Month: June 2023 - Grace Panorama

HEALING AND MIRACLES:

THESE ARE NOT PERFORMED

IN ACTS AMONG REGULAR MEMBERS

OF THE APOSTOLIC ASSEMBLIES!

PART IV

JAN LILLEBY

In the first article (3 Parts) in this series, we learned that all reported healings and miracles – without exception – were performed by God at the hands of, and the ministries of the apostles.

This remains a non-negotiable Biblical historical fact.

What I am now about to hold forth, should already have been the conclusion made by each and every reader of the first article: If it is so that Acts’ healings and miracles were performed by God at the ministries of the apostles and their helpers/church leaders/elders/, then we must also conclude firmly that, since we do not have any apostles or otherwise inspired personally chosen servants of God and Christ in our time, - healings and miracles cannot possibly be performed in this dispensation of the church, the Body of Christ.

It has been, and it still is – a substantial misunderstanding inside of Christendom; the misconception of God performing miracles every now and then…even if a majority of Christians are convinced that we have no such apostolic authorities among us in our time. The idea of God still performing miracles, but without any real apostle involved, is a collision – a crash!

There can be no doubt, compared to Biblical historic writings (Acts being one of those), that since we have no God-chosen inspired apostles among us, there is no possibility of God performing any kind of miraculous healings and things pertaining to this.

In Acts period it took an apostle, one or several, to have God perform miraculous healings. It’s been proven already in my first article.

There are no proofs of regular private believers in Acts who eventually received a miracle/healing as an answer of his own private prayers. Not one.

All healings were done by God’s elect servants, the apostles.

HERETIC MOVEMENTS PLAGUEING CHISTIANITY

There have always been lying and fraudulent preachers trying to convince the public of their ‘ministries’.

The well known ‘Azusa Street’ revival in 1906-1913, resulting in the start of the Pentecostal Movement. Followed by a lot of same kind of fraud, such as ‘Latter Rain Movement’, The ‘Healing Movement’ (Oral Roberts, William Branham, T.L. Osborn, A.A. Allen and others) in the 1950’s to late 1960’s, - followed by ‘Word of Faith’ the so-called ‘Prosperity Movement’, and then the Toronto Revival, and variables of this, until our time when we have the infamous ‘New Apostolic Reformation’. It has already gotten over twenty years old.

These (NAR) believers try to convince the world that they are God’s new modern time apostles, with the same power and miracles as the first apostles.

But we cannot see, after more than twenty years in business, even one singular ‘miracle’ having taken place by any of those imposters.

It all started as C. Peter Wagner went along and declared that a ‘New Apostolic Reformation’ had started – in 2001 if I remember right. He propagated among other things the so-called ‘Dominion Theology’ – that this movement and its ‘apostles’ had been given power and authority over all demonic spirituality and could therefore defeat Satan. Pastor Bill Johnson of Bethel Church, Reading, as well as Kenneth Copeland, ‘Eagle Mountain Church’ Newark, Texas, (disciple of Kenneth Hagin Sr.) and many other infamous faith-healers, now let their ministries be identified as a part of NAR.

Lying, and fantasizing of themselves as ‘God’s chosen apostles’ is not enough to make these real apostles. That is for sure. There hasn’t been one single miracle performed by any one of these, as I mentioned! Instead, they have made themselves look like a bunch of childish spiritual clowns.

I could not foretell to you what will eventually be the next new maniacal fabrication of any ‘movement’ coming on stage. This craze among certain believers seems to never be ending….but one day it will end.

In the meanwhile, let us not be deceived by such humanly fabricated ‘movements’ – but rather stand firm on God’s word as it was given to us by Paul the apostle to the Gentiles.

Especially by his faith doctrine in Ephesians and Colossians, the two arch-epistles to the Church dispensation.

Eph. 4:30 says, AMP Bible Web version,

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [but seek to please Him], by whom you were sealed and marked [branded as God’s own] for the day of redemption [the final deliverance from the consequences of sin].”

THE 12 APOSTLES:

WERE SENT ONLY TO ISRAEL!

JAN LILLEBY

Did you know that neither Peter, nor any of the other eleven apostles, ever conducted a so-called ‘World-Wide Mission’?

Someone of you might cry out a protest: ‘But how about the Great Commission in Mat. 28:19, 20: (AMP web version)

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.”

(At this point I will recommend to you my separate article on the Great Commission found here in my site. It is explaining in details these things).

