One of the first things I noticed was how different Paul's ministry was from the ministry of Christ's disciples. Acts 15 and Galatians 2 contain excellent insights into the differences. I wondered why Paul had to struggle so much to get the disciples to understand what he was doing. If they were doing the same thing, following the same plan, why didn't they get it without Paul having to argue and debate them into accepting the difference of his ministry to theirs? Why did the disciples have such a hard time accepting the Gentiles into their fold if Jesus had made it clear to them that was His plan all along?
I wondered why Paul decided to abandon water baptism early in his missionary travels. What would cause him to say "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel" when Christ told His disciples "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved" and Peter preached at Pentecost "Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins?" Paul dropped baptism and continued to "preach the gospel." Peter preached repentance and baptism "for the forgiveness of sins." God's Love and His forgiveness of humanity's sins "is" the Gospel. Something wasn't right. It didn't make sense that I found so many differences between Paul's Gospel and the Gospel the disciples preached and practiced.
Dr. Ryrie came close to the solution in his book. Here's what he wrote under the section about "The Dispensation of Grace."
Charles Caldwell Ryrie, "Dispensationalism Today", Moody Press, 1965
The step Dr. Ryrie did not take in his book was that the Apostle Paul was "the" agent of the revelation of the Grace of God for this Dispensation. Peter, James, John and other disciples of Christ did not introduce the Mystery of Grace. They were not Apostles of the Body of Christ. Their message was about the Messianic Kingdom and the culmination of Old Testament prophecy. Paul's message was about the World-wide Body of Believers, the Church and the revelation of the Mystery. That's why Paul called his message "my Gospel." He wasn't being egotistic. He was simply pointing out that His Gospel was a particular message God had given to him.
Christ chose 12 of His disciples to be Apostles. They had to meet certain requirements to be one of the 12. The reason He chose 12 was because they would sit on thrones in Christ's Kingdom and judge the 12 tribes of Israel (Luke 22:29-30). The Apostles had to follow prescribed guidelines when selecting someone to take the place of Judas.
Acts 1:23-26
Christ revealed to the Apostle John the importance of the "new" 12 in His Kingdom.
Revelation 21:9-14
Notice that the foundations of the Heavenly Jerusalem had the names of the "twelve" apostles of the Lamb, not the "thirteen" apostles. Since Matthias was the 12th apostle, what place does Paul have in the Heavenly City? If his Gospel and ministry was the "same" as the 12 Apostles, why was he left out?
Simple. Paul did not fit the requirements to be a Kingdom Apostle of Christ. Paul had not been with the other Apostles "the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out" among them. Paul was not with the other Apostles "beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up" from them. Paul was not "a witness" with them of Christ's Resurrection. Paul didn't qualify as a Kingdom Apostle.
Paul never claimed to be one of Christ's original apostles. Paul spoke about "the twelve" as a group separate from himself.
1 Corinthians 15:3-5
Paul was not one of "the twelve." He knew that his Gospel and his ministry were different from that exclusive group. So, where does Paul fit? What requirements did he meet? Paul met the "secret" requirements of Christ. Paul's salvation and Gospel were a "mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God." Paul taught that Gentiles could be saved without obeying the Mosaic Law, without being circumcised and baptized in water. His was a "different" ministry.
A good book to add to your collection on dispensationalism is "Things That Differ: The Fundamentals of Dispensationalism" by C.R. Stam. I think you will find it revealing and eye-opening. It deals with all of the questions you've raised.
Here is a list of books to help you in your search about the Truth of Dispensationalism. You can find ways to order these books at Grace Gospel Ministries.
This is just a short list of great books about Dispensationalism. They will lead you to more. I encourage you in your search! Keep looking, thinking, comparing, dividing and praying. God will show you His Answers to your questions.
"The Apostle Paul was principally, though not exclusively, the agent of the revelation of the grace of God for this dispensation. Christ Himself brought the grace of God to mankind in His incarnation (Titus 2:11), but Paul was the one who expounded it."
"Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection. So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, 'Lord, you know everyone's heart. show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.' Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles."
"Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.' And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God...It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel...The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb."
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve."
You might spend some time with your young people in a Bible study about
Friendship Evangelism. You could study about how God's Love made their
lives so much better and how it can do the same thing for the people they
love most: their friends and family. The disciples of Christ reached out to
their friends and family. Paul reached out to his friends and family.
Ministry to friends and family is biblical and exciting.
Young people need help in directing their time and energy (so do many
older adults). You can help them focus on what is a fantastic use of their
time and energy. Friendship Evangelism is a challenge to live the Grace
Life before their friends. It's a challenge to be real and not phony.
Christ becomes strong to our friends in our weakness as we depend on Christ
for everything. We can be real with our friends. Friends know when we're
being real and when we're being phony. Young people want to believe
they're being real. Friendship Evangelism is the opportunity to do just
that.
Enthusiasm and excitement for something come from passion. We need
Christians who have a passion for Christ, for each other, for their friends
and for the masses of the world. The world's a pretty big place, but it
gets smaller when we introduce our friends to Christ. Our friends reach out
to their friends and their friends reach out to their friends who reach out
to their friends. Before we know it, the world is smaller. More and more
people are coming to Christ. We have more friends than ever before because
every Christian is a friend.
Enthusiasm comes from the top. It begins with you and me. Leaders have to
be enthusiastic. If we're enthusiastic, the people who follow us will be
enthusiastic.
Enthusiasm also draws the enemy like honey draws a fly. Satan doesn't
want you and your young people to become excited about sharing Christ
through natural means. He wants to keep things formal and uptight. God
wants us to share our Faith in an informal and relaxed manner. Keep your
eyes open for Satan's opposition.
