Anderson's first error is that he does not acknowledge differences in God's revelations (dispensations) to man. Anderson does not acknowledge that from Genesis 12:1 through Acts 8:40 God was only giving promises and truth to Israel, not the Gentiles. God was not dealing with the Gentile nations except through Israel. As Paul said in Romans 9:4 "...Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises". What condition were the Gentiles in? Ephesians 2:11-12 "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; 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:".
Here is more proof that Israel was God's chosen people, separate from the Gentiles.
Exodus 4:22-23 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
Exodus 19:
[3] And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
[4] Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
[5] Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
[6] And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
2 Samuel 7:
[23] And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?
[24] For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become their God.
Deuteronomy 14:
[1] Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
[2] for thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.
Jeremiah 31:9 They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
Isaiah 46:13 I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.
God did not even deal with the Gentiles (except through Israel) in what Paul refers to as "times past"
Psalms 147:19-20 He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.
Some people have agreed to these truths as found in the Old Testament, but they will then argue that under the New Testament Israel has ceased from being God's people (forever). This is simply not true. As we saw in 2 Samuel 7:24, "thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever". And in Isaiah 60:15, in a prophecy of the Millennial reign of Christ, God said to Israel that He "will make thee an eternal excellency". Though it is true that Israel is currently not God's people due to their fall and God beginning the "mystery" dispensation of Grace (Rom. 6:14, 11:1-25, Eph. 2:11-3:9, 1 Cor. 12:13, Gal. 3:26-28, Col. 3:11), God will still resume His dealings with Israel. Their fall is not permanent (Romans 11:1, 11:25-27, Hos. 1:9-10).
Because Anderson does not believe these Biblical truths, he does not understand the doctrines of the rapture of the church which is the Body of Christ. Anderson believes that the four Gospel records are written about the Body of Christ. Therefore when Anderson reads "..after the tribulation of those days...he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds" in Matthew 24:29-31 he concludes that the Body of Christ will go through the Tribulation. Obviously this would be a correct conclusion if the four Gospels were written about the Body of Christ.
However, the Bible plainly says that Christ's earthly ministry was to the Jews and it was concerning God's prophetic program for Israel.
Matthew 10:
[5] These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
[6] But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
[7] And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 15:
[21] Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
[22] And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
[23] But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
[24] But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
[25] Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
[26] But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
[27] And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
Mark 7:
[24] And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.
[25] For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:
[26] The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
[27] But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.
[28] And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.
Luke 1:
[30] And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
[31] And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
[32] He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
[33] And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Luke 1:
[68] Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
[69] And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
[70] As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
[71] That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
[72] To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
[73] The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
[74] That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
[75] In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
John 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Romans 9:
[3] For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
[4] Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
[5] Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
Romans 15:8 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:
Acts 10:
[36] The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
[37] That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
[38] How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
[39] And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
The church which is the Body of Christ was not revealed until after the conversion of the apostle Paul, so obviously the four Gospels are not about the Body of Christ. Nobody even knew about it and the Lord was not teaching it. He revealed it to Paul along with the Gospel of the Grace of God, which is the gospel that puts you into the Body of Christ....
CHRIST REVEALED THE MYSTERY TO PAUL, MADE HIM THE APOSTLE OF THE GENTILES, AND TOLD US TO FOLLOW HIM.
Romans 11:13 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.
Romans 15:
[15] Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,
[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.
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,
1 Corinthians 2:7-8 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
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.
1 Corinthians 4:
[15] For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
[16] Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
1 Corinthians 11:1-2 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
1 Corinthians 14:37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
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)
[5] Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
[6] That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
[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:
Ephesians 5:
[25] Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
[26] That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
[27] That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
[28] So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
[29] For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
[30] For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
[31] For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
[32] This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Philippians 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
Colossians 1:
[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:
2 Timothy 2:
[9] Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
[10] But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
[11] Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
1 Timothy 1:
[11] According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
[12] 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.
2 Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
Titus 1:
[1] Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
[2] In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
[3] But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
CHRIST REVEALED THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD TO PAUL, NOT THE TWELVE APOSTLES:
Romans 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
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,
1 Corinthians 2:7-8 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
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.
1 Corinthians 4:
[15] For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
[16] Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
1 Corinthians 15:
[1] 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:
Galatians 1:
[11] But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
[12] For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Galatians 2:
[1] Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.
