‘Further Revelation’ From the ‘Risen, Glorified Lord’

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ emphasize that Paul was the apostle who received ‘further revelation’ from the ‘risen, glorified Lord’. Although it is an undeniable fact that he did .... it is also true that, so did the other apostles, for it was the 11 that Jesus appeared to after His resurrection. Jesus’ 11 apostles also received ‘further revelation’ from the ‘risen, glorified Lord’ (being the ‘same’ ‘risen, glorified Lord’ that blinded Saul):

Matt 28:16-20 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Mark 16:14-20 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Although Paul was the last to see the ‘risen, glorified Lord’ .... he was, by far, not the ONLY one to see Jesus after His resurrection glory, as we will read in 1 Cor 15:8 below:

1 Cor 15:1-8 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel
which I preached unto you,
which also ye have received,
and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received,
how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried,
and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas (that's Peter), then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
After giving the gospel Paul received (1 Cor 15:1,3),
the gospel he delivered (1 Cor 15:3),
the gospel he preached (1 Cor 15:1),
the gospel that the Corinthians received (1 Cor 15:1),
the gospel they stood in (1 Cor 15:1),
the gospel they were saved by (1 Cor 15:2),
and the gospel they believed (1 Cor 15:2),
(which was that Christ died for our sins (1 Cor 15:3),
was buried, and rose again the 3rd day --- according to PROPHETIC scriptures ALREADY written) ....
and after giving the list of more than 512 men who had seen the ‘risen, glorified Lord’ (1 Cor 15:5-7) .... Paul said he, lastly, saw Jesus also:
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ elevate Paul to a ‘different’ apostle with a ‘distinct’ gospel message of salvation .... but Paul himself testified that he was the ‘smallest’ of them (not in size or stature) because of his awful history of such damage against God’s church:

1 Cor 15:9-10 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (Notice: The church of God existed BEFORE Paul.)
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Paul testified that it made no difference .... if it was him or any of THEM .... they all preached the ‘D,B,R’ (Death, Burial, Resurrection) of Christ .... and the result was that folks were saved:

1 Cor 15:11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’, listening to the Cunning Royal Jester and his Jokers, think Paul had a ‘unique’ gospel .... a gospel given solely to him by the ‘risen, glorified Lord’. They question (whether vocally or silently) anyone’s testimony if they claim to have been saved using scriptures other than the epistles Paul wrote. I shudder that I was deceived by ‘mid-Acts’ doctrine in ‘time past’, ‘but now’ I am so thankful that I am out of that mess. In ‘the ages to come’ I will try to prevent others from being ensnared by their paradigm. ‘Mid-Acts’ teaching can be defeated by believing the WORDS in the VERSES.

This is David Dowell saying, “Think about it!”

The Kingdom of Heaven or The Kingdom of God?

Before we begin this study, be advised that we will not hold church service on Sunday, December 26, in lieu of the Christmas holiday, as we spend time with our family and friends.

Examine the following 2 references together .... back and forth .... and notice all the SAME things. Especially see that they are the SAME account by 2 different men, but the same Spirit:

Matt 4:12-19 Now when Jesus had heard
that John was cast into prison,
he departed into Galilee;
13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say,
Repent:
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee,
saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother,
casting a net into the sea:
for they were fishers.
19 And he saith unto them, Follow me,
and I will make you fishers of men.

Mark 1:14-17 Now after
that John was put in prison,
Jesus came into Galilee,
preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
15 And saying, The time is fulfilled,
and the kingdom of God is at hand:
repent ye, and believe the gospel.
16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea:
for they were fishers.
17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me,
and I will make you to become fishers of men.

Comparing all the similarities in these 2 companion passages proves that the kingdom of heaven IS the kingdom of God. Realizing this fact may change your doctrine .... IF you believe the Bible and are not blindly following a man with a chart and a paradigm!

Since the time of John the Baptist, men have preached the kingdom of God:

Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John:
since that time the kingdom of God is preached,
and every man presseth into it.

Jesus instructed a certain man to preach the kingdom of God:

Luke 9:57-60 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead:
but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

Jesus’ 12 disciples preached the kingdom of God:

Luke 9:1-2 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

Paul (Acts 20:16) preached the kingdom of God:

Acts 20:25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.

