gospel of the kingdom

[jpurssey]

No doubt because of the incredible lack of understanding of the Gospel, even a conceited arrogance, having really a Gospel what Paul calls an admixture, a compound of Gospels or Commissions that have not been as Paul said "rightly dividing the Truth." Paul calls this Gospel in the strongest terms an abomination.

Let one mention the 5 different Gospels in the New Testament:
1.The Gospel of the Circumcision/Jews [where Christ told them not to go to the gentiles/samaritans Math.10:5-7]
2.The Gospel to the Gentiles/Uncircumcised Galatians 2:7
3.The Mystery of the Gospel Eph.6:19
4.Gospel of admixture "A different Gospel, which is not another" Gal.1:7-8
5.The Everlasting Gospel Rev.14:6

It seems to me that something vital has been left our of this Gospel, that popular Theology unfortunately focuses on sin and forgiveness of sin but gives nothing of the true nature of the Gospel of the Kingdom which is about Dominion. Why has man lost Dominion and become a slave to sin, constantly needing forgiveness? Where is the power of this gospel?

This Gospel of the Kingdom [or as Strong's Concordance puts it Dominion], is about man again exercising his dominion.

Hi Stephen,

On reading those passages I see only one Gospel. Some apostles had the mission of taking it to the Jews, and others to the Gentiles, and this Gospel is everlasting and is also a mystery to be made known through its spoken message. The other (admixture) Gospel is not really a Gospel. Maybe we just differ in our conceptualisations of it.

Popular evangelical theology does focus on sin and forgiveness, and presents mostly a Bad News message and then the Good News as a 'get out of hell free' card.

I am curious about "Gospel of the Kingdom is about man again exercising his dominion." I do not see this in the Gospels. How do you come to this view?

To all who post on this board:
I do not see any value in distinguishing between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven. How would this distinction affect
how I live my life as a disciple of Jesus Christ?

[Stephen Rodgers]

First we must understand that when we use the word "Gospel" it just means "good news". What one has posted is merely a canon of exegesis, which is normal practise to establish a truth. Why should there be one good news, when Scripture says our blessings in Christ are many? Is this not being rigid and inflexible without any Scripture whatsoever to support it, except 18th Century dogma? Why the good news of the blood of the Cross, the good news of salvation, the good news of reconciliation, the good news of forgiveness, the good news of justification, the good news of the resurrection? Are we not splitting hairs over this subject?

After all there are two testaments in the Bible, nobody denounces that. Who would say the same good news in the Old Testament is the same as in the New? WE have the Kingdom of God and also the Kingdom of the Heavens in the Old Testament, as well as in the New Testament but who says they are not to be differentiated? I find this very curious how we cling to those beliefs we have picked up from others second hand and cling to them even harder if we are presented with Scriptures that clearly states there are more than one Gospel/Good News.

Even the Word of God is a two edged sword which means it has two sides to it, hence the need to "rightly divide the Word of Truth" 2Tim 2:15 That is not saying the old testament is wrong and the new testament is right, it means understanding the different forms of truth which these testaments take.

It is so hard to stand up for the truth in Brethren, out of 1100 brethren in Melbourne I stood up for the truth, my parents knew I was right but out of fear and continuity of belief, they said nothing and took sides against me. Not one single person stood by me, so I am not phased at all. I showed my parents the sworn statements by 12 reputable brethren, enough to convict James Taylor Junior their Universal Leader in any court of law except infidelity is not a criminal offence in our society. I had my parents listen to his drunken slanderous tapes at Aberdeen, but they would not stand by me out of tradition and fear and the blind belief that they the exclusives had the Truth!

