‘Mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalists’ have divided God’s grace into separate kinds of grace.
They teach that Paul ministered grace a different type of grace (a 'mystery-grace') .... than the ‘grace’ given to anyone ‘outside’ of his writings. Not long ago, one of their preacher’s message was assigned and based on MAINTAINING the ‘INTEGRITY of Grace’ from PAUL’s epistles. They strive to protect a paradigm of distinction .... even by making contrasting sorts of grace .... between what-they-call ‘Israel’s prophecy program’ and ‘the mystery program’ for what-they-call ‘the body of Christ’ (meaning only those who have been saved through PAUL’s ministry).
Noah got God’s grace:
Gen 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Moses got God’s grace:
Exo 33:17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
Gideon found grace (Judges 6:17) in God’s sight (Judges 6:11-24).
Those who walk uprightly are promised God’s grace:
Psa 84:11-12 For the LORD God is a sun and shield:
the LORD will give grace and glory:
no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.
God gives grace to the lowly:
Prov 3:34-35 Surely he scorneth the scorners:
but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
God gave grace and rest to the left-overs of Israel in the wilderness:
Jer 31:2-3 Thus saith the LORD,
The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness;
even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.
3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
God’s grace was upon Jesus when He was a growing child:
Luke 2:40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom:
and the grace of God was upon him.
Jesus was full of God’s grace:
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.
A great number of believers, including the apostles, received grace:
Acts 4:32-33 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
Barnabas saw God’s grace upon the church at Antioch:
Acts 11:22-23 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.
23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
Lots of the Jews and Gentiles who had converted to Judaism (the disciples - as Acts 13:52) .... moved into God’ grace .... and carried on in it, as they were influenced to do so by Paul and Barnabas:
Acts 13:42-43 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
Peter made the statement that the Jews would be saved through God’s grace, just like the Gentiles:
Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
Apollos, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, was a Jew (Acts 18:24), who knew only John the Baptist’s water baptism (Acts 18:25). After he preached boldy in the synagogue at Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla took him aside and ‘expounded the way of God more perfectly’ to him (Acts 18:26):
Acts 18:27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:
Paul preached the kingdom of God (Acts 20:25).
He declared all the counsel of God (Acts 20:27) , even to his own peril (Acts 20:22-26):
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.
Paul received God’s grace. He preached the gospel of God and Christ. ‘Mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalists’ have an awful time explaining away Paul’s separation unto ‘the gospel which was prophesied’:
Rom 1:1-6 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:
5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
God invited the saints to approach His throne of grace to receive grace:
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in time of need.
Jesus died for our sins by God’s grace.
He is one with His brethren, those who are sanctified .... the church:
Heb 2:9,11-12 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one:
for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
God’s grace will establish those who experience it:
Heb 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines.
For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace;
not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
James testified that God is the source of all grace (1 Peter 5:10).
There is plenty of it to be bestowed upon the ‘poor in spirit’ (Matt 5:3):
James 4:6 But he giveth more grace.
Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud,
but giveth grace unto the humble. (also see 1 Peter 5:5)
Peter wrote of the grace of God that was prophesied to come in the end, when Christ returns, bringing salvation and resurrection of His saints:
1 Peter 1:10,13 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
Good stewards receive God’s grace:
1 Peter 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
May the faithful brethren stand in grace.
PETER wrote of standing in grace:
1 Peter 5:12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.
PAUL wrote of standing in grace:
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
It is ironic that a ‘mid-Acts-hyper-dispensational’ preacher created a slogan of living the ‘GRACE LIFE’ from Peter’s phrase ‘the grace of life’ (1 Pet 3:7) .... and he signed a letter to me .... using Peter’s verse about grace (which he teaches is ‘prophecy-program grace’ that does not belong in ‘the dispensation of grace’):
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Why Peter, Not Paul?
On his way to Damascus, to arrest the disciples of the Lord, and take them to Jerusalem to jail .... Saul was saved:
Acts 9:1-3 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
Saul immediately started preaching the very faith he once destroyed (Gal 1:23) .... in Jewish synagogues:
Acts 9:20-22 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
After Saul’s own conversion, the ‘hunter’ became the ‘hunted’ .... and he had to run for his life. He left Damascus and went to Jerusalem:
Acts 9:23-30 And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:
24 But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
25 Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.
26 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.
He was hounded there also, and fled to Caesarea:
29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
30 Which when the brethren knew,
they brought him down to Caesarea, (Keep this city in mind.)
Then went back home to Tarsus:
and sent him forth to Tarsus.
Peter was a traveling man. He went everywhere:
Acts 9:32,35 And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.
He visited believers in Lydda and Saron. He healed a sick man of the palsy there:
35 And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him (the man Peter healed),
and turned to the Lord.
