Jerry wrote:
Dear Believer.com,
I believe that it's much simpler than you think; however, it does require the re-evaluation of a common belief among Christians.
Jesus indicates that we all (all of mankind, believers and unbelievers alike) will be raised again to stand before the throne of God and receive our judgment. At that time, he will separate the goats (on the left) from the lambs (on the right), at which point the lambs will go on to eternal life with God, and the goats will die the second death. Most people will have died a first death (except those who are alive at the gathering/return). The unbelievers will die a second death. The believers will not see the second death. The belief that confuses people is this: The idea that people go directly to heaven when they die is comforting but not scriptural. Jesus said of both Lazarus and the dead young girl that he raised from the dead that they were "sleeping." People have used the reference of Christ speaking to the other being crucified, "I say unto you, this day you will be with me in paradise." However, Jesus says to Mary when he is resurrected three days later, "Do not touch me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father who is in Heaven," so that is inconsistent. There were no commas in the original Greek or Aramaic, so the comma was added later. Now move the comma and read it again, "I say unto you this day, you will be with me in paradise." Now, it is in harmony.
Search the scriptures and see if that does not fit.
Thank you for your time.
Jerry
Dear Jerry,
God bless you, and thank you for writing. We agree with you that the notion of "people go directly to heaven when they die is comforting, but NOT Scriptural," and that all believers who have died are sleeping, awaiting the return.
1 Cor. 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
1 Cor. 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
But as for the second death to get a Scriptural answer, we should not take the simple approach because we then create for ourselves a huge problem in that the saved have already risen prior to the white throne of judgment and are already with the Lord and found righteous in Him.
Let's first get a greater understanding of:
Eternal Life
Among the doctrines that come before the student of Scripture in his search for its teaching regarding human destiny is that of eternal or everlasting life. In order to avoid the traditional interpretation and also to keep out of sight any ideas of our own, we shall transliterate the word translated "Eternal" and call it aionion throughout this inquiry. Our present quest is to discover as far as possible all that Scripture says regarding aionion life, to whom it is given, upon what basis, whether it is exclusively proffered to faith, or to works, or to both; whether it is a present possession, or a future one; whether it has to do with the final or a transition state, and anything further that a careful and prayerful study may learn.
The first occurrence of the words aionion life is in Matt. 19:16, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have aionion life." It will be observed that "doing good" is directly associated with "having aionion life." The Lord, it is true, corrects the error contained in the loose usage of the word "good" but does not correct the idea that good works, or keeping the commandments, were necessary for the attainment of this life, for He said:-
- If thou wilt enter into the life (the article seems to indicate the life under consideration, namely, aionion life), KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS (Matt. 19:17).
Reading further, we find the Lord speaking of "being perfect" and of telling the young man to go and sell all that he had and give to the poor, to follow the Lord, and that he would have "treasure in heaven." We know how the young man failed. Although he had "kept from his youth up" all the commandments, he did not reach the standard necessary for "aionion life" or "for treasure in heaven."
One cannot help comparing these two expressions together and asking whether they both refer to the same thing. In Matt. 19:27-29 Peter asks a question arising out of the failure of the young man and is answered, and there again, a twofold description is given of the result of "forsaking all and following." To the disciples, the Lord held out the prospect of sitting upon twelve thrones in the regeneration and supplemented that by a promise to "everyone that hath forsaken..." that they "shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit aionion life." Here, in place of "treasure in heaven," is found "sitting on thrones" and "receiving a hundred-fold." We must also bear in mind that the Lord did not say that a rich man could not enter into The Kingdom of Heaven but that he would only enter with great difficulty.
It will be observed that the Lord uses the word "inherit" with aionion life. He never misused words; it will be our wisdom to keep this idea of an inheritance before us as we continue our study. Mark and Luke record the incident of the rich young man, and in their Gospels, the word "inherit" is used by the young man himself. Readers must not think this to be a discrepancy. The young man, in all probability, spoke Aramaic, and the Holy Spirit has given us in the translation two Greek words, "to have" and "to inherit," to help us understand the meaning of the term. Mark's record clarifies our conception somewhat, as may be seen by the following slight variation from Matthew's record, Mark 10:17-31, "what shall I do that I may inherit aionion life?"
We have heard it said that the young man was very wrong to have boasted that he had "kept all these things from his youth up," yet Mark tells us that when the young man had made this statement, "Jesus beholding him, loved him, and said, One thing thou lackest, etc."
Yet one other item is explained by Mark and Luke. Matt. 19:29 leaves us with no settled knowledge as to when the "hundredfold" should be received. The record in Mark is very explicit, "he shall receive a hundred-fold now in this time,...and in the coming age life aionion." this is confirmed in Luke 18:30. Luke records two occasions when the Lord was definitely asked the way to obtain aionion life. In chapter 18, we read of the rich young ruler as in Matthew and in Mark, and in Luke 10:25-28, a certain lawyer asks the question tempting Him, but to him also it was shown that inheriting aionion life is linked with doing the commandments.
Many have felt how diametrically opposed to the way of justification and life these passages are to the doctrine revealed through Paul, and, failing to discern the things that differ, they have attempted to make the Lord teach the rich young ruler that aionion life was to be attained only by faith and not by works. In no other branch of study would such biassed reading be tolerated. Nothing is clearer than that aionion life was connected with doing, keeping, forsaking, and following. Matthew, writing with The Kingdom of Heaven before him, uses aionion life with special reference to that period. The Lord Himself links it with the kingdom and the regeneration and the time when He shall sit upon the throne of His Glory. Once again, and only once, He refers to that throne, and it is there we find the next and last reference in Matthew to aionion life. Matt. 25:31-32, "He shall sit upon (the) throne of His glory and before Him shall be gathered all the nations." The nations are divided into two sections; one section hears the words, "Come ye blessed of My Father, INHERIT the kingdom prepared for you since the overthrow of the world...the righteous into life aionion." Here, it will be seen that these nations "inherit a kingdom," are "righteous," and enter into "aionion life." What is the basis of the entry? We unhesitatingly say, with the Scripture before us, works! This is the Lord's own explanation. "FOR I was an hungered...thirsty... Then shall the RIGHTEOUS answer Him saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered...... thirsty, etc. ?" They had done it unto His brethren and were not conscious that it was received by the Lord as being rendered unto Himself. This, therefore, rules out the idea often read into the passage that it was an act of faith; faith does not enter into the passage. The rest of the nations are addressed as "Ye cursed," and while the righteous inherit the prepared kingdom, they enter the prepared fire, "aionion fire prepared for the devil and his angels." "These shall go away into aionion punishment."
