at the judgement seat of Christ. Paul warns of building on the
WRONGfoundation. That would be Peter, John, James, etc. They are
not our foundation. Imperative to understand this.
Rom 15.20
Yea, so have
I (Paul) strived to preach the gospel,
not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon
another man’s foundation:
1 Cor 3.10
According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise
masterbuilder,
I (Paul) have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man
take heedhow he buildeth thereupon.
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man
build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s
work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s
work of what sort it is. If any man’s
work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s
work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Now notice the word "work" above. What work is Paul talking about here? Is he talking about works of the flesh??? No indeed he is not! If you know anything about Paul's writings, he is always crucifying the flesh and telling people to walk in the spirit. Let's see how Paul defines work in his epistles.
2 Tim 2.15
Study to show thyself
approved unto God, a
workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness
Paul states that if you want to be
approvedof God. Then you need to be a
WORKMEN that
STUDIES God's word
RIGHTLY DIVIDED! Ungodliness comes from profane and vain babblings; that would be BAD doctrine. Error doctrine. Studying without rightly dividing or even WRONGLY dividing the word of truth. Everything in the bible is truth. Not all of it is written to you or about you.
Rightly divide - TRUTH from TRUTH. It's all truth.
So this is only two of many reasons why this stuff I'm talking about is important and why it matters. Of course I don't have dominion over your faith. You have liberty in Christ. You are free to do and believe what you want to believe, but when the verses I have shown, throughout all of my responses on this forum, convict you - you have to decide for yourself whether or not you will put away your pride, ego, and sacred cows - and trust the verses; not your own understanding or tradition or what you WANT it to say and mean.
The bible says our purpose is to make all men see what is the
fellowship of the mystery.
Eph 3.9.
Unto
me (Paul), who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world
hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the
principalities and
powers in
heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
To answer your other question about did I learn this on my own or does my church teach this etc. The way I came about Mid Acts dispensationalism (which is what this is commonly called) is a long story. But let's just say I studied through all of the different denominations out there and found that they all contradicted each other. I figured either one had to be right or they were all wrong. How do you know? Because I believe the verses for what they say, not what someone want's them to say. It's really that easy to disprove a teaching when the verses contradict what they are saying/teaching.
Some had things correct, but it wasn't until later on that I found right division pastors who showed me the importance of knowing who Paul is and what his importance is. And this is when I learned about the mystery.
You asked if Israel and the Jews had different "rules" than gentiles. Well Israel was under the Law. Gentiles were not put under that law. The bible says gentiles were cut off from God, and God put a
middle wall of partition between us. Israels gospel of salvation required them to continue in the works of the Law. This is not true for us today in the dispensation of Grace.
Eph 2.11-15
Wherefore remember, that ye
being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called
Uncircumcision by that which is called the
Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That
at that time ye were
without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the
middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity,
even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain
one new man, so making peace;
The dispensations in the bible, the way Paul breaks them up himself, are called Time's past, But Now, Ages to Come. There was a time in the past, as it says in the verse above, we were without Christ; aliens and strangers with no hope. BUT NOW. Paul says "but now." If it's only until now than it cannot be before Paul. And it wont be until after the rapture will the "ages to come" will take place. Hebrews-Revelation (and also the dispensation of the fullness of times.) I have responded with a bunch of information. I think I will leave it there for now. No point in going any further, not knowing where you stand with everything I have said above. Most won't accept it. This message is only for those who read the verses and take them for what they actually say. I will leave a video if you are interested. God bless.
Also notice that Paul rightly divides his gospel from Peters. Their gospel is not OUR gospel. Two different dispensations.
Gal 2.7
But contrariwise, when they saw that the
gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto
me (Paul), as the
gospel of the circumcision was unto
Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in
Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me (Paul) toward the Gentiles
[video=youtube;hP_m1vhTGdY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP_m1vhTGdY[/video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu9zCdF9o8s <- part 2