The Wonderful Dispensation of Grace

[lightninboy]

Real Acts 2 Dispensationalism is made in Dallas, Texas, by people who know what real grace is supposed to taste like.

This Arminianism stuff is made in New York City!

Get a rope!

 

[godrulz]

Real Acts 2 Dispensationalism is made in Dallas, Texas, by people who know what real grace is supposed to taste like.

This Arminianism stuff is made in New York City!

Get a rope!

Dallas Theological Seminary and some hyper-grace types like Zane Hodges is one of several forms of Acts 2 dispensationalism. Like other views, including Mid-Acts and Calvinism, there is a spectrum under that umbrella. DTS is 4 point Calvinists whereas Assemblies of God is Arminian, yet they share a common Acts 2 eschatological view (though their soteriology differs).

Thus, we need to more carefully define what we personally mean or not about the term.

 

[lightninboy]

Say, are Methodists Acts 2 Dispensationalists?

I admit the Southern Baptist Church is rather Calvinistic in their belief statement, but this DTS belief statement looked rather non-Calvinistic and non-Arminian to me:

http://www.dts.edu/about/doctrinalstatement/

 

[godrulz]

Say, are Methodists Acts 2 Dispensationalists?

I admit the Southern Baptist Church is rather Calvinistic in their belief statement, but this DTS belief statement looked rather non-Calvinistic and non-Arminian to me:

http://www.dts.edu/about/doctrinalstatement/

In the past, they were 4 point (Amyraldian) Calvinists, though each faculty member maybe has varying views.

Statements of faith are often generic without peripheral details.

 

[oftenbuzzard]

In the past, they were 4 point (Amyraldian) Calvinists, though each faculty member maybe has varying views.

Statements of faith are often generic without peripheral details.

I was involved with DTS between 1976 and 1990.

In that period there were a couple 5 pointers on faculty (most notably Dr. S. Lewis Johnson), some true 4 pointers and a number of ones who thought they were 4 pointers but held less than firm views of one or more of the 4 points (i.e not true Amyraldians).

buzz

 

[oftenbuzzard]

Believes is a present, continuous tense in the Greek. The condition is for those who believe and continue to believe, not those who cease to believe and become unbelieving apostates (see other relevant verses instead of proof texting).

Whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Once Justified, Surely Glorified!

 

[patman]

However; you err about the languages. First: you do not have the original Hebrew of the OT -how do you even know what Moses' five books were first written in? -He was raised in "all the learning and science of the Egyptians",
and the Hebrews were slaves in Egypt, and the language of Egypt is the language of the Ethiopian Coptic Church's book of 1 Enoch -which is "Canon" in their Bible, and has been for almost two thousnad years; and it is placed after Job, there.
Second: you do not have the original Greek of the NT. and neither Greek nor Hebrew are your spoken languages, anyway.


Second, as to the languages being confounded, Noah and Shem -for just two, were alive at the time of the confounding of the languages and so was Abram. And Abraham learned all seventy of the languages the nations were divided into, at Babel -so says Jubilees -or Jasher [the Book of the Upright].
Abram was born 60 years before Ussher placed his birth, as is proved in the reading of the ancient "Book of the Upright", which cross references with Genesis continually, proving all ages given in Genesis, and giving them exactly [there are false "Jasher's so called" which are proven false, however]; and the exact year of the confounding of the languages is in Jasher, cross referenced with all dates from Genesis, coming out exactly to what is revealed in Genesis.

I am not backing down from this. ONCE AGAIN you let other books dictate to you what the Bible should take precedence over. Abram was not alive at the tower of babel. This happened way before his day, according to the Bible. I do not know if that means anything to you, but the Bible is pretty clear about that.

The tower of Babel happened pretty soon after the flood. Look:

Gen 10
1 Now this is the genealogy of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And sons were born to them after the flood.
2 The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath,[a] and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.[] 5 From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.

According to their languages? Hang on, languages?????? ALREADY? Where is Abram? He was 340 at least years later.... Sure, Shem was alive, but Shem was assigned a new language, just like everyone else. But Abram was not born for this event, he just missed it by several generations.

I know the Canon was written in a form of Ge'ez, but the particular form Enoch was written in did not evolve until much later, and, yeah, translated. There is no way it could have come from Enoch.