Yes the Apostle Paul encountered the same even with the apostles Peter, James and John, in Galatians 2 and worse, some of the circumcision wanted his life too....not from worldly people but those Christian followers of the Kingdom Gospel and the circumcision teachings. They wanted a Gospel that gave them a kingdom of God on earth, they had no interest in Paul's Gospel that spoke of our commonwealth is IN heaven, yes even further "seated in Christ in heavenly places" with a Gospel and administration "to make God's manifold wisdom known amongst the celestials."Eph.3:10

That my friends is the glorious role of the Church of Christ His body, those called out of this world to a far higher calling......."things eyes have not seen or ears heard, what God has prepared for those that love Him." How sad that brethren who were given insights into this unbelievable high calling of the Church the Body of Christ in their early ministry, especially with Mr. Stoney. What I ma saying is that Paul's Gospel goes beyond either the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of God. It makes us "the fulness of Him who fills all things." Oh boy...... no wonder Paul broke out into so many doxologies in the heavenly epsitle of Ephesians.Yes just like Ephesus all over again, history repeats itself, how quickly they fell into division and left their first love.

Just like all those assemblies in Asia who quickly turned away from Paul's heavenly good news...... all those he ministered the Mystery of His Gospel to in the Epistles of Ephesians, Philiphians and Colossians.
Of course I have not done this subject of the Kingdom or the Gospel the justice it deserves, for really it is the main theme of the Bible and one could literally write volumes on the subject and still not cover the subject.

John you asked:

I am curious about "Gospel of the Kingdom is about man again exercising his dominion." I do not see this in the Gospels. How do you come to this view?

Firstly I have no intention of making the Bible of one's own "private interpretation" particularly as the variety of opinions on the subject of the kingdom of God so manifestly proves. One has to only read the many parables of Christ regarding the kingdom of God to realise, the utter unbelief of man, for Christ to speak plainly on this kingdom.

To answer all these fruitful questions, it cannot be done in a paragraph. One must first answer that question that is so theologically blinkered by theologians focussing on man's state after the fall in the Garden of Eden, forgetting entirely man's prior state.

Let us turn to the Psalmist: "What is man that Thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that Thou visitest him. For Thou hast made him a little lower than Elohim and crowned him with glory and honour to HAVE DOMINION OVER THE WORKS OF THY HANDS, AND PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET." Psm.8
That was David's inspired view of man.
Now let us go back to Genesis One. "And Elohim said let Us make man in our image and after likeness, and let them HAVE DOMINION OVER ALL THE EARTH."
Surely the Gospel is about restoring man to his former glory and dominion, or what sort of Gospel do we have? A Gospel full of shortcomings.

Why does man sin? Because he has fallen short of the glory of God.

Once you received the Gospel of Paul, you will never be the same again, you will walk as if there is no ground under your feet, you will run the race like no other, and no longer see men as trees walking, the shekinah glory will surround you and as such "the spiritual know all things." But you will become smal like Paul and humble, pride and ignorance will fall from your eyes like scales. But only the Holy spirit can separate you to this gospel as it was with Paul in Acts 13:2

But you will be persecuted by other Christians, just like Paul. Solomon said the "face of a wise man shines". Paul spoke of the glory of God in the face of Christ, that even Moses face had to be veiled though having an inferior gospel........ does anyone get my drift?

I have not even really begun to speak of the Mystery of God. But this can only come direct through the Holy spirit a revelation like with Paul, you cannot receive it from man, certainly not from me. You must go directly to Holy Spirit, you must be like that rich merchant, the Master spoke of, that sells all he has to purchase the field that contains the pearl of great price, you must have the spirit of a berean. You must sell every man made belief and go direct and purchase from the Holy Spirit, the same Eternal Spirit Christ offered Himself up through.

So what is "DOMINION" I have already mentioned in Strong's Concordance how Kingdom really implies dominion. Nimrod was the first to establish a dominion in opposition to God, and it continues down until this very day in the Catholic and Protestant Institutions. Now Babylon as I said is based on confusion, and we are already acquainted with a certain confusion over the Kingdom of God.

