First the Question: In the Epistles of the Apostle Paul he does not deal with the doings and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth on earth. True or False?
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And now the answer to the LLM Question of 12-6-2011
Question: The Apostle Peter occupies a very prominent place in the first half of the Book of Acts; but he is NOT mentioned after the Jerusalem Council. Acts 15:13-30. True or False?
Answer: TRUE! The Apostle Peter does occupy a very prominent place in the first half of the Book of Acts, BUT he is NOT mentioned after the Jerusalem Council. Acts 15:13-30. In the last half of the Book of Acts, Paul is the principal human actor. In Acts 13-28, we have the record of the Apostle Paul and those who have dealings with him. Now, out of the 723 responses we received to this question, 85% of you got it right. Praise the LORD! Therefore...
THE LLM STUDY OF THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS, THE INTRODUCTION, PART 7 of 7
ISRAEL AND THE GENTILES AFTER CHRIST’S DEATH
The Apostle Peter was a minister of the circumcision with the Gospel of the circumcision. During the “Acts” period Peter and the Eleven remained in Jerusalem. Galatians 2:8-9, and Acts 8:1. Their messages, during the first nine chapters of Acts were addressed to “Israel”. Twelve Apostles for twelve tribes. The “Twelve” is significant. The Apostle Paul was sent out of Jerusalem to the Gentiles. Acts 22:17-21.
In the first half of the Book of Acts, where we have the ministry of the twelve apostles, we have no reference to Adam. They are concerned with Christ as the Seed of Abraham and David and His ministry to the Jews (with the exception of Cornelius), on the basis of circumcision. Galatians 2:8.
Note these words of Peter, “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, Whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to ISRAEL, and forgiveness of sins.” Acts 5:30-31.
Where is there any forgiveness, blessing, or hope for the other sons of Adam in this message? There is a difference between “the kingdom of heaven” given to the Twelve and “the Dispensation of the Grace of God” committed to the Apostle Paul. Matthew 16:16-18. Ephesians 3:1-2.
Paul is mentioned about twelve times as Christ’s chosen messenger to the Gentiles. Romans 11:13; Ephesians 3:1-2; Ephesians 3:8; Colossians 1:24-27; Romans 15:16; 1 Timothy 2:5-8; 2 Timothy 1:11, and other Scriptures.
Paul was the special Ambassador of Christ with a message for the nations (the world). To him was committed the Gospel of the uncircumcision and the Ministry of Reconciliation. This is a message showing the Old Man and the New Man, man’s identification with Adam, the first man, by natural birth; and his identification with Christ by the supernatural birth, or rather, by the new creation. Wherever reconciliation is taught in the Bible, the new creation is taught and the new creature’s identification with the LORD Jesus Christ, dead, buried, risen and seated. We find nothing of the new creation in the Gospel Records of Christ’s earthly ministry or the “Acts” ministry of the Twelve. During his earthly ministry very few understood the new birth. Perhaps we do not now fully understand the meaning of 2 Cor. 5:16, “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.”
So, let us approach this study of Galatians with the assurance that the Apostle Paul received his authority, message, and ministry, from the RISEN Christ in heaven and not from the Twelve. Paul confirmed many of the truths which the Twelve preached to Israel, but he did not continue, with Gentiles, the spiritual program which Christ instructed the Twelve to present to Israel.
Paul, an apostle, by Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is called the Apostle and High Priest of our profession. Hebrews: 3:1. Christ said to those who were apostles before Paul “As My Father hath sent Me, so send I you.” John 20:21. An apostle is “one sent”. Christ is the “Sent One”, about forty times in the Gospel of John. Paul was not one of the Twelve. Matthias was God’s choice to succeed Judas. Acts 1:25. 1 Corinthians 15:5-8. This is the only case of apostolic succession. The Apostle Peter occupies a very prominent place in the first half of the Book of Acts; but he is NOT mentioned after the Jerusalem Council. Acts 15:13-30. In the last half of the Book of Acts, Paul is the principal human actor. In Acts 13-28, we have the record of the Apostle Paul and those who have dealings with him. In the Book of Acts he is called “Saul” twenty-three times; “Paul” one hundred and thirty-two times. Let’s read these statements concerning Paul and the Gospel that he preached to the Gentiles:
Romans 11:13, “For I speak to you Gentiles inasmuch as I am the Apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify mine office”
Romans 11:11, “I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.”