The basis for this punishment is the exact negation of the kind deeds shown by the righteous. This is the Lord's own explanation. "FOR I was an hungered...thirsty... Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered...thirsty, etc."
The way in which the Lord deals with these two classes shows how exactly He will keep to the law, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Failure to observe this cost these nations the kingdom and aionion life. Instead, they received aionion punishment in aionion fire. The relation that is observed between the subject of aionion life and the set of parables under consideration in other articles is important.
The parable that precedes the first reference to aionion life in Matthew is the parable of the wicked, unforgiving servant. He is delivered to the tormentors (same root as the word used so often in the Revelation) till he should pay all that was due. This is parallel with the passage in Matthew 5:26, "Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing." The parable which immediately follows Matt. 19, and which commences with the word "For," is the parable of the householder and vineyard where the penny a day seems to be in the parable what the aionion life is in the plain statement of Matt. 19:29.
The parable that immediately precedes the last reference to aionion life in Matthew is the parable of the faithful and unprofitable servants. The faithful enters into the joy of his Lord, and the unprofitable servant is cast into outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. All these parables have service or manner of life before them, with their consequent rewards and punishments. It is so with regard to the way in which aionion life, punishment, and fire are used in Matthew.
There are many who do not hesitate to affirm that the aionion fire of Matt. 25 is the second death of Rev. 20:14. Color is given to this interpretation by the fact that in Rev. 20:10, we read that:
- The devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet (are), and they shall be tormented day and night unto the ages of the ages.
Let us not be too hasty in our conclusions. In one case, the fire is for torment day and night unto the ages of the ages. In the other case, it is definitely called the second death. Death and Hades are cast into the second death, and nothing is said about Satan. So far as we have any knowledge, the devil has never yet died, and if he is cast into the lake of fire of Rev. 20:14, it would be the first death, not the second, for him.
There is a special emphasis upon "the overcomer" in the Revelation, and it should be kept in mind when considering the meaning of the passages relating to punishment. Note the alternatives in the addresses to the seven churches in chapters. 2 and 3. So far as we can understand the term, aionion life may be for a limited period and may end. Life in Christ is another matter and must, on no account, be confused with it.
In Matt.7:14, and Matt. 18:8-9 are the only other references to "life" found in Matthew. We there learn of the "strait gate and narrow way that lead to life" with its alternative "destruction" and in Matt. 18:8-9 we read that it is better to enter into life halt, or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the aionion fire. This "aionion fire" is further interpreted for us by the fact that the next verse says, "rather than having two eyes to be cast into "the Gehenna" of fire." The danger of the Gehenna of fire is first mentioned in Matt. 5:22; a parallel passage with Matt. 18:9 is found in Matt. 5:29-30. The destruction of soul and body is referred to Gehenna in Matt. 10:28 (this should be considered over against the losing of the soul in Matt. 16:25, mistranslated "life"). The proselytes of the Pharisees and Scribes are spoken of as children of Gehenna, and the Pharisees and Scribes are asked, "How can ye escape the judgment of Gehenna?" (Matt. 23:33). Gehenna occurs only in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and James. It is exclusively used in connection with The Kingdom and never comes into sight in the Church Epistles; it is the Divine explanation of the aionion fire as used by Matthew. Enough has been shown that aionion life and aionion punishment, as found in Matthew, have an entirely different aspect from that evangelical offer of life connected solely with faith in the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. Neither faith nor the atonement are ever in view in the passages we have been studying.
While no human judge could possibly condemn or exonerate a prisoner on the grounds of what he would have done, the Judge of all the earth sees the thoughts and intents of the heart. What a light this may throw upon the superficial inequality of human experience and opportunity:
- To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality (God will render), eternal life ... (For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel (Rom. 2:7-16).
Here are several items of great importance and of a character very different from the evangelical presentation. Conscience, in the unenlightened heathen, is a rescript of the law of God. In the day of Jesus Christ, that conscience will accuse or excuse without respect of persons. This peculiar judgment is not of the external actions of men but of their secrets, and strangest statement of all, this judgment is to be according to The Gospel preached by Paul. It is manifestly impossible to place these Gentiles in the same category as those addressed by Paul in the Epistle to the Romans, yet if we maintain that faith in the evangelical sense is the yardstick of salvation wherever it is found, we shall have so to explain Romans 2 as to explain it away. This is not all. In the great doctrinal explanation of justification by faith, much stress is laid by the apostle on the principle implied in the words His faith is counted for righteousness. Here, when speaking of Gentiles who could not believe simply because they had never heard, the apostle speaks of another application of this principle of reckoning:
- If the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? (Rom. 2:26).
This same epistle to the Romans takes a further stride toward the far-flung circumference of Divine Love when it discusses the parallel that exists between the effect of Adam's one act of disobedience and the effect of Christ's one act of obedience:
- Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life (Rom .5:18).
In this context, there is a distinction made between those who receive the free gift of justification of life and those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness, who shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. There is most certainly a distinction made in Scripture between living and reigning, but even so, it is a blessed thing to see the free gift of life extended to the seed, who, by the deceit of the serpent, lost their all in Adam.
Again, speaking of Adam, the apostle said:
- As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive, but every man in his own order (1 Cor. 15:22-23).
We go now to the furthest edge of revealed truth, to the last resurrection, and to the last judgment of all. There, we discover the rest of the dead who have missed the age of the glorious reign of Christ and who have no such association with Christ that is set forth in the figures, Members of His Body, The Bride of the Lamb, His People, or His Kingdom. These stand before a Great White Throne, and two sets of Books are mentioned. First, this vast multitude are judged out of those things written in the Books, according to their works. Then, when that judgment is declared, the Book of Life is to be opened, and the final word of destiny is pronounced. Our Authorized Version, by the use of the word whosoever does not give an exact counterpart of the original. There is a pronounced purposed turning from the vast number of the dead thus judged to the individual:
- And if anyone was not found written in the Book of Life, he was cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15 author's translation).
