Q.= Friend's Question. Page 2
A.= Editor's Answer.
Q.--- I have never heard this explained this way but we find Gentiles later on in the Acts that are in the church.
A.--- You are correct that Gentiles are mentioned later in the Acts and it is important to compare so we might discern if these people mentioned later are the one new man of Colossians 3:10-11.
Up to the tenth chapter of Acts, if a Gentile joined Israel’s church or God’s plan and purpose to Israel, they had to be circumcised and keep all the laws of Moses. God made a change with the apostle Peter at Acts ten whereby he allowed Gentiles to become one with Israel without circumcision.
The error goes on whereby it is erroneously taught here that the Gentiles became part of the new man ,church of Colossians 3:10-11, which is the present day church. We are supposed to believe a Gentile church began where no Gentiles, such as we, were present. Colossians 3:10-11 and that this occurrence at Acts ten refers back to Acts 2.
Men could not believe this unless there is a conspiracy by all main line churches to keep these untruths going on without any scriptural authority.
The apostle Peter will not allow this scenario to be taught as truth. He says at Acts 10:34-35 “of a truth I perceive that God is not a respecter of persons. But in every nation he that fearth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him. 36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ, He is Lord of all. This happened later than Acts 2 and cannot refer back to Acts 2.
Q.--- If I might interrupt you. It seems to me that right here the scripture teaches that God is not a respecter of persons and that God is speaking to Gentiles here.
A.--- Well, that is one thing we do agree on. Cornelius and his household were God fearing Gentiles. Again I must ask the question, “Are these Gentiles added to Israel’s church or is there a separate church of Colossians 3:10-11?
At Acts 10, God gives new direction to the apostle Peter which is different from what he was told at Matthew 10:5. “Go not into the way of the Gentiles or Samaritans but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Are these people added to the same church as Peter? That came from Old Testament time? Matthew 16:18 “And they say also unto thee, that thou art Peter and upon this rock ( or confession) I will build my church and gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The church or assembly that was Israel in the Old Testament and Matthew’s gospel, has Christ taking control of it.
We find the holy spirit in Hebrews showing us that this same church in Psalms 22:22 is the very one that we find in Hebrews 2:12.
Please note, Paul is quoting from Psalms when he says at verse 12 “Saying I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church (ekklesia) will I praise thee.
The holy spirit shows us that this church in Hebrews, this book written during Acts, is the same church of Psalms 22:22, where congregation is the Hebrew word Quahal, whereby it is changed to the Greek word ekklesia. This church in Hebrews is the same church of Psalms 22:22, THE CHURCH OF ISRAEL.
Q.--- I have never heard this before but please continue with this line of thought about the church.
A.--- Well, I would like to show that there is one church in Acts, the church of Israel. There is not a separate church made up of Gentiles without Jews but many Jews and a few Gentiles that have joined this church of Israel.
Let us visit Acts 10:36 again where the writer says “ The word which God sent unto the children of Israel.” This word was sent unto the children of Israel and God is allowing these Gentiles to hear Israel’s word.
Acts 11:1 says that the apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had received the word of God ( the word that belonged to Israel). If he accepted these Gentiles because they heard Israel’s word, where could he place them but in Israel’s church ? There is no new man here but the old man of Israel is pictured here.
Q.--- At Acts 13:26, it appears that God sent salvation to the Gentiles because the scripture says “whosoever among you feareth God to you is the word of this salvation sent.
A.--- This is true that these people received salvation but the question is , was it a salvation independent of Israel’s salvation? The writer explains this at Acts 13:23-24 “ of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus.” Christ was Israel’s savior and at this time not the Gentile’s savior.
He further explains at the twenty-fourth verse “When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. NOTICE; the baptism of repentance was to all the people of Israel and not to Gentiles.
Now we come to Acts 13:26 where we see a continuation of what God began with Peter at Acts 10:35, “But in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him.
Has God taken his salvation from Israel and sent it to Cornelius and his household? DEFINITELY NOT. Acts 10:36 tells us that “The word which God sent unto the children of Israel.” It is Israel’s word and the salvation is still to the Jews but God here has allowed these God fearing Gentiles to hear and join Israel’s church.
Here at Acts 13:26, we find it re-affirmed that “men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham and whosoever among you feareth God, to you was the word of this salvation sent.”
The children of Israel and some God fearing Gentiles are together within the church of Israel since God included them with Israel at Acts 10:35-36.
Q.--- Does not Acts 13:46 show us that God has turned his salvation to the Gentiles?
