WHY I CAN’T BE AN ACTS 28’ER (Part 2)

By: Bishop Albert B. Gran

There were roads of different paths where grace believers in our times are swayed by different religious positions and beliefs which had been taken in effect after narrow perception through which there’s having lacked of consideration to rightly dividing principle on the basis how God dispensed the truth of His will and wisdom from ages to ages. This part 2 studies denoting similar issue, greatly conforms to what was adhered from among many grace circles suffice as they supposed enough to find consolation and comfort by having that epitaph of branch form of knowledge in the grace movement.

Point of view 1: God’s purpose to Paul for the Body of Christ was not singled out to just one specific group of people, the Gentiles.

PURPOSE OF GOD FOR PAUL:

Acts 9: 11-15
 

¹¹ And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

¹² And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
¹³ Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
¹⁴ And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
¹⁵ But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name BEFORE the GENTILES, and KINGS, and the CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.

Ever since from the start of God’s mercy and grace given to Paul (2 Tim.1:11-17) God had purposed for him to be His chosen vessel before the Gentiles and Israel. Now, if the purpose of God for Paul after his conversion is to bear the name of both Jews and Gentiles without distinction, then what can we say about the Jews and Gentiles who were saved and inclined to the preaching of Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy , etc. during his Acts journey? If we also say that Paul’s ministry in the early Acts missionary journey appertains to the hope of Israel (as they implied not with the Gentiles as well for the ONE NEW MAN), why there were many other GENTILES in his time besought the preaching of Paul and how they appreciated his teachings teaching the Jews and Gentiles to forsake Moses and declare to them how CIRCUMCISION is no longer necessary?        

BEFORE ACTS 28 ACCOUNT WITH PAUL’S MINISTRY TO BOTH JEWS AND GENTILES:

Acts 13:41-43

King James Version (KJV)

⁴¹ Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
⁴² And when the JEWS were gone out of the synagogue, the GENTILES besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
⁴³ Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, PERSUADED THEM TO CONTINUE IN THE GRACE OF GOD.

Let’s take simple observation and assessment in the account of Paul’s missionary journey prior Acts 28 account. I would briefly appeal to your understanding, and let’s make observation, if it’s true, that Paul solely appeal to the Jews and Gentiles with the hope of Israel. As they claimed, he was bound to preach the hope of Israel and strongly imply that the entirety of His ministry prior Acts 28 was purely based on the hope of Israel, and thus, not qualify to be for the ONE NEW MAN or Body of Christ.

“PERSUADED THEM TO CONTINUE IN THE GRACE OF GOD”. Let’s attest the veracity of truth if indeed this statement was purely only for the HOPE OF ISRAEL as they claimed. The audience participation in the context of this passage speaks in wise for two groups of people WITHOUT DISTINCTION. How come the two-body theory emerged in their mind –setting after concluding  their sole "hope of Israel", as they thought, the preaching condition prior the account of Acts 28?

The audience relevance  (as in the context both Jews and Gentiles)denotes something without an implication of dividing the church to make “churches” or “bodies”of people and also stressed what church, how,  where, and which church they ascribe their membership AFTER THEY HEARD THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GRACE OF GOD delivered by Paul to them. Is the sole HOPE OF ISRAEL theory strengthens the idea that the saints who were saved before Acts 28 were not members of the ONE NEW MAN called the BODY OF CHRIST? Have they not known that the message of Paul here which is the grace of God is the newest message in consonance to the truth of the gospel preaching for salvation in this dispensation of grace? ( Read Acts 20:24) Let’s ask our Acts 28er friends if they thought there’s no existence of body of Christ prior Acts 28 account. If they thought there’s already a church where Paul was the bearer of this gospel, then let’s ask them if it’s only inclusive to Israel or with the Gentiles too? If they agreed that these Gentiles who besought Paul’s message were recipient of God’s salvation, then, are they not the same Gentiles who were also recipients of God’s message after Acts 28 accounts and the latter part following hereafter? Why there’s no mentioned about the hope of Israel when Paul delivered this gospel to both Jews and Gentiles instead he established the truth about the GRACE OF GOD? Do you beieve that Paul's declaration of His testimony prior Acts 28 scene was in view as CHRIST CRUCIFIED? As a soldier of God we need to become wise observer and keen to observe by posing such of these lengthy questions for our Acts 28er friends questioning their views and theories as the supposed claims .

Try to consider these things and the Lord will add more understanding in light with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God.

 I believed with strong conviction that there’s already equal message of Paul prior in his Acts 28 ministry with that of the message declared in his post-prison epistles which I considered unique from that of Peter’s gospel presentation. It declares about the mercifulness of God with His compassionate love and mercy for ALL the people may it JEWS AND GENTILES. After Paul’s conversion, they’re ALL IN ONE BODY, though it was gradually dealt by God up to the point of formation and making of THE ONE NEW MAN. Ask yourself if that “ONE NEW MAN” after it was conceived, as it was so, could be logically A MAN without undergoing CHILDHOOD? Could we also develop a theory to separate that which was in the childhood stage to the adult stage (man) in the process of our body’s growth? There’s only one body that grow and the fact of its growth underwent A PROCESS. The gradual operation of God to convey His wisest plan and wisdom is a process and it was significant when Paul undergo his receiving activity of the revelation of the mystery when Christ himself communicated to him directly.   

Acts 21:20-22

King James Version (KJV)

²⁰ And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:

²¹ And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
²² What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.

Ask yourselves: If Paul was preaching relevant to the hope of Israel in view of seeming status and standards for those who called themselves circumcision or Jews, and having received with an equal message of salvation, hope and destiny with those of the 12 disciples, (as the Acts 28er claimed) then why in this prior Acts 28 account Paul was charge of being against and violating the circumcision gospel as something that which was also accord in the law of Moses? Without presumption, we can find the truth that there’s really a strange, unique, and distinct gospel Paul had in his mouth when he communicated the truth of God’s word to his real and actual audience who were both Jews and Gentiles. This is really evident in this context. Take note, it happened before Acts 28. Could you clearly distinguish the fact to solidify your faith and make judgment that his Acts ministry is purely being emboldened to the hope of Israel without Moses’ circumcision?

So, what's your point?

(Next episode will be my next position pertaining to Acts 28 view)

Grace and peace to all!