‘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!