Acts 28:31 Preaching the kingdom of God,
and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

Jesus spoke of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

Acts 1:1-3 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days,
and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

Philip preached the the things concerning the kingdom of God:

Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Paul disputed and persuaded the the things concerning the kingdom of God:

Acts 19:8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months,
disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

Paul expounded and testified the kingdom of God:

Acts 28:23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging;
to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God,
persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.

Paul worked unto the kingdom of God:

Col 4:11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.

The Thessalonians suffered for the kingdom of God:

2 Thess 1:5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ believe the Cunning Royal Jester who teaches them that ‘the kingdom of God’ that Paul preached is different than the ‘kingdom of God’ that everyone else preached. What a disaster of confusion!

Not only that .... but they deny that the kingdom of heaven is the same as the kingdom of God .... in spite of the scriptures (Matt 4:12-19 and Mark 1:14-17).

For all the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ who claim ‘grace’ to do whatever they want to do, but secretly celebrate the holidays for fear of what ‘each other’ might think if they knew .... I will say (without it being "Christ-Mass"), "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

2 or 3 Breastplates? How Many Helmets?

According to ‘mid-Acts’ heresy, the apostle Paul has a ‘distinct’ ministry that sets him APART from all the other prophets of the holy scriptures. The Cunning Royal Jester is a pied piper, teaching that Paul has a ‘unique’ message (see Acts 26:22). He is leading unsuspecting followers into an abyss of apostasy. For example, consider the armour of God:

Eph 6:13-17 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth,
and having on
the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take
the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

In ‘mid-Acts’ wrested understanding, this means that Isaiah’s armour must be ‘different’ than Paul’s armour:

Isa 59:17 For he put on
righteousness as a breastplate,
and
an helmet of salvation upon his head;
and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.

Even though the words are essentially the same in Isaiah and Paul, ‘mid-Acts-ers’ must maintain separation between them to keep up their paradigm. Dare no one question them about the ‘other’ breastplate Paul described? Is this yet ‘another’ breastplate to be ‘distinguished’ from the breastplate of righteousness, notwithstanding the helmet is still salvation?

1 Thess 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober,
putting on
the breastplate of faith and love;
and for
an helmet, the hope of salvation.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ completely ignore the twisted mess their perverted doctrine makes.

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

Who Was Preaching Peace?

When Peter preached the ‘first’ recorded sermon to the Gentiles at Cornelius’ house .... he described the word God sent as preaching PEACE by Jesus Christ:

Acts 10:34-43 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: (also see Acts 15:9, 1 Pet 1:17)
35 But in every nation he that feareth him,
and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, (The gospel of Christ was sent to Israel first, as Paul also testified in
Rom 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:
for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;
to the Jew first,
and also to the Greek.")
preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
(Peter preached about Jesus’ death and resurrection on the 3rd day.
This was the gospel of Christ.
This was preaching peace by Jesus Christ, as Paul also testified in
Rom 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:")
39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
40 Him God raised up the third day,
and shewed him openly;
41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. (Jesus was then the ‘risen, glorified Lord’ that gave His disciples the command to preach what the prophets had written concerning salvation through faith in Him):
42 And he (the ‘risen, glorified Lord’) commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

That was the same good news that Paul preached (also see 1 Cor 15:3-4):

Acts 26:22-23 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
23 That Christ should suffer,
and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead,
and should shew light unto the people,
and to the Gentiles.

Even at Pentecost, Peter reminded his audience of Jews (Acts 2:5,36) that God’s promise also included the Gentiles:

Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you,
and to your children,
and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Peter was not the only prophet to preach peace, to the near and the far.
Isaiah also prophesied peace to both the Gentiles and the Jews:

Isa 57:19 I create the fruit of the lips;
Peace, peace to him that is far off,
and to him that is near,
saith the LORD; and I will heal him.