Now to understand the Kingdom of God we must discover the Truth of God's authority and how it operates. You cannot compare it with the authority of man's kingdoms or religious institutions. We have already discovered that man when Elohim created him, was given dominion over all the earth. How did God do that? Did God sit up on some Throne in the heavens delegating things to Adam? No God walked with Adam in the cool of the day, every day.

Now God is invisible and man is made in His image, so man essentially is invisible to be made in God's image. When man was made in God's image no mention of dust was used, in fact in Genesis One the whole creation was out of water.......a spiritual creation.

The dust-man after the fall was given clothes of skin and flesh of an animal, not much is said considering so much ground is covered of a whole creation in a few short chapters. But it says "God made coats of skin and clothed them" nothing is said of slaying some animal, so many love embellishing what God has said. Such is all "the wisdom of man, which is foolishness to God."

It is interesting to note also the number of Hebrew words for nudity, can also be unclean, or shame. Man in Genesis One comes straight from the hand of Elohim as a creation; but in Genesis Two man is made out of dust, a manufacture not a creation.
I say that all in passing. There are so many mysteries in the Bible, that the Letter of the Word does not really pick up, except by Holy Spirit.

Well you will all need a breather after this, if any find a few talents here I am sure they will multiply....just please do not bury them, I am only passing on my few talents I have been given from above from my heavenly Father albeit they are an abundance.

[jpurssey]

Hi Stephen,

Your post has many points and I can address only a few.

I don't want to split hairs about the Good News, and you will see from my earlier posts that I frequently say plainly that it is Good News, as the term 'Gospel' frequently is not so clearly understood. For me salvation, reconciliation, forgiveness, justification are all aspects of this Good News and you don't have one without the others. Perhaps we are expressing the same thing in different ways. No matter.

You have provided the illustrations of 'The Kingdom of God' and 'The Kingdom of Heaven', and the Old and New Covenants.

There could also be the illustration of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, which should not lead us to believe there are three Gods.

But yes, The Good news has been expressed in different ways, as the example of Gospel writers and Paul show in the way they expressed the Gospel to their communities. In my house church (and if you are ever up in the Byron Shire we would love to see you) we are currently wrestling with how we should express the Good News of the Kingdom in and to the community we live in.

I am sorry that you suffered under the leaven of the Pharisees. By grace God allowed me to move out as soon as the leaven was apparent.

You have not given me a plain answer about 'dominion', unless it is to say that there is no plain answer and it is something that must be revealed through the Holy Spirit.

Do I detect some disdain for exegesis? I hope this is not so, as you also practice exegesis, as did Jesus and the NT writers. Many exegetes have laboured long for God to bring us understandings of the bible, which we can use to be salt and light as appropriate for our part of the world.
As Paul in Corinthians tells us, I am trying to be mature in my thinking and praying with my mind as well as my spirit.

[Stephen Rodgers]

Thanks John when Paul said "there must be divisions amongst you" I get the impression that was healthy, so that the "approved may manifest". He did not mean they should not fellowship, but just have differing views which we all know is a process of learning, we are not all on the same level.

WE need freedom to express our view, and we also need infinite patience with those who need further teaching..."who are babes in the truth." If a child does not ask difficult questions and disagrees at times, that child will never be very bright. Yes sometimes they may be more right than you, and that makes you glad. Every parent or good teacher would want their child to excel them. I would love everyone here to excel me......exceedingly.

But cut them off, how can they learn? Should we establish our superiority by cutting them off? Does a parent do that to a child? No...... but if one is an adult and misbehaves morally or tries to sabotage the fellowship in a deliberate way that is different. Unless we thrash out a problem in great depth, we never arrive at a real resolution. And as you know, most of us have had at different points of our pathway differing views ourselves.

As we all know a Mountain from the West side will look vastly different from the East side, that does not mean it is a different mountain, nor does it mean we should not differentiate the west from the east. I see that as the fundamental problem we all come from different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

We should look on the positive side of that and not the negative. After all Joseph had a coat of many colours, that so offended his brethren. WE should learn from Scripture, that ultimately man proposes but God disposes. God not man is the ultimate authority. If we went by that very few divisions would have unfolded.