But put shortly, I will remind the reader of a series of key passages in this topic:

Matthew 28 and the Great Commission have been very lacking in its translation in most Bibles. It should better have been translated - ‘Go therefore and make disciples of Jews from all nations, baptizing them…”.

We are noticing that Jesus never said, ‘Go make disciples all over the global world, in every nation on earth, globally…’ – no, in error that is an impression coming from the expression ‘Of all the nations’.

But that expression, ‘Of all the nations’ – was at that time Jesus’ words of the Jews, and we can see in Scripture that God had already pre-arranged it all: Every year there was going to be a Holy Feast called ‘Pentecost’ as ordained in the Law of Moses for Israel. Fifty days after Passover, the nation should celebrate Pentecost. One of the eight Holy Feast days ordained by God for Israel (including the weekly Sabbath). And for this feast Jerusalem was the place to come together for this celebration. Acts 2:5-11 says it all,

5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout and God-fearing men from every nation under heaven.

6And when this sound was heard, a crowd gathered, and they were bewildered because each one was hearing those in the upper room speaking in his own language or dialect.

7They were completely astonished, saying, “Look! Are not all of these who are speaking Galileans?

8Then how is it that each of us hears in our own language or native dialect?

9[Among us there are] Parthians, Medes and Elamites, and people of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia [Minor],

10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and the visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes (Gentile converts to Judaism),

11Cretans and Arabs—we all hear them speaking in our [native] tongues about the mighty works of God!”

JEWS FROM JUST ABOUT THE ENTIRE ROMAN EMPIRE was gathered in Jerusalem it says, due to this Holy Feast of Pentecost. Jesus, as He bade His disciples to preach the Gospel (of the Kingdom of God on earth, ref. Acts 1:3), had this narrative in mind. They were to go preaching it to these Jews who had come for the Pentecost celebration – in Jerusalem and Judea.

Luke 24:46-49,

“..and said, “And so it is written, that the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,

47and that repentance [necessary] for forgiveness of sins would be preached in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

48You are witnesses of these things.

49“Listen carefully: I am sending the Promise of My Father [the Holy Spirit] upon you; but you are to remain in the city [of Jerusalem] until you are clothed (fully equipped) with power from on high.”

Wrong conclusions are made by many, reading that Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem until they were empowered by The Holy Spirit for the ministry. Thus implying that they would leave off for the ‘World-Wide’ mission as soon as they had been given the power promised. But we shall learn that this is not so.

Mark 16:15, 16,

“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

16He who has believed [in Me] and has been baptized will be saved [from the penalty of God’s wrath and judgment]; but he who has not believed will be condemned.”

The expression ‘All the World’ and ‘All Creation’ comes from Greek cosmos. That word can mean several things, such as land, nation, city, earth, universe, the creation. The context is what decides which word to use. In Greek, context is always extremely important. Thus, Jesus said ‘Go out into all of cosmos Israel’ – and not in the meaning of the whole world and so forth. To those in the days of the disciples/apostles, their world was not all nations in existence, but it was the nation of Israel. Only Israel was promised a millennial Kingdom on earth with Messiah on the throne, Jesus. This is emphasized much in what John tells,

John 21:15-17,

“So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these [others do—with total commitment and devotion]?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Feed My lambs.”

16Again He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with total commitment and devotion]?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”

17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with a deep, personal affection for Me, as for a close friend]?” Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Do you [really] love Me [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend]?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.»

First thing we notice is that there is no Great Commission here! But – it is ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ – Jesus bade Peter to care for His lambs and sheep. Who were they?

The answer is laid out for us in Mat. 15:24,

“He answered, “I was commissioned by God and sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

The twelve apostles were only sent to the house of Israel. The twelve continued what Jesus had started before He died. Peter was told by Jesus to go and shepherd and feed His sheep, the house of Israel. The lost sheep of Israel. Feed My lambs. Shepherd My sheep. Feed My sheep.

Peter and the eleven were never commissioned to go outside of Israel to preach. So to care like this for the sheep and lambs of Israel – the entire nation was likened with those – meant that they had to be present there, inside that nation, for that was where those sheep lived. Going outside of the ‘Sheep herd’ would be to fail the sheep, and the wolves would come for them!

This is also totally in line with Acts history.