A favorite passage of ‘mid-Acts-ers’ is Eph 2:11-18, which they try to make be ‘the mystery given only to Paul’ .... but comparing Isa 57:19 with Eph 2:17 shows ‘this message’ was previously taught by Isaiah in prophecy:

Eph 2:13-18 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, (He is the Prince of Peace, see Isa 9:6) who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 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;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off (that would be the Gentiles),
and to them that were nigh (that would be Israel).
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Paul taught that the gospel of peace is part of the whole armour of God (Eph 6:13-17), which believers are to wear:

Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Paul also testified that Isaiah wrote about the gospel of peace:

Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent?
as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Ezekiel also prophesied the covenant of peace .... for Israel ....
but Paul extended it to also include the Gentiles:

Ezek 37:26-27 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them;
it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
27 My tabernacle also shall be with them:
yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (That is the same promise that Paul applied to the church of God, in
2 Cor 6:16 "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them;
and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.")

Jesus prophesied peace for His disciples (John 13:35), who are called ‘Christians’ since Antioch (Acts 11:26):

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you,
my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Yes, both Paul and Peter preached peace by the Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Thess 3:16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

1 Peter 5:14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity.
Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

Unto Who? Unto You!

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ have made a big deal out of Paul’s use of the little phrase "unto you" in Gal 1:8-9, to try to defend their ludicrous position that Peter preached a different gospel than Paul preached, and still not be cursed. They have said things like, "He was just saying that to the Galatians .... Look at the "unto you" .... He was only talking to them about what someone was preaching to them, and Peter didn’t take the gospel to them."

Gal 1:8-9 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Peter did, in fact, write to the strangers scattered throughout Galatia (1 Peter 1:1).

Was the message of Christ dying and rising from the dead that Paul preached in a synagogue of the Jews .... "unto you" .... ONLY for THEM?

Acts 17:1-3 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
3 Opening and alleging,
that Christ must needs have suffered,
and risen again from the dead;
and that this Jesus,
whom I preach unto you,
is Christ.

Paul testified that the SAME Jesus that died at the end of His earthly ministry .... was the SAME Jesus that rose from the grave .... and was the SAME Jesus that he preached .... "unto you".

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ need to re-think their "unto you" exemption:

1 Cor 15:1-11 Moreover, brethren,
I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you,
which also ye have received,
and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved,
if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you,
unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received,
how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried,
and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, (that is, Peter)
then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once;
of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James;
then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
11 Therefore whether it were I or they,
so we preach,
and so ye believed.

The plain and simple truth is: If Peter .... or the 12 .... or James .... or any of the apostles .... or more than 500 other brothers, preached a different gospel than Paul preached to ANYONE .... then, according to the scriptures .... they would be accursed.

Like it or lump it .... but don’t try to change it!

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

You Heard It First Here!

During my many (previous) years of being a ‘mid-Acts-er’, I NEVER once heard anyone, with scripture, address the issue of global warming endangering Planet Earth. But since I came out of ‘mid-Acts’ heresy, and began studying my whole Bible without the Cunning Royal Jester’s paradigm, I found God’s promise concerning the temperatures and seasons, when Noah came off the ark:

Gen 8:18-22 And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him:
19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.
20 And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
22 While the earth remaineth,
seedtime and harvest,
and cold and heat,
and summer and winter,
and day and night
shall not cease.

At a recent conference, I listened as a so-called ‘heavy-hitting grace preacher’ brought up Gen 8:22. No credit was given, and certainly none was necessary, but I hardly think he dug it up on his own. Regardless, I wish he would take many other verses I have pointed out, where he stands in denial to the doctrine of God .... such as

• Abraham is our father:

Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

• New Jerusalem is our mother (going to come down from heaven to earth - Rev 21:2-3, 3:12):

Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

• When we belong to Christ, we are Abraham’s seed:

Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

• When we belong to Christ, we are fellow-heirs with Abraham’s children by faith:

Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

• That was what the mystery of Christ, that was given to Paul for the Gentiles, was about .... that we have the SAME inheritance with them ‘Abraham fellows’:

Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs,
and of the same body,
and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

• The mystery of Christ placed us Gentiles in the SAME body with Israel:

Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs,
and of the same body,
and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

• The mystery of Christ made us Gentiles partakers WITH those who were already sanctified by faith in Christ:

Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs,
and of the same body,
and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

There were JEWISH saints who were ‘in Christ’ before Paul:

Rom 16:7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

Clearly, when the Lord Jesus appeared to Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus Road, He sent him to the Gentiles so THEY could have INHERITANCE AMONG THEM who were ALREADY sanctified by faith in Christ:

Acts 26:14-18 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Can we see this truth in other scriptures that verifies saints were already sanctified by faith in Christ .... before Paul was saved? Yes.

