PAUL’S NOTEBOOK OF GRACE
PAUL’S NOTEBOOK
OF GRACE
BY JAN LILLEBY
(This article will be 19 pages printed)
INTRODUCTION
This topic – the Grace of God in Christ – cannot be repeated enough!
But my article here is addressed not to the existing ‘Acts-28 Camp’ – but rather to all of you who have not yet gotten to this understanding of scripture. You may not be aware of it, but without right division of the New Testament, you are bound to get stuck into several spiritual ‘Dead End Streets’ – and causing you frustration. So, get on with it, read this article and check if this may be what you need to come to better understanding of the Grace Gospel of Paul!
So here we go again, for the ‘umpteenth time’ – but I will try to make this repetition in a ‘notebook’ kind of order. Not with a thousand footnotes and references…neither with alphabetical order, but in a layman fashion.
Paul’s doctrine of Grace has already been written by him, in the year span 63-67 CE…the two only ‘Mystery epistles’ Ephesians and Colossians.
But I shall try to go through it bit-by-bit in a slow pace, with reflections and commentary, so to clarify things which seem to be difficult to someone out there.
His Grace doctrine is such a radical change of message, that we will find Paul actually eradicated Peter’s Pentecost message entirely…just to give you a little foretaste on what is to come here:
Peter said, Acts 2:38, NASB,
“Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Paul said, 36 years after Peter’s speech, that there shall be ONLY one baptism, - the one every believer was given in the death of Christ on the cross, - baptized by His death, - or ‘buried with Him in baptism’…
Eph. 4:5, NASB,
“..one Lord, one faith, one baptism..”
Col. 2:11, 12, NASB,
“11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circum-cision of Christ;
12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”
Paul used a narrative here, as if ALL believers had been baptized into the death of Christ, the moment one came to faith. He likened this operation by God with circumcision…made without hands (of a minister) – but by God.
The Acts body of Jewish believers had TWO baptisms: one was same kind as with us – baptism into the death of Christ, PLUS a second ordinance - the water baptism as seen with the twelve apostles, and also with Paul as he ministered to the Jews and proselytes outside of Israel before he was sent to Rome in 58 CE. The Acts body of Messianic believers had those two kinds of baptisms. But we, the ‘one new man’ – the Body of Christ – has but just one baptism; that which is made without any assistance of a minister, but by God alone.
We find NO protests from Peter or any of the other apostles against Paul’s dramatically altering of Gospel message. Peter only commented on Paul’s writings, as something which may be difficult (hard) to understand, and in a manner of clearly taking stand FOR Paul. (2 Pet. 3:15, 16).
So, by this little introduction, you have got a ’heads up’ on what much of this ‘notebook’ may deal with.
Due to the vast confusion inside Christianity, I feel it is of importance to make comparisons, the wrong concept compared to the correct one! I could very well rather call the wrong concept for ‘out dated’ or ‘obsolete’…it is the very same. Paul’s new revelation – that of a new free Grace salvation by faith, came on the stage and replaced the previous one!
FORGET THE DAY OF PENTECOST
AND PETER’S SPEECH IN ACTS 2
We pick up the topic given already above, from my short introduction: We cannot hold on to a doctrine of faith which was ALTERED way back in history - 1962 years ago. It is April 2026 as I write this. We stick with the doctrine that came by Paul around 63-67 CE, and which had no commandment/ordinance of water baptism. Neither was there any promise to be baptized in the Holy Spirit (with tongues and power to heal the sick).
It was 28 CE as the Lord Jesus was crucified and resurrected, and taken up to heaven – after He had told His disciples to go on preaching The Kingdom of God (on earth!) to Israel. And: to baptize their believers in water. Acts 2:41 reports of adding 3000 believers to the flock and having them baptized,
“So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.”
At that time, the Acts period 28-62 CE, water baptism was demanded by God for their salvation, as we read Peter’s speech in Acts 2:38. “…for the REMISSION OF SINS…”
BEING FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
AS ON PENTECOST ACTS 2
This gift of God for the apostolic believers in Acts time, never had anything to do with us, the ‘one new man’ – by Paul called for the Body of Christ. It is not the church, the ‘one new man’ we see in Acts 2 and on, it was God’s fulfilling of prophecy to the Jewish nation Israel – including and mainly the arrival of the Messiah King Jesus Christ. That is why Peter opened his speech, saying …this is what was spoken of by the prophet Joel, and it shall be in the last days, God says, that I will pour forth of My Spirit….and so forth – Acts 2:16-17.
Peter never was engaged by Christ to establish the church dispensation; this was a ministry given to Paul only.
