Spirit or Ghost?

[JD731]

Jesus said this well before Paul went to the Gentiles.
John 5:39
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Paul brought Scripture with him. Sure, he didn’t bring what wasn’t written. But there was still Scripture and it was available in every synagogue where he went. He also brought it with him.

2 Timothy 4:13
The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.

The gentiles were also not far away from those Scriptures.

Acts 17:1-4
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

Faith cometh by hearing (the preaching) and hearing by the Word of God (Scripture)

The Word of God is the foundation, not the preaching.

Ben, this post is not intended to be unkind but to express my wonder and awe at the lack of reasoning and logic of those with the Calvinist mindset and the ignorance that is presented here every day. You are no more guilty than your colleagues of diminishing the scriptures by not rightly dividing them, but likewise, you are no less guilty. Jesus said why he came to Israel when he did.

Lk 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.(the mysteries were not written there except they were hidden in types and similitudes)
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

Opening their understanding is revelation.

1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world (aion = age) unto our glory:

What is the wisdom of God? What is the mystery? Are we told? Can we know? Before I answer that I have a couple observations.

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them (the mysteries) unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

This is either true or false. You either believe it or you don't. An unsaved man cannot know these mysteries because he does not have a divine teacher. Mr 4:34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. I have noted that the parables Jesus spoke and are now written are not easier for natural men today to understand than when they were first spoken.

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

How does he teach some and not others?
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

There must be much comparison of words, the consistency of which is lost with your hundreds of translations in a single language.

I will quick say the gospel is not a mystery but is so simple a child can understand it and some can even preach it. Mt 21:16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

So, here is the mystery of God which is the focus of 1 Cor 2 defined in a single verse. It is stated so clearly that no no one should miss it. It is in the context of the explanation of the mystery of Christ, the theme of the letter to the Ephesians.

Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

Don't miss this. The church, the body of Christ, makes known to heavenly beings the wisdom of God and they can observe it. Understand what they saw. God was making a trinitarian image of himself by three distinct entities becoming one body of Christ, who is the head. The Jews who believed, the gentiles who believed, and the Holy Ghost who dwells in the body as a temple. See Eph 3:6

It was not a mystery that God had purposed to save gentiles through his seed. We learn that in the Abrahamic covenant. The OT scriptures say nothing about God purposing to create a new man in this age so the mystery is that Jews and gentiles would be separate in the body bur equally sons of God and as one.

Here are some verses to prove that God had always planned on making a way for the gentiles to be saved. So that was not the mystery or it would not be written in the OT scriptures. This is just plain logic.

Ro 15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob i.e. the Abrahamic Covenant):
9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy (not promises but mercy); as it is written, For this cause (the cause of being glorified - see Re 4:11 in the KJV) I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people (Israel).
11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people (Israel).
12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

According to God, preaching of the cross is foolishness but the words of God are foolishness to the unwashed.

 

[Ben1445]

Ben, this post is not intended to be unkind but to express my wonder and awe at the lack of reasoning and logic of those with the Calvinist mindset and the ignorance that is presented here every day.

You think because I disagreed with what you said that I am a Calvinist? If not, I don't follow your logic. I merely pointed out the error in your statement here:

This means gentiles were being saved by hearing the preacher preach the gospel long before they had any scripture. Paul did not write his first letter until 49 AD (he was saved in 37/38 AD).

by showing that the Scriptures were not only there and were available, they were used.

And faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. As you, yourself say,

This is either true or false. You either believe it or you don't.

Do you Believe Romans 10:17?
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

You are no more guilty than your colleagues of diminishing the scriptures by not rightly dividing them, but likewise, you are no less guilty. Jesus said why he came to Israel when he did.

You, apparently, are taking what I said and applying it to what I was not talking about. From my point of view, this is to avoid your having to say that you were wrong and Scripture was used in the conversion of the gentiles, and that the Bible places "the Word of God" as the origination of helping people to be saved.

You accuse me of not using Scripture rightly, but you never addressed any Scripture I quoted and explained what I said wrong.

Lk 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.(the mysteries were not written there except they were hidden in types and similitudes)
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

Opening their understanding is revelation.

1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world (aion = age) unto our glory:

What is the wisdom of God? What is the mystery? Are we told? Can we know? Before I answer that I have a couple observations.

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them (the mysteries) unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

This is either true or false. You either believe it or you don't. An unsaved man cannot know these mysteries because he does not have a divine teacher. Mr 4:34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. I have noted that the parables Jesus spoke and are now written are not easier for natural men today to understand than when they were first spoken.

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

How does he teach some and not others?
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

There must be much comparison of words, the consistency of which is lost with your hundreds of translations in a single language.

I will quick say the gospel is not a mystery but is so simple a child can understand it and some can even preach it. Mt 21:16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

So, here is the mystery of God which is the focus of 1 Cor 2 defined in a single verse. It is stated so clearly that no no one should miss it. It is in the context of the explanation of the mystery of Christ, the theme of the letter to the Ephesians.

Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

Don't miss this. The church, the body of Christ, makes known to heavenly beings the wisdom of God and they can observe it. Understand what they saw. God was making a trinitarian image of himself by three distinct entities becoming one body of Christ, who is the head. The Jews who believed, the gentiles who believed, and the Holy Ghost who dwells in the body as a temple. See Eph 3:6

It was not a mystery that God had purposed to save gentiles through his seed. We learn that in the Abrahamic covenant. The OT scriptures say nothing about God purposing to create a new man in this age so the mystery is that Jews and gentiles would be separate in the body bur equally sons of God and as one.

Here are some verses to prove that God had always planned on making a way for the gentiles to be saved. So that was not the mystery or it would not be written in the OT scriptures. This is just plain logic.

Ro 15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob i.e. the Abrahamic Covenant):
9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy (not promises but mercy); as it is written, For this cause (the cause of being glorified - see Re 4:11 in the KJV) I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people (Israel).
11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people (Israel).
12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

According to God, preaching of the cross is foolishness but the words of God are foolishness to the unwashed.

None of this has anything to do with whether or not there was Scripture available to the Gentiles that believed.
I also showed that there was Scripture available to the Gentiles from Scripture. This is the only thing that I was saying.
If you would care to tell me why any of those things I said, specifically are wrong, I'll listen.
If you are embarrassed and trying to save face because you said something that is not true, don't accuse me of twisting Scripture.
I hope this is, instead, a case you misunderstanding what I said.