[2] And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
[3] But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
[4] And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
[5] To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
[6] But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
[7] But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
[8] (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
[9] And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
Ephesians 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
2 Timothy 2:8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
Titus 1:
[1] Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
[2] In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
[3] But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
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.
The twelve apostles were twelve apostles of ISRAEL.....
Matthew 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Luke 22:29-30 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Anderson's main error is that he does not divide Israel from the Body of Christ, he does not make a distinction between the Jewish ministry of the 12 apostles and the Gentile ministry of Paul.
See the following blog post and excerpt from my statement of faith page for a more thorough look at this subject:
Is the Gospel of the Kingdom the same thing as the Gospel of the Grace of God?
Here is my reply to someone who told me that the Gospel of the Kingdom
and the Gospel of the Grace of God were the same thing. --Eli Caldwell
The Bible says that Paul received his gospel by revelation and that
Christ sent him by revelation to communicate that gospel to the other
apostles 14 years later. Read it, I posted it (Gal 1:11-12, 2:1-9). Paul
called it "my gospel" and preaching Christ according to the revelation
of the mystery (Rom. 2:16, 16:25, 2 Tim. 2:8). This is called the
"Gospel of the Grace of God" (Acts 20:24) because it offers salvation by
grace without works as part of the Dispensation of Grace (Rom. 6:14,
Eph. 1:6, 2:8-9, 3:2). By dispensation I mean a dispensing, simple
right?
Yes, Christ said that the Gospel of the Kingdom was to be preached in
all the world (Matt. 24:13-14, 28:19-20). That is obvious. Christ said
that when that Gospel of the Kingdom was preached in all the world THEN
the end would come. Well guess what? Paul's said that his gospel WAS
PREACHED TO EVERY CREATURE UNDER HEAVEN AND TO ALL THE WORLD, YET THE
END DID NOT COME.....
Matthew 24:13-14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Colossians 1:5-6 For the hope which is laid up for you in
heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
Colossians 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and
settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye
have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Which can only mean one thing, the Gospel of the Grace of God that went
to every creature in all the world under Paul's ministry is NOT the
Gospel of the Kingdom. That is simple.
I will prove this once again....
Paul's Gospel of the Grace of God defined....."Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which
I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto
you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of
all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins
according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose
again the third day according to the scriptures:" (1 Cor. 15:1-4)
Is that what the 12 apostles preached as the Gospel of the Kingdom?
"And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom...." (Matt. 4:23)
"And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom..." (Matt. 9:35)
"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world..." (Matt. 24:14)
"....Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God..." (Mark 1:14)
Matthew 16:21-22 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto
his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many
things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and
be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
Luke 9:44-45 Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men. But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.
Luke 18:
[31] Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them,
Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the
prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.
[32] For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:
[33] And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.
[34] And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
[32] For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:
[33] And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.
[34] And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
Therefore, on the basis of scripture alone, (not hyper
dispensationalism) the Gospel of the Kingdom is not the Gospel of the
Grace of God. The 12 apostles were not preaching Paul's gospel. Paul had
to communicate it to them by revelation (Gal. 1:11-12, 2:1-9). The
Gospel of the Kingdom given to the 12 is about the Kingdom being
RESTORED TO ISRAEL and Jesus coming to reign over the world from
Jerusalem, Peter said so himself (Acts 1:6-8, 3:19-21). That is why it
is called the "gospel of the circumcision" (Gal. 2:7-8). Peter's message
was according to prophecy and all the prophets spoke of the events in
Acts 1-8 (Acts 2:16-21, Acts 3:19-26). The present MYSTERY age of the
blindness of Israel was not revealed until Acts 9 (Rom. 11:25-27).
Note what I did not say, I did not say that Paul did not preach the
kingdom of God. Of course he did, he said he did, and he would be wrong
if he didn't. However, that does not mean that Paul preached the Gospel
of the Kingdom or that he offered the physical Kingdom to be restored to
Israel. Paul said that this offer had been postponed until the fullness
of the Gentiles is come in (Rom. 11:25-27).