John 17:17-19 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

Can we see the truth that Jesus taught ‘oneness’ for His saints .... before Paul was saved? Yes.
Is this being of the same body (Eph 3:6-b)? Yes:

John 17:20-23 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

There is only ONE body, not two. We are of the SAME body (Eph 3:6-b):

Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, (also see 1 Cor 10:17 below)
and every one members one of another.

In the CONTEXT of what happened to ISRAEL .... Paul said those things are examples for US:

1 Cor 10:1-17 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples,
to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
In the CONTEXT of ISRAEL .... Paul said that in communion we share the cup (the blood of Christ) and the bread (the body of Christ) WITH them:
16 The cup of blessing which we bless,
is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?
The bread which we break,
is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
17 For we being many are one bread, and one body:
for we are all partakers of that one bread.
18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

When the Lord Jesus returns from heaven, He will come with ALL His saints .... NOT ONLY those who have believed through PAUL’s ministry, as the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ teach:

1 Thess 3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

There is not a corner on Gen 8:22:

Gen 8:22 While the earth remaineth,
seedtime and harvest,
and cold and heat,
and summer and winter,
and day and night
shall not cease.

Just remember, there is an account in scripture of a girl who followed Paul and said some right things, but Paul rebuked a spirit of divination out of her:

Acts 16:16-18 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

Paul Was First What?

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ wrongly use Paul’s "me first" statement to say that Paul was the ‘first member’ of the body of Christ. However, the verse says nothing whatsoever of the sort:

1 Tim 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

In the context (which often ‘mid-Acts-ers’ don’t like to be bothered with), Paul was the main sinner .... not that he was grossly immoral .... but that, he was leading the rebellion against the Lord Christ, and persecuting His church. The point is that God had mercy on His arch enemy first, namely, Saul of Tarsus .... as an example to others who realized they were unworthy of God’s grace in Christ:

1 Tim 1:12-16 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious:
but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

A favorite verse of ‘mid-Acts-ers’ is Rom 15:8 which they use to make the point that Jesus was Israel’s minister -- as if He is NOT (was not) ours. However, in the context, the very next verse shows that Gentiles being saved was according to PROPHECY ("as it is written") -- NOT mystery (as the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ teach). The point, here again, is that the Gentiles, who were God’s enemies, are now offered God’s mercy. That is what Paul experienced:

Rom 15:8-12 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy;
as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.
11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.
12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

Prophecy also includes the day of God’s wrath and judgment against His enemies .... those who don’t care for God’s longsuffering mercy toward them:

Nahum 1:2 God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

Paul taught the saints at Rome about the mercy of the LORD .... again, according to PROPHECY .... while he referred to Moses:

Rom 9:14-26 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

Paul clearly applied the PROPHETIC truths to us, that were given to Moses and Pharaoh, as examples of His mercy on the Gentiles:

24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?


Verse 24, about ‘us Gentiles’ ties in with verse 25, which is PROPHECY given through Hosea, initially for Israel, but now expanded to include ALL those who by faith are in Christ:

25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ constantly focus on the GRACE of God, and rarely, if at all, bring up the issue of God’s mercy toward us:

Rom 11:30-32 For as ye in times past have not believed God,
yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
God’s mercy is much more than anything our minds could imagine:
32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief,
that he might have mercy upon all.

It is because of God’s mercy that we Gentiles are offered eternal salvation:

Eph 2:4-7 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

We will also experience the rich mercy of God when Christ comes for us:

Jude 1:20-21 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Paul being the first member in the body of Christ is NOWHERE in the holy scriptures. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ ought to give that nonsense up. There were believers who were ‘in Christ’ before Paul:

Rom 16:7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

Regardless of what ‘mid-Acts-ers’ say .... being ‘in Christ’ is the same thing as being in the body of Christ.

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!

Could YOU Be Jesus' Disciple?