In Paul’s two church epistles, we have no such promise or ordinance as being filled with the Holy Spirit to perform healings of the sick, speaking in tongues, casting out demons and such manifestations.
On the contrary: Paul is pointing to the Holy Spirit, as being given every believer as he comes to faith, and the Holy Spirit now operates within us as a seal and a guarantee that we shall have our hope of salvation fulfilled. No word on miracles/tongues/prophecy/exorcisms regarding this manner of the Holy Spirit in us as a seal for salvation.
Eph. 4:30, NASB,
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
Eph. 1:13, 14, NASB,
“13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation -having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.”
Eph. 3:17, NASB,
“16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,”
When Paul wrote of power, he pointed to THE INNER MAN and not to outwardly signs and wonders as with the Acts body of believers.
It had changed seriously since the time of Peter and the eleven. 36 years had now passed, and God had changed the dispensation by revealing to Paul the Mystery, Eph. 3:1-4, NASB,
“1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles -
2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace (Greek, oikonomia) which was given to me for you;
3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.
4 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, “
THE REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY
CHANGED EVERYTHING
For the first: all preaching of the Kingdom of God in Israel, the millennial reign of Christ, ended abruptly. And ALL authorized power to preach the Gospel was handed by God into the hands of Paul and his handpicked (if not by Paul, God had chosen them) co-workers. Reading Colossians 4, we count 9 members working for this entirely new fresh Grace dispensation given to us by Paul.
Let me name these believers for you,
Timothy, Luke, Tychicus, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Mark, Jesus Justus, Ephaphras, Archippus. (Demas may not have been a co-worker, but only an acquaintance). Same can be noted of a believing woman, Nympha ..and the church that is in her house. She lived in Laodicea. There may very well have been several co-workers with Paul who lived in Laodicea, for all what we know.
THE CLUMPSY MANNER IN CHRISTIANITY,
USING THE FOUR GOSPELS AND ACTS AS BASIS
FOR DOCTRINE OF FAITH TO THE CHURCH
The total lack of wisdom and correct hermeneutics regarding right Bible understanding, leads to the present confusion seen in Christendom today. The many pastors around, keep preaching the Gospel as if this Gospel can be found in the historical books, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – plus Acts. They go on in total error quoting certain words which Jesus spoke to Israel’s population as if Jesus was the one who was sent to us Gentiles.
But the Bible tells us clearly that, for the first: Jesus was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Mat. 15:24) – and – secondly - Paul was the only one sent out to us Gentiles…which we can learn from Acts history. You must excuse me for repeating this truth so much.
When Jesus walked the land of Israel in ministry, together with His chosen disciples, we find proven that the church-dispensation was not yet established/revealed. The church, also called by Paul for ‘one new man’ (Eph. 2:15) would not come into existence before around 63-67 CE – which was around 36 years after He started His ministry to Israel at the age of 30, in 28 CE.
When Jesus and the twelve walked in Israel’s land, they were all under the Law of Moses, - but as we check with Paul’s revelation in Eph. 2:14, 15 we find that the Law was abolished and taken out of the way, for good. Read more of this below, with quotes. It had to be taken away so Christ could make the two, Jews and Gentiles, into ‘one new man’ – Paul wrote. In other words: if the Law had been kept standing, the church could not be established! Many pastors and evangelists are overlooking this very simple Bible truth, when reading the New Testament. No wonder that there is so much confusion seen in Christianity today.
Also worth noticing: all the ‘Jesus films’ produced and sent out to movie theaters and to TV-channels world-wide over many decades, they leave no genuine room for Paul’s revelation which changed the whole sphere of ‘gospel preaching’. Thus these films produces utter misunderstanding – that the Gospel is what Jesus can be ‘seen and heard’ speaking from these many films.
It is great to have the history of Jesus and His disciples both in the Bible canon as well as on film and video. Don’t get me wrong. We all appreciate this heavy historical proof of Jesus and His work of salvation. It is totally unique and divine, and we can praise the Lord for giving us not only a salvation told in the Gospel of Paul, but we get full background info with thousands of historic details backing up this truth of God Almighty. And yet: this is still not the right basis for the Grace Gospel preaching in our time. We have to have Paul as our Dean and Master Tutor…he was the one who JESUS SENT TO US. Can you please try and understand this important truth?
TWO BIBLE PASSAGES OF ‘MYSTERY’
REVELATION TO UNDERSTAND
THE NEW GRACE DISPENSATION
It will be Eph. 2 and 3 and Col. 1 and 2, by selected verses.
