Replies

I do have to say there are some pastors and theologians, for some reason, that have to find a way to separate Paul from the remaining apostles to make their soteriology "pure."

I know these may seem to be harsh words. However, when I see those putting up walls on certain scriptures to make pieces "fit better" I hear alarms and whistles.

We give the Romans a hard time for doing this very same thing. They are master Jedis at wrongly dividing the Word of God. The Ginsu knives are in their hands constantly. We bear the same mistakes if we separate Paul from the other apostles and claim there is a differnt Gospel message. Just as Rome ignores most of Paul's epistles except I Corinthians 11 because it is a "key" passage for them to peddle transubstantiation. Then they ignore the rest or appeal to a 'higher' man-made authority to figure out the rest.

So some pastors and theologians are in error to say they are "rightly dividing the Word" by saying Peter did not preach repentance and faith in the shed Blood of Christ saves. They want to exclude Peter and the 11 in Acts because they don't come outright and say "Grace" when the actual ACT by Christ IS Grace. Since Peter uses the words "Baptism" and "forgive" in the same statement, that for some becomes an inconvenient truth and then have to find a way to diminish what was really going on. Peter did A LOT of talking before the cry for repenting, believing and baptizing. And in that long sermon are all the key elements in all its "Jewishness" which is exactly what Paul preaches to the Gentiles and Jews in his epistles.

If we compare the sermons in Acts 2&3 and what Peter speaks to Gentiles in Acts 10 you will not see much of a difference:

Acts 10:

34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

Now were Cornelius and his household who believed, received the Holy Spirit and were baptized, did they receive the Gospel of Grace or of the Kingdom?

Just who were these Gentiles going through to get saved? ISRAEL. Read 10:22. Read v.36, 37, 39. In order for a Gentile to be saved, he had to become a proselyte, or bless Israel. Israel was our way to God. And speaking of Peter's encounter with Cornelius, if Peter had a clear mission to go to both Jews and Gentiles with the Gospel of the grace of God, why did he doubt within himself what the vision he saw was?(v.17). Why did Peter state it was unlawful for a Jew to keep company with a Gentile (v.28)? WHy did Peter "rehearse the matter from the beginning" when he told the apostles and brethren of Cornelius? Surely they knew that Christ died for our sins, and they were to spread the good news of the gospel of the grace of God. Why the hesitation? Because THEY KNEW that UNTIL Israel accepted Christ as Messiah, they were to go to the Jew FIRST. THAT is why Peter hesitated. Not only that, IF Peter and the 11 understood grace, why would Christ have had to come to him in a vision and speak to him of the Gentiles?

I'm not interested in what pastors, theologians or really smart people have to say. I'm interested in what God's Word says. NOT what people THINK it says, but what it ACTUALLY SAYS.

BTW: IF Paul was preaching, teaching, proclaiming and doing everything Peter and the 11 were doing, why didn't God allow Paul to be made the 12th Apostle? WHy the need for another, if the message was the same?

You do understand that there was no need for "rightly dividing God's Word of truth" before Paul was given the gospel of the grace of God, the mystery, to proclaim, don't you? There was no need because no mystery had been proclaimed. EVERYTHING was prophecy. Prophecy being given. Prophecy being fulfilled. That changed when Paul was saved and given the dispensation of the grace of God by the risen Christ. THE MYSTERY. THAT is what had to be rightly divided: Prophecy from the Mystery. Because if those two are not clearly understood and the distinctions clearly made, they become some kind of ball of confused mish-mash, where NOTHING is clear anymore. They are BOTH TRUTH (prophecy and the mystery), but they are DIFFERENT. That's why they must be rightly divided, in order to keep kingdom things, meant for a kingdom of believers from those thing pertaining to the mystery, meant for a body of believers. The entire Bible is for our admonition and learning. But not ALL Scripture is about US. Since we, as members of the Body of Christ, are not the only people God has in His plans and purpose, we must NEVER be so selfish as to think "every promise in the Book is MINE". Knowing WHERE we are in God's plan is the key to understanding God's particular Word FOR US.

The quickest way to put up a wall is to exclaim a promise that isn't yours. And then going about to protect and defend that promise even though Scripture that ARE for you refute your very beliefs. Tongues? There goes a wall between those who DO believe they are for today, and those who do NOT. Visions, miracles, faith healers? Walls go up everywhere. Baptism BY the Holy Spirit, IN the Holy Spirit, THROUGH the Holy Spirit? Walls again. While Paul plainly tells us the is "There is ONE body, and ONE Spirit, even as ye are called in ONE hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, ONE BAPTISM, One GOd and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Eph. 4:4-6).

The only way to take down those walls that divide is to rightly divide God's Word of Truth (2 Tim. 2:15). Once His Word FOR US is clearly defined, there is no room for the mish-mash.