This lake of fire, says the Scripture, is the second death.
What we have aimed to demonstrate is that while there is a sphere of blessing wherein faith is dominant, there are other spheres where faith is either not mentioned or where it appears to be impossible to exercise in the circumstances. All, whatever their calling, whether under grace, under the law, or without the law, whether they have heard and believed or whether ignorant alike of either gospel or the law, all who shall be saved are saved solely by the merits of the Redeeming Sacrifice of the Son of God, however diverse may be the ways in which their interest in Redeeming Love may be manifested.
Starting with the widest possible extension of Divine Mercy, we note:
- Those whose names will be found in the Book of Life at the time of the end are there, not by reason of faith or works, but because they were In Adam and form a part of the True Seed, a Seed placed in contrast with the seed of the serpent or children of the wicked one. This is the most comprehensive division of mankind known to the Scriptures. These enter into their sphere of blessing at the Great White Throne (Rev. 20:11-15), just before the new heaven and new earth as seen by the apostle, at which point of time the ages end, and the goal of the ages is attained.
- Those who died in Adam are made alive in Christ, and while they do not receive abundance of grace and reign in life, nevertheless receive as a free gift a justification of life and enter their spheres of blessing in their own order; those who are called the firstfruits, anticipating them at the resurrection of the just.
- The unevangelized heathen and those nations that never came under the illuminating light of the law of Moses. Those peoples that saw no miracles and yet acted according to the law written on their hearts sought for glory, honor, and immortality are not necessarily lost -- will be judged, with their secrets, their thoughts and intentions, what they would have done under more favorable circumstances. Many of these, too, will attain unto age-abiding life, probably together with those nations so adjudged when the Lord sits upon the throne of His Glory and divides the nations as a shepherd divides his sheep and goats, as recorded in Matthew 25.
- The nations of the earth that have had direct contact with Israel, numbering among them Egypt and Assyria, as well as those unnamed nations already mentioned as found in Matthew 25. These, too, have a place of blessing in the day to come (Isa. 19:24-25).
- The Nation of Israel, even though enemies at present as concerning the gospel, must be saved because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance (Rom. 11:28-29).
- The association of believing Gentiles with the hope of Israel is a peculiar characteristic of the ministry of reconciliation which was exercised by the apostle Paul during the first part of his ministry.
- The great outside world, compared to the highways and the by-ways, is evangelized by the ministry of The Gospel, according to John. Its great blessing is life, and little is said about any particular sphere of blessing or of calling.
- Last of all, and central in the structure of the Divine purpose, is the Prison Ministry of Paul, with its revelation of The Mystery, the hidden secret of the heart of God, reserved until the people of Israel passed off the scene and the kingdom of Israel became temporarily suspended. This is The Calling of the present period, and it is the desire to make all men see what is The Dispensation of The Mystery (Eph. 3:9 R.V.) that prompts us in the preparation of this Analysis.
It is not been possible to deal exhaustively with every one of these suggested subdivisions of the Divine purpose, and this is not indeed necessary. We can well leave the unevangelized heathen to The Mercy of The Lord, but we cannot treat with such scant reference the place and purpose of the Gospel according to Matthew or of John. We must become thoroughly acquainted with the unfolding purpose as exhibited in the Acts of the Apostles. We must know fairly intimately The Epistles written by Paul and must be able to distinguish those Epistles that were written when Israel's hope was still humanly possible of attainment and those Epistles that were written after Israel was set aside and a new dispensation ushered in. The articles found in Believer.com are devoted to that unfolding, and it is the earnest prayer of the believers that, as a result of its study, many readers may be enlightened as to what is The Dispensation of The Mystery and the unsearchable riches of Christ, and that they may attain to some measure of certainty regarding their Calling and its Hope.
All God's Blessings,
The Believers
John 3:13
And no man hath ascended up to heaven,
but he that came down from heaven,
even the Son of man which is in heaven.
Anne wrote:
I have read your article on Enoch and Elijah. Can't comment on Elijah, but the Bible is quite clear about Enoch. He was taken directly to heaven. The very context of the verse makes it clear that Enoch was an exceptional person in the eyes of God. Every other individual in that passage is described as being XXX years old, and then he died"...Enoch is a clear exception. By stating anything else, you are denying the infallibility of Scripture. I am not a scholar, just an ordinary person, the kind that the Bible was written for. I know what I read about Enoch is true because it is in the Bible. Your article is ex-Scripture.
From: Anne
Dear Anne,
God Bless you, and thank you for writing. We know this subject is very difficult for many believers in that they have been taught all their lives that when a believer dies (or in the case of Enoch, even before he died), they are taken to heaven. You claim we are ex-Scriptural, but let's look at a couple of Scriptures we believe are The Word of God. Everyone knows John 3:16, but very few know John 3:12-13:
John 3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
Where would this place, Enoch? Or would we rather believe the Scripture is in error or just a poor translation? How did Jesus know that no man had ascended to heaven? He knew because He came from heaven, He is The Lord of Heaven, He is The Resurrection and The Life, and He knows everyone who is and ever has been in heaven and would and could not lie. The Faithful Jews of Jesus' time understood that no human had ever gone to heaven, and from their teaching, no prophet or servant would ever go to heaven for the promise to Abraham's seed is to inherit the earth and a heavenly city (Rev. 21:2-3) on earth; The people of God believed that, when a person died, they were dead, awaiting the Resurrection on the last day (John 11:24-25).
Enoch Walked With God
At the age of 65, Enoch had a son named Methuselah. "And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and he begat sons and daughters" (Genesis 5:22).
But how long did Enoch walk with God? The scripture says he "walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years." So Enoch followed God's ways for three hundred years. Notice that Moses did not record that Enoch is still walking with God. The scripture says that Enoch walked with God for three hundred years and not one year more! Then Enoch is not still walking with God! Why?
Because "all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years" (Genesis 5:23). 365 years, is not just part of his days, but all his days. If Enoch did not die, if instead he was translated into an immortal and thus continued to walk with God, then his days would have been more than "three hundred and sixty-five years." But the Bible plainly tells us that all his days were exactly that many and no more. The Scripture uses the expression "all the days" to tell us the exact age of an individual, and this expression is used in Genesis chapter 5 nine times, and in every case (except for Enoch?) always means that the person lived for that length of time "and he died" (except for Enoch where it says "God took him", but what does that mean?)." So Enoch lived no more than three hundred and sixty-five years because "all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years." As he lived only for this length of time, then he must have died or become immortal!