Peter stayed in Joppa, which was between Caesarea and Gaza, and 30 miles north-west from Jerusalem, one of the oldest towns in Asia, and the chief sea-port of Judaea. There he resurrected a dead woman back to life (Acts 9:36-43).
Acts 9:42 And it was known throughout all Joppa;
and many believed in the Lord.
Caesarea was the great Gentile city of Palestine, on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, on the great road from Tyre to Egypt, about 70 miles northwest of Jerusalem. It was the capital of the Roman province of Judaea, the seat of the governors and procurators, and the headquarters of the Roman troops.
HERE IS AN ‘IF-THEN’ QUESTION TO THINK ABOUT:
‘IF’ .... when God answered the prayers of a Gentile .... in Caesarea ....
where Saul had been (Acts 9:30) ....
and ‘IF’ .... God was starting ‘something NEW,’
namely ‘the church, the body of Christ’ (as ‘mid-Acts-ers’ claim)
with Paul (Saul) in Acts 9
‘THEN’ .... would it not be LOGICAL to expect that God would have ‘Saul/Paul’ be the one that God used to call these Gentiles to salvation?
But God did NOT chose Saul .... He chose PETER!!!
Acts 10:1-5 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
5 And now send men to Joppa, ("and call for one Saul, whose name will be called Paul" ---- NO! That is NOT what God said! The Lord did NOT tell the Gentile Cornelius to call for Saul (Paul) ---- even though he had CONVENIENTLY been in CAESAREA .... the very place where Cornelius lived)
and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:
Peter preached .... not just to Cornelius alone .... but to MANY who were with him:
Acts 10:19-27 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.
20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.
21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?
22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.
23 Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
24 And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea.
And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.
25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.
26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.
The news travelled back to the churches of Judaea which were in Christ (Gal 1:22). But Peter was scolded by some Jews for his Gentile visit and meal:
Acts 11:1-3 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him,
3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.
But Peter was prepared, as he had practiced his answer (Acts 11:4), that, without a doubt, it was God’s Spirit that sent him there with the gospel of salvation for Cornelius and all his relatives:
Acts 11:12-14 And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house:
13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; 14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
Although later, Paul experienced both similar rejoicing with the churches of God which in Judaea were in Christ Jesus .... and also the same harrassment from the Jews, as Peter received (1 Thess 2:14-16) .... it was PETER first, and NOT PAUL .... that God used to take the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ .... to the Gentiles:
Acts 11:17-18 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Later when Peter went to Antioch, Paul rebuked him caving in to Jewish pressure and dissing the Gentiles (Gal 2:11-14) .... but, initially, God chose Peter to go to the Gentiles .... before He chose Paul:
Acts 15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago (in Acts 10) God made choice among us, (God chose Peter)
that the Gentiles (plural, not just Cornelius)
by my (PETER's) mouth
should hear the word of the gospel (Peter preached the gospel whereby they were saved), and believe.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
Acts 9:1-3 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
Saul immediately started preaching the very faith he once destroyed (Gal 1:23) .... in Jewish synagogues:
Acts 9:20-22 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
After Saul’s own conversion, the ‘hunter’ became the ‘hunted’ .... and he had to run for his life. He left Damascus and went to Jerusalem:
Acts 9:23-30 And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:
24 But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
25 Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.
26 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.
He was hounded there also, and fled to Caesarea:
29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
30 Which when the brethren knew,
they brought him down to Caesarea, (Keep this city in mind.)
Then went back home to Tarsus:
and sent him forth to Tarsus.
Peter was a traveling man. He went everywhere:
Acts 9:32,35 And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.
He visited believers in Lydda and Saron. He healed a sick man of the palsy there:
35 And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him (the man Peter healed),
and turned to the Lord.
Peter stayed in Joppa, which was between Caesarea and Gaza, and 30 miles north-west from Jerusalem, one of the oldest towns in Asia, and the chief sea-port of Judaea. There he resurrected a dead woman back to life (Acts 9:36-43).
Acts 9:42 And it was known throughout all Joppa;
and many believed in the Lord.
Caesarea was the great Gentile city of Palestine, on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, on the great road from Tyre to Egypt, about 70 miles northwest of Jerusalem. It was the capital of the Roman province of Judaea, the seat of the governors and procurators, and the headquarters of the Roman troops.
HERE IS AN ‘IF-THEN’ QUESTION TO THINK ABOUT:
‘IF’ .... when God answered the prayers of a Gentile .... in Caesarea ....
where Saul had been (Acts 9:30) ....
and ‘IF’ .... God was starting ‘something NEW,’
namely ‘the church, the body of Christ’ (as ‘mid-Acts-ers’ claim)
with Paul (Saul) in Acts 9
‘THEN’ .... would it not be LOGICAL to expect that God would have ‘Saul/Paul’ be the one that God used to call these Gentiles to salvation?
