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!"
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
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!
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!
Friday, November 12, 2010
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!"
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!"
Sunday, November 7, 2010
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!"
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!"
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