Featured Is it true that only the Pauline Epistles apply to us?

You don't see that 'the distinction' is in the audience, and not the messenger? It's not the gospel of Paul or the gospel of Cephas, James, or John, it's specifically the gospel of the uncircumcision and the gospel of the circumcision. It's about AUDIENCE RELEVANCE, as in Hodge's first rule of interpretation:

1. The Scriptures are to be taken in the sense attached to them in the age and by the people to whom they were addressed.

Examples, Cephas's preaching at Pentecost, was it to jews or Gentiles? How do you apply Acts 2:40 to Gentiles?:

40 And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation.

...or apply Cephas's preaching in Acts 3 to Gentiles?:

23 and it shall be, every soul that may not hear that prophet shall be utterly destroyed out of the people;

...and there's literally scores of examples where content in the preaching of the gospel does not apply to Gentiles.

 

Peter and paul both taught same Gospel

 

Nope, was fulfilled in Acts of the Apostles 2.

 

The Gospel is the same. The way it is presented to Jews may be distinct from the Gentiles. Matthew puts a lot of emphasis on fulfillment of OT prophets. That would have little to no meaning to Gentiles.

Peace to you

 

It has great meaning if you understand that God is a covenant making God and we are people of the New Covenant. You cannot fully grasp covenant without understanding what Matthew records.

 

You are probably correct that my understanding of covenant theology is lacking.

My understanding of Ephesians is just fine, however. What is crystal clear in Ephesians is that the two groups of people (Jew and Gentile which equals everyone on the planet) have been made into “one new man” by the cross of Christ and both have their access to God through Holy Spirit.

There is no separate gospels for Jew and Gentile. There is no separate future for Jews and Gentiles. There is no separate covenant (currently in place) for Jews and Gentiles.

The old things have passed away.

peace to you

 

We agree.
At the last supper, Jesus celebrated the ushering in of the new covenant. At his death the new covenant became the will and testament of God and our names are found in the reading of the will whereby we receive an Inheritance.
Hebrews 9:15-28
Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

 

Perhaps you're not recognizing the overlap. The 'gospel of the circumcision' carried exactly that message:

1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Heb 1

26 else must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once at the end of the ages hath he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Heb 9

20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1 Pet 1

7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore of sound mind, and be sober unto prayer: 1 Pet 4

18 Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour. 1 Jn 2

8 Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Ja 5

22 For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
23 Woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! for there shall be great distress upon the land, and wrath unto this people.
32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all things be accomplished. Lu 21

40 And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation. Acts 2

4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues:
5 for her sins have reached even unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Rev 18

(to name a few)

The audience of the 'gospel of the circumcision' was of the old covenant of condemnation and death which was quickly coming to a violent end.

 

I do understand the concept of a “transitional period” during the first century. I’ve heard it described as “already… but not quite yet”. It is interesting and somewhat obvious that the earliest converts were Jews.

I won’t go so far as to say it constitutes a “separate gospel” to Jews and Gentiles, however. The emphasis to Jews on fulfillment of OT prophecies would be different than the emphasis to Gentiles but the foundational message of Christ and Him crucified for our sins remains the same.

I’ll think more about it, but not convinced the “gospel” is different for circumcised and uncircumcised.

peace to you

 

<sigh> It isn't now, only during the transition period.

 

Thanks for clarifying. How does it apply to Jews today?

peace to you

 

That's not what it says. It says it's impossible to renew them unto repentance. The very next verse speaks of the rain falling on various grounds. On prepared ground, the rain brings forth fruit. On unprepared ground, the rain brings forth thorns.

Cross reference Mark 4:17. The Gospel did not take root in their hearts, because they were stony ground, and as soon as persecution arose, they forsook the Gospel.

Those are the ones that fall away. Yes, they were illuminated, after a sort. Yes, they tasted of power of the world to come and were partakers of the Spirit, in the manner that the stony ground is a partaker of the same rain that the tilled ground was, but the tilled ground absorbs the rain. Stony ground doesn't.

Think of what was brought forth from the Eleven apostles and what came out of Judas having all companied with Jesus from the baptism of John till he betrayed Him.

The falling away is not a slip-up, or a mere denial, like Peter's, or even a descent into gross immorality, like the man in the church at Corinth, who was to be delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that his spirit may be saved. It is a complete and utter apostasy, a despite to the Spirit of grace, and a counting of the Cross of Christ as an unholy thing.

The Gospel never took root in them. They were never one of His sheep. But of His sheep, Jesus says, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

You see that? No man. Not even you yourself.

 

The old covenant is gone. That house is desolate.