Let’s begin with Eph. 2:14-16, NASB,
“14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,
16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.”
Then come Eph. 3:1-9, NASB, which I already have quoted partially above,
“1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles -
2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace which was given to me for you;
3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.
4 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;
6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,
7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God's grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.
8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,
9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things;”
The last two verses tell of whom God trusted with this new revelation of God’s Grace to Gentiles: Paul, the apostle. And verse 9 tells us what is the calling, the task we are supposed to perform here on earth: namely to make ALL people see what is the dispensation (Greek, oikonomia) of this new Grace salvation by faith alone, no works. This Gospel message is not a message to the Jews exclusively, as it was in Acts. It is now to be offered to the entire world, since it is an international offer of salvation by faith in Christ.
Eph. 2:8, 9 has a clear speech on this:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Only in Paul’s two church epistles Ephesians and Colossians, do we find the revealed Mystery message – which is the basic Grace doctrine for this church dispensation, mentioned in Eph. 3:1-9 above.
Col. 1:25, 26, tells of the Mystery revelation, and scholars hold these two epistles as twin-epistles, regarding doctrine of faith to the church,
“25 Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God,
26 that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints,”
Those who think that the revelation of the Mystery is found in other epistles as well, they are entirely wrong in their assumptions. In Paul’s “Notebook” we find the Mystery taught ONLY in Ephesians and Colossians. It cannot be seen in Philippians or in any of the pastorals. All rules of hermeneutics are well observed when we say that the Mystery is taught only in Ephesians and Colossians. These two epistles are post-Acts writings.
THE TWO KINDS OF GOSPELS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
There is no way that a sound and well rooted Christian believer can confuse these two messages: the Kingdom-offer to Israel found in Acts and the four Gospels, - with the pure new revelation of the free Grace of God given to Paul for us. These two Gospel messages are very different.
One had the Kingdom on earth as hope of salvation for the Jews, the other one has the revelation of God’s free Grace salvation in the heavenly calling up above, by faith alone, and for ALL the world alike!
That is why God, in Christ’s death on the cross, had the Law of Moses abolished. He does not want to have the Law charging the Gentiles for observing and practice. Rom. 2:14 say that Gentiles HAD NOT the Law.
Christ kept this Bible truth a secret during Acts, when He tested Israel to see whether they would repent and believe on Him. But as Israel fell away from God (see Acts 28:25-28) – this secret was revealed to Paul. The very last words spoken to Israel by a prophet/apostle, is found in Acts 28:28:
"Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen."
For instance we find that the Messianic assembly in Judea and Jerusalem in 57-58 CE – as Paul came to celebrate Pentecost – all were zealous for the Law! Acts 21:20, NASB,
“And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law;”
Paul himself demonstrated to the Jews near the temple, that he was a Law-observer, in that he took upon him the ceremonial fasting week of the Nazirite, Acts 21:23, 24.
So the abolishing of the Law of Moses must have been a spiritual bomb shell at that time, as Paul wrote from his jail cell in 63-67 CE of the Law entirely taken away and cast in the litter grinder!
He explained to the Colossians what the effect of such an abolishment would have on the believers, doctrinal wise, Col. 2:13-17, NASB, when he let them understand that there are no more food ordinances, holy feast ordinances, Moon Days calendar, Sabbaths,
(This obviously hit straight up against the Adventist camp and other denominations which try to keep parts of the Law, the Ten Commandments and more),
“13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
16 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day-
17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.”
This clear teaching by Paul, on the Law having been taken away entirely, - must be understood: one cannot rightfully disagree with those who no longer observe the Law and ordinances; these things have been dismissed by God as He let it all be crucified with Christ! Nobody can go and accuse any believer for breaking the Law hereafter. The Law exists no more!
You are bound to go wrong if you do not keep Paul as your Dean and Master Tutor. Why is it that vast parts of Christianity really are in opposition to Paul’s Grace teaching?
If we do not listen to Paul’s teachings, that means we are not listening to God’s Word. What kind of ‘Christian’ faith would that be???
I emphasized verses 14 and 16, showing the consequences of having the Law cancelled and taken away. Jesus let it be nailed to the cross, it says. And yet, sects and religious denominations go against Paul’s clear Grace doctrine, and will have you keep Sabbath, observe food ordinances, and even feast days etcetera. Things which only were used to point forward to when Christ would come. But now Christ has come, and He went home to His Father after He first atoned for our sin on the cross. Meaning: there is no use of such law and ordinances in the aftermath of Christ on earth! Paul said that …it was a mere shadow of what is to come- but the substance belongs to Christ.