Paul preached the spiritual Kingdom of God and entering into God's
Kingdom in Heaven, he did not offer the earthly kingdom of God to be
restored to Israel as Peter did. Paul taught that we are spiritually in
the kingdom of God right now in heaven (Eph. 1:3, 2:6, 1 Cor. 6:15-17,
Col. 1:13).
Look at the difference in how Paul taught the Kingdom of God spiritually
in heaven while Jesus spoke of and offered the Kingdom of God to come
to the earth.
Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Luke14:15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.
Compared to being in the kingdom of God spiritually and NOT eating in the kingdom of God:
Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Now, that is sound doctrine. I did not try and twist the scriptures, I
did not even interpret them, I just repeated what they SAY. I am dealing
with facts here.
Try and find the term "great commission" in the Bible. The apostles were
commission to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom, remit and retain
peoples sins, they were sent to water baptize, and they were sent to
begin their ministry in Jerusalem (Matt. 24:14, 28:19, John 20:22-23,
Luke 24:47). Those of undisputable facts, not my opinions.
Now look at Paul's commission sense he is our "pattern", our apostle,
and the "wise master builder" of God's building (1 Tim. 1:16, Rom.
11:13, 1 Cor. 3:9-13). Paul was sent NOT to baptize (1 Cor. 1:14-17), he
preached that there was only ONE mediator between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus, and he did not begin in Jerusalem (1 Tim. 2:3-6, Acts
13:38-39, Gal. 1:17). So much for the "great commission"!
Many things Christ taught were postponed when Israel was temporarily
blinded and castaway. Christ said that the generation of His day would
not pass until the Tribulation and Second Coming occurred (Matt.
16:28, 24:34, Mark 9:1, 13:30, Luke 9:27, 21:32). Christ told the 12
apostles that they would see the Great Tribulation and would see His
Second Coming before they died, but it never happened! Either Jesus lied
OR something CHANGED. Obviously something changed!
What changed? God's dealings with Israel! Look at, please just read the
verses.....Peter is offering OT prophecy concerning Israel's Kingdom to
the Jews. This is not about the mystery age of Jew and Gentiles being in one spiritual Body and being equal.
Acts 1:6-7 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 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.
Acts 2:
[16] But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
[17] And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
[18] And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
[19] And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
[20] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
[17] And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
[18] And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
[19] And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
[20] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
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.
[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.
Is that what Paul preached? Be honest, Paul explicitly stated that those
offers of the Kingdom and Second Coming had been temporarily postponed
with the blinding and casting away of Israel. Please just read the
verses.
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.
[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.
The reason I am "not allowing" that Paul preached the Gospel of the
Kingdom is because he did not preach it, the Bible nowhere says that he
did. Show me the verse where Paul OFFERED the Kingdom of God to come to
earth as Jesus and Peter did?
I believe in Matthew 5:5, I believe everything Jesus said. The
difference between you and I is that I do not believe that everything in
the Bible is about me, I believe the Bible to who it was written to.
Jesus was a minister of the circumcision and referred to the Gentiles as
"dogs" (Rom. 15:8, Mark 7, Matt. 15). It was not until Acts 9 that the
Lord revealed the mystery to Paul and declared Jew and Gentile to be
one. Jesus made Paul the minister of God to the Gentiles (Rom. 11:13,
15:15-16). Have you ever read Philippians 3:20-21 and Ephesians 1:3 with
2:6? They say that our conversation is in HEAVEN, that we are blessed
with spiritual (not earthtly) blessings in HEAVENLY places and that we
are seated in HEAVEN.
From my statement of faith page:
Concerning the Fall of Israel: The Lord Jesus Christ did not teach the 12 apostles about Israel's fall when He expounded the scriptures to them in Luke 24:27. Directly before the ascension of Christ, the 12 apostles asked "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6) The Lord's response was, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 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."
The 12 apostles were commanded to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom in all the world (Matt. 24:14, 28:19, Mark 16:15), but beginning at Jerusalem (Acts 1:7, Luke 24:47). Notice the command:
"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (Matt. 24:14)
"that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luke 24:47)
"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 1:7-8)
The reason why the Gospel of the Kingdom was to be preached to the Jews FIRST is obvious, because Jerusalem would be the city of the King and the Jews were to be the nation of kings and priests set above the other nations in the Kingdom (Matt. 5:35, Exod. 19:5-6, Isa. 2:1-4, 60:1-22, 61:6, 62:1-12, Zech. 8:23). Therefore since the Kingdom will be a Kingdom operated by Jews in Jerusalem under the authority of the Lord Jesus, the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom would be begin at Jerusalem. It would not make sense to offer the Jewish Kingdom to the Gentile nations before Jerusalem had accepted this offer.