Later on, (Acts 9), Jesus called Paul to go into the dispersion, outside of Israel, and preach what Peter and the eleven did inside Israel. Paul was to reach out to Jews who had not heard it, due to the fact that they had not been in Jerusalem that day of Pentecost in Acts 2. These were the ones living in the eastern parts of the empire.

Thus we learn that Peter’s ministry was not entirely the same as Paul’s,

Gal. 2:7, 8,

“But on the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised (Gentiles), just as Peter had been [entrusted to proclaim the gospel] to the circumcised (Jews);

8(for He who worked effectively for Peter and empowered him in his ministry to the Jews also worked effectively for me and empowered me in my ministry to the Gentiles).”

Peter should just minister inside of Israel’s land, but Paul and his helpers should go to those in the dispersion. To Jews, proselytes and kings, Acts 9:15. Peter was to preach to the circumcised (Jews)…and to a few proselytes, those in Cornelius’ house seen in Acts 10.

Acts 10 was 8-9 years after Pentecost in Acts 2, and clearly proves to us that he NEVER had any spiritual/social relations with Gentiles whatsoever. He had fellowship with Jews only, its non-negotiable Bible truth!

The Lord had to persuade Peter to go to Cornelius at Caesarea, by giving him a vision when he was with Simon in Jaffa. The vision came as Peter was in prayer,

Acts 10:9-16,

“The next day, as they were on their way and were approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof of the house about the sixth hour (noon) to pray,

10but he became hungry and wanted something to eat. While the meal was being prepared he fell into a trance;

11and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet descending, lowered by its four corners to the earth,

12and it contained all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. 13A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!”

14But Peter said, “Not at all, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common (unholy) and [ceremonially] unclean.”

15And the voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed and pronounced clean, no longer consider common (unholy).”

16This happened three times, and then immediately the object was taken up into heaven.”

Peter understood that this was about Gentiles – in the image of animals which were considered forbidden in the Law of Moses, and thus unclean. He told the Lord that he had never eaten any unclean foods (Gentiles were held as unclean, and was forbidden access to the temple area).

And by this incident told, we have Peter’s own words telling us that he never was sent to Gentiles, to preach/teach, and never to keep fellowship with them in any way. He was correctly ‘classified’ by Paul in Gal. 2:7, 8 as one who was only sent to the circumcised, which was Israel of course.

But he chose to obey the Lord and so he went to Cornelius to preach.

We notice that this was a ‘One Off’ – and did not alter Peter’s ministry in any way.

Acts 11:19-21 witnesses about this, - they only went preaching to Jews…and a few men from Cyprus and Cyrene:

“So then [since they were unaware of these developments] those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with [the stoning of] Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, without telling the message [of salvation through Christ] to anyone except Jews.

20But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks as well, proclaiming [to them] the good news about the Lord Jesus.

21And the hand (the power and presence) of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord [for salvation, accepting and drawing near to Jesus as Messiah and Savior].”

Peter’s fellowship in company of Gentiles (historians calculate some 40 guests in Cornelius’ house) provoked the other apostles and brethren in Jerusalem – and they were so totally surprised and astonished that they demanded an explanation. So Peter told them all of it, in details,

Acts 11:1-4,

“Now the apostles and the believers who were throughout Judea heard [with astonishment] that the Gentiles also had received and accepted the word of God [the message concerning salvation through Christ].

2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision [certain Jewish believers who followed the Law] took issue with him [for violating Jewish customs],

3saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and [even] ate with them!”

4But Peter began [at the beginning] and explained [the events] to them step by step, saying…”.

There is no doubt about it, for Peter and the eleven stayed inside of Israel’s land where they ministered by preaching the Kingdom Gospel to them. What did they do, or rather – where had they been all these 8-9 years since Pentecost in Acts 2?

The answer to this is written straight forward and openly for all to understand, Acts 5:12-16,

“At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders (attesting miracles) were continually taking place among the people. And by common consent they all met together [at the temple] in [the covered porch called] Solomon’s portico. See image.

13But none of the rest [of the people, the non-believers] dared to associate with them; however, the people were holding them in high esteem and were speaking highly of them.

14More and more believers in the Lord, crowds of men and women, were constantly being added to their number,

15to such an extent that they even carried their sick out into the streets and put them on cots and sleeping pads, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on one of them [with healing power].

16And the people from the towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing the sick and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all being healed.”