What Happened at Enoch's Translation?
Remember, Moses didn't write that Enoch did not die. Rather, Moses wrote that "Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him" (Genesis 5:24). Paul records the same event by saying that he "was not found, because God had translated him" (Hebrews 11:5). Thus The Scripture records that Enoch was not found because God took him, or "translated" him. The Bible does not say that Enoch went to heaven when he was translated. Instead, it says he was not found.
Certainly, Enoch was "translated," but what does the word "translate" mean? The word many translate as heaven is actually the word metatithemi, which means:
Strong and Thayer Definition: To transfer, that is, (literally) transport, (by implication) exchange, (reflexively) change sides, or (figuratively) pervert: - carry over, change, remove, translate, turn.
The same Greek word is rendered "carried over" in Acts 7:16. We read that after Jacob died, his body was "carried over" or transported, translated to Sychem, where he was buried. That's what The Bible says, "Jacob was transported or translated to the place of burial." That is why Moses wrote that God took Enoch. God removed, carried, or translated him so he was not found. God took Enoch and buried him. In Deuteronomy 34:6, we read how God took Moses from the people, after which he died and was buried by God. "But no man knoweth his sepulcher unto this day." God removed Moses, or God translated him, and he was not found either.
So Enoch was not made immortal; he was taken away and was not found. All his days were three hundred and sixty-five which is as long as Enoch lived.
Notice another proof that "translate" does not mean to make immortal. It is found in Colossians 1:13: the Father "hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." Here, the Bible says that Christians are already translated, but Christians still die. We are not in our immortal bodies but remain in mortal flesh and blood. Although we were once part of the darkness of this world, now we are translated, removed from darkness into the light of The Kingdom of God.
Enoch Didn't Receive The Promise
Enoch is included by Paul (in Hebrews 11) among the fathers who obtained a good report through faith, but "these all, having have obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise" (Hebrews 11:39). What promise? The "hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began" (Titus 1:2).
So Enoch, therefore, is one of "these all" who have not yet obtained the promise of eternal life and inheritance. Enoch and all the faithful of old will receive the promise of eternal life at the return of Christ, the same time Christians obtain it (Hebrews 11:40). That is still future. Since Enoch has not yet inherited eternal life, he must be dead, and this is exactly what Paul writes in Heb. 11:13. Paul says Enoch died, read carefully: "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off," Who were "these all"? Paul lists Abel, Enoch, Noah, and the patriarchs and their wives. Hebrews 11:1-12 lists those who had faith, and Enoch is included among them. Then, in Heb. 11:13, Paul proved that they had not inherited the promises by saying: "These all [including Enoch] died in faith."
But what about Paul's saying that Enoch "should not see death"? Which Death Did Enoch Escape? What could Paul possibly have meant by saying: "By faith, Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found because God had translated him"? In this verse, nowhere does it say that Enoch did not die. Rather, it says that Enoch "should not see death." But what does it mean?
Remember, there is more than one death mentioned in the Bible. There is a first death, and there is a second death (Revelation 20:6). Which death did Paul mean? The first death is appointed unto all men (Hebrews 9:27). That death cannot be humanly evaded. It is inevitable. That death Enoch died, as we have already seen. But Paul was not writing about that death. The phrase "should not see" is in the conditional tense of the verb, having reference to a future event. It is not in the past tense that he "did not see" death—but that he "should not see death." So this death that Enoch escaped by being translated is one that he can and will escape for he met the conditions.
Did Jesus ever speak of a death that might be escaped? He certainly did! In John 8:51, Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death," "shall never see," that is, suffer the second death.
This death is one that can be escaped on condition that men keep the saying of Jesus Christ and believe on Him. This death is not the first death because Christians who keep The Lord Jesus' sayings die this first death. Then the death which Enoch escapes must be the second death which will never touch those who are in the first resurrection (Revelation 20:6). And Enoch will be in the first resurrection because he met the conditions.
Enoch had faith. He believed God and walked with God, obeying him. In keeping the sayings of God, Enoch kept the sayings of Jesus Christ because The Father and The Son are One God. The Lord Jesus did not speak of Himself but spoke what the Father commanded Him (John 14:10). Thus, Enoch met the conditions so that he should not see death. The second death shall never touch Enoch because of his faith and obedience.
If you can share some Scriptures that add more light to this subject, we are always ready to learn.
All God's Blessings,
The Believers
Colossians 2:6
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
R. L. R. Sr. wrote:
Christian greetings:
As I was personalizing Google's Home Page, I added ya'll's "Bible Verse Of The Day" to the page. Then I clicked on ya'll's Bible Study link. After reaching ya'll's website, I spend time reviewing the information contained on your site.
While studying the information I read, I continually looked for information addressing the subjected matter shown above, and though no where in the text I read did I find a FIRM statement stating that "Once Saved Always Saved" was part of your doctine,
I did find text that can easily lead the reader to accept this claim to be valid.
I DO NOT accept "Once Saved Always Saved" as bibical truth, as such a belief is disputed by James in Chapter Two(2), Verses Fourteen(14) through Twenty-Six(26).
James tells us that "Faith Without Works Is Dead", and I believe that a person possessing "A Dead Faith" is a person without salvation, though he/she might have possessed "Salvation" at one(1) time, but due to their indifference and lack of time, attention and effort devoted to STUDYING (Not Merely Reading) God's Word, and placing into practice the contents therein, he/she LOST their salvation, simple be cause they DID NOT develop a "One(1) On One(1) Relationship" with God, through His Word, thus finding out what was expected of them of God, after having received the Gift Of Salvation.