So with the orders from Christ to preach the gospel of the kingdom beginning at Jerusalem, the apostles began carrying out that commission. In Acts chapter two Peter addresses "Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem" (2:14), "Ye men of Israel" (2:22), and "all the house of Israel" (2:36). The offer is the gospel of the kingdom to the Jews. Peter preaches Christ as the risen King over Israel to sit on David's throne (2:30-34). Acts 2 is concerning Israel's last days (2:16-21). Then in Acts chapter 3 Peter offered the Kingdom again to the Jews. He preached that if the repented, then Christ would return to the earth and blot out their sins and restore the Kingdom to Israel:
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.
However, this Gospel of the Kingdom was postponed. Israel fell and was blinded according to the revelation given to Paul.
Romans 11:
[7] What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
[8] (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
[9] And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompence unto them:
[10] Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
[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:
[14] If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
[15] For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
Peter did not have that revelation in Acts 1 when he asked if the Lord would at that time restore the Kingdom to Israel. The 12 apostles were commanded to preach the gospel of the kingdom to the Jews and that it what they did. However, Israel fell between Acts 3 and Acts 9. Of course, all scriptural evidence points to Acts chapter 7 as the fall of Israel when Jerusalem rejected the offer of the kingdom and blasphemed the Holy Ghost, an unpardonable sin (Matt. 12:31-32, Mark 3:28-29, Luke 12:10). The leaders of Jerusalem committed this sin by killing a man filled with the Holy Ghost, Stephen, in Acts 6:8-7:60. Any action against a man filled with the Holy Ghost was considered to be an action against the Holy Ghost Himself (Acts 5:1-11).
It was after this event that God began sending men to preach to the Gentiles and saved the apostle Paul to be the apostle of the Gentiles. God then revealed the gospel of the grace of God, the Body of Christ, and the doctrines of the Dispensation of Grace (Rom. 11:25, 16:25, 1 Cor. 2:7, 1 Cor. 4:1, 15:51, Eph. 3:1-9, 5:32, 6:19, Col. 1:24-28, 2:2, 4:3, 1 Tim. 3:9,1 Tim. 1:11-16, Rom. 11:13, 15:15-16, 16:25, 1 Cor. 3:9-11, 4:16, 11:1-2, Phil. 3:17, 2 Tim. 2:7, Gal. 2:8).
Peter received the revelation of not being under the Law but under Grace in Acts chapter 10, that is also when he learned that God was saving people by grace through faith without works (Acts 10:1-48 with 15:7-11). Though Peter never fully understood these mysteries given to Paul, at the end of his life Peter said that they were hard to be understood (2 Pet. 3:15-16).
Now in the Dispensation of Grace (Rom. 6:14, Eph. 3:2) the commission of the Gospel of the Kingdom has been postponed. The commission of the Gospel of the Grace of God does not include water baptism or any other works for salvation (Acts 26:15-20 with 1 Cor. 1:17). The apostles never carried out the commission that Christ gave them, they even gave up their entire Gentile ministry to Paul (Gal. 2:9). Paul was the apostle that God used to go to all nations (Rom. 15:15-16, Col. 1:5-6, 1:23) but was not sent to baptize (1 Cor. 1:17). The commission for this present Dispensation of Grace is found in 2 Corinthians 5:12-6:2, Colossians 1:24-28, and Ephesians 3:1-9.
God gave Paul the mystery of the blindess of Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes. Peter's offer of the Kingdom as found in Acts 3:19-26 was postponed according to Paul's words in Romans 11:25-27.
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.
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.
Israel will get their sins blotted out at the Second Coming of Christ as it is written in the OT, but in the mystery age of grace God is building the "one new man" in which their is neither Jew nor Gentile and all are accepted by grace through faith without works (Eph. 1:6-7, 1:13-14, 2:8-22, 3:1-9, 5:32).
--Eli Caldwell
AMEEEEEENNNNNNN
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