Excerpt - End of Material Religion - By Shawn A. McCraney
In our book A to Z85 we explain that when trying to understand Grace we might examine the Old Testament versus the New in terms of a change of administration. Under the Old Economy there was a works/obedience/reward administration in place, but in the New Economy Christ introduces a new administration – one of grace.
Same God – different administration – just like one administration under the president of the United States being Republican and then the next being Democrat; the office of president is the same but the administration (or the economy – the management of the household) is changed.
So when Paul speaks of the “dispensation of the fullness of times,” and when Peter is telling these men right there at that time and in their age that they need to repent and have their sins blotted out “when the time of refreshing shall come by the presence of Jesus Christ,” they are both speaking of the ultimate completion of the former administration and the implementation of God’s ultimate “plan” for all of creation.
The Expositors Bible Commentary says of this verse from Paul: “Here Paul uses it to suggest the administration or putting into effect of God’s far reaching redemptive plan.” One more factor to consider.
When did this fullness of times begin? Interestingly enough, the New Testament assigns the term to the birth of Christ. Listen to Galatians 4:4, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.”
The writer of Hebrews made it clear that in order for “the restitution of all things” and “the dispensation of the fullness of times” to have a full presence, the former administration had to leave office (so to speak) and wrote in Hebrews 8:13, “In speaking of a new covenant he treats the first as obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”
This context gives additional meaning to 2nd Corinthians 5:17, which says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Paul added in Romans 13:12, “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.”
In 1st Corinthians 13:10 he said, “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.”
The writer of Hebrews said (in 10:25), “Don’t forsake assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
85 Available at www.hotm.tv. -
17 - James 5:8 “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”
And in one of the last books written chronologically in the New Testament, Peter, again showing up, says to the believers who had repented, turned, and had his sins blotted out, “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”
This is the context of Peter’s words here in Acts chapter 3 verses 19-21. Let me read what he said to these men (yet) again: “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” again! “Be prepared when the times of refreshing shall come” (listen) “which will occur from the presence of the Lord.”
In other words, the very presence of the Lord will initiate this times of refreshing. It will signify the utter end of all things old and the full integration of all things new. It will happen when the Old Economy is manifestly over and the New has utterly taken over.
Then Peter adds even more clarity to the context and says, Acts 3:20 “And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.” Do you see the connection between all of these factors?
That Peter is speaking to them, those people, about preparing for the “times of refreshing” and he ties it to Jesus being sent back to them to completely wipe out the former administration and implement the new.
And speaking of Jesus (who, he says, “was preached to them” – and they rejected) Peter says, Acts 3:21 “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.”
So we are given yet another connection and explanation in context here. Speaking of Jesus at His ascension, Peter says, “Whom the heaven must receive. . . ” Meaning, since He was holy and pure and overcame sin and death the heaven had to take Him in (receive Him) UNTIL? “Until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”
Every single believer and reader of the Bible has to decide for themselves what they believe Peter was speaking of here when he said that, “the heaven must receive Christ until the times of restitution of all things.”
Darbian Dispensationalists believe that this speaks of a future date in which Jesus will finally return (with judgment) and establish His kingdom once and for all. Admittedly, this is the way most Christians understand this passage. But not all.
I want to use what Peter says next, plus some other insights from the whole of scripture, to explain why I am convinced that “the times of refreshing,” “the restitution of all things,” and “the dispensation of the fullness of times” all refer to -
18 - that period when Peter was talking to these men – the period that started the moment Jesus was born in a manger and ended when the Old Economy was destroyed and all things, from that time forward, have been fully restored – spiritually.
PDF | The End of Material Religion | cult - to purchase a full 40 pdf file copy if one is interested in seeing more of this work.
In our book A to Z85 we explain that when trying to understand Grace we might examine the Old Testament versus the New in terms of a change of administration. Under the Old Economy there was a works/obedience/reward administration in place, but in the New Economy Christ introduces a new administration – one of grace.
Same God – different administration – just like one administration under the president of the United States being Republican and then the next being Democrat; the office of president is the same but the administration (or the economy – the management of the household) is changed.
So when Paul speaks of the “dispensation of the fullness of times,” and when Peter is telling these men right there at that time and in their age that they need to repent and have their sins blotted out “when the time of refreshing shall come by the presence of Jesus Christ,” they are both speaking of the ultimate completion of the former administration and the implementation of God’s ultimate “plan” for all of creation.
The Expositors Bible Commentary says of this verse from Paul: “Here Paul uses it to suggest the administration or putting into effect of God’s far reaching redemptive plan.” One more factor to consider.
When did this fullness of times begin? Interestingly enough, the New Testament assigns the term to the birth of Christ. Listen to Galatians 4:4, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.”
The writer of Hebrews made it clear that in order for “the restitution of all things” and “the dispensation of the fullness of times” to have a full presence, the former administration had to leave office (so to speak) and wrote in Hebrews 8:13, “In speaking of a new covenant he treats the first as obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”
This context gives additional meaning to 2nd Corinthians 5:17, which says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Paul added in Romans 13:12, “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.”
In 1st Corinthians 13:10 he said, “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.”
The writer of Hebrews said (in 10:25), “Don’t forsake assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
85 Available at www.hotm.tv. -
17 - James 5:8 “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”
And in one of the last books written chronologically in the New Testament, Peter, again showing up, says to the believers who had repented, turned, and had his sins blotted out, “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”
This is the context of Peter’s words here in Acts chapter 3 verses 19-21. Let me read what he said to these men (yet) again: “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” again! “Be prepared when the times of refreshing shall come” (listen) “which will occur from the presence of the Lord.”
In other words, the very presence of the Lord will initiate this times of refreshing. It will signify the utter end of all things old and the full integration of all things new. It will happen when the Old Economy is manifestly over and the New has utterly taken over.
Then Peter adds even more clarity to the context and says, Acts 3:20 “And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.” Do you see the connection between all of these factors?
That Peter is speaking to them, those people, about preparing for the “times of refreshing” and he ties it to Jesus being sent back to them to completely wipe out the former administration and implement the new.
And speaking of Jesus (who, he says, “was preached to them” – and they rejected) Peter says, Acts 3:21 “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.”
So we are given yet another connection and explanation in context here. Speaking of Jesus at His ascension, Peter says, “Whom the heaven must receive. . . ” Meaning, since He was holy and pure and overcame sin and death the heaven had to take Him in (receive Him) UNTIL? “Until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”
Every single believer and reader of the Bible has to decide for themselves what they believe Peter was speaking of here when he said that, “the heaven must receive Christ until the times of restitution of all things.”
Darbian Dispensationalists believe that this speaks of a future date in which Jesus will finally return (with judgment) and establish His kingdom once and for all. Admittedly, this is the way most Christians understand this passage. But not all.
I want to use what Peter says next, plus some other insights from the whole of scripture, to explain why I am convinced that “the times of refreshing,” “the restitution of all things,” and “the dispensation of the fullness of times” all refer to -
18 - that period when Peter was talking to these men – the period that started the moment Jesus was born in a manger and ended when the Old Economy was destroyed and all things, from that time forward, have been fully restored – spiritually.
PDF | The End of Material Religion | cult - to purchase a full 40 pdf file copy if one is interested in seeing more of this work.