The scenario described in Acts 5:12-16 were probably such things that took place not necessarily every day all the year around, but rather it occurred when there was a Holy Feast day, for instance Passover or Pentecost. Then it was always a multitude of visiting Jews in addition to the local residents, making a total of several thousands of people in Jerusalem. Like it was in Acts 2 and Pentecost, ‘Jews from all nations’ attended the feast. (Acts 2:5). Thus Peter and the eleven could keep on with what Jesus had commissioned them to do – preaching the Kingdom Gospel and healing the sick and afflicted. Peter telling them that Jesus would come from heaven the very same time He found that Israel had repented as a nation, Acts 3:19-21.

Notice my emphasize of Acts 5:12 in blue: The apostles usually were ALL present in the temple, at the portico of Solomon. They gathered there through most feasts in these 8-9 years that had passed since Pentecost in Acts 2.

The twelve could not appear at ‘two places at a time’ – could they?

If they had been meant to go out into the entire world, and all nations on earth, - how was it that the Bible says otherwise – they were always to be found in the temple, in Jerusalem. Thus we know for certain that the twelve never went world-wide in ministry.

But there was one man in particular whom God chose to send out into other nations with the Gospel, namely Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles.

Without Paul and his enormous efforts in ministry to us Gentiles, that which we now know as the free Grace Gospel – it is for sure anticipated by Bible historians and theologians that Peter and the twelve’s efforts would, by the centuries passing, go into the fog of forgotten history; just a minor Jewish sect who suffered under the fall of Israel and their destruction by the Romans.

It was Paul, not Peter and the eleven who brought the Gospel of salvation to the world.

This Gospel is found in Ephesians and Colossians only.

Eph. 2:8, 9 is a most elegant and true phrase we like to repeat to ourselves:

“For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God;

9not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].”

Gracepano.com

BULLINGER AND ME

JAN LILLEBY

What impression have I got of Ethelbert William Bullinger, the ‘Father’ of the modern ‘Acts-28’ Bible interpretation framework?

This question can only be asked as pure rhetorical in nature. Because I could only have genuine impressions of Dr. Bullinger if we both were alive and knew each other well in life. He died in 1913 at the age of seventy five.

Our knowledge can only be had from what is written of him, and by him. Some has written bad things of him, but many has appreciated his extensive Bible based works. Bullinger has not gone unnoticed in history!

Even if many a writer has done much work on Bullinger and his immense influence on how we should read the Holy Bible, these many writers are – as we speak – still writing. At least we can see this checking out Wikipedia TALK dept. I personally do not engage into working with the Wikipedia. But it is a very useful tool to gain knowledge in certain issues.

I went to the website for Bullinger’s books (ewbullingerbooks.com) and zizzored this short info paragraph, which is a good starter for those who want to learn a bit regarding Bullinger, (editor has added photo of Kings College) -

“Ethelbert William Bullinger was born December 15th in Canterbury, Kent, England. He was the youngest of five children of William and Mary (Bent) Bullinger. His family traced their ancestry back to Heinrich Bullinger, the Swiss Reformer, a covenant theologian. His father succeeded Zwingli in Zurich in December of 1531.

Being educated at King’s College, London, he was a recognized scholar in the field of biblical languages. The Archbishop of Canterbury granted him an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 1881 in recognition of his biblical scholarship. After graduation, on October 15, 1861, he married Emma Dobson, thirteen years his senior. Bullinger’s friends included well-known Zionist Dr. Theodor Herzl. This was a personal friendship, but accorded with Bullinger’s belief in a Biblical distinction between the Church and the Jewish People.

Dr. E W Bullinger believed in and taught the pretribulation, premillennial rapture. He is considered an untradispensationalist. This was because he taught that the gospels and Acts were under the dispensation of law. He further taught the church actually began at Paul’s ministry after Acts 28:28.

His three major works were:

A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament (1877)
Figures of Speech Used in the Bible (1898)
Primary editor of The Companion Bible.

As an interesting side note: Bullinger was also a practiced musician. As part of his support for the Breton Mission, he collected and harmonized several previously untranscribed Breton hymns on his visits to Trémel, Brittany.”

BULLINGERS IMMENSE INFLUENCE

It is to me evident that Bullinger’s influence can be compared to that of Elvis Presley! I heard it said of Elvis, that he sold more records AFTER he died than when he still was alive. (I guess you understand this very dry joke?)

Bullinger has become more and more influential as a Bible teacher after his death. For believers in Christ have taken his writings serious and expanded upon these. I am one of them. His ‘Companion Bible’ is available to all.