The only Scriptural grounds for withdrawing from fellowship is immorality and disorderly conduct, but that would be the subject of another thread.Only "the Lord knows those that are His" yet so many abbrogate that right to themselves,to be yoked to an unbeliever means union, that is different to fellowship. I may eat, socialise and discuss Scripture with another, but union is different. Union is done not by us but by God.As to the Lord's Supper it is up to each individual to judge himself. Sadly Peter through fear of James withdrew from fellowship with the gentiles and not eat with them, in Gal.2:12, now if Peter held dear to his heart the Gospel of Paul, and received the administration of Grace of Paul's Gospel that would not have happened.Peter having a vision of unclean animals was not enough. So these things are mentioned in Scripture for us to learn from, but how few do.

There is only one blindness we have to know, for ideals and beliefs abound. They are like maps of some unknown planet. No one really knows how to get there, all argue about the means, so nothing is done. Surely it is blindness itself to argue over such maps, just like it is to argue over prophecy yet unfilled. But the millions are made on selling books on prophecy every year.

So at the end of the day, there is only this one blindness really, the failure to see our own.
John said:

In my house church (and if you are ever up in the Byron Shire we would love to see you) we are currently wrestling with how we should express the Good News of the Kingdom in and to the community we live in.

I like that very much, for house church is the way to go like the pristine church in Acts who "broke bread in each others houses". Actually I understand Constantine's mother was the first to construct a Church as we know them. A future prototype for the state religion of Rome.

Perhaps if you added a website[you may already have one] and a discussion board dealing with local issues, marriage counselling, family care, spiritual guidance, you may be surprised the response you get by promoting that site around town and on your cars. Byron Bay is full of New Agers, desperate to find truth sadly they have only the blind to lead them, and drugs and sex to turn to, to fill that ever yawning hole in their souls, and so many Christians who cannot relate to their culture and belief, who are afraid of getting to close to them. "But perfect love casts out all fear" and as the Master said:be wise as serpents but as guiless as sheep.
To expand, those of your inner circle could establish the same in their homes, who may also cover outlying districts.

[Stephen Rodgers]

I will quickly give one overview of the old Testament types, there are so many, but none perhaps more glorious than that of the Cherubim and Seraphim.
The sovereign activity of the Cherubim's and Seraphims are again seen in the New Testament in respect of these Two gospels: The "Gospel of the circumcision" and the "Gospel of the uncircumcision". Both these Gospels have their own glory, but the stratagem of Satan is to conceal these two glorious Gospels through an "admixture" Paul spoke of in Galatians; and how successful have been the stratagies of "these Lords of darkness."

These leading theologians "have handled the Word of God deceitfully" and how successful they have been as it says: "the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe [Paul's Gospel direct from Christ], lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God should shine upon them." The full Glory of the Gospel only goes through in a remnant...it is hid in the greater part of Christendom, concealed like "the pearl of great price" in the parable of the Master.

The Seraphims are those who fly with the hot stones of the Everlasting Gospel, from off the Burnt Altar that stands outside the Holy Places of the Temple. This is the Gospel of the Circumcision to the House of Israel of which Peter was the foremost Apostle, a true Seraphim in type that brought the hot living stones" of which he spoke later in his Epistle directly from the altar of Christ on earth.

This Gospel is continually re-offered, not only during the walk of Christ on Earth, but 20 times in the Book of Acts and finally in the Millennial period of the Book of Revelation, the final book of the circumcision apostles....as the Seraphim flying with the everlasting Gospel. We have all seen Cherubs depicted by various artists as innocent babes with wings, they represent the pure of heart who see God, who can enter into the Kingdom of God....usually depicted up above the clouds. For God's Kingdom extends beyond the earth.