Isaiah prophesied concerning the coming of Christ .... among those who would follow Him. They were called 'disciples' even back then:

Isa 8:14-15 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.

The same Hebrew word that was translated ‘disciples’ was also translated ‘the learned’. Thus, we can conclude that a disciple is a learner:

Isa 50:4 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

A disciple is one who has been disciplined to learn obedience:

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

Ananias was a disciple, who was sent to give sight to Saul after he was blinded on the road to Damascus:

Acts 9:10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

Although people were fearful of trusting Saul, Barnabas assured them not to worry because Saul really was a disciple:

Acts 9:26-29 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.
27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
28 And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.
29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

Timothy was a disciple:

Acts 16:1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
Since Acts 11, disciples are called Christians:

Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people.
And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Paul regularly kept company with men who were called disciples:

Acts 21:15-17 And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem.
16 There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.
17 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

Would you receive disciples gladly like those brothers did? ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ distance themselves from folks who call themselves ‘disciples’ .... because they SEPARATE the body of Christ .... in the name of ‘right’ division. Jesus said that the character trait of ‘love for the brethren’ would be an obvious indication to everyone to identify His disciples:

John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Could you be His disciple and learn of Him to love your brothers and sisters in the household of God?

Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

Are ALL the Saints in Christ?

Paul INCLUDED all the saints as being ‘in Christ’ .... yet ‘mid-Acts-ers’ want to DIVIDE the saints by those saints who are ‘INSIDE of Paul’ against those saints were ‘OUTSIDE of Paul’. GOD’s word does not make that DIVISION among God’s saints:

Phil 4:21-23 Salute every saint in Christ Jesus.
The brethren which are with me greet you.
22 All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household.
23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

1 Cor 16:24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

2 Cor 13:12-13 Greet one another with an holy kiss.
13 All the saints salute you.

Peter is not unlike Paul. He said many of the very same things Paul said:

1 Peter 5:14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity.
Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

To compound their problem, adding insult to injury, ‘mid-Acts-ers’ go farther to insinuate that no one can be saved today by any other minister, OTHER than Paul .... because he wrote of ‘my gospel’ (Rom 2:16, 16:25; 2 Tim 2:8). ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ stop reading this next passage after verse 4 .... so they don’t have to notice HOW MANY other men preached the SAME gospel that Paul preached:

1 Cor 15:1-11 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
11 Therefore whether it were I or they,
so we preach,
and so ye believed.

Paul himself also showed that it made NO DIFFERENCE which minister led someone to the Lord .... so why do the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ make such an EXCLUSIVE issue out of it?

1 Cor 3:5 Who then is Paul,
and who is Apollos,
but ministers by whom ye believed,
even as the Lord gave to every man?

All His saints? All His saints were ALL included THEN:

Psa 31:23 O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.

All His saints? All His saints are ALL included NOW:

Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

All His saints? All His saints will ALL be included in the AGES to COME .... when the Lord comes:

1 Thess 3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

Are ALL Christ’s saints in Him? Of course, they are! Where else would they be?

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

Is Your Name Written There?

Even back thousands of years ago, around the beginning of the old testament .... Moses knew that God had a book with individuals’ names written in it, and that his own name was in that book. Interestingly, if anyone broke God’s 1st and 2nd commandments (1-to have no other gods before Him, and 2-to not make any idol - Exo 20:1-6) .... would be blotted out of God’s book:

Exod 32:31-33 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

Daniel also knew of God’s book with God's people's names written in it:

Dan 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

Paul was the 1st person to actually tell the ‘title’ of God’s book that has names written in it. It is called 'the book of life'. Paul wrote of believers' names being written in the book of life:

Phil 4:3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

John recorded the words Christ (Rev 1:18) told him to write ....
to the angel of the church in Sardis (Rev 3:1),
about keeping the names of the overcomers in the book of life:

Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life,
but I will confess his name before my Father (Matt 10:32-33),
and before his angels (Luke 12:8-9).