But God did NOT chose Saul .... He chose PETER!!!
Acts 10:1-5 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
5 And now send men to Joppa, ("and call for one Saul, whose name will be called Paul" ---- NO! That is NOT what God said! The Lord did NOT tell the Gentile Cornelius to call for Saul (Paul) ---- even though he had CONVENIENTLY been in CAESAREA .... the very place where Cornelius lived)
and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:
Peter preached .... not just to Cornelius alone .... but to MANY who were with him:
Acts 10:19-27 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.
20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.
21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?
22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.
23 Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
24 And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea.
And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.
25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.
26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.
The news travelled back to the churches of Judaea which were in Christ (Gal 1:22). But Peter was scolded by some Jews for his Gentile visit and meal:
Acts 11:1-3 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him,
3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.
But Peter was prepared, as he had practiced his answer (Acts 11:4), that, without a doubt, it was God’s Spirit that sent him there with the gospel of salvation for Cornelius and all his relatives:
Acts 11:12-14 And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house:
13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; 14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
Although later, Paul experienced both similar rejoicing with the churches of God which in Judaea were in Christ Jesus .... and also the same harrassment from the Jews, as Peter received (1 Thess 2:14-16) .... it was PETER first, and NOT PAUL .... that God used to take the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ .... to the Gentiles:
Acts 11:17-18 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Later when Peter went to Antioch, Paul rebuked him caving in to Jewish pressure and dissing the Gentiles (Gal 2:11-14) .... but, initially, God chose Peter to go to the Gentiles .... before He chose Paul:
Acts 15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago (in Acts 10) God made choice among us, (God chose Peter)
that the Gentiles (plural, not just Cornelius)
by my (PETER's) mouth
should hear the word of the gospel (Peter preached the gospel whereby they were saved), and believe.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Who Is Your Husband?
To be espoused to be married .... is to be betrothed .... to be promised.
During that time, a man and woman were already called husband and wife:
Matt 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away (divorce) privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. (also see Luke 2:4-5)
Under the Old Covenant/Testament, the LORD was a husband to Israel .... and the LORD will be Israel’s husband in the New Covenant/Testament:
Jer 31:31-33 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts (also see Rom 2:14-15, expanded to the Gentiles); and will be their God, and they shall be my people. (also see 2 Cor 6:16-18; Heb 8:10, 10:16; and Rev 21:2-3)
Israel was an unfaithful wife:
Jer 3:20 Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD.
But God will tenderly draw her to Himself:
Hos 2:14-16 Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness (Rev 12:6,14), and speak comfortably unto her.
15 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. (as Jer 31:32 that we just read)
16 And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi (affectionately, lovingly, my husband); and shalt call me no more Baali (my lord, master).
Hos 2:19-20 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever;
yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.
The LORD is Israel’s husband:
Isa 54:5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
In the Old Testament, the LORD described His relationship with Israel as a bridegroom and a bride:
Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Isa 62:5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
John the Baptist (the friend of the bridegroom) identified Jesus Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11, Acts 2:36, 15:11, 16:31, 20:21, 28:31) as the bridegroom:
John 3:28-30 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
Now under the New Covenant/Testament (of which we are able ministers - 2 Cor 3:6), PAUL applied the espousal of Christ the husband .... to the church:
2 Cor 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy:
for I have espoused you to one husband,
that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Paul quoted Gen 2:24, Matt 19:5, and Mark 10:7, of a man cleaving to his wife, and called that holy union a mystery .... of Christ and the church:
Eph 5:31-32 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother,
and shall be joined unto his wife,
and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery:
but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Again, Paul used the analogy of us (the saints) being married to Christ:
Rom 7:1-4 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
We were under the law (Rom 3:19), but now that we have faith (Acts 15:9-11), we are children of God and Abraham’s seed because we are in Christ:
Gal 3:23-29 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
PAUL told the churches of Galatia (Gal 1:2) that the holy city in heaven (new Jerusalem) is the mother of all of us saints:
Gal 4:26-28 But Jerusalem which is above is free,
which is the mother of us all.
27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate (same Greek word as translated ‘the wilderness’) hath many more children than she which hath an husband. (also see Isa 54:1-8, Psa 113:9)
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
The holy city, new Jerusalem is like the bride coming to the bridegroom:
Rev 21:2-3 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (also see 2 Cor 6:16-18 and Jer 31:31-33)
The holy city is the Lamb’s bride and wife:
Rev 21:9-10 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
It is evident, that as saints of the Most High God ....
we can sing, "We’re all in this together!"
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
During that time, a man and woman were already called husband and wife:
Matt 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away (divorce) privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. (also see Luke 2:4-5)
Under the Old Covenant/Testament, the LORD was a husband to Israel .... and the LORD will be Israel’s husband in the New Covenant/Testament:
Jer 31:31-33 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts (also see Rom 2:14-15, expanded to the Gentiles); and will be their God, and they shall be my people. (also see 2 Cor 6:16-18; Heb 8:10, 10:16; and Rev 21:2-3)
Israel was an unfaithful wife:
Jer 3:20 Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD.