PAUL’S ‘NOTEBOOK’ OF GRACE CAN
ONLY BE FOUND INSIDE EPHESIANS
AND COLOSSIANS, AND NO OTHER SCRIPTURES
You can’t find it in the four Gospels, neither in the Acts, and neither in any of the writings from that same time period (28-62 CE). Beg your pardon for this extra repetition in the issue.
The Grace message of the Mystery revelation did not come to anyone’s knowledge before God revealed it to Paul as he sat jailed in Rome 63-67 CE.
THE WORD ‘GRACE’ IN EPHESIANS
The word "grace" (Greek: charis) is a central theme in the Book of Ephesians, mentioned multiple times in the New American Standard Bible (NASB) to emphasize God's unmerited favor in salvation and spiritual gifting.
Here are the key mentions of "grace" in Ephesians (NASB):
1. Ephesians 1:6–7 (Riches of His Grace)
Paul opens the letter by praising God for His grace.
"...to the praise of the glory of His grace... According to the riches of His grace" (Eph 1:6–7), noting it is freely bestowed in Christ.
2. Ephesians 2:5–8 (Saved by Grace)
This core passage highlights that salvation is entirely a gift of God, not earned through works.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith... it is the gift of God; not a result of works" (Eph 2:5, 2:8–9).
3. Ephesians 3:2, 3:7–8 (Stewardship of Grace)
Paul characterizes his ministry as a gift of grace rather than a personal achievement.
"...the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me..." (Eph 3:2) and "...the gift of God’s grace..." (Eph 3:7).
4. Ephesians 4:7 (Grace Given to Each)
Grace is presented as spiritual enablement for service.
"But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift."
5. Ephesians 4:29 (Speaking Grace)
Grace is applied to daily life, encouraging speech that builds others up.
"...only such a word as is good for edification... that it will give grace to those who hear."
6. Ephesians 6:24 (Final Greeting)
The letter concludes with a blessing of grace.
"Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ..."
THE WORD ‘GRACE’ IN COLOSSIANS
In the New American Standard Bible (NASB), the word "grace" is explicitly mentioned in Colossians in two main contexts, primarily in the opening and closing greetings, as well as a reference to understanding God's grace in the first chapter.
1. Colossians 1:2 (Greeting)
"...Grace to you and peace from God our Father".
Context: Paul opens the letter with a standard apostolic greeting wishing grace and peace to the believers in Colossae.
2. Colossians 1:6 (Thanksgiving)
"...since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth".
Context: Paul thanks God for the Colossians because they truly understood the grace of God when they heard the gospel.
3. Colossians 4:6 (Instructions on Speech)
"Your speech must always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person".
Context: Paul instructs the church to use speech that is gracious (kind, wholesome, and reflecting God's grace) rather than harsh, as part of their witness to outsiders.
4. Colossians 4:18 (Closing)
"...Grace be with you".
Context: The final, short benediction of the letter.
Note: Some versions (like the 1995 NASB) may use slightly different wording, such as "with grace" or "gracious" in 4:6, but the focus on divine grace as a characteristic of speech is consistent.
HOW ABOUT PETER AND THE WORD GRACE?
Well, just to be polite…let me say that Peter mention ‘Grace’ nine times in his totally two epistles, as follows, - however, this does not make Peter into an apostle to the Gentiles, or having been given the revelation of the Mystery. He was only sent to Israel inside the land along with the eleven others. We cannot find Peter outside, in the dispersion ‘sent by Christ’. We only find him as one who was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel – to tend to the sheep of Israel’s house (John 21). He and the eleven were steadily keeping company in ministry under the ‘Portico of Solomon’ (Acts 5:12) says the Bible! Luke ends his Gospel by pointing to this fact, that the twelve were gathered in the temple-site, Luke 24:51-53, NASB,
“51 While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven.
52 And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
53 and were continually in the temple praising God.”
This gathering together may have been most often whenever there was a Holy Feast, such as Passover, Pentecost, and Trumpets. Since that was when greater number of Jews was assembled in the city. The Jerusalem-assembly lived through such feast days once a year, experiencing vast numbers of pilgrims from the dispersion – just as described in Acts 2:5 – Jews from fourteen Provinces, even Rome. Every Passover and Pentecost was a golden opportunity to reach even more Jews and proselytes with the Kingdom-gospel in Acts time span.
In his speech to Cornelius and his guests in Acts 10, we find Peter telling us to whom he was sent, Acts 10:36, 37, NASB,
“36 "The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all )-
37 you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed”.