The salvation described in the New Testament is "Salvation By Grace", and "Grace"is A TEMPORAL STATE OF BEING ... subjected to being withdrawn by God at any time, if an individual that receives/accepts "So Great A Gift" does not, within God's timeframe, embark upon "A New Life In Christ", forsaking their previous "Way Of Life", and establishes within this "New Life" a program of STUDYING God's Word on a DAILY BASIS, thus showing God that he/she TRUELY appreciates the "Gift" he/she has received, and as part of this appreciation, are ready/willing to be taught by God, via The Holy Spirt, and take what has been learned, and place same in DAILY practice ..= GOD EXPECTS NOTHING LESS FROM ANYONE THAT HAS PARTAKEN OF THE GIFT OF "SALVATION BY GRACE" ... free to receive, but not free to retain... "Nothing(0) Ventured, Nothing(0) Gained" ... Though A LOT CAN BE LOST!
Your comments earnestly solicited ...
Respectfully, R. L. R
Dear R. L. R
God Bless you, and thank you for writing. We respect your position as one who has considered the matter with careful attention to the Scripture and thank you for your observance that we never use the term "Once Saved Always Saved" as we believe it is not Scriptural.
If a believer fails to believe God or sins, they can lose rewards they have earned or could have earned, but Life is a Free Gift that God made sure through His Grace and kindness to us through Jesus Christ. This Free Gift cannot be lost, forsaken, or forfeited in any way because it is God's Gift and is Age Abiding.
Why we believe this is:
The word translated "freely" in the New Testament is dorean, and like dorea, dorema, and doron is derived from didomi, "to give." We cannot stress too strongly the blessed fact that justification is an act of Grace, a gift undeserved and unmerited. The word "freely" occurs in The Gospels, the Epistles and Revelation:
"Freely ye have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8).
"They hated Me without a cause" (John 15:25).
"I have preached to you the gospel of God freely" (2 Corinthians 11:7).
"If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain" (Galatians 2:21).
"Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought" (2 Thessalonians 3:8).
"The water of life freely" (Revelation 21:6, Revelation 22:17).
The English language will not allow John 15:25 to be translated as "They hated Me freely," but we can say: "They hated Me gratuitously." So in Galatians 2:21, "Christ is dead in vain" (or gratuitously). Romans Chapter 5 places great emphasis on this gratuitous act of God:
"But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift; for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification". (Romans 5:15-16).
Here, God uses not only dorea in Rom. 5:15 and dorema in Rom. 5:16 but also charisma, a gift in grace (or gracious gift), translated in both verses as "free gift." We doubt whether any definition of Grace is complete that does not include this element of a gift that is the antithesis of "wages" (Romans 6:23), a gift that is without repentance on the part of The Giver (Rom. 11:29). The "grace-by-faith-salvation" of Ephesians 2:8 "is not of works, but is The Gift of God."
It is the very essence of love to give. Even sinful men and women manifest their mutual love by the exchange of gifts. Children, parents, and friends seize upon birthdays, weddings, and almost any festive season as opportunities to manifest their love through gifts. The Love of God has been shown forever in The Gift of His Son (John 3:16), and it is a repeated characteristic of The Love of Christ that gives and gives freely gifts and Life to all who will accept That Gift (Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 5:2 and Eph. 5:25).
We have been "justified freely," gratuitously, without a cause, "by His Grace." Here, we need to pause so that we may receive the double emphasis upon the "Grace" element of The Gift. Grace is of such a nature that it is entirely made imperfect by the intrusion of "works" or "wages."
"And if by grace, then it is no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work" (Romans 11:6).
"Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Romans 4:4-5).
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal (aionion) life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23).
"For by grace are ye saved . . . it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).
Let not our own crude sense of right and wrong rob us of The Truth of this wonderful Gift of Grace. Romans 3:24 states we are "being justified freely by His Grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." What it does not say is that this freely given justification is because the Lord Jesus earned a legal righteousness for us by His obedience to the law of Moses. Such an idea robs the Grace Gift of its Glory and brings God down to the level of a bargainer with His Son, whereas it is God Himself Who loved the world, God Who sent His Son, God Who justifies us freely, God Who provided the ransom which is payment in full for all sin, past, present and future.
Justification Through Redemption
Where some schools of theology teach justification through "imputed obedience" under the law, God declared that it is through the "redemption" that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24). The same truth appears in Romans 5:8-9 where we read: "Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood", and again in Romans 4:25: "Who was delivered up because of our offenses, and raised again for our justification." Christ's death dealt with our sin. His blood at once redeems, atones, and makes us near. Redemption sets us free, and long before The Dispensation of Grace dawned, David realized that God would reckon righteousness where He forgave sin.
"Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin" (Rom. 4:6-8).
It was necessary that sin should be righteously dealt with, and that has been done, but it is The Glory of The Gospel that the same Love that prompted our redemption and our deliverance can provide gratuitously, freely, and without cause (except in the Great Love of GodWho Loves us.) "a righteousness of God apart from the law."
Shall we reject this Loving Gift because we do not see just how God could give it to us freely and without some external moving cause on our part? We undervalue far too much the initial movement of God in our Salvation. Who constrained God in the first place to provide a ransom? What works of righteousness were accomplished, and by whom, before He would send His Gift of Love down to die? And all that to a world that rejected Him and was dead in trespasses and sin.
If we take God at His Word and do not add to it or remove it from its context, do we not begin to experience a knowledge of Love that surpasses understanding? Then Scriptures in this Pure Light impart much fuller enlightenment, for example, the words of Romans 8:32:
"He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"
Here is God's own argument. The "Free Gift" of righteousness to the believer in the Lord Jesus is freely covered and provided for in the one Greatest Gift of all, His Own Son. Let no believer ever think that their righteousness is not resting upon a firm enough foundation. All our Everlasting Lives rest on the uninfluenced Grace of God. Its bedrock is The Love of God that changes not and The Truth of The Precious Gift from God, Who is Christ Jesus Himself. The Father gave The Perfect Gift to fallen mankind, and having given His Son, God will freely give with Him, not grudgingly give or have to be persuaded to give, all things that are necessary for the believer's life and glory. This does not refer only to the act of justification but covers all our needs and our eternal blessings.
Justification has altogether a legal signification and has respect, not to what the man is in actual character, but to what the man is held to be in juridical estimation. It is not that change found in a believer, by which he is made a just person, but it is that change in his relation to the law and the Lawgiver. The believers are then reckoned a just person. It describes not the individual's moral rightness but his legal right, and however inseparably the two may be conjoined, in fact, they ought not on that account to be confounded in the idea.
