MAD, "in Christ", and a smart aleck video

I just watched a smart aleck on a video talk bad about the truth of Mid-Acts dispensationalism (MAD), that is the belief that the present dispensation and the body of Christ began with Paul in Acts chapter nine. However, the smart aleck did not really refute anything. 
(he used Romans 11...which is not even talking about individual salvation or the body of Christ...he also didn't say when the body of Christ began)

His video is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVi2OBpdOHk 

So I want to review some basic MAD premises. Here they are. 

What was the dispensation?

Colossians 1:
[24] Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
[25] Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
[26] Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
[27] To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
[28] Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

Paul was made a minister of the body of Christ according to the dispensation of God for us to "fulfil the word of God"....this dispensation was a "mystery" that had been "hid from ages and generations".

Now look at Ephesians 3.

Ephesians 3:
[1] For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
[2] If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to youward:
[3] How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
[4] Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

God giving Paul the "dispensation of the grace of God" (v.2) is defined in verse 3 as "How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery". So this dispensation of grace began with Paul when God dispensed the revelation to Paul.

Ephesians 3:
[5] Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now (the present age) revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

So the mystery dispensation that was dispensed to Paul was "not made known" in other ages. However, since the Spirit was revealing the mystery to apostles and prophets a new age must have began (with Paul--verse 3). "Other ages" is defined as the times where the mystery was not known.

What is the mystery?


Ephesians 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 is that the Gentiles would be fellowheirs and of the same body in Christ. This was a mystery dispensation given to Paul.....therefore it BEGAN with Paul because a dispensation could not have began before it was dispensed. Before Paul in past ages, Gentiles being fellowheirs and of the same body was not known.   


Ephesians 3:
[7] Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
[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;
[9] And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

The mystery was "hid in God" and not revealed or made known until Paul was saved. That is when that which was "hid in God" was dispensed.

How do I know this is true? Look what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3.

1 Corinthians 3:
[9] For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
[10] According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
[11] For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Paul said that he was the "master builder" and that he was the one who "laid the foundation" and that foundation was Christ. However, Paul was not the first person to preach Jesus Christ....so what did he mean when he said that he was the one who laid the foundation and that others were building thereon? Well Paul was the FIRST person to preach Jesus Christ ACCORDING TO THE REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY.

Romans 16:
[25] Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
[26] But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

Paul is THE apostle to the Gentiles and it was to him that God revealed the fall of Israel and the present age of grace.

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.
[12] Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
[13] For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

Romans 11:
[25] For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
[26] And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
[27] For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
[28] As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.

Nobody knew about the fall of Israel until Paul. The twelve apostles expected the kingdom to be established and the 2nd coming of Christ in early Acts.

Acts 1:
[4] And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
[5] For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
[6] When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
[7] And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
[8] But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 3:
[19] Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
[20] And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
[21] Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
[22] For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
[23] And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
[24] Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
[25] Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
[26] Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

The earthly reign of Christ was still in view, Israel had not fallen, and the blotting out of sins was in the FUTURE at the 2nd coming of Christ as prophecy tells (Jer. 31-32, Ezek. 36, Joel 2). Nobody had been reconciled to God in one body! 

Look at Ephesians 2.

Ephesians 2:
[11] Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
[12] That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
[13] But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
[14] For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;



The law created a middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile--as long as the law was in place, there would be no body of Christ. However, the blood of Christ made it possible for Him to reconcile both Jew and Gentile into one body.  


Ephesians 2:
[15] Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
[16] And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Christ's finished work allowed the law to be taken out of place and create "one new man" which is the body of Christ. There is "one body" and nobody could be reconciled into it without the blood of Christ (v.15-16).

Ephesians 2:
[18] For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
[19] Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
[20] And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
[21] In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
[22] In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

The body of Christ is God's building that grows to be a holy temple in Him. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3 that he laid the foundation of the building according to the grace given to him--"as a wise masterbuilder". The foundation is Christ (His finished work making the "one new man" possible) according to the revelation of the mystery. Paul laid the foundation, others build thereon. Paul was the first person to be in the body of Christ.  

1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.....Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Also see 1 Timothy 1 which deals with Paul being the pattern for those who would believe after him.

1 Timothy 1:3-16
As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 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. 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.

Some people do not like the teaching that Paul was the first person in the body of Christ, they believe that it started before Paul. However, one of the strongest evidences that the body of Christ began with Paul is the fact that Paul is the only one who teaches it and reveals it. Peter did not know about the reconciling of the Jews and Gentiles into one body nor the doing away of the law (Acts 2:46, 10). Peter said that the things Paul taught were "hard to be understood" (2 Peter 3:15-16).

Some people say that Romans 16:7 teaches that Paul was not the first person in the body of Christ. 

Romans 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.

The term "in Christ" refers to all those who have the Holy Spirit and have been redeemed by the blood of Christ, but it does not always refer to those who have been baptized by the Spirit into Christ and assembled together in heaven as God's building/temple (Eph. 2:6, 2:18-22, 1 Cor. 3:9-11, 12:12-13, Rom. 12:5). If you don't believe me, look at Ephesians 1:10.

Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

When the fulness of times is dispensed, the tribulation/kingdom saints will be what is "on earth" and the body of Christ (which got raptured pre-trib) will be what is "in heaven". They are BOTH said to be "in Christ". Look at how the tribulation/kingdom saints are "in Christ".

John 15:
[4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
[5] I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
[6] If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
[7] If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
[8] Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
[9] As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
[10] If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

That is much different than how the body of Christ is "in Christ"!

Ephesians 1:6-7, 14
To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.....In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Ephesians 2:
[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
[10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Hopefully that is a helpful review of MAD principles and sound doctrine. --Eli "Hoss" Caldwell