It is clear to all that Bullinger was not perfect or in any manner to be compared to any of the apostles of the Bible story. He was an Anglican clergyman, well respected, and much and well educated in languages in particular. Mainly Biblical Greek. Which caused the Archbishop of Canterbury to honor him with the ‘Doctor of Divinity’ degree in 1881.

E. W. Bullinger can be looked upon as one who ‘Opened the Gates’ for a fuller understanding of the Holy Bible.

He was the first known minister who held forth in public the Bible truth, of Acts 28 as the boundary for when the Church dispensation started, and the dispensation of Law ended.

WHAT HAVE I GOT TO DO WITH IT?

Bullinger, as told in Wikipedia, as well as here in the excerpt from the web, once taught that the Church would be ‘Raptured’ before the Great Tribulation (see 1 Thes. 4 ff). But I have come to another conclusion on the Rapture-issue: This scenario could only be possible if Jesus’ Second Advent occurred in Acts period. See my article on this, here on my website. Rev. 20:4 dismisses the ‘Rapture’ entirely, for we only find resurrection mentioned of the saints to enter the millennial reign with Christ for a thousand years! PHOTO: Me – portrait taken in 2017.

Likewise, I disagree with Bullinger’s classification on the epistles of Paul.

He classified Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Titus, 1 Tim, and 2 Tim as written post-Acts, thus putting them as Church epistles for our time.

I (and several other Bible teachers) classifies ONLY Ephesians and Colossians as Church epistles, plus the non-doctrinal one to Philemon. The four others were written during Acts, and are thus Acts-epistles. Only Ephesians and Colossians mention, A: The Mystery revealed. B: The abolishment of the Law of Moses. See my articles on this in my website. I have dealt with Philippians, Titus, and 1 & 2 Timothy in separate articles.

Had Bullinger been alive today, I would not have been surprised if he would have altered his views on his classification. One can only speculate.

CONCLUSION

None of us are perfect in any way. We can fail in many things. But yet, there seem to me that God has made it so that at least we get hold of the Biblical things WHICH COMES MOST IMPORTANT to a Christian believer.

It pays off to study the Bible, and to take in whatever changes one have to make accordingly.

I come from a spiritual background in the Pentecostal movement. I happened also, unfortunately, to sidestep into ‘Word of Faith’ spheres, but finally I got awakened when I discovered the importance of the ministry of the apostle Paul. First I came into Mid-Acts beliefs, but shortly after I discovered the Acts-28 interpretation frame, which to my mind is the correct frame for interpreting the Bible. My website was started in 2004 as a result of this discovery of Bible truths.

E. W. Bullinger, a former vicar in the Church of England under the Archbishop of Canterbury, in his time, opened the gates for greater and better understanding of the Bible. In particular, the right division of The New Testament scriptures.

Thank God for having given Bullinger such advice and insight in the Bible.

WHERE IS YOUR LOYALTY:

CHURCH MEMBERSHIP OR GOD’S WORD?

JAN LILLEBY

I THINK I CAN TELL with considerable certainty, that when a regular Church member (eventually a sect/cult member) is facing the choice of either sticking to the membership or to rather follow the Word of God, the Holy Bible rightly divided, he most often fall into the wrong choice: Membership over the Bible truths! Am I too harsh here now? Hardly so.

It is now 2023, and I started my website and teaching of ‘Acts-28’ beliefs in the winter of 2004 – as I left my church membership behind, that of a typical ‘Word of Faith’ assembly in my hometown Tonsberg, Norway. I couldn’t go along anymore with all the heretic practices and teaching of that sect. Instead I was so fortunate as to come over some info on Acts-28 (via first the Mid-Acts beliefs), which I found so revealing and right that I took on a more thorough study in this Bible truth. The Church dispensation started NOT with Pentecost in Acts 2, but after the closing of the Book of Acts, 62-63 CE.

From that time on, I used my website to correcting heretical doctrine – and at the same instance pointing to what the correct Bible truth would be. It is not enough just to say to someone: Hey, you are wrong! We must be so polite as to also tell them what the right thing would be. We act simply just like we read of Priscilla and Aquila in Acts 18:24-26 – guiding the fresh convert Apollos in the understanding of Scripture, (AMP Bible on the Web)

“Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent and cultured man, and well versed in the [Hebrew] Scriptures.