It has been said that the doctrine of justification by faith is held by both Protestant and Roman schools of thought, everything depending, of course, upon exactly what is meant by "faith." It is good, therefore, to be able to express what we mean concerning the freeness of this Gift and the fact that faith has no merit in it by quoting, insistently, the language of Titus 3:7: "Being justified by His Grace." Justification by Grace is what we believe and what we intend when using the more common expression "justification by faith" as "it is the gift of God."
"Now if you doubt that I am Christ's
If one suspicion lurks
I'll show by deeds that I am His
I'm justified by works.
"I praise the Lord 'tis all of Him
The grace (Romans 3:24), the faith (Romans 5:1), the blood (Romans 5:9).
The resurrection power (Romans 4:25), the works (James 2:18-24),
I'm justified by God".
(With acknowledgments to the unknown author).
Now, the rewards we earn by faithful service can be lost, but never The Gift of Life;
All God's Blessings,
The Believers
1 Corinthians 12
Are The Gifts Listed In 1 Corinthians At Work In The Church Today?
Robert wrote:
Interesting study, but I think someone is talking about a different God than my God.
Last time I checked my God was still a miracle working God. The same Holy Spirit imparted to believers in the early church is the same Holy Spirit imparted to believers today. I don’t think God changed did he? He is the same yesterday, today and forever. I’ve studied, but just cannot see where the dispensation of the Holy Spirit (and the gifts of the Spirit as Paul describes in 1 Cor 12) stopped based on an event or some type of time period. Even Paul indicates the diversity in ministry, but the same Lord, the diversity of gifts, but the same Lord. When did the Lord change?
Thanks,
Robert
Dear Robert,
God Bless you, and thank you for your question.
Many have and are claiming to have supernatural gifts and point to Scripture to "prove" they are from God. What is the truth about Sign Gifts Today?
The short answer is The Lord never changes, but His administrations, dispensations, or stewardships when dealing with humankind DO. There was a HUGE change at the time of The Book of Acts 28:27-28.
The long answer is much too lengthy for this teaching, but we shall endeavor to compare spiritual things with spiritual and allow God's Word to be the final Word on the subject. If we look at all of The Epistles written by the Apostle Paul after Acts 28:28, where he is 'bound with a chain for you Gentiles,' the student of The Word will quickly notice there are NO signs, miracles, or wonders recorded during that period. Paul, who could heal others at his word or prayer or by just sending a small piece or article of his clothing, could not now even heal his own faithful fellow laborer, brother in Christ, and friend who he was with night and day in the same prison cell.
Phil. 2:25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.
Phil. 2:26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
Phil. 2:27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
Paul could not lay hands on him and make him whole thru the gift of healing, which he had done for countless believers time and time again Before Acts 28:28. Even Timothy, Paul's own 'son in the faith' and who had received the ministry by Paul's 'laying on of hands' could not be healed by Paul. In fact, Timothy could not heal himself:
1Tim. 5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said:
Mar. 16:17-18 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
This Word of The Lord was true for every single believer when they were saved by believing in Jesus Christ. According to the records contained in The Book of Acts, every believer manifested a sign gift (no one was missed) prior to Acts 28:28, but since Acts 28:28, there is not a single record in Scripture of a believer manifesting a sign gift. What changed? The Lord, Who cannot lie or make mistakes, said, "they shall cast out devils, they shall speak in tongues, they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." By the 'sign-gifts' they received, they were known to all Christians as true believers and not "false brethren." Through these 'sign-gifts,' the unbelieving Israelites became jealous of the Christians, for OT prophecy had promised spiritual gifts to Israel, and so many believed. These 'sign-gifts' were in operation in every Christian life prior to the end of the Book of Acts. The Lord also said:
Matt. 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mark 13:30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.
Luke 21:32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
But THAT GENERATION did pass away; can the Lord be wrong? Can He make a mistake? The Greek words used for "this generation" mean that VERY generation, not some spiritualized generation of all believers or unbelievers, as many have surmised, so what is the answer that solves this problem? The answer is that the conditions God laid out of repentance and belief were NOT met; Israel as a nation refused to BELIEVE:
Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, 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.
So after God gave them every chance, he took Salvation from them for the two days (2 thousand years) of Hosea at the time of Acts 28:28. After that, the sign gifts stopped:
1 Cor. 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
They were given many signs until Acts 28:25-28, and then we find no more in Scripture to prove men's ministries. God is, of course, still able, but the evidence of The Spirit or the manifestation by men has ceased, for the sign-gifts were used by God to proven The Truth was spoken by His Apostles and Prophets.
But wait, something even greater has been given, for Israel truly had many earthly blessings poured out upon them to help them to nationally repent and believe, but alas, they refused, and because of that, The Mystery was revealed. Those who choose to believe The Truth don't manifest the spiritual gifts as they did during the time of The Book of Acts, the sign-gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. Those gifts have ceased, but the faithful today are given "all spiritual blessings," not here on earth but in the "Heavenly Places in Christ."
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
This is far beyond what Israel had any hope of receiving and was not known nor available until after Acts 28.
God does still heal but not as a sign gift. The difference is that during the time of the Book of Acts, God was calling Israel to repentance by these signs done by the hands of men to confirm The Truth they spoke. After Acts 28 these sign gifts ceased, although the Father cares for the needs of his people on an individual basis but NEVER to confirm a given ministry. Ministries that produce "signs and wonders" do so without the help of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, or the testimony of Scripture is false.
Confirmation
CONFIRMATION. Found in the New Testament, namely, the confirming character and purpose of miraculous gifts. The Greek word so translated is bebaio. Confirmation in the New Testament may be the sense of support received episterizo (Acts 14:22; Acts 15:32; Acts 15:41 'strengthening' Acts 18:23). It may be the confirmation that is received when validity or authority is established karoo (Gal. 3:15). It may be the confirmation that results from the interposition of some unquestionable assurance, mesiteuo as in Hebrews 6:17. None of these aspects is in mind at the moment. Bebaio indicates that confirmation is established by proof.
Confirm - Bebaio
Mark 16:20 Confirming the word with signs following.
Rom. 15:8 To confirm the promises made unto the fathers.
1 Cor. 1:6 The testimony of Christ was confirmed in you.
1 Cor. 1:8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end.
2 Cor. 1:21 He which stablisheth us with you.
Col. 2:7 Stablished in the faith.