The Cherubim's are the inner priests of God, who minister in the inmost place, the Holy of Holies. The Cherubim's of God overshadow the very Being of God....they toil within the concealed chambers of the Holy Places of the Temple which we know represents the human body....not unlike those processes in your own body that silently work through the night ministering to the body's needs.

Their inner most ministry is Love, Light and Life, they have the inmost knowledge, they have the very transmutation of knowledge into realisation, a far greater product than the experiences of the outer court. They then gather up, the very power of Divine Being, laying them on the Altar of oblation the Mercy Seat, the altar of perfect healing the power of Paul's Evangel, in direct contrast to the Altar of Burnt offering just outside the Holy Place, where the sacrifice of blood takes place for forgiveness of sin and trespass.

So these cherubim's are two, hence out of the Holy Place of the ministry of the kingdom of God to the Israelites and their gentile proselytes, in the book of Acts, about halfway through the Acts of the apostles, in Acts 13 the Holy Spirit declares "separate Paul and Barnabus to the work where unto I have called them." That is the ministry of the most Holy place, the Holy of Holies........the secret administration of Grace seen in the Mercy seat, where the blood sacrifice required once a year is finished, the veil between the two Holy places is rent, the fullness of the Gentiles are to come in, but it is offered only after the administration of Seraphims are finally finished, as they fly out into all the Land, so that as with Christ who made the supreme Sacrifice through the Eternal Spirit an offering is made in which all of mankind can be healed......that is Peter's Gospel.

With Paul's Gospel, No forgiveness is required in it's final finished work in Christ, for the Glory of justification, the inner most working of the priesthood of the cherubim within, transmutes the outer man unto the glorious body of Christ, for a perfect life was poured out unto death, so in the Resurrection it can clothe eternally man in a glorious state, like those skins God made to clothe Adam in his nakedness. That is why Paul said his Gospel: "presents every man perfect in Christ."

This Gospel needs no forgiveness for it is sinless, it does not supplant the Gospel of forgiveness through the blood of Christ, far be the thought, but far far greater it TRANSCENDS IT. So you can see how the Mystery of Paul's Gospel as Paul put it, has been under systematic attack by the spiritual powers and the Lords of darkness. Ever since this Evangel was given to Paul by direct Revelation from a MAN IN THE GLORY!

So Paul declares how his Gospel "presents every man perfect in Christ.." This is the sweetest of all realisations, for it is the souls very oblation, the offering up of one's body as a sweet and fragrant odour, a worthy sacrifice to God, which is our only duty....which can only be done through the power of the Cherubim within as the soul is poured out on the Altar of the Mercy Seat...of instant eternal healing as the fiery swords of the Cherubim remove all traces of the outer man and his outward voyage into the far off fields of this world in a twinkling of an eye.


All glorious are they who seek this Shekinah glory, the glory of God, for why does man sin? Because he has "fallen short of the Glory of God!" So we have this glorious Evangel, the realisation of: "Being the fullness of Him who fills all things." It is this very BEING[Ark of the Covenant as a type] that enables the transmutation of our mortality into immortality, and this sovereign operation of realisation is the very ministry of the Cherubim within the very Ark/heart of your body, the Temple of God.

Such hold the flaming sword that goes every way, the spiral flame of the Holy Spirit, which none may approach until that hour you become pure in heart, in the ecstasy of ATonement, Atonement in conscious awareness with God.


For it is the Seraphim that flies with healing in it's wings. "Then flew one of the seraphim" not one of the Cherubim, but one of the Seraphim..."unto me, having in his hand, a glowing stone which he had taken with tongs from off the altar. With it he touched my lips and said, Lo this hath touched thee" this is the healing power, like "the Sun of righteousness that rises with healing in his wings". It is the mystery of the universal solvent of God's Love as the Divine touch. It is Divine Love coming from off the very inmost Altar, The Seraphim that brings it. They are for the outer ministry like the gospel of the circumcision, the gospel that was to go out into all the Land. Being both the Kingdom of God and also the Kingdom of the heavens, the unique theme of Matthew's Gospel.