Acts 13:46, “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.”
Acts 18:6, “And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads: I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.”
Romans 11:30, “For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief.”
Ephesians 3:1-3, “For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the Dispensation of the Grace of God which is given me to youward: How that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery: (as I wrote afore in few words.)”
Ephesians 3:8, “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this Grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.”
2 Timothy 1:11, “Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.”
In the early part of Paul’s first missionary journey, out of Antioch of Syria, his name was changed from Saul to Paul. Acts 13:8-11. This happened at the time he met a Roman Gentile in company with a Jew with a good name (Bar-jesus); who was NOT true to his name. “Barjesus” means “the child of Jehovah Saviour.” But Bar-jesus was a false prophet. He not only rejected Saul’s message concerning Jesus, but did his utmost to keep Paulus, the Roman, from hearing and receiving the Word. Note Acts 13:12 why Paulus believed, “Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the LORD.” Paulus believed because of Bar-jesus unbelief and blindness. Israel was, by type, Bar-jesus, the child of Jehovah. Paul turned to the Gentiles because Israel put the message from them. Because of Israel’s unbelief and blindness, salvation was sent to Gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy. Gentiles obtained mercy through Israel’s unbelief.
Saul became Paul. He was born out of due season. 1 Corinthians 15:8. The Apostle Paul was NOT a convert of the Twelve Apostles. Neither did he receive from them his authority to preach the Gospel, which he received by revelation from the Risen Christ in Heaven. Apostles were called Apostles of Christ. Paul could never have qualified as an apostle according to Acts 1:21-22. He received a special call.
Acts 26:15-16, “And I said, Who art Thou, LORD? And He said, I am Jesus Whom thou persecutest. 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 halt seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee.”
1 Corinthians 9:1, “Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our LORD? are not ye my work in the LORD?”
2 Cor. 12:12, “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.”
Romans 15:16, “That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.”
1 Corinthians 1:17, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”
The Apostle Paul wrote more than one half of the Books of the New Testament Scriptures. He mentions himself in the first person pronoun about 1300 times. It is significant that in his recorded ministry he NEVER referred to the kingdom of heaven ministry of Christ on earth, nothing of His Sermon on the Mount, His “Our Father” Kingdom Prayer, or His Kingdom Parables. Several times Paul referred to the birth of the Savior, but in the same sentence he immediately passed on to the death and resurrection of Christ. He reasoned with the Jews out of the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah. He was a debtor to the Greeks. Christ sent word to the Greeks that He must first fall as the corn of wheat into the ground, die, and be raised. John 12:24.
We must be careful to distinguish between the Grecians (Greek Jews), mentioned in the first chapters of Acts and the Greeks of Acts 13-14. After the company of Greeks believed, Paul went to several other towns and then back to Antioch. Then note this most significant statement, “And when they were come, and had gathered the Church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of Faith unto the Gentiles.” Acts 14:27.
All Scripture should be studied Dispensationally, as to whether the events took place before, or after, the important announcement of Acts 14:27. According to our dated Bibles, about five years elapsed between the close of Acts 14 and the Council in Jerusalem, recorded in Acts 15.
Then in Acts 16, Timothy (circumcised), and Luke, the writer of Acts, joined Paul. Acts 16:3-12. In this chapter we read concerning the Apostle Paul in Galatia…
Acts 16:5-7, “And so were the Churches established in the Faith, and increased in number daily. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the Word in Asia. After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia; but the Spirit suffered them not.”
But now also look at these verses
Acts 18:23, “And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.”
1 Corinthians 16:1, “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia, even so do ye.”
2 Timothy 4:10, “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.”
1 Peter 1:1, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.”
Coming next is part one of our in depth study of The Epistle to the Galatians
“Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31, while there is still time!
So There You Have it!
Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide. The time is short
Grace be to you and peace, from God: our Father, and The LORD Jesus Christ.
In The LORD Jesus Christ,
The Lion and Lamb Ministry
Pastor David Picos, D.D.
Minister and Ambassador for Christ in the Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20)
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