 

[godrulz]

Once Justified, Surely Glorified!

There is not a causative link in these verses unless you proof text them through the eyes of Calvinism. Believers will follow this successive pattern, but apostates can short circuit it through unbelief. The broader context reminds us that it is only true of those who love and continue to love Him. Other relevant verses (including the ones about apostasy or falling away) must be factored into a systematic theology.

 

[lightninboy]

I am pleased to meet you, oftenbuzzard.

Stick around The Wonderful Dispensation of Grace.

 

[oftenbuzzard]

There is not a causative link in these verses unless you proof text them through the eyes of Calvinism. Believers will follow this successive pattern, but apostates can short circuit it through unbelief. The broader context reminds us that it is only true of those who love and continue to love Him. Other relevant verses (including the ones about apostasy or falling away) must be factored into a systematic theology.

WHOM > THEM
WHOM > THEM
WHOM > THEM

it is repeated.. it is the same group.

He doesn't say

WHOM > SOME

Better get yer liquid paper for Romans 8:30

buzz

 

[oftenbuzzard]

I am pleased to meet you, oftenbuzzard.

Stick around The Wonderful Dispensation of Grace.

Ditto...

buzz

 

[godrulz]

WHOM > THEM
WHOM > THEM
WHOM > THEM

it is repeated.. it is the same group.

He doesn't say

WHOM > SOME

Better get yer liquid paper for Romans 8:30

buzz

The context is about those who believe/continue to believe, love Him/continue to love Him (conditional element). It does not apply as a wooden literalism for those who fall away and are unbelievers. Apostates are not glorified.

I read a clear exegesis of the passage that shows that it is not a causal chain that does not allow for reconciliation with falling away warning passages.

 

[oftenbuzzard]

The context is about those who believe/continue to believe, love Him/continue to love Him (conditional element). It does not apply as a wooden literalism for those who fall away and are unbelievers. Apostates are not glorified.

I read a clear exegesis of the passage that shows that it is not a causal chain that does not allow for reconciliation with falling away warning passages.

Google eisegesis.

If you insist that your theology must be read into every passage then you have become unteachable.

What you call wooden literalism is a scriptural two by four that swats your theology upside the head.

Maybe you should embrace the Joseph Smith translation of this verse which simply substitutes the word sanctified for justified here.

"Wooden literalism" is reading something intended as figurative language non figurative (Ie "I am the true vine"). You misuse the term.

But, hey, any port in a storm... eh?

 

[thelaqachisnext]

I am not backing down from this. ONCE AGAIN you let other books dictate to you what the Bible should take precedence over. Abram was not alive at the tower of babel. This happened way before his day, according to the Bible. I do not know if that means anything to you, but the Bible is pretty clear about that.

The tower of Babel happened pretty soon after the flood. Look:

Gen 10
1 Now this is the genealogy of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And sons were born to them after the flood.
2 The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath,[a] and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.[] 5 From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.

According to their languages? Hang on, languages?????? ALREADY? Where is Abram? He was 340 at least years later.... Sure, Shem was alive, but Shem was assigned a new language, just like everyone else. But Abram was not born for this event, he just missed it by several generations.

I know the Canon was written in a form of Ge'ez, but the particular form Enoch was written in did not evolve until much later, and, yeah, translated. There is no way it could have come from Enoch.

All languages have spread out as trees branch, since Babel, so your point is pointless, again. Do you think the Bible was written in KJV English? Since KJV is so disconnected from early Greek and Hebrew there is no way it could have come from the original language: --see your error?

The passage you show is written elliptically. Other places in the OT fills in some of the in-betweens, which can be deducted by search, but there are ancient books which detail precisely the dates of each of the happenings after the flood, up to Israel coming out of Egypt.

the 70 nations descended from Noah's sons drew lots for the completely mapped earth surface [which was satellite mapped, BTW, and for that I refer you to Hapgood‘s “Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings“] after the flood, and took oaths not to encroach on each other’s allotted portion -Canaan cheated, and took some of Eber’s land. They were each divided by language at Babel, but Abram learned all 70 and he was contempory with Shem and Noah. Genesis 5 is a book of Adam's records -from before the flood- included by Moses in his first book, and Egypt was where Moses apparently got it from -along with Enoch's writings.