25This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and being spiritually impassioned, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things about Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John;

26and he began to speak boldly and fearlessly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained more accurately to him the way of God [and the full story of the life of Christ].

27And when Apollos wanted to go across to Achaia (southern Greece), the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples, [urging them] to welcome him gladly. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who, through grace, had believed and had followed Jesus as Lord and Savior,

28for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public discussions, proving by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).”

Notice: The couple found it necessary to correct (guide him) Apollos regarding what seemed to have been not a big issue, namely the water baptism. Apollos knew only of the ministry of John the Baptist. They did not condemn him for this lack of knowledge, but told him the full story of how things now were in order and in God’s will. This incident had two sides to it: ONE: Apollos was corrected and kept ‘up to date’ on the Gospel in the time of Acts. TWO: Apollos (unlike most of modern times’ stubborn Christians) ACCEPTED THE CORRECTIONS, he did not object and started any dispute. He did exactly what God would want ALL CHRISTIANS to do, - which is listening to sound Biblical instruction and correction when that is in order. And then go on with preaching/teaching – including this ‘New revelation’.

In the time of Acts, water baptism was in order to all believers in Christ – and the apostles carried on baptizing the converts accordingly. In our time, we have been ‘updated and corrected’ by Paul, our apostle, to let go of the water rite. Now it is just ‘One baptism’ Eph. 4:5 – and it is no longer water baptism, but we are baptized into the death of Christ, as we come to faith, likened with circumcision done not with human hand, but by God, Col. 2:11-13,

“In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, but by the [spiritual] circumcision of Christ in the stripping off of the body of the flesh [the sinful carnal nature],

12having been buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him [to a new life] through [your] faith in the working of God, [as displayed] when He raised Christ from the dead.

13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (worldliness, manner of life), God made you alive together with Christ, having [freely] forgiven us all our sins”.

This quotation is but a small portion of what Paul actually ‘corrected’ his present day believers with. It was no longer as it had been in Acts period, with water baptism and other issues, - because of changes in God’s rule of dispensations (Greek, oikonomia) such ordinances had been annulled in the same instance that God had annulled the Law of Moses with its commandments and ordinances, Col. 2:14. Christ had taken the entire Law with Him at the cross, crucifying it with Himself, and thus blotting the Law out of existence. Only, it had been kept a secret in the time of Acts, but revealed to Paul post-Acts as he sat in jail in Rome 63 CE, writing Ephesians and Colossians.

Where do you have your loyalty…with the Word of God or with the membership you so helplessly stick to?

I chose to go with the Word of God, delivered to us Gentiles by God’s elect apostle for us, Paul. He is our Headmaster at the Campus, he was ordained by Christ to tell us Gentiles what regards salvation by faith alone, no works. Eph. 2:8, 9 is an essence of this salvation by faith, God’s unmerited favor,

9not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].”

Should we then resist the Pauline corrections of doctrine, or should we go with him and preach it accordingly?

The answer comes easy; of course we go with Paul, …for crying out loud!!

We cannot keep on with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - and with Acts. That was only for Israel in the time of the twelve apostles plus Paul, the thirteenth one. The cause was to have Israel repent and accept Jesus as Messiah so God could send Him from heaven in their own life time. The millennial Kingdom in Israel was the focus of this early apostolic mission.

THE SPIRITUAL ‘ATOM BOMB’ OF GOD

ABOLISHING THE LAW OF MOSES!

Here we come to the most bone shaking spiritual earthquake in Bible history:

Paul had the Law of Moses annulled, abolished, blotted out, littered…as he was given by God to reveal a hidden secret, like he tells in Eph. 2:14, 15; 3:1-9 and Col. 1:25, 26 – of which the abolishing of the Law was a part…AMP Bible,

“For He Himself is our peace and our bond of unity. He who made both groups—[Jews and Gentiles]—into one body and broke down the barrier, the dividing wall [of spiritual antagonism between us],

15by abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the hostility caused by the Law with its commandments contained in ordinances [which He satisfied]; so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thereby establishing peace.”

“For this reason [because I preach that you and believing Jews are joint heirs] I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—

2assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was entrusted to me [to share with you] for your benefit;

3and that by [divine] revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I have already written in brief.

4By referring to this, when you read it you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

5which in other generations was not disclosed to mankind, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the [Holy] Spirit;

6[it is this:] that the Gentiles are now joint heirs [with the Jews] and members of the same body, and joint partakers [sharing] in the [same divine] promise in Christ Jesus through [their faith in] the good news [of salvation].