But it is the inner administration, the secret administration of the ages that was revealed to Paul as the ministry of the Cherubim, that is an inner ministry, a heavenly ministry, it is the flight of inner ecstasy, like those expressed in Paul's many doxologies in his heavenly Epistles, from the inner-most Altars of heaven the very Mercy seat that sits on the ark of the Eternal Covenant. This is the Cherubim ministration Gospel of the Holy of Holies, while that of Peter James and John was that of the Holy Place, it's outer administration seen in the flying Seraphims in their outward ministry to all the Land, bringing the power and glory of the Kingdom of God on Earth.

Why wait in the shadows of the outer court that thwart your entrance over the very threshold? Why should the dark shadows of your mind, those penumbrae, dark thoughts that so cloud the glorious Light that lies in front of you? Why stand at the very gates of Eden, why turn around at the very gates of your entrance, fearing those very Cherubim that alone can enable you to enter? Why fail to look within those portals of Eden, while facing Westwards where all things have their setting and going down? Why refuse to behold the glorious Dawn that rises before you eastward, it's glorious light beckoning you back? Why not see that Eden is a state of Being within, in the opposite direction of this world?

The sacred flames of those turning swords are beckoning one to enter, they carry the sacred flame of your own spirit from God, and only those who become infinitely small can enter Like Saul who became Paul. The other ministering divine angelic creatures the Cherubim are transforming the outer body through an inner process and overshadowing like with Mary....... bringing a glorious inner ministrations into the inner man purifying his heart, filling it with all the depth and wisdom of God's Love, "no longer stranger's and pilgrims" translating it's finished work of you, into it's commonwealth in Heaven and it's completion as the full grown man in Christ, living stones blazing with shekinah glory, "that eye hath not seen or ear hear......."

just some thoughts given to a christian mystic

[andyeden]

Dear saints:

Well, what do we have here..."The Gospel of the Kingdom" The Power of the Gospel is that it came forth from a "...Kingdom that is not from Hence" In the wider sence it embraces Jews and Gentiles alike, souls can come to Christ as Savior and acknowledge Him as Messiah too. Gospel of the Kingdom in some circles is yet to come. The preaching of the sealed 144,000 in revelation. One thing is true though in the word "Gospel" In the Prisons I preach in the California I use an acrostic:

Grace
Of
Salvation's
Plan
Emphsizing
Love

You see, if you take the G and the L from off the english word Gospel, you have 'Of Salvations Plan Emphasizing" and we know many who are doing just that! Emphasizing and Preaching their Gospel. No Grace and No Love, all Law and works. But full of man's own themes and religious works of their understanding of their 'Kingdom" Pilate was part of a "kingdom", and when Pilate addressed Jesus concerning His title, Christ replied to him as one who would understand the 'Power' he had, but that his purpose was to bring His good tidings to the opening of this prison. where only Truth can set us free, TRUTH - Pilate needed to know that...That too is an acrostic I use,

To
Receive
U
To
Heaven

Hard to accept that Pilate although faced with the fact of the works of Christ, The dreams spoken to him through his wife, and still his own conscience would not be stirred by the one who was the Gospel Personified right in front of him. He revealed to the jews clearly ISA 61, he said "today" this is fulfilled in your eyes, but they didn't want a Gospel of Grace for the gentiles, as was his message to them in the form of Elijah, and that of Faith in the account of Elisha. Pilate was not a Jew, but knew of Christs work, teaching, goodness and righteousness, and the scam to frame him by the Rulers of the Sanhedrin.

