No. I said Abraham was Preached the same Gospel, scripture, Galatians 3:8 "And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed".
PCY.
PART 1 of 3
Abraham's Gospel - as you word it, "Abraham preached the same Gospel" .....This is NOT the Gospel of the Grace of God, The Mystery of God's Grace revealed through Apostle Paul.
It cannot be ignored that Abraham was counted righteous because of his faith in God’s word for a mighty nation, NOT the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Genesis 15:6). Although we now know that Abraham could be justified based upon the then-future propitiatory work of Christ, the message that counted him faithful was the promise of a mighty nation.
As Paul explains, Abraham was ‘strong in faith’ (Romans 4:20).
“And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. “ – Romans 4:21
The specific promise that God made to Abraham was not that a messiah would die for his sins, but that his wife would produce a son although she was barren and beyond her age.
“Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.” – Romans 4:18
Abraham - Gospel (Good News): So, what "good news" did Abraham receive / "preach"? He was going to have children, multiply, granted land, bless nations, get a Kingdom....but NOTHING about the Body of Christ, or Christ crucified for all of our sins here....so, therefor there is nothing about the Mystery of the Gospel of Grace, wherein Gentiles get to go directly to God via the faith in the blood shed on the cross, His burial and His resurrection....no one was looking forward to the cross - not even the 12 Apostles, who repeatedly stated they had no idea what Jesus was talking about when He said he had to die.
Romans 3:30
(KJV Strong's)
30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision BY faith, and uncircumcision THROUGH faith.
* justify the circumcision (Israel) BY faith (catalyst for performance)
* uncircumcision (Gentile) THROUGH faith (faith is the medium of our salvation / not the catalyst).
You can keep Abraham and all the Gospels (MMLJ) in the Bible and then tear out all of Paul's epistles - and the result would be that no gentile on earth would ever see Heaven through faith in the cross, death, burial and resurrection by faith alone. Gentiles would have to receive blessings through Israel for entry to an Earthly Kingdom of God.
Paul became God’s unrevealed source for blessing Gentiles. No one before Paul taught Jew and Gentile were equal in Christ (Galatians 3.26-28). Such an idea was unthinkable to Peter. He fought, hammer and tongs, not to go to the Gentile, Cornelius’ house. When he arrived, he told him it was unlawful to associate with him (Acts 10.28). After Peter returned to Jerusalem the believers rebuked him for going to a Gentile (Acts 11.2-3). Such an event demonstrates how alien and radical Paul’s revelation towards Gentiles was. No one before Paul taught the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12.13; Ephesians 3.6; Colossians 3.11). The Twelve knew nothing of it until they learned it from Paul (Ephesians 3.5-7). Paul was “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11.13; Acts 9.15; Galatians 1.11-12) while Peter and the Twelve were “apostles of Israel.” God revealed “secrets” (μυστήριον) to Paul which pertained to the Church (which is predominantly Gentile) of which the Twelve had no knowledge. Paul proclaimed salvation by faith alone, which was unknown in Israel’s history (Galatians 3.6-9).
God dealt with the entire human race for 2,000 years. He then called Abraham and created a new race, the Jews, through whom He revealed His prophetic plan - ending in a Kingdom on Earth (the Mystery Gospel includes saved souls going to Heavenly places - not an earthly Kingdom). Christ is the King to Israel - Christ is our Lord, Head of our Body; He is never referred to as our King in the Gospel of Grace. During this long period of history, some Gentiles responded to God and were saved under the provisions of the Abrahamic Covenant. The Jews operated under God’s covenants and prophetic plan for 2,000 years until God saved Paul. After this, God revealed to Paul a plan He had kept hidden from Abraham, Moses, and the prophets. The Lord Himself did not reveal it in His earthly ministry and the Twelve knew nothing of it. Since Israel rejected the King and the kingdom, instead of initiating the Day of the Lord, the Tribulation, which was the next event on the prophetic schedule, God delayed His judgment and provided mercy to the world. He saved Paul and revealed a plan in which He could bless Gentiles in spite of Israel’s national disobedience. In this plan, Jew and Gentile became equal in Christ. This plan has operated for almost 2,000 years and will end in the “fullness of the Gentiles” (Roman 11.25), the completion of the Church, the body of Christ. After this, God will remove His Church (Rapture) and revisit His prophetic program with Israel. This program will culminate with His return (Matthew 23.37-39). After this, He will establish his long-anticipated kingdom (Isaiah 11.1-9) - a Kingdom all under Abraham's Covenant will enter.
For the Scriptures to make sense we must let them lay out as they are. When men force one area of Scripture onto another area, mix Israel and the Church, law and grace, salvation by faith alone and salvation by faith and works, the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of the grace of God, the apostleship of the Twelve and Paul’s apostleship, the prophetic plan of Israel and Paul’s revelations to the body of Christ, contradiction and confusion results. God is the same throughout all generations. But His methods of dealing with men through those generations vary. God is sovereign. He does as He pleases. Dealing solely with Gentiles, choosing Israel, revealing the Church, and returning to Israel are His prerogatives.
Abraham begat Isaac; Isaac begat Jacob; Jacob begat twelve sons. Jacob’s name was also Israel, and his sons’ families became the twelve tribes of the nation Israel.
Obviously, Abraham is the father of Israel through his circumcised sons Isaac and Jacob. In what sense would he be our father?
Consequently, many are confused by Paul’s teaching in Romans 4 by thinking we inherit the promises of land, nation, and blessing given to Abraham, and fulfill God’s purpose as spiritual Israel. Not so!
Paul is describing how Israel will receive their promises by faith, because of their father Abraham. However, Paul also presents Abraham as the father of us all that believe.
Abraham’s Fatherhood of Faith - a Pattern for Gentiles, but not the same Gospel - as you state.
Although Abraham was the first progenitor of Israel according to the promise, he was never a part of Israel under the law.
Also, when Abraham was given the promise of a multiplied seed he was not circumcised (Rom 4:10). (Abraham was given the promise starting in Genesis 12 and was circumcised in Genesis 17.)
An uncircumcised non-Israelite who was not under the law was given an unconditional promise in Genesis 15. He believed it. God counted his faith for righteousness (Gen 15:6)....nothing here about salvation in Christ's death, burial and resurrection - so clearly NOT the same Gospel.
It is this righteousness by faith that Abraham fathers in Romans 4 for all, whether they be part of the circumcision or not.
“…that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also…” – Rom 4:11
This pattern of Abraham’s justification by faith without works is what Paul describes regarding the justification of all men.
Abraham was proof to Israel under the law that they did not receive their promise through the law, but by faith (Rom 4:13). Justification by faith establishes the law, just as Paul said in Romans 3:31.
Abraham was also a pattern for those who were not circumcised through his faith in what God told him. It is his faith and not what God told him that is the pattern. God revealed to us something different through Paul (Col 1:25).
Cont...
