MIGHT DIFFERENCES

  • Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.

    You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

E

epouraniois

Guest
Purpose:
To demonstrate the differences whereby we are instructed that the Word of Truth must now be Rightly Divided.
From the OT through the Gospels, then the reoffering of the kingdom through the Acts of the Apostles, we have prophetic teachings. After that, a new creation is announced with it's seprate instructions and a new name, called, the mystery. Lets look at some things that are different:

Eph 3:1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles - That is very different, let's get to it...

PROPHETIC
SPOKEN about since the world began
(Luke 1:68-70; Acts 3:21-24)

MYSTERY
Kept SECRET, hidden since the world began
(Romans 16:25; Ephesians 3:5,9; Colossians 1:26)


PROPHETIC
Focus is THE EARTH
(Genesis 1:28, 9:1, 13:14-17; Deuteronomy 11:21; Isaiah 11:9; Jeremiah 23:5; Psalms 37:9-11; Matthew 5:5; Matthew 6:10)

MYSTERY
Focus is THE HEAVENLY PLACES
(Ephesians 1:3, 2:6; Philippians 3:20; Colossians 3:1-4)


PROPHETIC
Jesus Christ is THE KING of Israel and the whole world
(Isaiah 9:6-7; Daniel 7:13-14; Zachariah14:9, 16; Matthew 2:2; John 1:49; Luke 1:31-33)

MYSTERY
Jesus Christ is THE HEAD of the church, the body of Christ
(Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18)


PROPHETIC
ISRAEL is God's chosen nation and will be given supremacy over all nations
(Deuteronomy 7:6, 28:13; Isaiah 6:1-5; Matthew 10:5-10;
Romans 9:6)

MYSTERY
In the Body of Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile (Ephesians 2:16-17)


PROPHETIC
Redeemed Israel to rule and reign with Christ on the earth
(Isaiah 62:1-4; Ezekiel 37:21-28; Exodus 19:4-6; Revelation 5:10)

MYSTERY
The Body of Christ to rule and reign with Christ in the heavenlies
(Ephesians 2:6, 14-16, 3:6, Philippians 3:20)


PROPHETIC
Gentiles to be blessed through Israel's RISE to kingdom glory
(Genesis 12:1-3; Isaiah 61:6-9; Zechariah 8:13-23)

MYSTERY
Gentiles blessed through THE FALL of Israel
(Romans 11:11,12,15; Acts 28:27-28)


PROPHETIC
The chief Apostle is Peter
(Matthew 16:18-19; Acts 1:15, 2:14)

MYSTERY
Paul is the Apostle for this age of grace
(Romans 11:13; Ephesians 3:1; 1Timothy 2:5-7)


PROPHETIC
The number 12 is associated with Israel
(Matthew 19:28; Revelation 7:4-8)

MYSTERY
ONE is the number for the Body of Christ
(Ephesians 4:3-4)


PROPHETIC
Physical and spiritual baptism
(Exodus 29:1-7; Matthew 3:2-7, 28:19-20; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:32; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Matthew 3:11; Acts 1:5,8)

MYSTERY
Spiritual baptism only
(Ephesians 4:4; Eph 5:26)


PROPHETIC
Physical and spiritual circumcision
(Genesis 17:9-14; Luke 2:21; Deuteronomy 30:6)

MYSTERY
Spiritual circumcision only
(Colossians 2:11-13)


PROPHETIC
Atonement yet FUTURE
(Acts 3:19; Matthew 25:31-34; Romans 11:25-27)

MYSTERY
Atonement NOW
(Colossians 2:13-14)


PROPHETIC
The Goal: The God of Heaven to set up the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, Christ to have preeminence
(Deuteronomy 11:21; Daniel 2:44; Matthew 25:34)

MYSTERY
The Goal: To form a spiritual body of believers perfectly conformed to the image of Christ and through whom Christ will have the preeminence in the heavenly places
(Colossians 1:16)


PROPHETIC
This has been God's purpose FROM the foundation of the world
(Matthew 25:34)

MYSTERY
This has been God's purpose from BEFORE the foundation of the world
(Ephesians 1:4, 3:11)


PROPHETIC
This program has been temporarily DELAYED
(Romans 9-11)

MYSTERY
This program is NOW in effect
(Ephesians 3:1-11; Colossians 1:24-27)



PROPHETIC
The apostleship of the 12 was to Israel alone, and then to Israel first
(Matthew 10 ff, Acts 3:25,26)

MYSTERY
Paul was commissioned as "the apostle of the Gentiles" because now the program of God is different
(Ephesians 3:1-9)