The Book of Hebrews was written to Jews to explain that Christ's Sacrifice
was once for all.
Hebrews 10:1-7, 11-14
Tribulation saints will come to Christ "by the blood of Jesus, by a new and
living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body." Hebrews
10:19-20
"The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the
realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices
repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to
worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the
worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would not longer have
felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of
sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take
away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: 'Sacrifice
and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt
offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I
am--it is written about me in the scroll--I have come to do your will, O
God.'' ... Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious
duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take
away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for
sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for
his enemies to be made a footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made
perfect forever those who are being made holy."
The Bible is exhaustive about the ministry of reconciliation Christ has given His children of faith. The Bible teaches us many lessons about how we should live and deal with others. Part of loving our neighbors as ourself is having mercy on people and caring deeply about their total life. If we care for only a part of a person's life
(physical or emotional or spiritual), we are not really loving that person.
We show our "Love" for our neighbor when we express interest and concern
for "every" part of their life. That means we care about them physically and
emotionally and spiritually. Are they hungry? Then feed them. Are they
naked? Then clothe them. Are they homeless? Then shelter them. Are they
sick? Then treat them. Are they unsaved? Then evangelize them. "Friendship
evangelism" is when we treat the "whole" person. We may begin by treating
the physical and emotional needs, but we will eventually want to treat the
spiritual needs because we know those are the eternal needs.
I do not believe that being able to witness as a condition prior to
rendering physical assistance is a Biblical position. Christ is our Supreme
Example of ministry. He fed people, healed people, soothed people,
comforted people and preached to people. He did what was appropriate in
each situation. Christ also told those people He could give them "living water" so they would never thirst again. Christ told people He was the "bread of life" and that whoever believed in Him would never go hungry and never be thirsty. He met their immediate physical needs, but He also told them how He could meet their long-term spiritual needs. We should follow His Example. We may have to begin slowly with some people and prove our love before they will allow us to speak to them of spiritual things, but that shouldn't be a condition before we meet their physical needs. God
will always make a way.
The problem began with sin. It wharped our minds and hearts. It made us think backwards and upside down. What was right became wrong. What was straight became crooked. Humans don't have the spiritual ability to know up from down and in from out. We're all confused.
It started when the one human being who did know right from wrong, up from down and in from out made a bad decision. Adam chose to disobey God. That one action threw the physical world upside down. People age and die today because of Adam's sin. People have pain because of Adam's sin. Animals kill each other and humans because of Adam's sin. The ground has thorns and thistles because of Adam's sin. People suffer because of Adam's sin. Creation groans because of Adam's sin. Humans are born into sin because of Adam's sin. People die in their sins and spend eternity in Hell because of Adam's sin.
Our sense of justice wouldn't handle disobedience that way. We don't see why God would react to disobedience with such severity. We don't understand it, but that's the way it is.
We can't understand it until we grasp the Holiness, Glory and Righteousness of God. We can't understand those spiritual realities because we're dead in tresspasses and sins. We can't see the truth until we "know" the Truth. Before I was saved I thought the idea of a Righteous God punishing people for their sins was ridiculous. After I was saved the idea made perfect sense.
God Who is Holy has Righteous Standards. We can't meet them because we are dead in our sins. We can't earn them. We can't deserve them. So, how do we meet God's Standards? We don't. Christ does. He is the only Perfect Person. He is Righteous and became our Righteousness.
Romans 3:22-26
God is Patient. He does not punish us for our sins now. He allows us an entire lifetime to believe in Christ. If reject His offer of Love and Mercy, Grace and Forgiveness during our lives, then He will punish us for our sins after we die. How many people do you know who give someone an lifetime to believe what they say? I'd say God is quite generous. He has given the human race a Great and Wonderful Gift!
Romans 5:12-21
None of us has to burn for eternity in unimaginable torture. God has made a Way for us to spend eternity in unimaginable pleasure. Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Believe on Him and you will have Eternal Life. If you have believed in Him, you know what it is to experience forgiveness, life and joy. If you haven't, you can do that right now. It's as simple as talking to God. Confess your sinfulness to God, ask Him to forgive you and receive His Gift of Eternal Life through faith in Jesus Christ. Share that messge with your family and friends so they will also know the Righteousness and Justice of God.
"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished--he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus."
"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned--for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through the one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
We can obey or disobey God's Will for our lives. God will guide us and steer us throughout our lives toward doing the right thing in every matter of life, but the decision to obey is ultimately ours. I believe in the power of prayer and have seen amazing things happen because of it. But I have also seen Christians waste their lives by not listening to God. They go their own way, doing their own will instead of what God had for them.
Another thing to consider is how you know what God's will is for another person. Is what you want to happen in someone else's life what God wants or what you want? We must be careful not to get the two confused. We can want something so much that we believe it must be God's will. Maybe it is or maybe it isn't. We need to pull ourselves away from emotional situations where we can objectively pray that God's Will be done whether it benefits us or not. That's tough to do, especially when matters of the heart are involved.
Sometimes it's simply a matter of time. We have discerned God's will correctly and we wait for other people to act accordingly. Sometime's it's a matter of accepting that God's will about something is not the way we'd like it to happen, but agreeing that God Knows Best. Whatever God knows is best is best. It will work out better than anything we could have designed. We accept that and rejoice that God is working out His will in matters that affect us and others about whom we care.
I recommed you spend time reading about the lives of individuals in the Bible and see how they dealt with God's will for them and others around them. You will see a pattern throughout the Bible that will become a guide for your life. Make sure you spend plenty of time in Paul's letters since he is the Apostle for the Age of Grace, the Dispensation you and I live in today.
Taking God's Grace to the World!
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"Some Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers."
Last Updated: 12/20/1999