A.--- There are folks that use this verse as a foundation of their doctrine. Taking into consideration what God has done at Acts 10:34-36 ( whereby He allowed these God fearing Gentiles to become one with Israel ) . We must look at what this scripture means when it says "Lo, we turn to the Gentiles."
Was Paul saying God took His salvation away from Israel and was He beginning a new church made up of Gentiles? If this is true, then the context of Acts must show this.
If we notice at Acts 13:26, the holy spirit included the descendants of Abraham and the God fearing Gentiles together within this Jewish salvation.
Within this synagogue at Acts 13:42 a truth is taught that explains Acts 13:46. These Gentiles had already accepted Israel’s word and belonged to Israel’s church when they asked Paul to preach this same message that had been preached at Acts 10 of which Paul had preached at Acts 13:27-41. Acts 13:42 says “And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath
At the next Sabbath in the synagogue, Paul granted the request of these God fearing Gentiles of Acts 13:42.
Did he say the Jews could not hear this message? ABSOLUTELY NOT! When the Jews of the synagogue contradicted and blasphemed this message from Acts 10:34-36, Paul said, “ I am going to turn”(which means he turned his body to the right or the left ) and preached this message of Israel to the God fearing Gentiles. Apparently the synagogue was divided and Jews sat in one part and the God fearing Gentiles sat together apart from Israel. Since chapter thirteen doesn’t show us that a new church has begun separate from Israel, then we must check further for information that God has taken His salvation from Israel and extended it to the Gentiles.
This information comes quickly because the writer records at Acts 14:1 that Paul goes directly into the synagogue and speaks to the Jews. Apparently, Israel was not blinded or set aside at Acts 13:46 but continued all the way through the Acts period.
There is not one line of scriptural evidence that a Gentile church began that is independent and operating separate from the church of Israel.
Contrary to what organized religion teaches today, all Gentiles during the Acts period entered into the church of Israel.
Q.--- You make a very convincing argument so far but how do you explain Acts 14:27 where Paul opened up the door of faith unto the Gentiles?
A.--- For me to answer this question lets, first look at this verse at Acts 14:27-- in brief. “They rehearsed all that God had done with them and how he opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.”
In the first place, God, not the apostle Paul, opened up the door of faith to the Gentiles. Two questions need to be asked and answered about this verse of scripture.
The holy spirit answers these two questions at Acts 15. Paul and all the apostles met here at Jerusalem to settle the question of circumcision. There was quite a disagreement among some of them where some said the Gentiles should be circumcised and keep the law of Moses. Acts 15:5.
Acts 15:7: To answer these two questions, Peter rose up and said unto them “Men and brethren” ( this included Paul) “ ye know that a good while ago, God made choice among us” ( He chose Peter over Paul) “That the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe.”
God chose Peter, at Acts 10, over Paul and the others, to preach to these first Gentiles, THE WORD that was sent to Israel. Acts 10:34-37 THIS WORD was not a separate or a new word of salvation but Israel’s salvation message extended to the Gentiles without circumcision or keeping the law.
The faith of Acts 14:27 was the result of hearing Israel’s word of salvation . Acts 10:34-37, Whereby God used the apostle Peter to open the door of faith to the Gentiles including them with Israel. Acts 15:11
This faith carried them right through this open door into God’s plan and purpose for Israel.
Q.--- If Peter opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, what did Paul preach?
A.--- I’m very glad you asked this because it is overlooked or not known that Paul preached the very faith that began with Peter at Acts 10.
Note at Acts 15:11 Peter says “But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus we shall be saved even as they.” Paul says “through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,” whereas this grace is the grace of God first mentioned at Acts 11:23. And was preached by Paul beginning at Acts 13:16 extending through verse thirty-nine.
Paul tells some of the Jews and religious proselytes ( after hearing his message) to continue in the grace of God. According to scripture, Paul preached the grace of God and the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22, 19:8,20:25 and 28:23.
This grace of God began by Peter at Acts 10 will allow these Gentiles to enter the kingdom of God with the Jews. Acts 14:22.
Paul makes the statement at Galatians 1:23 that he preached the faith that he once tried to destroy. “But they heard only that he which persecuted us in times past now preached the faith which once he destroyed.” This faith was the result of hearing and believing Israel’s word of salvation.
Paul sums this up with his statement at Romans 15:27 “For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their ( Israel ) spiritual things their ( Israel) duty is also to minister unto them (Gentiles ) in carnal things.
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