Some Questions About the Mid-Acts Position

We all need to ask questions as we ponder God’s word. These are not to be construed as negative to your faith as are foolish and unlearned questions 2Tim. 2:23,  but on the contrary should simply be a part of the method of acquiring knowledge and understanding and therefore be faith building. The right questions should lead onto edification and strength and finally to perfection. It is with this spirit that I ask these questions and hope that the Father of lights will give a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him (see Eph.1:17) to each and every one of us so that with enlightened eyes we may know!

Questions:

1.  Was the “gospel of God” that Paul preached equivalent to the Mystery hid from ages and generations? Paul says that he preached the gospel of God to the Corinthians freely 2Cor. 11:7, to the Thessallonians with much contention 1Th.2:2 and that he ministered the gospel of God to make the Gentiles acceptable to God Rom 15:16, indeed he was separated unto this gospel Rom. 1:1. 
   1. ANSWER: NO, it was based on the OT scriptures.
   2. PROOF: ROM.1:1 ¶  Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2  (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,). This is NO MYSTERY HID IN GOD — QUITE THE REVERSE!
2. Was the hope Paul preached to the Gentiles in the Acts period something new and outside the prophets?
   1. ANSWER: NO, The hope presented was declared by Isaiah
   2. PROOF: Rom. 15:11  And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.
      12  And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
      13 ¶  Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
3. ​Is the mystery of Rom.16:25 the same as that of Col. 1:26?
   1. ​ANSWER: NO
   2. PROOF: Compare Col. 1:25-27 and Eph. 3:9 with Rom. 16:25-26

      Col. 1:25  (AV) Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
      25  (TR) ης εγενομην εγω διακονος κατα την οικονομιαν του θεου την δοθεισαν μοι εις υμας πληρωσαι τον λογον του θεου

      26  (AV) Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
      26  (TR) το μυστηριον το αποκεκρυμμενον απο των αιωνων και απο των γενεων νυνι δε εφανερωθη τοις αγιοις αυτου

      27  (AV) To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
      27  (TR) οις ηθελησεν ο θεος γνωρισαι τις ο πλουτος της δοξης του μυστηριου τουτου εν τοις εθνεσιν ος εστιν χριστος εν υμιν η ελπις της δοξης 

      Eph. 3:9  (AV) And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
      9  (TR) και φωτισαι παντας τις η κοινωνια του μυστηριου του αποκεκρυμμενου απο των αιωνων εν τω θεω τω τα παντα κτισαντι δια ιησου χριστου

      Rom. 16:25 ¶  (AV) Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
      25  (TR) τω δε δυναμενω υμας στηριξαι κατα το ευαγγελιον μου και το κηρυγμα ιησου χριστου κατα αποκαλυψιν μυστηριου χρονοις αιωνιοις σεσιγημενου

      26  (AV) But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
      26  (TR) φανερωθεντος δε νυν δια τε γραφων προφητικων κατ επιταγην του αιωνιου θεου εις υπακοην πιστεως εις παντα τα εθνη γνωρισθεντος

      Note the following: Colossians and Ephesians are “prison epistles”, Romans is NOT! 
       

      Differences between the mysteries

      Colossians and Ephesians	Romans
      “The mystery”  το μυστηριον,  του μυστηριου	“a mystery”  μυστηριου
      dispensation fulfills the word of God	made known to all nations for the obedience of  faith
      hid in God	made manifest and by prophetical scriptures (προφητικων is an adjective)

       

4. Did Paul preach the new covenant in the Acts period?

   1. ANSWER: YES

   2. PROOF: Read 2Cor. 3:6, Jer 31:31 and Heb 8
      ​ 2Co 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
      2Co 3:6  (TR) ος και ικανωσεν ημας διακονους καινης διαθηκης ου γραμματος αλλα πνευματος το γαρ γραμμα αποκτεινει το δε πνευμα ζωοποιει

5. Is the new covenant the same as the mystery?

   1. ANSWER: NO

   2. PROOF: See Eph. 2:11,12 and Rom 9 This was given to Israel!!

      12  (AV) That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
      12  (TR) οτι ητε εν τω καιρω εκεινω χωρις χριστου απηλλοτριωμενοι της πολιτειας του ισραηλ και ξενοι των διαθηκων της επαγγελιας ελπιδα μη εχοντες και αθεοι εν τω κοσμω

      13  (AV) But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
      13  (TR) νυνι δε εν χριστω ιησου υμεις οι ποτε οντες μακραν εγγυς εγενηθητε εν τω αιματι του χριστου

6. When Paul says that he magnifies his office, was this an unqualified reference to his apostleship to the gentiles during the acts period?

   1. ANSWER: NO!

   2. PROOF: See Rom. 11:13,14

      13  (AV) For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
      13  (TR) υμιν γαρ λεγω τοις εθνεσιν εφ οσον μεν ειμι εγω εθνων αποστολος την διακονιαν μου δοξαζω

      14  (AV) If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
      14  (TR) ει πως παραζηλωσω μου την σαρκα και σωσω τινας εξ αυτων

7. Did Paul baptize after mid-Acts and before Acts 28?

   1. ANSWER: YES!

   2. PROOF: 
      Ac 18:8  And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
      1Co 1:14  I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;

8. ​Did Paul remain faithful to the law and the prophets up to Acts 28?

   1. ​ANSWER: YES!

   2. PROOF:
      Acts 18:18 ¶  And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
      19  And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
      20  When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;
      21  But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

      Acts 21:20  And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
      21  And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
      22  What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
      23  Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
      24  Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
      25  As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
      26  Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

      Ac 26:22  Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

9. Paul preached to Festus (Acts 26) recounting what the Lord had done and the good news (gospel) that “Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles” was this content contrary to the Prophets and Moses?

   1. ANSWER: NO
   2. ​PROOF: Ac 26:22  Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

10. Was this gospel (the one above) the same as the gospel of the unsearchable riches of Christ that PAul discusses in Eph. 3:8

    1. ANSWER: NO
    2. PROOF: 
       Eph 3:8  Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
       Eph 3:8  (TR) εμοι τω ελαχιστοτερω παντων των αγιων εδοθη η χαρις αυτη εν τοις εθνεσιν ευαγγελισασθαι τον ανεξιχνιαστον πλουτον του χριστου

11. If signs and wonders are removed from the body mentioned in 1Cor. 12:12 — would it (the body) survive?

    1. ANSWER: NO! It would have no members!!!!

    2. PROOF: 1Cor 12
       1 ¶  Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
       2  Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
       3  Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
       4  Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
       5  And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
       6  And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
       7  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
       8  For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
       9  To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
       10  To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
       11  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
       12 ¶  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
       13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
       14  For the body is not one member, but many.

        

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