PROPHETIC
The 12 Apostles under their commission operated on a God established distinction existing between the Jews and Gentiles
(Numbers 23:9; Matthew 10:5-7, 15:21-28; Acts 3:25,26)

MYSTERY
Paul under his commission declares that the "time past" distinction is now done away and the middle wall of partition is broken down, God having made both one. Now there is no difference
(Ephesians 2:11-14)


PROPHETIC
The 12 apostles operated with the law still in view along with the rudiments of the world that it employed
(Matthew 5:17-19, 23:1-3 James 2:10, Matthew 28:20)


MYSTERY
Paul is given to declare to us that God has not put us under the law, but under grace and that today He is not treating us as children under the law with the rudiments of the world
(Colossians 2:8-17)


PROPHETIC
The 12 Apostles during the Lord's earthly ministry never understood or appreciated the meaning or significance of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection (Matthew 16:21-23; Luke 9:43-45,18:31-34) Following Christ's resurrection and the 40 day Bible seminar they had from Him they understood the necessity of Christ's suffering and the benefits received from it, as it pertained to the establishment of Israel's kingdom glory
(Luke 24:25-27, 44-49, Acts 1:1-2, 2:22-36, 3:12-21, 4:8-12)

MYSTERY
To Paul God committed the full meaning and significance of the cross of Christ. He preached the cross and Christ crucified. The good news about His death, burial and resurrection - proclaiming it in all its glory as "the power of God and the wisdom of God." Also to Paul was committed the testimony concerning Christ giving Himself a ransom for all men
(1Timothy 2:1-7; Ephesians 1:8-10)


PROPHETIC
The 12 Apostles were commissioned in their apostleship to bring Israel's rebelliousness to a head and in doing so vindicate the outpouring of God's wrath upon that generation
(Matthew 23:29-36; Luke 11:45-51)

MYSTERY
Paul was commissioned to proclaim that God is now longsuffering and is extending mercy and grace to all in spite of Israel's climactic rebelliousness.
(Romans 11:28-36)


"...that in all things He might have the preeminence ..". (Colossians 1:18)
It is by means of these two programs that the Lord Jesus Christ will have the preeminence on the earth and in the heavenly places.

Rightly Dividing cuts straight the word of God in those places where God has directed His paths, submitting to all Scripture, honoring that which is different.

The Dividing Line



It is amazing, as we look through the New Testament, so-called, that there is a clear line of cleavage at Acts 28:28. It is like going out from the dark to the light. Of course some things, especially of the flesh, disappear at that point. There is where the 9 gifts of the Spirit ceased. There has been much counterfeiting of these things, but the real thing is just not here today.
Paul went into his own hired house in Rome as one bound for the hope of Israel. But after a meeting with the Jewish leaders, and their rejection, Paul later writes that he is a prisoner for the Gentiles, Israel is off the scene, divorced and set aside till now.
Before this point in history there had been mysteries from time to time, but now it is The Mystery that is proclaimed. And it is the duty of every believer today to find out what this mystery or secret is. It is important.
In all of his early ministry Paul had spoken none other things than what the prophets and Moses said. He stuck to the Hebrew Bible, the only Bible of that day. And all the writings of our New Testament up to that historical point, where Israel were divorced, were based on Moses and the prophets. But not so after that point. When Paul received the revelation of the mystery, he immediately wrote Ephesians, Moses and the prophets are now left behind.
Especially in his Corinthian letters and the Thessalonian letters, Paul was expecting the raising of Israel and they along with believers who were alive would be caught up into the air to meet the Lord coming down from heaven to set up the great millennial kingdom. But now in a short time, Paul was resigned to die, as he writes to Timothy. These are Paul's last words recorded.
Paul was an ardent preacher of the New Covenant, especially quoting from Jer. 31:31 in his Hebrew letter. This was the hope of Israel. But after Acts, nothing more is said about it.
In Romans Paul stressed the fact that the gospel was to the Jew first, and then to the Gentile. But later he had no message for the nation that was no longer a nation.
The Gentile believers from Acts 13 till the end were simply grafted into the olive tree, representing Israel, to make them bear fruit. But after the cutting off of Israel, the Gentiles were the center of the scene, and blest with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places.
From the preaching of John Baptist till the end of Acts, the kingdom of heaven was the theme. Suddenly that ceased and the dispensation of the mystery was revealed with its church, the body of Christ.
From Acts 13 up to the end of Acts, both Jew and Gentile were blest with faithful Abraham. But now members of the church are blest in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. A change from an earthly hope to a heavenly hope.
(Reprinted from Truth For Today, Vol. 37, 1985)

