As a follow up from the previous post, most Acts 2 and Mid Acts Dispensationalists say that Paul never preached the "Kingdom Gospel." My position as stated in the prior post is that Paul did preach elements of the Kingdom Gospel during his Acts ministry because God does not cast Israel aside until after Acts 28, thus Israel could still repent of unbelief and be graffed back in during the Acts period.
Romans 11:23 states, "And they (Israel) also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again."
Note that the verse above says God is able to graff unbelieving Israel back in again. This goes contrary to the Acts 2 and Mid Acts position that says Israel could not get the Kingdom after Acts 7 because of blaspheming the Holy Ghost. Before dying, Stephen prayed a prayer for Israel in Acts 7:55-60.
[55] But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly
into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right
hand of God,
[56] And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
[57] Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
[58]
And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid
down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
[59] And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
[60]
And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this
sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Stephen, as a Kingdom Saint, had the prayer promise of "ask and receive." His prayer in this passage was not outside of God's will as some claim, because verse 55 states he was full of the Holy Ghost when he prayed. There are actually some Mid Acts Dispensationalists that claim God did not answer this prayer even though Stephen had the prayer promise of "ask and receive." God answered the prayer, contrary to what some Mid Acts Dispensationalists teach, and held off on laying the sin of blasphemy to Israel until at least the end of Acts.
What about the Kingdom Gospel in Acts? Israel's Kingdom is certainly preached in Acts. Consider Acts 1:1-3. The Kingdom continued to be preached by Christ before he ascended in Acts. Note especially verse 3 below. This is certainly a reference to Israel's Kingdom.
[1] The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
[2]
Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy
Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
[3]
To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many
infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the
things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
Phillip also preached the Kingdom Gospel. Acts 8:12 states, "But when they believed Philip preaching the things
concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were
baptized, both men and women." All the Mid Acts people agree this is the Kingdom Gospel because water baptism followed belief.
The strangest thing happens with the Mid Acts people after Paul gets saved. All of a sudden the term "Kingdom of God" no longer refers to Israel's Kingdom but to some kingdom for the Body of Christ. This is done in light of all the prior references to the "Kingdom of God" in Acts as being defined as Israel's Kingdom. Note the following references to the "Kingdom" preached by Paul and every time the Mid Acts Dispensationalists make them apply to the Body of Christ?
Acts 14:22-Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Acts 19:8-And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
Acts 20:25-And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
Acts 28:23-28- [23] And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
[24] And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
[25] And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
[26] Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
[27] For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
[28] Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
[29] And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.
[30] And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
[31] Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
I will concede to the Mid Acts Dispensationalists for the sake of argument that maybe you can make the "Kingdom" in Acts 14, Acts 19, and Acts 20 apply to the Body of Christ. However, it will not work in Acts 28:23-31. The Kingdom in Acts 28:23 has to be Israel's Kingdom because Paul tells you he is basing his message about the Kingdom from the law of Moses and the prophets! The mystery concerning the one Body of Christ is not found in Moses or the Prophets, so that kingdom being preached in Acts 28:23 has to be Israel's Kingdom!
In conclusion, Paul did preach elements of the Kingdom Gospel in the book of Acts!
No comments:
Post a Comment