But there is another "Kingdom" that Christ entered into, another "Kingdom" he threw His light upon to Pilate. What kingdom was Christ bearing witness of before Pilate? Pilate might have thought Christ was referring to Ceasers kingdom, the Roman Empire, of which pilate was now a Governor of Palestine, he might even thought that Christ was giving him a place of respect by the remark Christ answered. Christ was referring to the kingdom of Death and Darkness and Satan as its Prince and Power of it. The reign of its Power is in this acrostic:

Satanic
In
Nature

The Character of Cain like that of Pharisees and other rullers in Israel are acted out similiar in Cain killing Abel, Its the heart of man! We would not have this man reigning over me, lets kill the heir and then it all will be ours, Cain Lost his birthright so did Israel that day. But Christ restored it in His Resurrection. This same character permeates through them all then and even now. This condition still reigns today, subject to death. Each time a Preacher is preaching in the Word of the Lord from Seth through Noah and on, a Gospel rings forth with Truth, a Burnt offering, and a New Beginning always follow. So it was for the Thief on the Cross, there is another acrostic here to:

To
Have
It
Eternally
Forgiven

This is the result in believing on the Gospel of Christ. but if you dont, there is another Thief:

Today's
He's
in
Eternal
Flame

Whether its in dispensations we see it, or in other schools of thought we have honored in, one thing rings true, that through Christs Love to capture me from the Prison House called Earth (LAM 3:33) that by His love, we too can be in a Relationship with Him as Sons now. One Last acrostic from the verse in Rev 21:7 "he who Overcomes will inherit all things, I shall be His God, and he shall be my Son".

Overcoming
Vicious
Enemies
Requires
Christ
Overcoming
My
Enemies

His Kingdom, His Gospel, that Kingdom I speak of is now from within my heart. There rings a melody there of Love there.

I have a song that Jesus gave me,
It was sent from heaven above;
There never was a sweeter melody,
‘Tis a melody of love.
I love the Christ who died on Calv’ry,
For He washed my sins away;
He put within my heart a melody,
And I know it’s there to stay.
Twill be my endless theme in glory,
To the Lord I will sing;
‘Twill be a song with glorious harmony,
When the courts of heaven ring.

Chorus
In my heart there rings a melody,
There rings a melody with heaven’s harmony;
In my heart there rings a melody;
There rings a melody of love!

Love in Jesus,

Andy Eden

[mlwestfall]

Repent therefore and be converted, for the blotting out of your sins, so that times of refreshing may come from [the] presence of the Lord, and he may send Jesus Christ, who was foreordained for you, whom heaven indeed must receive till [the] times of [the] restoring of all things, of which God has spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets since time began. Acts 3:19-21 (JND)

The passage gives record to the final offer of the Kingdom to Israel in the first century AD. It is plainly Israel's promised Kingdom in view with our Lord Jesus Christ as its King in His second coming. It is therefore more closely related to the Gospel of the Kingdom preached by John the Baptist, our Lord Himself with His disciples during His earthly ministry which also proclaimed the nearness of the Kingdom. Other than the invitation to be converted {to Christ] for the remission of sins, it bears no further similarity to the "Gospel of the Grace of God" (Act.s20:24) that Paul taught for this present age and dispensation - which we also and presently preach.

There is no aspect of a literal Kingdom in the glad tidings which Paul preached among the gentiles. Paul's writings show the Kingdom in a mystery state (Rom.14:17; 1Co.4:20) which also our Lord taught (Mk.4:11) Since the "Church" is an intercalation in the systematic revelation of God as a heavenly people for His Name, there is no earthly Kingdom in view for the Church in this dispensation. Thus, It seems evident that the invitation included in Acts 3:19-21 was given to Israel before the gospel went to the gentile peoples - which Israel refused. It was the last best offer until the Lord returns bodily to receive His earthly Kingdom and throne at some future date.

Even so, come Lord Jesus!

mlw

[Monamogolo]

I am intrigued, but not particularly enlightened.
I think it was Stephen who wrote

Surely the Gospel is about restoring man to his former glory and dominion

In my simple background and teaching I always had the impression that what was/is restored through our Lord and Saviour, our "big brother" and "friend" is RELATIONSHIP with God.

