Let me quote John Gill:Originally posted by Grasshopper:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />It is in Galatians 2:7-9, "But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; 8. (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles9. And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision." We are to believe what The Word tells us. We find the same thing in Acts 15 when we take time to study His word.
they saw that the Gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the Gospel of the circumcision was to Peter; by "the uncircumcision and circumcision" are meant the Gentiles and Jews; see Rom_2:26 by the Gospel of the one, and the Gospel of the other, two Gospels are not designed, for there is but one Gospel, and not another.
</font>[/QUOTE]Sorry Grasshopper, but will have to preach here, and I do this for I believe you wish to study the Word of God for understanding.
But why do you choose to believe this man John Gill, over and above Christ Jesus from heaven? In Galatians 2:7-9 does not Paul separate the two gospels saying there was one at that time for the "uncircumcised", and one for the "circumcised"? Later, after the death of the last Apostle, John, heaven is silent. God does not speak directly to His people. Today the Jews are as they were before. They have been thrown into the "pit" with we heathen Gentile's who "will hear the Word" and we are to spread the "grace commission" of Christ Jesus from heaven of salvation of the Cross by the Grace of God that comes to us throughfaith of, and in, our Lord Jesus Christ.
God today speaks to us through His Word, the Bible, and it is all written for us, and the Epistles of Paul are written specifically to us.
[qb/]Would you agree we are all in the same boat today? There is no difference as far as God is concerned between the Jew and the Gentile. The Jew could back then, if they wished, to come as a Gentile, as we see in Acts 15 :9-12, "And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11. But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
12. Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them." We see here Israel had no idea they could be saved just by believing through faith. This is New to them. This is a New gospel that was hidden in God from the beginning. This was not ever mentioned in scripture before, and could not for it was a "secret" of God's. It could not be told until after the Damascus Road incident shown in Acts 9.
Can you see here what Peter is saying? There is no way Peter, James, John or those of The Jewish Pentecostal church, could come as the "Christians". They were already committed to the "circumcision" gospel, the gospel of "blood covenant" with God the Father. We know they were at that time still bound by the "law and those Ordinances". They still made blood sacrifice. They still held the "Sabbath day Holy". These are of the Jewish faith, but can now be brought into "The Body of Christ"; Into His Kingdom. Not only that but Jesus says He gives these, HIS earthly Apostles their own "kingdom" (Luke 12:32). This is their gospel of "repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins" meaning they will inherit the earth. But Peter now says they can also be saved like the "Gentiles".
What does Peter mean by this? They cannot now be saved not just by faith as all before were saved (Hebrews 11) having to endure until the end, but now they can be saved just as are the heathen through faith, meaning INSTANT salvation into the Body of Christ. They can now have the "peace and joy" while they live of knowing the Are As They Live - SAVED, not waiting until they die, having to live under the law of ordinances. Scripture seems to indicate Peter and James may not have been able to make the switch, but I believe John did.
There were two Body of Christ gospel's being taught during the time of the Apostles. We Gentiles, and all today are again considered Gentile's, and we are to have only One Gospel, and that is the Gospel of Paul, which is the dispensational Gospel given to Paul by Christ Jesus from heaven. A Gentile can never be a Jew while on this earth, but the Jew has reverted from a "brand" name back to the "generic" human race of heathen Gentile. That "brand" of salvation has been pulled off the market, but just until after the rapture
But scripture will not bear this out. The Jewish Pentecostal church in Jerusalem preached a different gospel, that of the Jew "must repent and be baptized for the remission of sins", for they still lived under the ordinances of the Law, of blood sacrifice, keeping the Sabbath Holy, and keeping the "covenant" they made with God in "circumcision" saying they would obey the Law.
Is this the "Christian" that comes from the "Christian" church in Antioch? Paul told them to keep "their Judaziers" (perhaps unbelievers in that church believing they were saved) away from my Gentile's. They (Gentiles) will come into the Temple in Christ Jesus, and not come to the Father by being a proselyte of your "faith", and never be able to enter into the Temple. There will be those that are "raptured", and there will be those that will go through the tribulation, as a Jew or a Gentile, in their proper place in that "dispensation".
James became the head of that dieing Pentecostal church, and we cannot escape the fact that James lived for and under the Law and it ordinances. James will have nothing to do with gospel of Paul, and Paul says he will have nothing to do with the Law under those of "covenant" for his Gentiles.
No, and there were more than two (2) gospels. The gospel of Paul, that Christ gave to him could not be prophesied. It could not be "foretold" for it would not have been a "secret". And we are told it Was a Secret, and we are to believe it was a secret for this is what Christ told Paul.
I don't believe there are Two Gospels today, or three, but that second gospel was during the time of "that generation" (and that generation will continue after the rapture). I believe there is only "one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ, " Ephesians 4:4-7. We find in this scripture Our sure Hope is Through Faith in our One Lord Christ Jesus, and our One Baptism by the Holy Spirit, sealed in bringing us to our One God and Father of All. There is no way we can come to the Father except through Jesus Christ our Lord.
This is how we are saved, viz. "believe on the name, which name is the Word of God, Jesus Christ (we now know his name as those before didn't) the only begotten Son of God the Father, and we will be saved. The "great commission" has no power for we today. This is what the Catholic, Lutheran, church of Christ and some others believe. We do not, so we should stop showing our ignorance in our salvation. Today there is One gospel of Christ Jesus from heaven.
Act 24:5 For we have found this man pestilent, and moving rebellion among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,
Act 24:6 who also attempted to profane the temple, whom we took and would have judged according to our Law.
</font>[/QUOTE]Yes, we see at least two, and possibly three things here when we include verse 5 for rebellion, a pest stirring up Jews under Roman law.