34 And Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him. Acts 10

12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek: for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him: Ro 10

28 There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus. Gal 3

11 where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all. Col 3

13 For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit. 1 Cor 12

 

2 Tim. 3:16-17 teaches that all Scripture is profitable and equips us to do the will of God for our lives.

 

Of course!

 

Hebrews can be a daunting book, but like every other book it can be understood, both in doctrine and application, like any other book: fervent study.

It must be kept in mind that this is an Epistle written by a Hebrew to Hebrews who lived in the first century. But like all we have been given in the New Testament, it has great relevance to Christian Doctrine.

In regards to "making plain" the warnings, this is one of the reasons many do not study the book: false teachers have wrested these amazing teachings to teach loss of salvation—and that scares people! I know it scared me, lol, when I began my study. But I began that study because I wanted to know the truth, whether Eternal Salvation was real, or if it was in error. I am happy to announce that my studies not only find the Book of Hebrews affirming Eternal Salvation, but we find the most incontrovertible statement of Eternal Security within Hebrews.

Consider:

Hebrews 10:26-29 KJV

26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,


The L.O.S.T. (loss of salvation teachers) have taught this statement as meaning "...if Christians continue to sin there is no more sacrifice for them," or in other words...they will die in their sins and end up in Hell. The problem they have is ...

... this is in direct contradiction to what the Book is teaching.


27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?


"Moses law" is a reference to the Covenant of Law, a huge theme in Hebrews. What the Writer (and ultimately the Holy Ghost) is speaking about are those who have rejected the Gospel of Christ. Sure, they were among those gathering. They professed, at least for a time, that Christ was Lord. But the willful sin is not sins (plural), it is sin, singular.

Note in v.28 the reference to those who rejected Moses' law, or, the Covenant of Law, or, as it is generally called...the Law. This is a reference to those from the previous economy, the economy in which relationship with God was through the Covenant of Law. The Writer is contrasting those who rejected the Covenant of Law with the New Covenant, as noted in v.29. They are rejecting ...

1. Jesus Christ;
2. The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ;
3. The Death that ratified the New Covenant, and by implication ...
4. The New Covenant;
5. The Comforter. The Spirit of Grace is the same Spirit taught in the rest of the New Covenant, and the rejection is the convicting ministry of the Comforter, Who has as a primary focus the intent to convict men of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Of sin—because they (those He ministers to, natural men) believe not on the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:7-9).

Note that those who reject Christ, His Death, His Covenant, and the ministry of the Holy Ghost—have no other sacrifice they can turn to for salvation. While "another sacrifice" might not be relevant to those of us in this century, it was extremely relevant to the Jew who had all his/her life offered up the sacrifices of the Law. The sacrifices of the Law
did in fact bring about remission of sins, but that remission was temporal and temporary, that is why they needed to be offered over and over (and over and over and over ... ). The Writer has just made this point in the beginning of the Chapter:

Hebrews 10 KJV

1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.


The sacrifices of the Law could not make perfect those offering them, because they could not take away sins. Perfection is a reference to completion, so what he is saying is that those sacrifices could not make one complete in regards to remission of sins.

Now see the Sacrifice that does:

Hebrews 10 KJV

10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:

12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.


We are sanctified once for all by the offering of Christ, and we are made complete in regards to remission of sins ...

... for ever.

Now how one goes from that clear statement of Eternal Security to "Christians will lose their salvation is they keep on sinning" is not so mysterious. The L.O.S.T. seek to keep men enslaved to fear and deny them the hope they have. If we are not fully trusting in Christ for our salvation then we simply are not trusting in Christ. And that is one of the Book's intents, to instruct Jewish believers that they cannot maintain the Law, and that relationship with God is now through Jesus Christ and the Covenant He has established. That is the intent behind Christ's teaching of "The True Vine." He is and always has been the means of relationship to God.

Again, this would have had a significance to a first century Jew that does not apply to us. They were still offering sacrifices. That they needed to be redeemed from the Law would have been a hard lesson for those who had been born and bred under the Law.

Galatians 4:4-6 KJV

4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.


My advice would be the same I followed when I decided to study Hebrews. I heard a preacher say, "Before I presume to teach out of any Book, I read it fifty times." I set about to do that and before I had gone through it ten times it was beginning to make sense, and it is now my favorite book.

Good luck with your studies!

God bless.

 

each book in the bible was written TO a specific group of people and FOR all of God's People. If God's People are to really understand WHAT is being said, then BY WHOM it was originally heard is an important consideration for comprehending the TRUTH contained in the MESSAGE.

(That's my 2 cents).

 

The NT applies to each and every generation

 

So does the Old Testament. This is precisely because Jesus is found in it all.

 

The OT principles apply to us today, but much of it was directly applicable to the Old Covenant!