During the last half of Daniel’s 70th week (Dan 9:24), the beast will persecute and kill the saints for 3-1/2 years (Rev 13:5-7). Everyone whose name is not written in the Lamb’s book of life .... will worship him:

Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

The book of life will be opened when the dead are judged. Anyone whose name is NOT written in it .... will suffer the 2nd death:

Rev 20:12,14-15 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.
This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

No one will enter that great city, the holy Jerusalem, that will descend out of heaven from God (Rev 21:10) .... unless their name is written in the book of life, which John personalized again, as belonging to the Lamb:

Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie:
but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

The last words in the Bible .... have to do with
• the book of life
• the 2nd coming of the Lord Jesus, and
• the grace of the Lord Jesus:

Rev 22:18-21 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Is your name written there?
On the page white and fair?
In the book of God’s kingdom?
Is your name written there?

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

Words to Think About

On separate occasions, I have heard some ‘mid-Acts’ preachers talking about "good words." One said ‘rapture’ is a good word. I wonder .... how did he determine that? I suspect it was in order to defend his paradine of a pre-tribulation catching away (instead of the BIBLE’s time ‘at the last trump’). Another ‘mid-Acts’ preacher said ‘pastors’ is a good word. I expect he wanted to keep with man’s tradition (rather than following GOD’s words through Paul). He would not admit he was wrong, even with a plain verse staring him right in the face:

1 Tim 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

Those ‘mid-Acts’ men are unfaithful ministers to the Lord’s word in the KJV:

1 Cor 4:1-2 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries (The Greek word translated 'mysteries' - plural - is also translated 'mystery' - singular.) of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Paul used the phrase "good words" once. But he cautioned saints not to be deceived by them:

Rom 16:17-18 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

God does not want His saints to be ‘simple Simons’:

Prov 14:15 The simple believeth every word:
but the prudent man looketh well to his going.

When the simple believe GOD’s words, they get understanding:

Psa 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light;
it giveth understanding unto the simple.


The Bible is the words of God. Every word is important:

Psa 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Prov 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

False prophets changed the Lord’s pure words:

Jer 23:36 And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no more: for every man's word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God.

The days will come when God’s words will be scarce, even unavailable:

Amos 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

We need to take in Jesus’ words, and stay away from those who not to obey the words of Christ. Do you know anyone that teaches NOT to follow Jesus’ words? A group of them identify themselves as ‘mid-Acts’ who claim to follow only ‘selected’ words of Christ, namely, those words through Paul. Yet Paul described to Timothy the men who disregard the Lord’s words:

1 Tim 6:3-5 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

Paul told Timothy to remember his words:

2 Tim 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Peter and Jude told the saints to remember the words of the Lord’s apostles, to whom He gave His word .... not just Paul's words:

2 Peter 3:2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

Jude 1:17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

We can and should apply the words of the Psalmist to our own words:

Psa 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

They Don’t Believe God and They Don’t Follow Paul

I saw a ‘mid-Acts’ website that said the only offices today were “missionaries (which were evangelists), and pastors/bishops, and deacons.” When I researched the Greek words, I wondered why he didn’t use “ministers/deacons” since the Greek word is used of ‘deacon’ twice, but of ‘minister’ 22 times. The Greek for ‘bishop’ is never translated ‘pastor.’ The Greek word for ‘pastor’ is used of ‘shepherd’ 17 times, and ‘pastors’ once (Eph 4:11).

The KJV Bible only shows 2 offices: bishop and deacon:

1 Tim 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

1 Tim 3:10, 13 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Years ago when I brought up the subject of the correct ‘Pauline’ word for the regular preacher in a church assembly today, being a ‘bishop’ instead of a pastor .... I was shocked by the stiff-necked resistance among the ‘pastors’ of ‘Pauline’ grace churches. Initially, I believed it to be an innocent oversight, or possibly the fault of following ‘tradition’ of Protestant denominations, in their effort to be called by a different name than the ‘bishops’ of Catholics and Mormons. But the more I talked about it, the more stubborn the ‘pastors’ became. Several of them went so far as to make mockery of some who admitted their error and amended it, by asking questions like, “When will you get your hat and collar?” Two prominent ‘co-pastors’ even changed their titles from ‘pastor’ .... not to ‘bishop’ (still refusing to submit to their supposedly cherished ‘Pauline’ authority) .... but to ‘elder’ on their weekly church bulletin. An admission of guilt, to be sure, but only half-hearted and partial. Trying to make a switch without being noticed or calling attention to it? If you have egg on your face, it is best to admit it, wipe it off, and get on with your ministry. The more you resist, the more hypocritical you appear. Saying one thing like, “We believe the KJV Bible is the very words of God in the English language for all matters of faith and practice. We believe Paul is our apostle,”) .... and doing another by denying to accept the ‘name’ of the ‘office’ you fill? That was not the case for the word ‘dispensation,’ was it? The verse is straight-forward, standing alone (1 Tim 3:1), and other verses even support it as well (1 Tim 3:2, Titus 1:7, Phil 1:1). But ‘mid-Acts-ers’ ran to Acts where they tell others is ‘forbidden ground for doctrine’ (chapter 20) to grab the mention of a flock (not even the word ‘pastor’) applied to the Ephesians, which they never touched with a 10-foot pole during my nearly 30 years of association with them. They apply a double standard, and it makes them look foolish.

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

Who Is the Mystery of Godliness?

The Cunning Royal Jester teaches that 1 Tim 3:16, is the ‘body of Christ’ (which-he-says is ONLY saints who have believed through PAUL’s ‘distinctive ministry’). ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ are trained to think that twisted way. Just logically reading through the verse, it is Jesus Christ.

1 Tim 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:
God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the Spirit,
seen of angels,
preached unto the Gentiles,
believed on in the world,
received up into glory.

Anywhere ‘mid-Acts-ers’ read the word ‘mystery’ in Paul’s epistles, they selfishly put themselves in it. They claim the ‘mystery’ is always talking about them, without attention to the other words in the verse or in the context.

Jesus Christ: “God was manifest in the flesh,”

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

1 John 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

Jesus Christ: “justified in the Spirit,”

John 1:32-34 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

Rom 1:3,4 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

Rom 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God,
but the doers of the law shall be justified.

1 John 5:6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

Jesus Christ: “seen of angels,”

Luke 2:10-14 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Heb 1:6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

Mark 1:13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

Luke 4:10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:

Jesus Christ: “preached unto the Gentiles,”

Luke 2:30-32 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

Rom 15:8-12 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy;
as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.
11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.
12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

Gal 2:8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me (Paul) toward the Gentiles:)

.... the mystery of godliness .... that ‘WHO’ .... was .... “preached unto the Gentiles”?

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Jesus Christ: “believed on in the world,”

John 1:6-7 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

John 4:40-42 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
41 And many more believed because of his own word;
42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

John 11:47-48 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

John 17:20-21 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

Rom 4:23-25 Now it was not written for his (Abraham’s) sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Jesus Christ: “received up into glory.”

Mark 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

Acts 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

1 Peter 3:22 Who (Jesus Christ) is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ believe without question, any and every thing the Cunning Royal Jester tells them. They should get their head out of the sand or where ever it is, and believe GOD’s word instead.

1 Tim 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:
God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the Spirit,
seen of angels,
preached unto the Gentiles,
believed on in the world,
received up into glory.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ ought not try to take the LORD’s glory to be their own.

Isa 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name:
and my glory will I not give to another,
neither my praise to graven images.

This is David Dowell saying, “Think about it!”

The GOSPEL and the Integrity of Grace?

‘Mid-Acts’ preachers often say, “The Bible says what it means .... and it means what it says!” I even featured the phrase on the front cover of a book I wrote. Though now, I agree with the slogan, I disagree with my own book. The point is, THEN I believed the motto, but I was not listening to the VERSES .... instead I was allowing a man with a chart and a paradigm to tell me the meaning of my Bible. I trusted his study and accepted it. He was (and still is) guilty of inserting concepts into verses and drawing conclusions that are not in the scriptures. When I finally woke up to his antics, I began a renewed sense of reading the (KJV Bible) words .... and hearing what GOD said .... without imposing pre-conceived doctrines into them. To my surprise and horror, I have found that I had been injecting a spin, even though it was unintentional.

During an annual summer conference, a featured nightly preacher (who doesn’t even accept the title of the office of BISHOP that he holds) repeatedly talked about ‘defending the integrity of grace.’ He taught what he believed, without regard to what the Bible actually said.