7Of this [gospel] I was made a minister by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of His power.

8To me, [though I am] the very least of all the saints (God’s people), this grace [which is undeserved] was graciously given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the good news of the incomprehensible riches of Christ [that spiritual wealth which no one can fully understand],

9and to make plain [to everyone] the plan of the mystery [regarding the uniting of believing Jews and Gentiles into one body] which [until now] was kept hidden through the ages in [the mind of] God who created all things”.

“In this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship which God entrusted to me for your sake, so that I might make the word of God fully known [among you]—

26that is, the mystery which was hidden [from angels and mankind] for ages and generations, but has now been revealed to His saints (God’s people).”

Jesus let that Law of Moses be crucified on the cross with Him, but it was hidden from the believers in Acts period, but after Acts it was revealed to Paul as he sat in jail in Rome 62-63 CE. This is a non-negotiable Biblical fact, no less!

Only FIVE YEARS EARLIER, in 58 CE at Jerusalem under the feast of Pentecost, Paul met with the leaders of the Jerusalem assembly. James, brother of Jesus, greeted him, and pointed out that all of the messianic believers kept the Law and the ordinances. Paul also, - and to try to stagger bad rumors (that Paul told people to disregard the Law) they had him take the seven days rite of Nazarite wow shaving his head and bringing offer to the temple, Acts 21:17-26,

“When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters welcomed us gladly.

18On the next day Paul went with us to [see] James, and all the elders of the church were present.

19After greeting them, Paul began to give a detailed account of the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20And when they heard it, they began glorifying and praising God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and they are all enthusiastic supporters of the Law [of Moses].

21Now they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are living among the Gentiles to turn away from [the Law of] Moses, advising them not to circumcise their children or to live according to the [Mosaic] customs.

22What then should be done? They will certainly hear that you have arrived.

23Therefore do just what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow;

24take these men and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses [for the temple offerings] so that they may shave their heads. Then everyone will know that there is nothing to the things they have been told about you, but that you yourself also follow and keep the Law.

25“But with regard to the Gentiles who have believed [in Christ], we have sent them a letter with our decision that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from [consuming] blood and from [the meat of] what has been strangled and from sexual immorality.”

26Then Paul took the [four] men, and the next day he purified himself along with them [by submitting to the ritual]. He went into the temple to give notice of [the time] when the days of purification [ending each vow] would be fulfilled and the usual offering could be presented on behalf of each one.”

Should we stick to the ‘Old tradition and doctrine of the Law of Moses’ – or should we keep following Paul’s freshly revealed Bible truth: The Law is abolished, and salvation is now ONLY by faith in Christ, no works?

Of course, WE NOW FOLLOW PAUL’S REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY: WE ARE SAVED BY FAITH ALONE, AND NO MORE THE WORKS OF THE LAW!

Had Priscilla and Aquila been confronted with this truth, I am a hundred percent certain that they would have kept up with Paul’s new faith doctrine, and left the Acts-era behind. We have no written record of it, but I will bet that they did, if they were alive when Paul spread his free Grace Gospel in 63 – 66/67 CE.

WHEN THE LAW WAS ABOLISHED AS REVEALED

TO PAUL IN 62-63 CE, SO WAS PENTECOST, TONGUES,

SIGNS, MIRACLES, HEALINGS!

All of those miraculous things which happened during Acts period and the ministries of the apostles were given by Christ and the Holy Spirit while they all were obeying the Law of Moses, as well as they also were under the New Covenant. We cannot find any clue whatsoever, that these super-natural signs and wonders and healings operated AFTER that the Law of Moses was annulled. In other words, these things were given to Israel only, and some proselytes. Never to the heathens/nations (Greek, ethnos).

So – consequently we know by this fact that Pentecost and modern times ‘Pentecostalism’ and everything connected to this, is a total fake.

Pentecost was part of the Law, but went down with it when the Law was revealed as abolished on the cross. That made it impossible that God could have sent a ‘Second New Pentecost’ at the Azusa Street revival in 1906-1913. That event is a lie of sorts, which the believers unfortunately followed at that time…as well as up until our time. It is tragic.

The only Bible doctrine we shall follow in our time, is that which Paul wrote in the epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians.

Only in these two epistles we can find the mention of ‘The Mystery’ and of the abolishment of the Law.

Gracepano.com