The next had truth for Paul did align himself with Jesus, the man from Nazareth, but in whom they didn't believe; but Paul also believed Moses.
The third of sacrilege, but all he brought was himself and alms and offerings, all be it much was from "heathen" Christians.
But Paul defends himself of "sedition" for he had only been there 12 days, half being in the Temple, and the other in Roman custody.
Heresy? He never questioned Moses and/or the prophets.
Sacrilege? They couldn't prove that - Acts 24:18, "Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult." Also I would imagine some of his accusers remembered when he brought Titus to Jerusalem earlier for their meeting with the Jewish Pentecostal church to leave the Gentiles alone. It would have been a "stretch" but had the trial gone their way, they would have had Paul taking Titus the Gentile into the Temple, which was forbidden.
We can plainly see here that Paul had another Gospel, and the Jew would not believe the gospel of Christ from heaven. These Jews are not of the Jewish Pentecostal church, so these Jews have another gospel, so I don't see how it can be said there has always "only been One gospel". We know there were "three".
If Paul was preaching what the prophets spoke of and Paul is accused of preaching a different Gospel, then what Gospel were James,Peter and John preaching?
[/quote]Paul did not deny what the prophets spoke. He did not deny the gospel before the gospel of John the Baptist of the kingdom of heaven was at hand, and the Jew must "repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins". This is the gospel that James, Peter and John preached as shown in Acts 2:38. This is what the Word of God tells us. But Paul was never of this gospel as Paul was never of that Jewish Pentecostal church. Paul went from that "first gospel of the Jew, that of the Law of Moses" to the "grace good news gospel of the Cross" of Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Those of the Pentecostal church went from that of the Law of Moses to the gospel of John the Baptist of "repent and be baptized for the remission of sins" keeping the gospel also of the "circumcision" law of ordinances as scripture shows they continued to do.
But this doesn't say what you believe it means. It tells of searching for that which was not known. There was evidence of something coming, but it was not revealed. (KJV) I Peter 1:9-12, "Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
10. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11. Searching what, or what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
12. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into."
They, the prophets "inquired and searched diligently". They knew something is promised of grace, but it was not revealed. What was to come in prophecy was not known. It come not be told until prophecy had been fulfilled, thus that prophesied was secret and not in prophecy known. They had no name to go by, so By faith they looked forward to their salvation in the grace of God by faith looking for that to come. There was no way they could come through faith of Jesus Christ for they didn't know His name, and no blood had been let. They had to endure until the end, for all that was covering for them was the blood of animals.
Verse 12 tells us none knew for Now do they only know. "which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into." Satan didn't know, or any of the angels, so we are to believe God that no one had any idea of the "purpose" of God. The "purpose" of God is Christ Jesus our Lord.
We are to believe His Word that no one knew. Peter writes this long after Pentecost, and has talked to Paul, and read Paul's books and "wisdom" contained therein, as witnessed in II Peter 3:15-16 , " And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you".
16. As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
The prophets "spoke" of this grace to come. Satan also knew of this "grace" to come, but he also had no idea of what was coming - "That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8. Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory", I Corinthians 2:5-8.
I don't believe you will find either Peter or Paul of saying they knew what God had hidden until after Damascus Road. The birth of the King was known, but who understood? A new "covenant" was coming, but no one knew anything about that New Covenant. And now that we know from what Christ Jesus in heaven tells us, we have decided, "Hey, we knew this all along. There is nothing new?" Take out the gospel of Paul that Christ gave to him, and we don't know anymore than did the prophets, other than "grace" was to come.
Yes if we see that the Jew builds on what Peter lays down, and all today builds on what Paul lays down. Same page, but different foundations laid on the foundation of Jesus Christ. But we see in Hebrews to leave all the baggage behind that the Jew was carrying. We Gentiles are brought (and the Jew today also) differently than the Jew, as shown in Ephesians, and Hebrews below.
Romans 15:2, "Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation."
I Corinthians 3:10-11, " According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
Ephesians 19:22, " Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21. In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22. In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."
Hebrews 6:1-3, "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2. Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3. And this will we do, if God permit."
The Jew then could still have their laying on of hands, baptisms, etc., but these were never meant for the Gentiles.
But none was fulfilled until Jesus Christ fulfilled prophecy. Prophecy spoke to what would be fulfilled, but did not tell who. They had no particulars on the matter. Now we know, but then they didn't. No one ever thought the Gentile would be allowed into the Temple. James and Paul are poles apart, and no amount of misunderstanding can bring them into agreement. James believe in "repent and be baptized for the remissions" for that was how he was saved, and Paul was not saved under the gospel of John the Baptist, of the "kingdom was at hand". Paul look for the rapture.
Yes, in that day. Today there is no difference, meaning there is to be only one gospel today, and that is the gospel of Paul - Galatians 1:11-12m, "But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." No one heard the Christian gospel until Christ revealed it to Paul. It was unknown until Paul, just as Moses' Law was unknown until God gave it to Moses, and it became Moses' Law.
Does Peter in Acts 2 tell those of the nation of Israel to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and they will be saved?
Does Paul tell the individual Gentile believer in Acts 16 to "repent and be baptized for the remission of his sins"?
Was David told to believe the Great Commission of "repent and be baptized for the remission of his sins", or just to believe on the name of the "Lord Jesus Christ" for his salvation?
Each person is saved in the dispensation that they live in. David believed what God told him, Peter believed what God told him, and Paul believed what God told him. It is only while we live that we can be saved, and when we try to be saved as was David, or Peter, will we be saved?
I'll not take that "long shot" for Jesus' last word on salvation was given to Paul. I live in this dispensation of grace through faith not under works of the law of ordinances of the "covenant". The "rapture" comes before that "kingdom that will come".
