We're getting ready to move into the spiritual kingdom of heaven wherein we live as in darkness because the activities of God and Christ are through His Love by Grace activity in Faith's receptivity of Hope as that exhibited by Abraham and Isaac as our examples. As we learn of Christ and God's kingdom workings through the ontological essence of the Spirit of Christ restored and rehabilitated with mans soul or spirit renewed, as the kingdom of God In Christ. This is witnessed in John's Revelation account when its pictorial imagery and language is heard or received spiritually and then understood within our renewed soul. Because its the first picture movie in the round with scenes of heavenly activities of God in Christ or Christ's war fare with our enemy who works through mans religion and imagination, intellectualism, emotions, desires and will of the unredeemed earthy mind. Its for this reason that we're admonished to mortify the flesh because it raises itself above God's knowledge and kingdom rule by it self interests and occupations which all hinder God. For God uses the base and very simple thing to confound mans intelligentsia.
Ephesians 1:10
"That in the dispensation (or that period of time or that administration and we've used the word economy or stewardship) of the fulness of times (the first being when Jesus came on the scene as the "Son of man" the next which will be the final 1000 years of human history [in the future which belongs to the futurist] which we refer to constantly as the millennial reign that, but we and others have called the enigma of the interim or the period between His first and second coming) he might gather together in one all things in Christ,..."
"In Him" is a prepositional phrase and it always refers to our position in Christ. We know one of our sons asked the other day a logical question concerning the Bible. "Well how do we know we're in Christ? We don't look or feel any different, do we?" Well you know what our answer was. We take it all in by faith, because the Book says that when we believe, we also receive then we became a member of the invisible Body of Christ. The Book says we were baptized into the One Body of Christ by a work of the Holy Spirit, when we're redeemed. We're sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise our first and greatest blessing. One which Israel didn't benefit from because they did not have Him except as an outward tutor under the Law. But when does it actually happen? Not until we've passed through our placement within the first estate or like a woman’s pregnancy where the fetus grows within the womb into a human being and then is birthed, the crisis. The crisis is our choosing to abide by the Law of God within in our members, this only happens through death to those members. When we pass through or from the earthy, practical or carnal understanding into the resurrected spiritual realm under God. At the same time we are made righteous, justified, glorified, and all the other things that come with salvation the moment we believe and receive this Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 and other related passages). Did we feel any of that? No! we don't nor do we all of a sudden get a diploma, but we take this all in by faith, this is what the Bible has claimed. This is what the Last Supper on through Christ's ascension is all about. For Christ puts all things back in their proper order and placement, or focus. Now reading on in verse 10. Now here is where we divided the earthly and heavenly aspect.
Ephesians 1:10b
"... both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:"
So in the two previous sections we took the premise that beginning way back in Genesis chapter 3 and then in 12, God started dealing with one little nation in particular, the earthly people, Israel. Now that's as far as we came with our timeline. From Adam to Abraham was about 2000 years, and then 2000 more years before Christ we had the appearance of Abraham, and the little Nation of Israel. From Genesis chapter 12 until we get well into the Book of Acts it's primarily, but not exclusively, God dealing with the Hebrews only. Now let us show where we picked up the term Hebrew (Jew) only, and we use it without apology. Except we usually add the phrase "with exceptions." See those exceptions were also in the Old Testament economy or dispensational period. In God's Sovereign Grace He did send Jonah to Ninevah, a Gentile city. By His Sovereign Grace, the spies ended up on the wall of Jericho, and met Rahab. Naomi by His Grace met Ruth and brought her back to Bethlehem. Now those were all exceptions of Gentiles. But for the most part it has been the Hebrews only. Let's go back to Acts chapter 11 and look at it. This verse refers back to the time of Stephens martyrdom, which was about seven years after Pentecost.
Acts 11:19
"Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen (back in chapter 7) travelled as far as Phenice and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only."
That's what the Book says, that's not our idea, we're not being a bigot or anything like that. The Book makes it so plain that as these believing Hebrews, who had followed Christ, probably in His earthly ministry, or had responded to Peter and those eleven preaching in the early chapter of Acts, because of Saul's persecution had fled Jerusalem, had gone as far north as Antioch in Syria, but wherever they went they preached the Word to Jews only. Remember there's not a New Testament yet, that would come much later, so what did they have? The Old Testament, which was written to the Hebrews. But remember that fits right in with Jesus' earthly ministry, and we showed you the verses, He commanded the Twelve -
Matthew 10:5b-6
"...Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
Most people have such a hard time swallowing this. We can remember a couple of years ago we were having our Bible class after dinner in our home. All of a sudden some felt that they had been hit in the face with the concept that Christ didn't come but to the Hebrews only. We remember this one fellow in particular got angry. He was as red as a beet, and finally exploded, and said, "You mean to tell me that Jesus did not have anything to do with the Gentiles?" we said, "we're not telling you, but rather that's what the Book tells you. Christ came only to the Jew, and when Israel rejected Him, then yes, He's going to turn to the Gentiles, and we'll see that next." But we want it understood from the Scriptures all the way from Genesis 12, and the call of Abraham till we get way into the Book of Acts it's Hebrews [Jews] only with exceptions. We stopped earlier in Acts chapter 1, verse 6, and maybe that's a good jumping off place.
Acts 1:6
"When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?"
Jesus did not ridicule them for being ignorant, or foolish for thinking that an earthly kingdom would be set up. But just the opposite -
Acts 1:7
"And he said unto them, `It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.'"
The kingdom is coming, and don't you ever forget or doubt that the kingdom is coming to this earth. Or is it? As we've stated time and time again there is wiggle room for another understanding of scripture and this can be seen in John's Revelation story. Now the world has already been waiting, since that verse, over 2000 plus years, but in God's mind that was only a couple of days. Remember a thousand years is only as a day, and a day is as a thousand years in God's sight.
II Peter 3:8
"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."
Now for this timeline review we're going to come on through Acts real quickly, and now let's drop in at Acts chapter 2. Now we're going to see how Israel is still being approached with the same message that Jesus and the Twelve proclaimed in His three years of ministry to Israel, primarily. Now in verse 22 of Acts chapter 2 we find Peter speaking on the day of Pentecost, and look who he is talking to. And again people miss this in order to make their doctrine fit. But you see the called-out Body of Gentile believers, the Church, won't fit in these verses. God is still dealing only with the Hebrews [Jews], the Nation of Israel.
Acts 2:22
"Ye men of Israel, (we could stop right here because it doesn't say and you Gentiles? No.) hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:"
So there's no question who Peter is talking to. He's talking only to the Hebrews. And again Peter brings these Hebrews down to the same message that Jesus and the Twelve preached, and he almost repeats it word for word in verse 38.
Acts 2:38
"Then Peter said unto them, (these Hebrews, the children of Israel) `Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.'"
Now that was the very process for the nation to become believers. Believe that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah [Christ], repent and be baptized in water. Why was this such a requirement, because it was a custom or habit of their heritage and for that very reason they had no understanding of its spiritual significance. As soon as you get to the Gentile plan then the whole format is inverted. We'll look at that a little bit later. But now coming on up through the Scriptures, we find that Peter keeps preaching his heart out, and now come all the way up to Acts chapter 7. Here it's about seven years after Acts 2:38 and Pentecost. Stephen enters the scene about seven years after Pentecost. Let's start at verse 2, because we want people to see who Peter and Stephen were talking to. That's very crucial in being able to separate the Scriptures. If you can't separate the Scripture, then how are you going to be able to receive this beautiful free gift that God offers to everyone.
No comments:
Post a Comment