So, you said earlier Jesus fulfilled the law. Now you say He did not fulfill the law. You are saying Jesus failed in His stated purpose to fulfill the law and the prophets.
We will disagree.
You continue to ignore the Ephesians passage. I understand it destroys dispensational theory of a separate future for Israel. Instead of changing your belief to conform to scripture, you ignore scripture and cling to your unbiblical beliefs.
You then have the arrogance to suggest I need to closely examine my own salvation because I’m not “prone to perceive” your beliefs as truth.
You have failed in your stated attempt to defend dispensation theology. You have failed to address and answer clear questions concerning scripture and how it undermines your beliefs but instead question the salvation of those that disagree.
Therefore, I believe all has been said at this point.
thanks for the conversation
peace to you
Ephesians is the most important epistle in the scriptures to explain the history of the inclusion of the gentiles into the spiritual blessings of Israel. This history began in Acts 10 when God first began saving gentiles when he first sent Peter to open up the door of faith to them.
The theme of this letter is “ the mystery of Christ.” The capsule statement that defines the mystery of Christ is Eph 3:6. It says this.
Ephesians 3:1-7
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
In order to be a partaker one must not be the initial participant.he would be added later. That is exactly how Ephesians is laid out. Everything said in the first 12 verses of chapter one pertains to the Jewish believers in Christ and the distinction between Jews and gentiles in the one body that is being formed in this age is clearly the point of this letter. Notice the Jews first and then later the inclusion of the gentiles in these passages I will quote.
Ephesians 1:11-12
11 In whom also we (the context demands this be Jews and so does the history’s) have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory,
who first trusted in Christ.
Consider who first trusted in Christ, not because I say it but because scripture says it.
Acts 3:25-26
25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
I urge you to read the full sermon of Peter for the context.
Consider this passage.
Romans 8:19-23
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
You may not be able to see that this passage is the same context because of your presuppositions but the creature is a reference to the non Jew or non Israel believer and it clearly identifies the “they” as being a subset that is different than those who received the first fruits of the Spirit. The word also puts the creation as one who is added.
One more:
Romans 15:24-27
24 Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.
25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.
26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.
27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
That passage speaks for itself and now a look at verse thirteen of Ephesians one.
Ephesians 1:13-14
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
The “ye” is clearly identified all through this letter as being gentile Christians, who were added to an already existing body consisting of Jewish believers in Christ. Miss this and you miss the intent of the revelation of this mystery. Look here.
Ephesians 2:11-13
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
We have already seen that “time past” was explained in Ga 4:4 as being the former time when Israel was under the operative principle of divine dealing of the Mosaic law.
These are wonderful truths and I can meditate for hours on the glories of our Lord Jesus and how good he is for including us. Thank you Holy Father God for the dispensational framework of your glorious word.