Perhaps the most important key found in the Book of Jasher is that it corrects the erroneous chronological date for the birth of Abraham assumed by many Christian commentators, in particular archbishop James Ussher. Says the Translator of the book of Jasher:

"From this book we learn that Noah and Abraham were contemporaries. How beautiful the contemplation of the meeting of these two Patriarchs, the one being a monument of God's mercy, the other having the promises of the favor and grace of God, not only to himself, but to his seed after him. This fact might be proved from Scripture; but from the 32nd verse in the 11th chapter of Genesis, most of the Christian commentators have erroneously dated the birth of Abraham 60 years later than it actually took place; as it is generally stated that he was born A.M. [after man, i.e., after Adam] 2008, whereas the regular calculation in the Bible leads us to 60 years earlier, viz. 1948. The only cause of this error has been that Abraham's departure from Haran, at the age of 75, is recorded close to the description of the death of Terah, at the age of 205, in Gen. ch. xi, v. 32" (p.vi).

http://www.ccel.org/a/anonymous/jasher/real.htm
Finally, consider how Josephus described the Book of Jasher. He said "by this book are to be understood certain records kept in some safe place on purpose, giving an account of what happened among the Hebrews from year to year, and called Jasher or the upright, on account of the fidelity of the annals."

Even the most casual reader will find Jasher enlightening. Accounts in the Bible can be made more lucid and easier to understand with the background of Jasher in mind.

The next issue to investigate in regard to the authenticity of this book is the two passages which mention the book by name. The first is Joshua 10.12-13:

"... and he [Joshua] said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened to the voice of man: for the Lord fought for Israel."

And now compare it with the following passage in Jasher 88.63-64:

"...and Joshua said in the sight of all the people, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon, and thou moon in the valley of Ajalon, until the nation shall have revenged itself upon its enemies... And the sun stood still in the midst of the heavens, and it stood still six and thirty moments, and the moon also stood still and hastened not to go down a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened to the voice of man, for the Lord fought for Israel."

A comparison of the text preceding also shows a high degree of correlation, indicating that much more than a couple of verses was probably quoted by the Bible writer.

A second mention of the Book of Jasher occurs in II Samuel 1.17. In contrast, this incident is not a direct quotation of a historical event from Jasher, as is the case in Joshua. Jasher's narrative ends long before the time of David. However, as part of his lamentation over the death of Saul and Jonathan, David referred to a comment by Jacob that is quoted in the Book of Jasher. He said:

"Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: Behold it is written in the book of Jasher."

David is referring to the dying words of Jacob to Judah in Jasher 56:9,

"...only teach thy sons the use of the bow and all weapons of war, in order that they may fight the battles of their brother who will rule over his enemies."

This passage in the Bible has no reference to anything in the Bible itself, but it is made clear from the passage in Jasher.

While the above two references pass the test, it will be up to the reader to satisfy himself as to the general agreement of the entirety of the book with the Bible narrative. This is such an extensive comparison, and such an obvious one, that I will not attempt to make any verse by verse comparison. Certainly any reader who is familiar with the Bible will recognize its similarity to the text of Jasher.

There probably is no way that we can know that the Biblical writer(s) quoted from this book, rather than the other way around? Is it possible that this book was reverse engineered? Perhaps that Book of Jasher from the Amoraim period was compiled from rabbinic sources such that it is a kind of digest of rabbinic traditions. Indeed, there is a great deal of commonality with accounts from other midrashic sources. If this were found to be so it would in no way diminish its value.

 

[patman]

All languages have spread out as trees branch, since Babel, so your point is pointless, again. Do you think the Bible was written in KJV English? Since KJV is so disconnected from early Greek and Hebrew there is no way it could have come from the original language: --see your error?

The passage you show is written elliptically. Other places in the OT fills in some of the in-betweens, which can be deducted by search, but there are ancient books which detail precisely the dates of each of the happenings after the flood, up to Israel coming out of Egypt.

the 70 nations descended from Noah's sons drew lots for the completely mapped earth surface [which was satellite mapped, BTW, and for that I refer you to Hapgood‘s “Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings“] after the flood, and took oaths not to encroach on each other’s allotted portion -Canaan cheated, and took some of Eber’s land.