Heb. 2:3 Was confirmed unto us by them.
Heb. 13:9 The heart be established with grace.
The passages which concern us in the present inquiry are Mark 16:20, 1 Corinthians 1:6, and Hebrews 2:3.
Mark 16.
The "signs following" of Mark 16:20 are most evidently the "signs that shall follow them that believe" of Mark 16:17. They are:
In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands upon the sick, and they shall recover (Mark 16:17-18).
After these promises had been made, the Lord ascended and sat on the right hand of God, the apostles went forth and preached everywhere:
The Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. 1 Corinthians 1:6.
The church at Corinth had a superabundance of spiritual and miraculous gifts, so much so that some regulation was necessary to avoid confusion (1 Cor. 14:26-33). In the opening address to this church, Paul refers to the confirming character of these gifts:
In every thing ye are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was CONFIRMED in you: so that ye come behind in no gift (1 Cor. 1:5-7).
Here again, we perceive that the Lord was confirming the Word with signs following.
Hebrews 2:3-4: How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will.
These confirmatory gifts are spoken of in Hebrews 6:5 as "the powers of the age to come" the ignoring of which made it impossible to renew such unto repentance. These gifts promised in Mark 16:17-18 extend to the last chapter of the Book of Acts, where Paul is bitten by a viper, unharmed, and miraculously cures a case of dysentery (Acts 28:3-8). These miracles of Mark 16 keep pace with the "hope of Israel" (Acts 28:20), but when the condition foretold in Isaiah 6:9-10 is entered, Israel 'dismissed' and the salvation of God sent unto the Gentiles, miraculous signs cease. Instead, we read such passages as Philippians 2:25-28, 2 Timothy 4:20, and 1 Timothy 5:23 with understanding.
The people of sign and wonder are no longer on the scene, and it had been established on two occasions that miracles wrought before Gentiles as such, without the explanatory presence of Israel only made them more idolatrous saying "the gods are come down to us in the likeness of men" (Acts 14:11), or they "said he was a god" (Acts 28:6). 'These signs' DID follow, but 'these signs' DO NOT follow them that believe today. The answer is that the dispensation has changed, and with it, the characteristic evidence of a past calling. As the present dispensation nears its end, and as the earlier Church's position temporarily set aside is resumed, we may expect to see a return of genuine miraculous gifts, but this will make the anti-Christian travesty of 2 Thessalonians 2:9 the more dangerous, for the signs that will be wrought in support of the Man of Sin, would deceive "if it were possible, the very elect" (Matt. 24:24). The only 'confirmation' mentioned in the Prison Epistles is that of Colossians 2:7, "rooted and built up in Him, and STABLISHED (bebaio) in the faith, as ye have been taught." All else, so far as we are concerned, is beside the mark and leads into by-paths fraught with danger.
All God's Blessings,
The Believers
Acts 28:28
Be it known therefore unto you,
that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles,
and that they will hear it.
Jerry wrote:
You are in complete error on the "two gospels" theory. Phillip preached the same message to the Gentiles as was delivered to the Jews in Jerusalem. Acts 8:5: Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. Acts 8:6: And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. Acts 8:12: But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Peter delivered the same message to Cornelius and his household as he delivered to the Jews at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. Acts 10:28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come unto one of another nation, but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened [his] mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: Acts 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. Acts 10:36 The word which [God] sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) Acts 10:37 That word, [I say], ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Acts 10:44: While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. Acts 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 10:46: For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
Acts 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? Acts 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
Paul preached the same gospel to the Gentiles as Peter had preached to Cornelius (an Italian) and the Jews in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.
Acts 19:1: And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, Acts 19:2; He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. Acts 19:3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Acts 19:4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
Acts 19:5: When they heard [this], they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 19:6: And when Paul had laid [his] hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
This is the only plan of Salvation that has been in force since the day of Pentecost. It is for whoever will, and that means you and me, as well as the Jews. Same plan, the same way, the plan is Acts 2:38: Then Peter said unto them, 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.
Acts 2:39: For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Dear Jerry,
It sounds like you are telling us, not asking us a question, and with much of what you say, we agree and believe. Jesus Christ has always been The Way of Salvation, and that never changes under any dispensation. In That Light, there is but One Gospel, for they knew Him and believed on Him as Jehovah in the Old Testament, for He is The Only True God.
What you are failing to see from His Word is The Dispensation we currently enjoy and its Gospel, even after sending you so much Scriptural proof. Certainly, you must see that God was reaching out to Israel first during the time of the Book of Acts, and when they refused to believe, He began using the Gentiles to provoke them into jealousy (Rom. 11:11-14). They still did not heed God's warning, so since Acts 28:28, salvation is no longer of the Jews but is sent to the Gentiles so "whosoever" can believe. The reality is Israel is blind, and the only nation we know of that totally rejects Jesus Christ, for all others see Him as at least a good man, but to them, He is a false prophet and false Messiah. Blindness had happened to Israel in PART according to Romans 11:25, but now and for the two days of Hosea (2000 years), Israel is Lo-Ammi according to Scripture. Let's look at Acts 28:28 closely with honest attention to the detail God gives us.
ACTS 28. The Dispensational Boundary
The structure of Acts 28 and the commentary on this section are intended to prove that Acts 28 is indeed of the utmost dispensational importance to the believer today. It marks a frontier.
Acts 28:23-31 The Dispensational Landmark
A a Acts 28:23. Chief of the Jews come to Paul's lodging.b Acts 28:23. Paul "expounded" the Kingdom of God.c Acts 28:23. Persuading concerning Jesus.d Acts 28:23. Out of the law and prophets.e Acts 28:23. From morning till evening.B f Acts 28:24-25. They agreed not among themselves.g Acts 28:25. They departed.C h Acts 28:25. The word of the Holy Ghost.i Acts 28:26. Go unto this people.j Acts 28:26. Hear . . . not understand.
D Acts 28:27. Hearts waxed gross. Ears dull. Eyes closed. Eyes see. Ears hear.
-
Isa. 6:10. Hearts understand.
Be converted.
I should heal them.
-
- C h Acts 28:28. The salvation of God.
i Acts 28:28. SENT unto the Gentiles. j Acts 28:28. They will hear it.