Paul was sent to us GENTILES, as he wrote in Eph. 3:1-3, but Peter was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel…with the WORD God sent to the sons of Israel!
Peter’s encounter with the Gentiles in Caesarea, about 40 guests in Cornelius’ house, was a ‘One off’ – and he did not alter his ministry. They kept on preaching to the Jews it says in Acts 11:19 and with no particular aim at Gentile souls.
“Grace” in 1 Peter (NASB):
1 Peter 1:2: “May grace and peace be multiplied to you.”
1 Peter 1:10: Mentions the prophets who prophesied of the “grace that would come to you.”
1 Peter 1:13: Commands believers to “set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 2:19-20: Translated as “favor” (in some versions) or indicates finding favor with God when suffering unjustly, which in the context of charis is a gracious thing/favor.
1 Peter 3:7: Describes wives and husbands as “fellow heirs of the grace of life.”
1 Peter 4:10: Urges believers to be “good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God.”
1 Peter 5:5: Quotes Proverbs to say, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:10: Calls God “the God of all grace.”
1 Peter 5:12: Concludes by stating, “This is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!”
«Grace» in 2 Peter (NASB):
2 Peter 1:2: “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”
2 Peter 3:18: Commands believers to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Peter uses “grace” as a blessing of divine favor, a future gift at Christ’s return, and as the empowering strength for living and serving.
The different callings which Peter and Paul possessed is described in Gal. 2:7, 8, NASB,
“7 But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised
8 (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles ),”
Thus it is safe to say – and Biblically correct – that Peter preached the Kingdom-Gospel to Israel, but Paul (after the fall of Israel in Acts 28:25-28) preached the free Grace gospel of the heaven up above to Gentiles internationally. Also Jews are allowed this Grace by faith, but the nation is no longer God’s nation. The nation will be raised up again, as a new Israel through the Great Tribulation (Mat. 24:21, 22).
SPECIAL POINTS WORTHY OF NOTICE IN
PAUL’S CHURCH EPISTLES
Paul kind of ‘segregated’ the Grace-Gospel message, in the manner of NOT ever bringing into his preaching certain things he had taught before in ministry. He did not bring with him things he taught when he preached the Kingdom-Gospel to the Jews.
We easily notice the following no-no’s regarding doctrine:
# 1 He no longer taught of the Second Advent of Christ
# 2 He no longer performed or taught on signs, miracles and wonders
# 3 He no longer taught or practiced Holy Communion
# 4 He did not practice or taught water baptism or Spirit baptism
# 5 He no longer taught Eschatology in the sense of Anti-Christ
# 6 He no longer kept certain holy feast days or Sabbath
# 7 He did not mention Israel* in his church epistles
# 8 He can’t be found teaching of elders or pastors to lead the church
# 9 He was no longer saved out of jails by help from angels
# 10 He never set foot in Israel again – and he died in Rome
*(Israel is mentioned only in regard to a past experience to some believers, in Eph. 2:12…but not as a continuous nation of God)
I stop it here. More could be mentioned, but these points are enough to prove a serious change in ministry regarding Paul.
It is highly likely that Paul’s new Grace-Gospel revelation never was preached inside Israel’s land. It went rooted in Asia Minor, first and foremost the cities mentioned in Ephesians/Colossians, such as Ephesus, Hierapolis, Laodicea, - also probably Philadelphia; Colossae. It is evident that Paul also wrote an epistle to Laodicea – but it has never been found. It must have contained the very same Grace-doctrine as that of Ephesians and Colossians.
CONCLUSION
Pointing to Paul as our Master Tutor, does not make Peter and the eleven of no importance, far from it.
They were true servants of Christ, they died as saints and heroes, and their high integrity in faith cannot be questioned!
But it is true that the twelve were sent to Israel within her borders, - and Paul was sent to Jews, Gentiles and Kings outside of Israel – into the diverse Provinces of the Roman Empire as seen in Acts 9:15.
Paul’s first years in ministry was for Jews and Proselytes (gentiles, called Greek); but after the close of Acts 62 CE, Paul was given by revelation of the Mystery – to preach the free Grace Gospel to Gentiles, and telling them that heaven up above (Greek, epiouranos) was their hope of salvation.
Eph. 2:8, 9, NASB, is perhaps my favorite passage,
“8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
***To all who see themselves as new to this Acts-28 teaching, feel free to contact me by email (post@gracepano.com) if you want to have explanation of difficult issues. NOTE: Your email will be kept confidential; neither will you be pestered with email from me…trying to beg for support and so forth!
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