You must not be reading my posts. Just click reply because you know you disagree with the first sentence?

The Bible is the main source, sometimes outside sources can help us, but they should never come first. They need corrected when they disagree with the Bible.

Abram did not know all languages. He knew a few, but not all. He wasn't alive to see the tower of Babel event, and had he been, his language would have been confused just like everyone else.

This is truly a aimless attempt to prove the book of Enoch came from Enoch 5000ish years ago. It was actually written by some man who lived during the era of the Maccabees, 200ish BC, because its prophecies from that time on fail. Just like John Smith, he got people to believe it was holy and there ya go.

I am a little rusty on the book... isn't the point of it that Good needs evil to exist? Well Heaven must not exist, or it is evil too. It is a silly argument, I hate that people find comfort in it.

 

[thelaqachisnext]

You must not be reading my posts. Just click reply because you know you disagree with the first sentence?

I have read and replied. The point of all this is that 1 Enoch was used and quoted by the LORD Jesus and by all the Apostles writings which have come down to us in the NT, and by many early Church "fathers', who called it Scripture. It's banning in the 4th century by Rome does not change the fact that it existed, was read, was quoted, was called Scripture, and totally refutes the doctrine of MAD totally!

You ignore the Scriptures I have given which show you in error. And you have ignored the passage from Daniel 10 and do not reply to me. "Where is the Scripture of Truth written, in which the angel read the events which he showed Daniel in chapters 11 and 12, which would happen to Daniel's people until the end?

Q.Why does the angel assume Daniel's knowledge of such written Scripture of Truth?
A. -because the writings of 1 Enoch said he saw all the tablets written in heaven, which were written there so that the angels would read them and know all events which were to happen to the sons of Adam, on earth, until the end of this present creation and the beginning of the New Creation [Which Enoch told of]. -which is why Gabriel had authority to "bind" the prince of Persia, upon the Written Word He read in heaven -which Michael came to aid him in the "binding" of the prince of Persia, as "two sons of God agreeing, as touching the revealed will of God"

"Confounding of the languages does not mean that no one knew how to speak or write or read the first language! and where does it say that the original language of Adam -through to Noah- was done away with? Chapter and verse please!
Noah outlived Babel. Why do you think Noah couldn't read or write his own first language? Why do you think God punished Noah, in Babel? -or why do you think He punished Shem, who was also called, "Melche", who was the "King of Righteousness", who met Abram and gave him the Blessing of Firstborn; which Blessing he had received from Noah [being last born but the elect one] to pass the anointing on, through, which came down to Jesus Christ, the New "Husband" -the 'Isyh, of earth [Isaiah 59], and the "Everlasting Human Being Father" of the New Creation, the Priest/King, the Mighty God [Isaiah 9], who is "Israel" [Isaiah 49], Brother to Adam, Kinsman/Redeemer who came to ransom the brother's kingdom back for the Father's Glory.


...from the same link at ccel as my former post, from the Book of the"Upright"

``At this time Abram was 50 years old. Nimrod was the son of Cush, the son of Ham. Ham begat Cush probably 2346 B.C., two years this side of the Flood. If Cush were 251 years of age, when he begat Nimrod, then Nimrod would have been born in 2095 B.C. Remember, he was expressly born in Cush's old age, "the son of his old age" (Jasher 7:23). Thus he would have been about 30 years younger than Terah, the chief over his host. He would have been approximately 40 years older than Abram.

Keep this date in mind, for later we will see how well it correlates with another date signpost we will discover in the book of Jasher! There are many "date links" given in the book of Jasher which are unavailable any where else.

Abram's Place of Safety

After this, king Nimrod had a disturbing dream, which his counselors interpreted to mean that "the day will come when Abram and his seed and the children of his household will war with my king, and they will smite all the king's horses and all his troops . . . this means nothing else but the seed of Abram which will slay the king in latter days" (Jasher 12:53-55). Abram got secret word of this and the conspiracy to have him killed, and "Abram hastened and ran for safety to the house of Noah and his son Shem, and he concealed himself there and found a place of safety" (v.61).

