Hello Richard,
Referring to post #157 in this thread:
'What were their teachings after Christ died and to whom were they teaching them?'
Their teachings were 'Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for
the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise [Gal 3:29]
is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward
generation.' And, 'And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking
of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done
by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their
possessions and goods, and parted them to all, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing
daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness
and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people.
And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.' Acts 2.
Richard, who do you think Peter meant by those who were 'afar off' v 39?
Do you think Jesus forgot to mention to His disciples that they were to be 'a light to the Gentiles'? Isa 49:6, Matt 12:18, 21, Luke 2:32. Jesus commissioned Paul separately, because he had not been with the others.
(Note to neophyte: Paul was baptised in the Holy Spirit and commissioned by God, not one of the twelve.)
They were first of all preaching to the Jews who had come from all over the world for Passover and Pentecost, who would take back this good news to their home countries, as well as to Israelites of both houses who were present.
'The teachings of Jesus and the 12 were to the Jews who were under the law. Don't try and tell me He, Jesus, came teaching the Gentile because I know He didn't; He said as much. -- Jesus sent Paul to the Gentile. You like to get answers to questions so answer this one; Did God send Paul to the Gentiles or not? If you say yes then why do you not listen to his teachings?'
Now that you mention Gentiles, there were Greeks who came to Him in John 12, and there was the Samaritan woman in John 4 whom He met at Jacob's well while passing through Samaria, and there was the Syro-Phenoecian woman, and from none of them did He withhold the word of life.
Now, about the law: just how well do you think that was working, once the Temple vail had been torn from top to bottom?
I acknowledge that until the Holy Spirit was actually poured out, the New Covenant was as yet unproclaimedpublicly, but as soon as the Holy Spirit came, Peter was able to explain what was going on between God and them.
'Did God send Paul to the Gentiles or not? If you say yes then why do you not listen to his teachings?'
I do listen to Paul's teachings. But God sent Peter to the Gentiles first - before Paul. (Acts 10)
'Jesus spent a lot of His time teaching the Jews that they were not keeping the Law of Moses*; they only thought they were. He also spent most of His time trying to get the Jews to see Him as their Messiah king by sihns and wonders. --- All that Jesus Peter and Stephen preached was that Jesus was the promised Messiah and King. So what do you see Him teaching? -- Nowhere do we see Jesus or the 12 teaching that faith in the cross work of Jesus' shed blood on the cross reconciles men to God without the works of the Law of Moses. I suppose I have said this 1,000 times on this forum and still no one will see it.'
Matthew 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying,
The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe,
[that] observe and do*; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
There is no difference between the gospel preached by Peter and the others, and Paul, although we can note there seem to have been different gifts and ministries amongst them.
Luke 24:25 Then he [Jesus] said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses
and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
44 And he [Jesus] said unto them, These [are] the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you,
that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and
the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand
the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and
to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be
preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these
things. 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem,
until ye be endued with power from on high.
Don't forget Philip expounding Isaiah 53 to the Ethiopian eunuch who was on his way home.
Richard, It may be you who don't 'see' that the law of Moses was temporary, until Christ should conquer the sin on the cross, and, bear the wrath of God for our sins, that we might be forgiven through His blood. Heb 10:4
Galatians 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith,
preached before the gospel unto Abraham, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
This is the original gospel. Rom 4:13
19 Wherefore then [serves] the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should
come to whom the promise was made...'
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many;
but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ;
that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been
baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free,
there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye [be] Christ's,
then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
'Jesus, Himself, revealed a gospel of grace that was hidden in God to Paul. Why do people prefere to go back under the Law that Jesus and the 12 were teaching those who were under the Law instead of accepting God's wonderful offer of salvation by faith in Him thru the gospel that Jesus gave to Paul?'
The grace which was revealed to Paul was not unique to him. If you read his statement, he includes all the other apostles in it. Eph 3:5, backed up by Eph 2:20
I have shown the Bible verses which prove your last question is based on a false premise, but I fully agree with you that a gospel retaining law of Moses is not biblical. The New Covenant is complete in itself.
And with reference to
I contend that James does mention the gospel, without using the same vocabulary as other NT writers.
For instance:
1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
12 Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive
the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh
down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own
will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
More could be said about which other verses show how James' exhortations line up with truth.