- B g Acts 28:29. The Jews departed.
- f Acts 28:29. Great reasoning among themselves.A a Acts 28:30. All come to Paul's hired house.b Acts 28:31. Paul "preaches" the kingdom of God.c Acts 28:31. "Teaches" concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.d Acts 28:31. With all confidence. No reference to O.T.e Acts 28:31. Unhindered.
The Dispensational Boundary
The ministry of Paul to the Elders of Israel in Rome, as recorded in Acts 28, is an echo of the ministry of the Lord during His forty days on earth, as recorded in Acts 1.
-
Speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3).
He expounded and testified the kingdom of God (Acts 28:23).
The record given in Acts 1:3 is a summary of what is written at large in Luke 24, where "Moses and the Prophets" are "expounded" by the Lord "concerning Himself." In Acts 28, Paul persuaded the Jews "concerning Jesus" both out of the law of "Moses" and out of the "Prophets." The parallel is intentional.
The THEME in both is "concerning Himself"; and "concerning Jesus."
The THEME includes the "hope" of Israel. "We trusted" (Luke 24:21) translates elpizo "we hoped". The "hope" of Israel (Acts 28:20) translates elpis.
The BASIS of this ministry in both passages is the O.T. Scriptures, Luke 24:25, Luke 24:27, Luke 24:45, and Acts 28:23.
The METHOD is Exposition, Luke 24:27, Luke 24:32, Acts 28:23.
The OBJECT is Persuasion, Luke 24:25, Luke 24:32, Luke 24:45, Acts 28:26.
In addition, we have such parallels as the use of the word bradus "slow" (Luke 24:25) and "dull" bareos (Acts 28:27). While the eyes of the two in Luke 24 were "opened," the eyes of Israel were "closed" (Acts 28:27).
In neither Luke 24, Acts 1, nor Acts 28 have we yet discovered the slightest allusion to the high calling of The Church of The Mystery. We are on the verge of its revelation, but not until Israel became Lo-ammi "not My people" could that calling of the Gentiles that goes back to its inception to "before the foundation of the world" be made known.
The testimony of the Apostle on that memorable day was twofold. It concerned "the kingdom of God" and "concerning Jesus," and it was found entirely in the testimony of the Old Testament. There is a great difference between "the kingdom of God," "the kingdom of Heaven," and "The Church which is His Body".
It is evident that "the restoration of the kingdom to Israel" (Acts 1:6). arose as a direct result of the Lord's testimony "pertaining to the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3), and Paul, in Acts 26:22, declared that up to that point, he had declared "none other than Moses and the Prophets did say should come." So, here, in his testimony to the Elders of the Jews, the teaching of the O.T. Scriptures that impinged on "the hope of Israel" set the limits to his message. When one remembers the scrupulous care with which the Apostle speaks of his Lord in his Epistles, rarely calling Him "Jesus" but nearly always giving Him His title "Lord" or "Jesus (the) Christ," it is a matter of importance to observe that to the Jews he spoke "concerning Jesus."
When the dismissal of the Jew was over, and the Salvation of God was sent to the Gentile, a change was observed. He now speaks "concerning the Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 28:31). Not only so, the omission of any reference to the O.T. scriptures is eloquent.
In his early Epistles, Paul makes a constant appeal to the Old Testament. The Gospel which he preached had been "promised afore in the holy scriptures" (Rom. 1:2); the doctrine of Justification by Faith is confirmed by the words "as it is written" (Rom. 1:17); indeed "What saith the Scriptures?" (Rom. 4:3) might well be cited as typical of Paul's attitude during his early ministry. In 2 Timothy 3:16, Paul makes it clear that to the very end, he unhesitatingly believed that "All scripture was given by inspiration of God" - and yet the moment we cross the boundary line of Acts 28 into his "Prison Epistles" that moment we come into the light of a new revelation, something that had been hid in God from the ages, and something not found in the O.T. writings, something indeed that was a Mystery, or a Secret as the word means. "It is written" occurs some forty times in Paul's early Epistles. The phrase is never again employed by him after Acts 28. Not one quotation of Scripture meets us in Ephesians 1 until we come to the reference to Psalm 8 in Ephesians 1:21-23.
We read on through Chapters 2 and 3 right into the practical section, Chapter 4, before we meet the next reference to the O.T., namely Ephesians 4:8. There is no direct quotation of O.T. Scripture in Philippians or Colossians and but one in 2 Timothy 2:9, an allusion to Numbers 16:5 and Num. 16:26.
In the seven later Epistles, there are not more than eight references to the O.T., and of this number, not one can be said to teach the peculiar doctrine that was entrusted to Paul to make known. We have already reminded the reader that the word "depart" apoluo (Acts 28:25) indicates Israel's "divorcement," and the words "they agreed not" (assumphonos) are used of the marriage relationship also (1 Cor. 7:5).
The failure of Israel and the consequent blessing of the Gentile was foreshadowed in Paul's opening ministry, as recorded in Acts 13. The doom there threatened now falls. Here is the de facto execution of the sentence that was pronounced de jure in Matthew 23:38, "Your house is left unto you desolate." Since the call of Abraham, the Scriptures contain no record of a Gentile being saved independently of Israel. "Salvation is of the Jews" was the testimony of the Lord Himself to the woman of Samaria.
Acts 28 ends with the Apostle dwelling for two years in his own hired house, preaching and teaching "no man forbidding him". During Paul's early ministry, the Jew had consistently opposed the preaching of The Gospel to the Gentiles, and this, said the Apostle, was their climax sin.
They "killed the Lord Jesus," but forgiveness was given, and a new opportunity to believe and repent was granted. They had earlier "killed their own prophets" and had more recently "persecuted" the Apostle and his helpers, "forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved," reaching, however, a climax "To Fill Up their sins always for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost" (1 Thess. 2:15-16).
"To the bitter end," reads Moffatt. "In its severest form," reads Weymouth. This same word, "forbidding," found in 1 Thessalonians 2:16, is the word used by Paul, "No man forbidding him" - Israel, the opposer, had gone. They had filled up their measure of sin to the brim, and the very Gentiles that they had "forbidden" now entered into blessings hitherto unrevealed.
All God's Blessings,
The Believers