Terah came to visit his son, after he had been with Noah for a month, at which time Abram encouraged his father to come with him to Canaan, so that they would both be delivered from the hand of Nimrod (v.65). Terah hearkened to his son's wisdom, and they came as far as the land of Haran, and remained there (Jasher 13:1). "And Abram remained in the land of Haran three years, and at the expiration of three years the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, I am the Lord who brought thee forth from Ur Casdim, and delivered thee from the hands of all thine enemies. And now therefore if thou wilt hearken to my voice and keep my commandments, my statutes and my laws, then will I cause thy enemies to fall before thee, and I will multiply thy seed like the stars of heaven . . ." (Jasher 13:3-4). At this time God told Abram, "Arise now, take thy wife and all belonging to thee and go to the land of Canaan and remain there . . ." (v.5).

Abram's First Trip to Canaan

Abram went to Canaan, and dwelt there 3 years. Jasher records, "At that time, at the end of three years' of Abram's dwelling in the land of Canaan, in that year Noah died, which was the fifty-eighth year of the life of Abram; and all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years and he died" (Jasher 13:9).

Noah was 600 years when the Flood came. He lived beyond the Flood 350 more years, and died in the year 1998 B.C. Abram was born in 2056 B.C. Thus Noah indeed died in Abram's 58th year, just as the book of Jasher tells us!

Also, Patman, You aren't being logical about languages and about records from before the flood, which Moses had access to when he included the genealogies of the patriarchs and of Cain's genealogy, also, in Genesis. do you not see your own contradiction of yourself?
Moses wasn't there, but he wrote from records recorded before the flood -all the way to after, at Babel. Where did Moses get the pre-flood records?

 

[Lighthouse]

Dear Lighthouse,
Thank you for your reply.

If salvation today were by works and not by grace, do you think you'd make it to Heaven?

Is it likely that anyone would make it to Heaven?

If faith were not a factor, no one would.

Today man can have no part in his salvation because he has no holiness.

Agreed.

How would things before Christ be any different from now?

Grace has always been a factor, through faith. Always. You're questions make no sense.

Is not any theology that says man can and must have a part in his salvation an insult to the holiness and glory of God?

Please clarify.

 

[Bob Hill]

Getting back to the secret God gave to Paul, when we read in the Bible about the wonderful Dispensation of Grace, we see it was hidden in God until He raised up the Apostle Paul and gave him the new message, a different gospel and dispensation from the one that He had given to Peter and the eleven, who preached the Gospel of the Circumcision.

At first, Paul alone, was given this Dispensation of Grace that was and never revealed before.
1 Cor 9:17,18 For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a dispensation. 18 What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.

Eph 3:1-4 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles; 2 if indeed you have heard of the Dispensation of the Grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.

We find in Acts 15 that Paul went up to Jerusalem to tell them about the new gospel that God gave to him.
According to Gal 1:11-2:10. The Holy Spirit showed the apostles at that council, that this new gospel, Paul’s gospel, was valid.

Gal 1:11-2:10 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, (That was for 3 years, as we’ll see in the next verse.) and returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20 (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.) 21 Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. 23 But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God in me.
Chapter 2
Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. 2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), 5 to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 6 But from those who seemed to be something - whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man - for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision had been committed to me, as the gospel of the circumcision was to Peter 8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship of the circumcision also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), 9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcision.

Bob Hill

 

[Bob Hill]

In Ephesian 3, Paul told about the new message that was given to him by Christ, to preach to the Gentiles, and the Jews.
Eph 3:1-9 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles – 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. 8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the Dispensation of the Mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.

Why did Paul say it was unsearchable?
Because it was not found anywhere in the Bible until the ascended Christ revealed it to Paul.

10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one, the all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth - in Him.

This gospel that was given to Paul was a gospel different from anything God did with man before. That’s what the Galatian material is all about: Gal 2:7-9 But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision had been committed to me, as the gospel of the circumcision was to Peter 8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter for [eis unto] the apostleship of the circumcision also worked effectively in me toward [eis unto] the Gentiles), 9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to [eis unto] the Gentiles and they to [eis unto] the circumcision.

In Christ,
Bob Hill

 

[Bob Hill]

Paul was extremely faithful to this new program that God gave him. It was never revealed before God gave it to him.

He tells us of his faithfulness in Col 1:24-29: I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the dispensation of God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

God gave this new program to Paul, who spread it throughout the Roman world.

Bob Hill