Twice, Paul wrote about his defence of the gospel:

Phil 1:7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

Phil 1:17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

The GOSPEL is what is to be defended. God, through Paul, gave the gospel several names .... but it is all the SAME GOSPEL. He called it the gospel of the grace of God:

Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

It is important to see that the gospel Paul preached (Gal 1:11) WAS WRITTEN in the scriptures of the prophets. In the epistle to the Romans, ‘the gospel’ was called by 4 names. ‘The gospel’ was called the gospel of GOD (also see Rom 15:16 and 1 Peter 4:17):

Rom 1:1-4 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

‘The gospel’ was called the gospel of His Son:

Rom 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

‘The gospel’ was called the gospel of Christ (also Rom 15:19 and 29):

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

‘The gospel’ was called the gospel of peace (also Eph 6:15):

Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

It is the GOSPEL we are to defend. When false brethren went in privily to spy out the liberty the churches of Galatia had in Christ, Paul put a stop to it (Gal 2:4-5). They were trying to pull them back under the old covenant law rather than enjoy their new testament grace:

Gal 1:6-7 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

We ought not PERVERT the gospel.
I hope you are careful to say what you mean .... and mean what you say.

This is David Dowell, saying, “Think about it!”

The Son of Man Will Come With Clouds in His Day

The Cunning Royal Jester and his Jokers make a DIFFERENT coming out of the coming of the Lord that PAUL wrote about .... from the coming of the Lord that all the rest of the writers of scripture wrote about. They do that, not because the verses indicate to do so, but to protect a paradigm they call ‘the pre-tribulation rapture’.

The Old Testament writers taught that the Lord will come with clouds.

Daniel had visions that the Son of Man will come in the clouds of heaven to establish His kingdom:

Dan 7:13-14 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

The day of the Lord will be a day of clouds:

Joel 2:1-2 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

The day of the Lord will be a day of clouds, and also a day of wrath:

Zep 1:14-15 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

The New Testament writers taught the same thing.

When the Son of Man comes, He will come with the clouds of heaven:

Matt 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds [nephele] of heaven with power and great glory.

Jesus told the high priest that even unbelievers would see His coming in the clouds:

Matt 26:62-66 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds [nephele] of heaven.
65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

Paul also taught that the Lord will return from heaven in the clouds:

1 Thess 4:16-17 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds [nephele], to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

John testified that at the Revelation of Jesus Christ (Rev 1:1), Jesus will come with clouds, and everyone will see Him. It will NOT be a ‘secret, mystery’ coming for ONLY those saints who have trusted Christ through Paul’s ministry .... that no one else will notice:

Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds [nephele]; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

‘Mid-Acts’ preachers teach that ‘the Jesus’ that appeared to Saul/Paul on the road to Damascus was the ‘risen, glorified Lord’ .... and that He was ‘ANOTHER Jesus’ from ‘the EARTHLY Jesus’. (This could specifically be heard on a recorded message entitled ‘Timing Is Everything’ by the 'IL associate teaching elder' earlier this year. That particular message may, however, since have been removed. It was preached shortly after my message on the context of 2 Tim 2:15 having to do with getting the resurrection in the wrong place and overthrowing people's faith.)

In Acts 1, after Jesus was risen and glorified, He went back to heaven.

Notice that the scripture specifically says He is the SAME Jesus:

Acts 1:10-11 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

How did Jesus go into heaven? He was taken up into heaven with clouds. (FYI, in the Greek, the singular ‘a cloud’ and the plural ‘clouds’ is the very same word.):

Acts 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud [nephele] received him out of their sight.

The day the Lord comes back from heaven in the clouds .... will be HIS day.

Paul taught that when the Lord comes, in HIS day, there will be BOTH the judgment of the wicked and the glorification of the just ....in the SAME day (in the SAME sentence):

2 Thess 1:7-10 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

Whether you call it the day of the Lord, He is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Whether you call it the day of Jesus, He is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Whether you call it the day of Christ, He is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul, along with the other Biblical writers, all teach that the Lord will come in clouds. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ are wrong to DIVIDE Christ or His day.

This is David Dowell saying, “Think about it!”