Somehow I figured that words like forgiveness and reconciliation, love (Jesus new commandment) were descriptions of personal (as opposed to formal/legal) relationships. Yes, we get many other things attached to this - like an inheritance, and promises of living in the Father's (OUR father's) mansion and so on.

If we choose to refer to aspects of "dominion" I also would insist on responsibility. We are called to be God's ambassadors (what a responsibility!) and to reconcile the world to Him. The 11 apostles, indeed even Judas the 12th, wanted the good news of POWER and Peter's speech on Pentecost was one of repentence as an escape from retribution and the promise of a place in Jesus soon returning glory to throw out the Roman occupiers and their lackies. The disciples squabbled constantly about who was the greatest, and at the last supper with Him, Jesus made it very clear that his "kingdom" was not about power or dominion but about service.

Personally, I think Peter and the other ten thought that that the crucifixion was a dreadful mistake that God had to correct through the resurrection. It was much later that Paul, perhaps somewhere between Athens and Corinth suddenly had the revelation that no, the cross was the whole point! And it shook him to his roots - this man who had gone through incredible suffering, was suddenly quaking about how the Jews he would meet in the synagogue would react to this message, because for them the cross was a stumbling block, an abhorence, a defilement that COULD not possibly figure in the good God's plan; and to the gentiles living in a militarised society where power and heroics were so glorified, it was utter foolishness that God's power would be shown through submission to death, and open identification with criminals. This was the essence of what became Paul's gospel of God love and grace, as opposed to the earlier gospel of the restoration of the jewish nation to dominion and the return to the glorious days of Kings David and Solomon.

my tuppence

Mona

[mlwestfall]

Hi Mona,

I am inclined to view the passage from a dispensational perspective which harmonizes with other prophetic passages. Scripture makes a clear distinction between Israel and the Church. This is found in descriptions of the different programs God has in place for each group respectively. Israel looks for restoration in the literal Kingdom to come. The Church awaits for the παρουσια (parousea) of our Lord Jesus Christ (Jn.14:3; 2Thes.2;1). Those are directly related events, but each group receives something different - the Church an in-gathering unto Christ and Israel the Kingdom restored with Him as King. The New Testament does not view Christ as King but as Lord instead.

The Gospel of the Kingdom in intended to announce the impending Kingdom in advance. Thus it was preached by John the baptist who satisfied the coming of Elijah (Mt.17:2) in advance of the King (Mal.4:5). Israel's leadership reject the King (Mat.12:24 etc.; John.10:33 etc.) and sought to destroy Him. Thus, the Kingdom was denied them (Mat.23:38) and the crucified Lord returned to the Father's heaven and throne.

Acts 2 and 3 describe the changing of God's way of dispensing His grace. God was about to implement a new basis for saving repentant sinners. The time of our Lord's earthly ministry fell under the old economy of the Mosaic system. Even under the Law righteousness was by faith not works. Making sacrifice alone saved no one. The repentant sinner obeyed the Law because they believed God and God counted that belief as righteousness pending the death of Christ for sin. Once our Lord Jesus Christ died for sin and was resurrected, the Mosaic system lost its efficacious value.

In Acts 3:19-21, God was obligated by promises already made to Israel's Patriarchs to offer the Kingdom one last time to Israel before taking the Gospel to the gentiles. Thus the invitation preached in Acts.3:19-21 is based on the promised Kingdom in keeping with the Gospel of the Kingdom. When that was rejected God moved on to take the good news of salvation through faith in Christ to the gentiles. Thus Peter preaches the new Gospel to the gentile Cornelius and his household in Acts chapter 10 before Paul ever went to the gentiles. The glad tidings Peter preached to Cornelius's household is actually little different than what Paul preached:

Acts 10:34-43 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (He is Lord of all:) That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; Whom they slew and hanged on a tree. Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. - To Him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

One can clearly see how Peter was still working things through, but still the change in dispensational revelation is clear.
mlw