There is a number of dividing lines in the Bible. We cannot here list them all. One noted one was in 1946 B.C. when the nations were given up at Babel and Abraham called and promise given. Just about 2,000 years later, at Acts 28:28, Israel were given up and the mystery began. This is about the church which is the body of Christ. And the length of that dispensation is noted in Hosea 6:2 as two days.
We are especially interested here in the dividing line between Israel and the church and what was on each side of this line. In general, people just do not know what lies between. In fact, few know that there was a dividing line. They do not know the Scriptures. There is one thing in common. It is the term chosen. Israel were a chosen people, and the church was chosen from before the overthrow of Gen. 1:2, long before the overthrow.
A Redeemer was promised in Gen. 3:15. But no details. But Abraham saw Christ's day and was glad. See John 8:5, 6. In fact, Acts is a period in which many prophecies were fulfilled. During Acts, Israel continued with all their feasts and rituals as before. There was no change in the law for Israel. They lived looking for the King to return, and that soon. If their eyes had been opened, as ours are today, they would have realized from Dan. 9:24, 25, that the Lord would have returned in A.D. 85 to set up the kingdom and usher in the 1,000 years.
They still went to the synagogues and observed Sabbaths and feast days as commanded in Leviticus. They put their affection on the land promised and things on the earth, such as their religious observances. They had no hope of going to heaven. Their being caught up into the air would only take them into the air to meet the Lord and come back to the earth with Him and to reign with Him the 1000 years. Nothing wrong with any of this in its place and time. But after Acts 28:28 this was all erased and a new order set in.
There were Gentiles converted to the kingdom hope during Acts. This was a ministry committed to Paul, the gospel of the grace of God. This meant that these Gentile converts could partake of the promises and blessings of Abraham, without coming under the law, which included all the religious observances and Sabbaths of Israel. The council at Jerusalem in Acts 15 confirmed this.
Then with the divorce of Israel at Acts 28:28 these things were taken from the scene. Read carefully Col. 2. Especially note verse 16. It is clear that those who have the hope of heavenly places for their future abode, do not observe the things connected with the earthly calling. But there is a sad story connected with this. The mystery has been ignored and set aside and those who call themselves Christians are taking over and stealing the observances of Israel, and forgotten their calling. Very few today have the hope of the heavenly places.
(Reprinted from Truth For Today, Vol. 37, No. 11)



There are other things on either side of the dividing line besides Israel and her blessings on one hand, and the nations with their blessings on the other. For on the other side of that line lies the whole Old Testament, including all the books written during Acts. So the furthest you can go back is to Adam and Eve and the law given to them, if we can call it that. At least it contained the phrase, Thou shalt not. See Gen. 2:17; 3:3.
Also on the far side of this line is the history of the nations and their fall, the call of Abraham and the institution of a nation which should be a priestly nation to the nations then given up (Rom. 1:18-32). There are warnings all through of what would happen if Israel did not follow the law and worship Jehovah. Of course it did happen, and so we have that dividing line.
Israel had both Priest and King in the person of Christ. We have this mentioned in Heb. 6:20 and 7:1, it tells us that his Melchisedec was king of Salem (later Jerusalem) and also a priest. No doubt this man was Shem. But being before the tribes of Israel, he could hold both offices, and that without father or mother, in other words he did not inherit these titles. And so it was with the Lord. He is the King of Israel from the tribe of Judah, and that is inherited, but also He is a priest, not of the tribe of Levi, but after the order of Melchisedec. I hope that this is plain.
But on this side of the line He is King in the heavenly places, but not in relation to the earth. And above all, He now is Head of the church which is His body, and that is both in heaven and earth as indicated in Eph. 1:9, 10. Note Col. 1:13, "Who hath delivered (rescued) us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son." Now this is a universal rule and not just His being King of Israel here on the earth. We mention this because so many try to build a doctrine on a word. But that word must be examined.
Now, summing up these important items, we must mention that Christ is the Creator of the nations, the Jehovah or King of Israel, and Head of the church which is His body which is joined with the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. But search and see.
But one of the greatest differences between the two sides of the line might be worship. From the very beginning worship consisted in things done by the hands of the worshipers. An altar and a sacrifice were the foundation. And added to that was a place of worship. Later on were the priests and other persons connected with the worship.
A little prophetic note is found in John 4:23. It is a foreshadowing of worship as it should be now. It was to be in spirit and in truth. And so we find it taught by Paul in Philippians 3:3, worship in spirit without works (flesh excluded).

(Reprinted from Truth For Today, Vol. 37, No. 12)