‘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!"
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