But God will tenderly draw her to Himself:
Hos 2:14-16 Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness (Rev 12:6,14), and speak comfortably unto her.
15 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. (as Jer 31:32 that we just read)
16 And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi (affectionately, lovingly, my husband); and shalt call me no more Baali (my lord, master).
Hos 2:19-20 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever;
yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.
The LORD is Israel’s husband:
Isa 54:5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
In the Old Testament, the LORD described His relationship with Israel as a bridegroom and a bride:
Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Isa 62:5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
John the Baptist (the friend of the bridegroom) identified Jesus Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11, Acts 2:36, 15:11, 16:31, 20:21, 28:31) as the bridegroom:
John 3:28-30 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
Now under the New Covenant/Testament (of which we are able ministers - 2 Cor 3:6), PAUL applied the espousal of Christ the husband .... to the church:
2 Cor 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy:
for I have espoused you to one husband,
that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Paul quoted Gen 2:24, Matt 19:5, and Mark 10:7, of a man cleaving to his wife, and called that holy union a mystery .... of Christ and the church:
Eph 5:31-32 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother,
and shall be joined unto his wife,
and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery:
but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Again, Paul used the analogy of us (the saints) being married to Christ:
Rom 7:1-4 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
We were under the law (Rom 3:19), but now that we have faith (Acts 15:9-11), we are children of God and Abraham’s seed because we are in Christ:
Gal 3:23-29 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
PAUL told the churches of Galatia (Gal 1:2) that the holy city in heaven (new Jerusalem) is the mother of all of us saints:
Gal 4:26-28 But Jerusalem which is above is free,
which is the mother of us all.
27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate (same Greek word as translated ‘the wilderness’) hath many more children than she which hath an husband. (also see Isa 54:1-8, Psa 113:9)
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
The holy city, new Jerusalem is like the bride coming to the bridegroom:
Rev 21:2-3 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (also see 2 Cor 6:16-18 and Jer 31:31-33)
The holy city is the Lamb’s bride and wife:
Rev 21:9-10 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
It is evident, that as saints of the Most High God ....
we can sing, "We’re all in this together!"
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Passover and The Lord's Supper
When Jesus ate the PASSOVER with His disciples, it was the LAST supper He had with them before His death:
Luke 22:13-20 And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.
14 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.
15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
Jesus promised that He would not eat the bread nor drink the wine of this supper again, until the day He does it NEW with them in His Father’s kingdom (Matt 26:29):
16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
He instituted the New Testament Memorial .... the bread as His body, and the cup as His blood .... which is now called the Lord’s supper (1 Cor 11:20):
19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. (also Matt 26:2,17-30, Mark 14:12-26)
The Lord personally gave Paul the Old Testament account of His last passover supper and its subsequent New Testament initiation to deliver unto the church of God which was at Corinth, them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Cor 1:2):
1 Cor 11:23-26 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
Earlier in the same epistle, Paul brought the passover feast forward through Jesus, which is the bread and blood of the New Testament:
1 Cor 5:6-8 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? (also Gal 5:9)
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump (also Rom 11:16, 9:21), as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Paul recounted Israel’s history of ‘spiritual’ eating and drinking .... as patterns, as models 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 (Greek [typos]
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 (Greek [typos]
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.
16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion (community - union) 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.
Some 'mid-Acts-ers' are confused, who TAKE the Lord's Supper, yet still claim that 'we saints' are DIFFERENT than 'them saints.' They try to SEPARATE the Lord's Table AWAY from the Old Testament Passover. They DIVIDE themselves completely OUT of the New Testament, as well. So WHY take what they believe is in 'what-they-call' Israel's program?
Other 'mid-Acts-ers' are also confused, who do NOT take the Lord's Supper, because they believe the Old Testament Passover and the New Testament Lord's Table are BOTH for Israel .... and have nothing to do with 'what-they-call' the body of Christ (which they believe to be just the saints that have been saved by Paul's writings in the dispensation of grace). They want no part of showing the Lord's death till He come (1 Cor 11:26) with the bread and the cup.
ALL 'mid-Acts-ers' are confused! When they try to DIVIDE the saints, and SEPARATE programs and destinies, etc. .... they are doing the exact OPPOSITE of what GOD joined together. Too bad they won't apply Mark:
Mark 10:9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
The Passover is for the Old Testament.
The Lord's Supper is for the New Testament.
We SHARE in FELLOWSHIP .... which is joint participation .... in the Lord’s Supper .... as we are MERGED (graffed - Rom 11:17-24) WITH Israel.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
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